Ottawa Forest and Nature School

About this program

Ottawa Forest and Nature School is a nature-based education program operated by Andrew Fleck Children's Services (AFCS), a multi-service non-profit organization and registered charity that has been serving children and families in the Ottawa area since 1911. Located at Wesley Clover Parks, with a new second location opening in Kanata, the school offers fully outdoor, year-round programs where children explore, play, create, and learn in nature. The school's pedagogy is inspired by Scandinavian forest school principles, emphasizing child-led exploration, risk assessment, and deep nature connection. Their emergent curriculum approach means educators observe children's interests and weave them into meaningful learning experiences. As a ministry-licensed kindergarten program, it covers Ontario curriculum expectations through hands-on, nature-based methods — counting with natural materials, learning letters through nature journals, and discovering science through environmental exploration. With their motto "there's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing," the school operates fully outdoors in every season, building resilience, confidence, and a deep connection with the natural world in children ages 18 months to 12 years.