Nurturing The Wild Within

A private forest and nature school that bridges ancient wisdom and modern knowledge, empowering the next generation to thrive.

Join us in the Wild
Two young boys exploring in a wooded forest, one sitting with his head bowed and the other holding a rope.

Give Childhood Back to Nature

Screens are creeping into everything. Even with time limits and weekend hikes, your child’s days are too often ruled by tech instead of real experiences that spark learning.

Now more than ever, kids need space to simply be: to explore, create, and play freely. A place where the natural world is their classroom — without four walls, timed eating breaks, or the constant ringing of bells telling them what to do next.

A group of four children and a woman in a forest clearing around a campfire. The children are standing, watching the fire, with a tent visible in the background.
Close-up of a pine cone with a small part of its branch visible at the bottom

A Private School Focused On Learning With The Land

Child of the Wild embraces the distinct energies of each season to guide our learning. We flow with nature's wisdom and rhythms, which bring its own pace and character – summer's vibrancy, autumn's harvest, winter's quiet, and spring's renewal – shaping our experiences in meaningful ways.

Join Us For A Season

A young girl with blond hair, wearing a purple sweater with white embroidery on the sleeve, is crouching and touching bright green moss on a tree trunk in a forest.

Spring Session (Brighton, Cavan & Cobourg)

As the earth awakens from its winter's rest, our spring session at Child of the Wild harnesses the vibrant energy of spring, igniting curiosity, creativity, and growth in our wild ones as they discover the renewal that nature has to offer.

STEP INTO SPRING

Three boys climbing trees in a wooded forest area.

Summer Session (Brighton, Cavan & Cobourg)

As the sun shines brightly and nature is in full bloom, our summer session at Child of the Wild is a time of sun-kissed adventures, endless exploration, and a sense of freedom and joy that comes from immersing ourselves in the vibrant natural world.

SOAK UP THE SUMMER

Two young girls making pumpkin innards in a forest during fall; one girl is sitting on a log holding a pumpkin and a spoon, the other girl is squatting inside a pumpkin, smiling, with pumpkins and bowls of pumpkin seeds and pulp around them.

Fall Session (Brighton, Cavan & Cobourg)

As we celebrate the season of harvest and balance, we receive the gift of exploring the natural world's many transitions. This invites us to cultivate feelings of gratitude, community and connection and to harvest the abundant lessons of the natural world.

FALL INTO ADVENTURE

Young girl with red hair wearing winter gear climbing a tree in a snowy forest.

Winter Session (Brighton ONLY)

As the earth rests, our winter session at Child of the Wild invites children to slow down and appreciate the quiet beauty of the season, while engaging in hands-on learning, creative play, and cozy community-building activities that foster resiliency and belonging.

EMBRACE THE WINTER WILD

Meet Bec

Young woman smiling, wearing a sleeveless patterned top, dark jeans, and flip-flops, standing in front of school lockers. She has a lanyard with ID badge and a walkie-talkie clipped to her waistband.
Close-up of a pine cone isolated on black background.

From Desks to Dirt…

I traded in my cushy school board job for a life of barefoot wonder, inspired by the same desire that drives the children and families I work with - to experience and learn from the world in its raw, unfiltered beauty. After just two years of work in the public education system, I realized that the standard of care being taught and practiced wasn't aligning with my values. My heart yearned for a more authentic approach, one that nurtured the whole child and fostered a deep connection with nature.

And so, Child of the Wild was born.

READ THE ENTIRE WILD JOURNEY HERE

Wild Learning Adventures for Homeschoolers And Public Schoolers Alike

For parents who want their child to grow up differently, we invite you to join us in redefining education in a way that honours the WHOLE child and the power of commUNITY.

HOW IT ALL WORKS

  • "My kids, 4 and 7, have gone to Child of the Wild in both the Cobourg and Brighton locations, for summer/fall/winter/spring sessions, and loved each one. Both kids are shy, and in particular my youngest had not spent much time away from me. Bec was accommodating in allowing me to stay with my youngest at first, very gradually transitioning to leaving him for the day. They’ve blossomed in the small group setting and become more confident. Bec and the other teachers are so good at knowing each child and ensuring inclusivity in play based nature learning. They’ve both enjoyed getting messy and come home happy, tired, and with lots of stories to share."

    Kelly B - Brighton & Cobourg

  • We were planning on sending my son to Child of the Wild for only one fall session, but I could see it was bringing him so much joy and confidence that we decided to continue on throughout the whole year! He is so proud of his forest school and shares all of his adventures and learnings with his whole family.

    Andrea M - Brighton

  • We are eternally grateful for the weekly opportunity that Child of the Wild provides for our child to learn, take risks, and grow into his true self through play, nature exploration, and community connection. We witness firsthand the care and commitment the teachers have in providing the children with a safe and nurturing environment for them to truly thrive in nature, where children are wired to learn and develop with peers of all ages. As a homeschooling family, Child of the Wild offers a beautiful piece to our puzzle that shapes our entire homeschool vision and adds necessary elements of relationship development, peer connections, risk taking, problem solving, and pride in ownership that we desire for our young child.

    Kelsie N - Cobourg

  • Child of The Wild has been more than we could have imagined. The welcoming atmosphere of Bec and facilitators have been nothing short of incredible. The communication between Bec and I has always brought a level of comfort. Child Of The Wild does an amazing job making sure all children are involved and included. The smile on my child’s face at pick up and all the photos shared says it all! Our daughter has been a part of the program since she was 4 and will now be 6 this year. We will continue to always be a part of the community Bec has created.

    Olivia C - Brighton & Cobourg

CHILD LED

Learning unfolds organically, sparked by curiosity and guided by the child's innate sense of wonder. We're here to support, not direct, as they explore and discover at their own pace.

NATURE INFUSED

The natural world teaches us, guides us, and inspires us. Our program ebbs and flows with the rhythms and wonders of nature, always resulting in a deep connection, and reverence for the land and all its inhabitants.

SPIRITUALLY GUIDED

Whatever your family’s beliefs, you are welcome here. In our program we honour both the seen and unseen, nurturing empathy, compassion, and reverence for life

HEART CENTRED

We wear our hearts on our sleeves. It’s not out of the ordinary to hear loving phrases from our facilitators to our wild ones, and vice versa. 

A woman and a young girl are outdoors in a forest, balancing on a fallen tree trunk. The woman is bending forward with a smile, supporting the girl on her back who is wearing a pink hat and pink boots.

Building Bridges to Nature Based Education

We believe that every child deserves the opportunity to experience what we are cultivating at

Child of the Wild and we are proud to share our commitments to creating ways that support program accessibility through our “Bridge to the Wild” initiatives.

Learn About Bridge to the Wild

Adventurous Resources And All The Field Notes From The Blog

Featured
Rewriting the Rules: Our Journey to Becoming a Private School
Rewriting the Rules: Our Journey to Becoming a Private School

"...In a split second Child of the Wild went from an alternative nature based program to a Private School… a PRIVATE SCHOOL!

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“Children can be our greatest teachers if we are humble enough to receive their lesions.” - Brian McGill

Ready To Explore The Wild Side Of Learning?

Whether you’re a home or public school family, this is a forest and nature school for your wild one(s) who thrives on hands-on experiences, child-led discovery, and outdoor adventures.

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