Austin Forest School

About this program

Austin Forest School is a full-time outdoor education program located in Far South Austin, Texas, off Slaughter Lane. Founded by Adrian Abascal (a licensed acupuncturist and author) and Rubria Abascal (an early childhood educator since 2009), the school emerged as a natural progression from their daycare, Green Monkey, to serve children who had aged into preschool years. Inspired by Swedish and Danish kindergarten models, Austin Forest School operates as a 100% outdoor program where children spend their days immersed in nature regardless of weather conditions. The school's philosophy centers on developing ethical, kind, and autonomous children through a learner-led, play-based approach before introducing academic rigor. Grounded in the respectful parenting methods of pioneers Dr. Emmi Pikler and Magda Gerber (RIE), the program emphasizes treating children with the same respect afforded to adults. The founders believe that when children develop adequate autonomy and self-trust first, their brains can later handle academic pursuits more efficiently, citing research showing student-led classrooms where children advance through 2.5 grade levels in one year.