It’s a simple philosophy. Get outside.
Once upon a time, there was a recent grad with a Masters in plant biology who got a job at a Forest School camp in Chelsea, QC.
And fell in love with letting kids run wild in nature.
She settled in Valleyfield, but there wasn’t a forest school for kids here. Worse, there wasn’t a forest school for ADULTS. Or babies. Or, just, everyone. And she wanted one.
Because everyone belongs in nature.
So she started Valleyfield Outside, and set about building a place where…
Everyone is welcome
Everybody belongs in nature. It’s who we are. Valleyfield Outside is committed to doing whatever it takes to make everyone feel welcome in our programs and in the forest, including all experiences, abilities, backgrounds, and identities.
We love the Land
The Land is not a resource or commodity for us to use and abuse. We respect the Land, and all the living things on it, as unique beings with inherent values and rights. We also respect the traditional caretakers of this land, the Kanien’keha:ka.
We let play be free
Kids (and adults) don’t need teachers to force them to learn certain things. Learning is as natural as breathing for human beings, we couldn’t stop doing it if we tried. We believe in the overflowing value of free play in nature, and we see the Land as the teacher, not the adults.
Founded by a tree-hugger and mom
Cleoniki Kesidis is a single mom, a skating coach, and a writer. She’s worked with kids at the Chelsea Forest School and Hudson Forest Play. Cleo is currently in the process of becoming certified as a Forest School Practitioner by the Child Nature Alliance Canada.