Kindergarten Outdoor Program · Ages 5–6 · Mon – Thu · 8:30am – 1:00pm

This is what
kindergarten feels like.

Four and a half hours a day, four days a week, entirely outside at MacArthur Island Park. No desks. No worksheets. Real learning in a real place.

Join the 2027/2028 waitlist Learn about the program

Ages

Kindergarten

Typically 5–6 years old

Location

MacArthur Island Park

Kamloops, BC

Program hours

8:30am – 1:00pm

Monday to Thursday

Program runs

Full school year

About the program

The forest is a better
classroom.

The AIK Kindergarten program is a full-morning outdoor program for kindergarten-age children, running Monday to Thursday at MacArthur Island Park. Children arrive at 8:30 and spend four and a half hours outside before being picked up at 1:00. All facilitators are ECE or ECEA certified.

This is not a nature walk bolted onto a regular school day. It is a full outdoor learning environment where children build, investigate, create, and practice real skills every single morning. The forest provides everything a kindergarten classroom needs and more.

Learning here is child-led and emergent. Facilitators follow the children's curiosity and connect it to language, math, science, and physical development in ways that feel like play, because at this age they are the same thing.

Registration is for the full school year — all three terms. Children bring an allergen-aware snack and a packed lunch. No food sharing. Drop off and pick up are at the Kamloops Sports Council parking lot at MacArthur Island Park. Stat holidays are observed.

What this program gives children

More than any classroom has room for.

Time outside every day, Monday to Thursday, in every kind of weather
Child-led learning connected to real curriculum outcomes
Physical confidence from navigating real terrain
A full peer community that builds across the school year
The kind of independence that comes from doing hard things
A deep, specific relationship with one place in the natural world

What children learn

Real curriculum.
Real places.

The forest covers every area of early childhood learning. Here is how that plays out in practice.

Science and Nature

Children observe, ask questions, and test what they find. The natural world provides more science content than any textbook.

Tracking animal footprints and identifying local wildlife
Observing seasonal change across three terms
Investigating pond life, insects, plants and habitats
Learning to read weather, wind and the natural environment

Math and Engineering

Counting, measuring, sorting, building and problem-solving happen naturally when children are given real materials and real space.

Counting and sorting natural loose parts like stones and acorns
Measuring sticks and comparing sizes
Building dens, structures and simple machines
Spatial reasoning through navigation and construction

Language and Literacy

Stories, songs, descriptive language and communication are woven into every morning. Children develop vocabulary through direct experience rather than abstraction.

Seasonal and nature-based stories in circle time
Descriptive language practice through sensory observation
Storytelling, mapping and mark-making with natural materials
Songs and rhymes that build phonemic awareness

Physical Development

Uneven terrain, logs, rocks and inclines give children real physical challenges every single day. This is gross motor development you can not replicate indoors.

Balancing on logs and navigating natural obstacles
Carrying, lifting and moving natural materials
Fine motor practice through nature craft and loose parts play
Building physical confidence through supported risk-taking

Program schedule

One school year.
Three terms.

Registration is for the full school year — all three terms. The program builds intentionally across the year and children get the most from it when they are there from start to finish.

Term 1

Fall

September 14 – December 8, 2026

The forest in fall is one of the best classrooms there is. Colours, textures, smells and the first cold mornings give children more to investigate than they can get through in twelve weeks.

Term 2

Winter

January 5 – March 19, 2027

Winter is where confidence gets built. Children who are outside through cold and dark weather develop a relationship with the natural world that fair-weather programs never reach.

Term 3

Spring

April 5 – May 28, 2027

The forest coming back to life gives children who have been there all year a front-row seat to something most adults never slow down enough to notice.

Pricing for the 2026/2027 school year is coming soon. · Stat holidays are observed and pro-rated from annual fees. · Refunds follow our full Cancellation Policy (full refund 30+ days out, 50% 14–30 days out, less a $25 registration fee). · Spots are limited to 8 children per class.

What to bring

Dressed for four and a half hours.

This is a long outdoor morning. The right gear makes all the difference. Wool and synthetic layers only — no cotton.

Every day, rain or shine

Waterproof rain jacket and rain pants
Warm base and mid layers (wool or synthetic only)
Muck boots or Bogs recommended — no gumboots (they fill with mud and slip off)
Warm hat and gloves as temperatures drop
Extra socks in the bag
An allergen-aware snack from home — no food sharing
A packed lunch
A full water bottle
A small backpack the child can carry themselves
Any required medications — speak with us beforehand

Good to know

Label everything. Things disappear in the forest.
Children are expected to manage their own gear. That is part of the program.
We do not cancel for rain or cold. We cancel for lightning, extreme wind, and wildfire smoke air quality advisories only. You will be notified directly.
Clothes come home dirty. Plan for it.
Students receive a school supply package that must come with them every day.
We use the playground for 10 minutes each day — it is a structured part of the program, not free time.

A full gear list and brand recommendations that won't break the budget are included in the Parent Handbook, sent once registration is confirmed.

Common questions

Before you register.

Kindergarten is not a requirement in BC, so families have flexibility in how they approach it. Our program does cover the BC kindergarten curriculum. We do not issue school records or report cards for children attending through the public system. If you have questions about how this fits your situation, reach out and we are happy to talk it through.

Registration is for the full school year. The program is designed to build across all three terms and we ask families to commit to the full year. That said, we understand that every family's situation is different. If your child has a learning difference or specific needs, please contact us and we will work with you to find a plan that fits. Email info@adventuringintoknowledge.ca.

We go outside. Rain, snow, mud and cold are part of the program, not reasons to cancel. Children in proper gear handle all of it comfortably. We cancel only for lightning, extreme wind events, or air quality advisories due to wildfire smoke. Families are notified as early as possible when a cancellation happens.

Yes. Children adapt to outdoor programs faster than most parents expect. The first week or two can feel like a big transition, particularly around getting used to the structure and the weather. By week three most children are coming home asking to go back. Our facilitators are experienced at supporting children through that adjustment period.

We maintain a maximum of 8 children per class with ECE or ECEA certified facilitators. That 1:8 ratio gives our team the ability to follow individual children's interests while keeping the group safe and well supported.

Cancellations more than 30 days before the program start receive a full refund less the $25 registration fee. Cancellations 14 to 30 days before receive a 50% refund less the $25 fee. Cancellations less than 14 days before receive no refund, and once the program has begun fees are non-refundable. For a medical or compassionate withdrawal, a brief written explanation is all that's required — no doctor's note. See the full Cancellation Policy for details.

2026/2027 School Year

This year is full.

The 2026/2027 kindergarten program is full. Dates for the 2027/2028 school year will be released soon. Join the waitlist and you will hear from us first when enrollment opens.

Join the 2027/2028 waitlist ↓ Download waiver (PDF)

This is whatkindergarten feels like.

The forest is a betterclassroom.

Real curriculum.Real places.

One school year.Three terms.

Dressed for four and a half hours.

Before you register.

Does this count toward kindergarten in BC?

Can my child attend only some terms?

What happens when it rains or snows?

My child has never done forest school before. Will they manage?

What is the ratio of children to facilitators?

What is your refund and withdrawal policy?

This year is full.

This is what
kindergarten feels like.

The forest is a better
classroom.

Real curriculum.
Real places.

One school year.
Three terms.