SOL Forest School
We have turned 6 years around the sun!
Soulful ~ Outdoor ~ Learning
Current Program Overview
Weekly Sessions:
Tue – Thu
9:30am – 1:30pm
+
4th Sats
Aug – May
9:30am – 1:30pm
2023 – 2024
School Year:
August – May
Locations:
East Mountains
(east of Albuquerque)
Age Range:
Treeschool &
Explorers
(3-6)
Tall Pines & Adventurers
(6/7-10)
Time in Nature:
100%
Forest School
Year Round Sessions:
PROGRAM UPDATE AS OF 11/13/2023: We offer a full school year program from August to May, Tuesdays & Thursdays from 9:30am - 1:30pm for children ages 3 to 6 in our early years Treeschool group and Thursdays only 9:30am - 1:30pm for ages 6/7-10 in our Tall Pines older kid group. Beginning in January 2024, we will begin offering a Wednesday Treeschool session in the East Mountains. We also offer Saturday sessions from 9:30am - 1:30pm (every 4th Saturday of the month between Aug - May) and Summer sessions in two blocks in June and July.
Please see our FAQs tab for more information about a typical experience of Forest School.
Learn more about our PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS and the Rhythm of the Forest School Day
Our sites are currently based in the East Mountains (Cedar Crest, Tijeras, and Sandia Park) and in the Albuquerque Bosque, with our East Mountain sites approximately 20-45 minutes by car, depending upon where in the Albuquerque metro area you may be traveling from.
Our sessions are held in beautiful forested areas that are carefully chosen with the criteria of safety, proximity, outdoor classroom use, potential environmental impact & opportunities for nature immersion in mind.
Parents are asked to participate as Parent Volunteers at least 1 to 2 times per semester. Our third adult for forest school sessions is a Parent Volunteer or a Volunteer from the community with a dedicated interest in early childhood and outdoor education.
We encourage parents to use the session time for self-care through hiking or relaxing in nature, enjoying some quiet time sipping coffee or tea at one of our several eateries & cafes, or working virtually without interruption while your child / children are enjoying themselves under the sun. The East Mountain Library in Tijeras is a wonderful spot for reading or working, too. We encourage parents to carpool to save on time & fuel, if they are comfortable doing so.
Our Programs:
Treeschool
Ages 3 - 6
East Mountains
Treeschool is SOL’s original forest school program for early childhood years (age 3-6). Under the guidance of trained and experienced educators, our "Treeschoolers" experience firsthand the joy and wonder of nature and have ample free time for risky and adventurous play. Treeschool is play-based, welcomes children with or without outdoor experience, and is currently held every Tuesday & Thursday where children attend 1-2 days per week.
Tall Pines
Ages 6/7 - 10
East Mountains
Tall Pines is SOL’s forest school program for elementary school ages (6/7-10), giving homeschool learners a community of their peers and ample time to experience the forest school fun that SOL is known for. Tall Pines go for longer hikes in the forest and have opportunities to advance their outdoor skills & tool use. We follow student interests in choosing activities, and learn about local habitats & wildlife throughout the changing seasons.
Tall Pines is held only on Thursdays for 2023-2024. Treeschoolers who have been with SOL for at least one year may graduate to Tall Pines after age 6, and we make these decisions on a case-by-case basis. We take into consideration several factors when advancing a younger student to Tall Pines. For example, Tall Pine students must be able to attend to all their outdoor bathrooming with little or no adult support. They must be able to manage their own buttons and zippers on snow pants and jackets, and put on their own gloves/mittens without adult help. Tall Pines carry a heavier backpack for longer distances, sometimes through mud or snow. Most importantly, Tall Pines must show age-appropriate self-regulation and impulse control during risky and adventurous play, such as tree-climbing, stick play, and child-led games.
Saturday School Year /
Summer Explorers & Adventurers
Ages 3 - 10
East Mountains (Saturdays/Summer) & Albuquerque Bosque (Summer)
SOL Saturdays during the school year and Summer SOL are offered for Explorers (ages 3-6) and Adventurers (ages 6/7-10). Saturday sessions are offered once or twice per month and will typically run 4 hours. For Summer 2023 (8:30am-12:30pm) before the heat of the day intensified, and for Saturdays '23-'24 (9:30am-1:30pm). For Summer 2023 we offered a 5-Day Camp Week in July for enrollment of the full week.
SUMMER SOL 2023
This program has concluded.
SATURDAY SOL 2023-2024
*Program update for Saturdays*
Saturday Forest Fun! Our 100% outdoor sessions will pass through all four seasons and will be held in the East Mountains for children aged 3-10 yrs. Sessions will take place every 4th Saturday of the month (with the exception of Nov & Dec), and will run 4 hours (9:30am-1:30pm). 10 sessions will be offered for the year between August 2023 – May 2024.
2023: Aug 26 • Sept 23 • Oct 28 • Nov 18* • Dec 16*
2024: Jan 27 • Feb 24 • Mar 23 • Apr 27 • May 25
Tuition, calendar and more details can be found here: Saturday SOL 2023-2024
Please note, we do not offer drop-in Saturday classes. Registration is for the whole
series, every 4th Saturday for the full year.
Saturday SOL 2023-2024 Registration is open, however the Explorers program (ages 3-6) is currently FULL. Registration preference is given to families who are not otherwise attending the weekday Treeschool/Tall Pine program, but who may be only available for Saturday sessions).
OAK Club – After School
Outdoor Adventuring Kids, Ages 3 - 10
East Mountains
SOL kicked off a NEW after-school club for K-5th students at the Vista Grande Community Center for Spring 2023. Under the guidance of SOL Forest School's trained staff, OAKs enjoyed engaging in forest school activities such as nature journaling, mapping/orienteering, Coyote games, tool-work, hiking, STEM learning, & nature play. OAK students ventured out "into the wild" from the Vista Grande Community Center on early-release Wednesdays.
This program has concluded for 2023. Check back later for info on future programming.
Tree Tots
Pilot Program: for children under age 3 and their families
We have been wanting to offer programming for children under 3 & their families for quite some time now & hope to pilot a weekly 90-minute session running for 6 weeks in duration this Spring in our Albuquerque Bosque location. Cost will be $150 for the session series & parents will stay with their tots. There will be opportunities to connect with other like-minded families, as well as a chance to help us plan for what this offering might look like in the future.
TREE TOTS Spring Session Dates: April 12, 19, & 26 ... May 3, 10, 17
Session Time: 10am – 11:30am
COST: First child - $150 for the full series, due by April 5.
Additional siblings over 18 months - $99 for the full series
(Additional Siblings under 18 months old may attend without charge).
This program has concluded. Check back later for info on future programming.
A note about our school calendar: SOL’s upcoming school year is Aug 22 – May 18. If you have school-age children, please be aware that their school calendar may differ from SOL's calendar. No classes will be held on the following days/dates: TBA
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Thanksgiving Break: Nov 21-23
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Winter Break: Dec 18 – Jan 15
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APS Spring Break: April 2-4, 2024
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Last day of the '23-'24 year: May 25, 2024
Upcoming Programs for 2023-2024
SOL Saturdays 2023-2024
Our Explorers program is FULL. Accepting registrations for Adventurers.