NEIGHBORING TREE PROJECT

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The Neighboring Tree Project(NTP), an initiative of the Acorn Waldorf School, seeks to broaden equity and access to nature based early childhood education(NBECE). The project collaborates with local educators, schools and centers to empower and mentor our partners with tools and pedagogy for nature based experiences for children. Further goals of the project include professional training of NTP mentors and NBECE policy advocacy. 



We also hope to learn: we want to get to know our neighbors, the children and families in our region, and learn from whatever is brought to the group together. The forest offers nutrients to all its trees, and one tree shares with another for mutual health of the whole.



Read on to learn about our first two endeavors... Agri-Business Child Development in New Paltz, NY and Meagher Pre-K in Kingston, NY.





🧡  SPECIAL THANKS - to the folks at Oakiwear for generously supporting our work with young children by helping to ensure that they are outfitted in all weather.



Agri-Business Child Development (ABCD), New Paltz, NY, serves children of farm workers and other eligible families, aged 8 weeks to 5 years. Language instruction is bilingual and the children are predominantly Latinx. 


Acorn Waldorf School teacher, Elia Gilbert, initiated an outdoor education component with ABCD teachers beginning in late summer 2020 and is collaborating with and mentoring teachers as they extend their program to a meadow and forest adjacent to the school.  


A song for getting dressed for outdoor play, co-created by ABCD teachers and Elia Gilbert...


Little Squirrel with his coat so brown

Quite the loveliest in woodland town

Two bright eyes look 'round to see

Where the finest nuts may be.

Snappity, crackitty,

Out it fell!


Ardilita con su piel cafe

La mas linda de su vendindad

Dos ojitos buscan encontrar

Los mejores nueces al despertar

Rompe, rompe

Y se cae!


"Learning about nature-based play has been an eye-opening experience. In a world where children tend to be surrounded by so much, one realizes that all children need to learn and grow is the freedom and encouragement to safely explore the world around them".

- Lisa, ABCD Teacher



"The forest program has been a very positive experience for the children in our class. Currently our class is a group of school aged children between five and ten years old. They are hybrid and remote learners, spending much of their time with us in virtual classes or working on assignments. Their daily school requirements leave little time for outdoor play. 


When the children are able to spend time outdoors and in the forest classroom, they problem solve and work together cooperatively.Exploring nature firsthand helps the children better understand abstract concepts such as environmental protection and preservation. Playing outside also helps the children develop their intuition and more calmly communicate their feeling with one another."

- Melissa, ABCD Teacher




Meagher Pre-K, Kingston, NY, opened its doors in the Fall of 2019 for classes, including a dual-language program. 


AWS teacher and director, Motria Shuhan, began collaborating with Meagher in the summer of 2020 to create a forest program in a wooded lot adjacent to the school. Teachers have visited AWS and Motria has worked on site to support teachers as they venture outside with their three and four-year-olds.





“We were in the forest and the children all started yelling that they saw a squirrel, some for the very first time! As they are getting used to being there, they are helping each other with whittling and finding that perfect stick!”


- Meagher teacher



“Two students were working together to lift a branch, then called over to more friends to help.

All four of them were talking about team working and saying they could do it.” 




“A student was struggling to climb up a hill.  Almost all the other students came back and re-climbed the hill with her. 

They cheered her on and climbed next to her to show her she could do it.” 


- Meagher Teachers share about how the forest is impacting the children’s play.




AWS continues to look for opportunities to collaborate with local early childhood education programs. To become part of NTP, please contact Director Motria Shuhan at motria@acornws.org



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