Friday Feature: Barefoot University

Colleen Hroncich“I was sick of my children getting in trouble just for being kids,” says Amber Brown, co‐​founder ofBarefoot University. “In 2019, I reached out to a Facebook group for moms and asked if anyone wanted to start a forest school. Madeleine Braden, a fellow mom who is also a gardener, said she did. The rest is history.”And what a  history it is! From two moms meeting at a park with their kids and wondering if anyone would show up, Barefoot University now has 16 chapters spread across three states.Barefoot University is a  forest school that connects kids to nature by encouraging child ‐​led experiences, play, and outdoor hands‐​on learning. One of Amber’s and Madeleine’s goals was to build community—for themselves and their children—so the groups meet weekly throughout the school year.Unlike most conventional schools, kids of all ages do the activities together at BU. This is a  common feature among homeschool communities; in my experience, it has enormous benefits. The younger kids often look up to and emulate the older kids, and the older ones gain confidence and leadership skills.Barefoot University ’s program is purposely designed so each activity has the potential for more (or less) in‐​depth learning based on the child’s skill level, age, and parental preference. Ages 5–8 focus on exploration and observation; ages 9–13 learn to analyze and navigate; and ages 14 and above focus on practical application and inde...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs