Licensed through the
Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC)
P-255670
A farm & forest learning experience
51 Soule Street Middleborough, MA 02346
fernbrooknatureschool@gmail.com
508-944-8691
Our Mission
Fern Brook teachers guide children in their natural curiosity about the world around them, while facilitating peer relationships, building problem-solving skills, encouraging risk-taking, in order to prepare today's children to be tomorrow's leaders.
Our Philosophy
At Fern Brook, we believe that young children learn best through play and child-led inquiry. We incorporate a combination of Reggio Emilia's project-based learning and Waldorf's play-to-learn philosophies to allow children to lead the learning process and gain an understanding about the natural world through play and exploration.
Our Roots
We started Heart & Soule Farm in Middleborough, Massachusetts in 2013. Over the next several years, we added pigs, goats, chickens, ducks, honeybees, gardens, and eventually two children of our own.
Lindsay had been a kindergarten and preschool teacher for 15 years in the Boston Public Schools when the Fern Brook dream was born. Kevin continues to work as a registered nurse in the Intensive Care Unit at a local city hospital with over 10 years of experience, in addition to being the Fern Brook Health Consultant and School Nurse.
After having our own children and observing their joy and learning through farm and nature activities, we decided to combine our professional experience with our passion for the outdoors and create Fern Brook Nature School.
Meet the Team
Lindsay Hayden Runey
Director, Owner, and Teacher
Kevin Runey
Registered Nurse and Owner
Kristen Mowry
Teacher
Sarah Gilbert
Teacher
Kelly Fitzmaurice
Teacher
Bella Pompei
Teacher
EARLY PRESCHOOL
AGES 2-3
Early Preschool gives children a chance to explore their natural surrounding, build language, and create friendships in a safe, nurturing environment.
Of course, getting messy is an important part of the learning process!
The max teacher to child ratio is 1:4.
Days Per Week | Half Day Program (8:30AM-11:30AM) * We only offer a half-day option for Early Preschool at this time. |
5 Days | $1110/month |
3 Days M/W/F | $685/month |
2 Days T/Th | $500/month |
Children who are between 2 - 2.11 years old as of the start of the school year are placed in this class. They remain with the same class throughout the year even if their 3rd birthday passes.
Click here for the school calendar.
PRESCHOOL
AGES 3-4
Preschool teachers support children as they navigate social situations, explore the world around them, and begin asking "Why?".
Preschool provides the engaging hands-on experiences to learn the "why"!
The max teacher to child ratio is 1:6.
Days Per Week | Half Day Program (8:30AM-11:30AM) | Full Day Program (8:30AM-4:00PM) |
5 Days | $1110/month | $1600/month |
3 Days M/W/F | $685/month | $1049/month |
2 Days T/Th | $500/month | $780/month |
Click here for the school calendar.
Children who are between 3 and 3.11 years old as of the start of the school year are placed in this class. They remain with the same class throughout the year even if their 4th birthday passes.
PRE-KINDERGARTEN/KINDERGARTEN
AGES 4-6
In Pre-Kindergarten/Kindergarten, children engage in structured activities with teacher guidance, as well as free play in nature. By limiting class size to 12 with 2 teachers, children receive plenty of individualized attention, love, and support in their academic, physical, and social-emotional growth. Students leave Fern Brook as prepared (if not more) for kindergarten as their peers who attend traditional preschools.
Our balanced approach to combining academics and open-ended play gives children a magical year before entering traditional schooling or a homeschooling program.
The max teacher to child ratio is 1:6.
Days Per Week | Half Day Program (8:00AM-12:00PM) | Full Day Program (8:00AM-4:00PM) |
5 Days | $1200/month | $1700/month |
3 Days M/W/F | $750/month | $1100/month |
2 Days T/Th | $550/month | $800/month |
Click here for the school calendar.
Children who are 4 years and older as of the start of the school year are placed in this class. They remain with the same class throughout the year even if their 5th or 6th birthday passes.
Summer PROGRAM
2024
Full
Full
Full
Full
Full
Full
Ages 3-7
EEC Licensed
Small Group Size
Register for just
one week or all six!
Monday-Thursday
8:30AM - 12PM
$250/week
Program includes
free play in our
mud kitchen, forest,
and meadows!
Learning Goals
At Fern Brook Nature School , children will:
- observe, wonder, question, and inspire
- problem-solve
- take risks in their learning and physical development
- create positive relationships with their peers and teachers
- build an understanding of science and social studies concepts
- practice mindfulness and meditation
- become environmental stewards
- develop language and vocabulary for conversational and academic purposes
- learn foundational literacy and math skills
- ​letter and numeral identification
- letter-sound correspondence
- sight words
- emergent reading skills
- storytelling, drawing
- emergent writing
- counting
- shapes
- patterns
- data collection and analysis
- measurement
- calendar math
What does child-led learning look like at Fern Brook?
Topics of study are designed around children's current interests, rather than teacher-created themes.
Teachers facilitate high-interest centers to promote language development, imagination, creativity, social relationships, and academic skills incorporating a variety of hands-on learning materials.
Structured mini-lessons and activities are purposefully placed into the schedule to prepare children for traditional kindergarten.
Children engage in project-based inquiry, following the Reggio Emilia philosophy of documenting and displaying the learning process.
Literacy, math, science, social studies, and social-emotional learning are embedded into all activities to create authentic, meaningful learning opportunities.
Links
Brightwheel (Registration, Billing, and Communication)
Outdoor Space
Fern Brook Nature School is set on 15 acres of private land. It contains a shallow brook, lots of trails, meadows, gardens, fruit trees, berry bushes, wildflowers, and more! We spend just about 100% of our time outdoors.
Our mud kitchen and sensory tables give children lots of opportunities for measuring, scooping, pouring, problem-solving, and experimentation.
Loose parts and natural landscaping provide space for children to climb, jump, build, crawl, balance, and roll.
Provocations are set up to extend current topics of study.
The Farm
Children have the opportunity to participate in farm chores as much as they feel comfortable.
Animal chores include:
feeding & watering
grooming
​
Garden chores include:
tilling
planting
watering
harvesting​
​
Of course, observation and inquiry-based learning are always happening on the farm.
Learning Barns
Our two indoor learning barns serve as emergency shelters for extreme weather.
In addition, our extended care group utilize these heated and air conditioned spaces for rest time and indoor activities.
Get in touch with us.
Address
51 Soule Street Middleborough, MA o2346
Email Address
fernbrooknatureschool@gmail.com
Phone Number
(508) 944-8691 Call or Text
FACEBOOK/Instagram
www.facebook.com/fernbrooknatureschool
@fernbrooknatureschool
"Children deserve to grow and learn in a place & alongside a force that is a wild and alive as they are."
-Nicolette Sowder
"It's a wondrous thing how the wild calms the child." -Unknown
"I am happy out here. Dirty feet, messy hair, & wild water on my skin. Out here with the wild things; this is where I belong."
-Brook Thompson
"There's nothing wrong with having a tree as a friend."
-Bob Ross
"We could have never loved the earth so well if we had no childhood in it." -George Eliot
