https://www.hamakuaforestschool.com/blog-3 daily 0.75 2021-11-11 https://www.hamakuaforestschool.com/blog-3/blog-post-title-two-338cl monthly 0.5 2020-05-19 https://www.hamakuaforestschool.com/blog-3/blog-post-title-three-4r76j monthly 0.5 2020-05-19 https://www.hamakuaforestschool.com/blog-3/blog-post-title-four-czkxb monthly 0.5 2020-05-19 https://www.hamakuaforestschool.com/about daily 0.75 2021-11-18 https://www.hamakuaforestschool.com/what-is-forest-school daily 0.75 2021-11-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/1629876371163-0ZXVHUF2QE7HY6QGYFHC/childled.jpg What is "Forest School?" - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/1630630112310-PFY8R9HIM6Z6USR9C8ON/teamwork.jpg What is "Forest School?" - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/1631060895324-HW7ZEH4IHBIPF354TESZ/20210906_103308.jpg What is "Forest School?" - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/1629876667738-QJ1KEBLJWIQSWFHLMRX6/investigate2.jpg What is "Forest School?" - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/1630447972293-DTLXZKUJU0VRAUJZKJ2C/explorebanana.jpg What is "Forest School?" - Whether they are climbing trees, navigating uneven terrain, or playing with loose parts, keiki are very active during a forest school day, continually developing their fine and gross motor skills. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/1630448111514-0IIW7WJDSRJPD196OCCB/riskyplay2.jpg What is "Forest School?" - Through adventurous play, keiki learn how to assess risk and are given opportunities to approach challenges at their own pace, building self-esteem and confidence. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/1629846560332-1T2Q09PSKVG86F5YQKZZ/rainydayplay.jpg What is "Forest School?" - Keiki spend the majority of their time outside - even when it rains! Rainy day play and exploration introduce new ways to experience the world, promoting healthy brain and body development. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/1630448447872-E2IFQTWLZK5F88RY6GBJ/20210623_111637.jpg What is "Forest School?" - Much of a forest school day is about free play. Unstructured play promotes social and collaborative skills such as sharing, taking turns, rule making, negotiating, and self-advocacy. And playing outside gives keiki the space and freedom to learn and practice these important life skills. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/1631087832451-5SREAY8BPEZL8ZBP6BXM/20210701_111531.jpg What is "Forest School?" - Being outside in nature combined with the freedom to explore and experiment fosters keiki creativity and imagination. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/1629844364997-GZFKQOB41B3GB8RXBTZT/worms.jpg What is "Forest School?" - Keiki are consistently engaged in sensory play, which is crucial to brain development and naturally encourages children to use scientific processes while they play, investigate and explore. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/1630525750847-X4T28JBLQHAVEGID2L0N/collaboratinginnature.jpg What is "Forest School?" - When immersed in nature, keiki naturally wonder about the world around them, ask questions and share ideas; they play “make-believe” and act out imaginative stories using rich dialog - all examples of early literacy that lay the foundation for reading and writing down the road. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/1630658714354-E9WXUDCXBXUIQYB46NHR/foragingICB.jpg What is "Forest School?" - Keiki repeatedly spend time in the same natural environment. They get to know the animals and plants that live there and observe seasonal changes to the weather and trees. This intimate nature-connection creates a sense of belonging, affinity for the land, and a yearning to care for and protect it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/1629876914342-WBVCB9XO3MJCG8AEFFBS/journaltime2.jpg What is "Forest School?" - Although much of a forest school day is centered around exploration and adventurous play, time is also set aside for quiet and peaceful moments in nature which help keiki develop their ability to focus, listen and observe. https://www.hamakuaforestschool.com/home daily 1.0 2022-07-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/a76e656d-2316-4bab-a6eb-7f82fa221aa0/20220504_135641.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/ce8e9a16-1cf7-4d73-9e62-e00cd8239b32/coquicloseup.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/2bbdda74-8e62-409c-af19-370930bdc2ca/spot.jpg Home https://www.hamakuaforestschool.com/location daily 0.75 2022-07-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/1634197508032-KAAZ98AEX7FN0FPAA5JI/Bright+Lit+Lychee+Hawaii+Kaye.jpg Location Kaye Family Farm Our Forest Preschool takes place at Kaye Family Farm in Honomu, Hawaii. This 28 acre farm is wonderland for keiki, filled with fruit trees to climb, open fields to run, and a hundred year-old mango forest to explore. It lies just 5 minutes from historic Honomu town and coffee shops perfect for caregivers to grab a snack or stay and work remotely after dropping keiki off at the farm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/1633031493907-RCCZ64JZ2OCCZQ2WH8R8/20210630_103234.jpg Location Hālaʻi Farm and Garden Hālaʻi Farm and Garden is a developing farm located North of Hilo. Surrounded by farm lands, pasture and the ocean view, we feel blessed to create a farm centered around honey bees and organic farming practices. Children often visit our new farm during apiary visits or forest school day excursions. Hālaʻi means to find peace, contentment and this land ʻāina embodies peace and tranquility. https://www.hamakuaforestschool.com/contact daily 0.75 2021-11-12 https://www.hamakuaforestschool.com/our-team daily 0.75 2026-02-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/2256ba18-d4f8-4125-9a0b-d3eea3724b22/jen_aboutuspics_wtinker.jpg Our Team - Jennifer Kaleouionalani Metz Kane Founder & Director Current Lead Teacher Jen Kane was born and raised in the Hawaiian Islands. She currently lives with her husband and six-year-old daughter in the little town of Honomu on the Hamakua Coast of Hawai`i Island. Jen spent many childhood days adventuring in the ocean with her best friend and going on night hikes around her neighborhood with a flashlight in one hand and her dad’s hand in the other. It’s these kinds of intimate moments in the natural world shared with friends and family that Jen believes led her to a career in outdoor and environmental education and her desire to create a thriving forest school program in her community. After graduating from college Jen spent over 20 years working at various residential science camps, nature centers, state parks, national forests and marine reserves around the country, sharing her love of the natural world and gaining a bounty of experience in hands-on, experiential teaching. After three years in the Peace Corps working with youth and women in the Philippines, Jen returned home to Hawaii be with her dad for the last months of his life. While she lost her father during this time, Jen gained a new appreciation for her island home and a desire to protect it. She worked with the National Marine Fisheries Service educating schools and the public about threatened and endangered marine species; and with the Center’s for Ocean Science Education Excellence (COSEE) managing programs geared to increasing ocean literacy and science communication. After becoming a mom Jen entered world of early childhood education. When she couldn’t find any outdoor-based programs in her area for pre-K aged keiki, she trained to become a Tinkergarten Leader and ended up leading nature and play-based programs in local parks for her daughter and other little ones in her community for three years. During this time Jen fell in love working with this age group and learned about the immense value of playing in nature to a child’s early education and social and emotional growth. She is thrilled to take the next step and offer a forest school experience, giving keiki more freedom to explore, adventure and flourish in nature and a hand nearby ready to hold and help guide them as needed. Education BA English, Minor in Environmental Studies, University of Oregon MS Environmental Education & Interpretation, University of Wisconsin Certifications and Training Forest School Teacher, Forest School Teacher Institute Forest School Director, Forest School Teacher Institute Certified Interpretive Guide, National Association for Interpretation Preschool and Parent & Child Music Classes Teacher, The Learning Groove Project Wet / Project Wild Facilitator, Project Learning Tree https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/f26441bf-33cb-47e1-b292-cf5aca759a54/image0+%281%29.jpeg Our Team - Erika Moore Assistant Teacher Hello, my name is auntie Erika I live on a cacao farm in Hakalau. I have been working with children for over a decade now. I was an art teacher on the mainland, nannied, and worked at a Waldorf inspired program. It’s a joy to get to work with keiki at forest school. Outside of forest school I love creating. I am a visual artist my medium is painting. I also work with the land growing food, medicine, focusing on healing the soil by adding lots of life back into it. I have a few bee hives that support my efforts. It’s very sweet getting to share my love for growing food with the keiki on Thursdays for our`āina program. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/1bb02b69-730f-4da3-a069-28a0ea84c389/978A6080-AEED-4D8B-9DCC-E96F39DEAC4E.jpeg Our Team - Nora Dougherty Assistant Teacher Tobias Keene, D.D.S. Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, Dr. Tobias Keene brings a bit of unabashed Southern hospitality to all his patients. He moved to Washington, D.C. over thirty years ago as a freshman at Ivy College. Right after graduation, he attended World University’s School of Dentistry. Before opening Keene Dental in 1994, he worked for free clinics and some of the finest practices in the District. He is part of the 123 Dental Association and stays up-to-date on the latest dental discoveries. When not striving to keep his patients happy and healthy, he’s enjoys hiking with his family in Rock Creek Park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/7b652f16-0af6-4714-9232-2df54bab501c/Heidi.jpg Our Team - Heidi Richgruber Former Assistant Teacher https://www.hamakuaforestschool.com/forest-school-2 daily 0.75 2025-06-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/1658028578705-I6D1XE83KN0HVUSTQ7BK/riskyplay.jpg Forest Preschool & Wild Wednesdays https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/1631136724890-M4NS7XDXUI5CGZZZ3WCG/20210905_104944.jpg Forest Preschool & Wild Wednesdays https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/1631136567564-T1BP8V3XWZKPCBRFSBKZ/20210906_100547.jpg Forest Preschool & Wild Wednesdays https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/611867f8df44bb5ed4aa47b0/7ab7553a-43ce-4891-b78b-2052a07d6101/20220209_125651.jpg Forest Preschool & Wild Wednesdays 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