For many people who grew up before the digital revolution, free play outdoors was a standard part of childhood. Today, increased screen time, more indoor extra-curricular activities and even diminished school recess have changed the landscape of childhood.
Big Sur Park School, the ecology-based outdoor early education school located in Esalen’s Gazebo Park, is part of a growing movement of passionate educators and families countering “nature deficit disorder” with forest school. The result? More time and space to explore in nature while laying the social and emotional foundation for lifelong thriving.
“A huge part of the forest school experience is working with the child’s intrinsic motivation to learn,” says Big Sur Park School Director Jessica Tamayo. “Because we have an emergent curriculum that allows kids to pursue their own activities, they are able to follow the spark of their own curiosity wherever it leads them, for however long it takes to unfold.” Following through on their own projects and interests is a key foundation for lifelong learning.
Big Sur Park School, which provides year-round programming for children aged two to six in the Big Sur community, draws from the cultural legacy of Gazebo Park School, the ecology- and Gestalt-based early childhood program founded at Esalen by Janet Lederman. The Gazebo philosophy views the child as inherently capable and resourceful, so exploration and risk taking are a natural part of the experience.
“Risk taking develops resiliency, problem-solving skills, self-determination and confidence,” shares Jessica. “Children are thinking through decisions for themselves, experiencing the results, and developing their own ability to bounce back from setback or disappointment. For example, when there is a conflict, the teacher doesn’t immediately rush in to smooth things over. We are absolutely present to step in, and we’re also there as a neutral presence to help them process their own experience of what happened and create resolution. This fosters a healthy sense of self in the child.”
The Gazebo legacy of outdoor learning has taken root and flourished beyond Big Sur. “I was inspired to make the Gazebo model accessible to more groups,” shares early childhood educator Joanna Claassen Ferraro, who also is an Esalen faculty member and former Gazebo Park School educator. After moving from Big Sur to Oakland, Joanna visited Oakland preschools that claimed to have a nature component, but she was disappointed in what she saw. “Children were kept behind tall fences, in a very ‘safe’ place — preferably padded. AstroTurf was common.”
As a result, Joanna founded Early Ecology forest school, which serves 60 families. “Early Ecology came directly out of my experience at Gazebo, and gives children in the city the opportunity to have a deep connection with nature including sensory experience, spontaneous discovery, mystery, beauty and change. The children see themselves as part of these cycles of nature and as stewards of their local environment.”
When Joanna started Early Ecology in 2013, it was the only forest school in the Oakland/East Bay region. Today, there are at least a dozen nature-based outdoor preschool programs. A survey conducted by the Natural Start Alliance at the end of 2017 found more than 250 nature preschools and kindergartens in the U.S., up 66% from the year before. Movements like these, and increasing awareness of the perils of nature deficit disorder, bode well for children’s well-being and a return to nature as a source of connection, joy and lifelong wisdom.
“When I ask parents why they’re enrolling their children in forest school, the answer almost always goes back to their own childhood and the timeless magic that comes with free play,” says Joanna. “It seems clear that more and more, parents want their children to experience that wholesomeness, health and wonder that comes from the outdoors.”
Big Sur Park School is a 501(c)(3) early childhood program serving the local Big Sur community with year-round care for children ages two to six on-site at Esalen. If you are interested in learning more about child care while at Esalen or would like to volunteer as a "tree", please email info@bigsurparkschool.org.
Photos: Courtesy of Big Sur Park School.
“Remembering to be as self compassionate as I can and praying to the divine that we're all a part of.”
–Aaron
“Prayer, reading, meditation, walking.”
–Karen
“Erratically — which is an ongoing stream of practice to find peace.”
–Charles
“Try on a daily basis to be kind to myself and to realize that making mistakes is a part of the human condition. Learning from our mistakes is a journey. But it starts with compassion and caring. First for oneself.”
–Steve
“Physically: aerobic exercise, volleyball, ice hockey, cycling, sailing. Emotionally: unfortunately I have to work to ‘not care’ about people or situations which may end painfully. Along the lines of ‘attachment is the source of suffering’, so best to avoid it or limit its scope. Sad though because it could also be the source of great joy. Is it worth the risk?“
–Rainer
“It's time for my heart to be nurtured on one level yet contained on another. To go easy on me and to allow my feelings to be validated, not judged harshly. On the other hand, to let the heart rule with equanimity and not lead the mind and body around like a master.”
–Suzanne
“I spend time thinking of everything I am grateful for, and I try to develop my ability to express compassion for myself and others without reservation. I take time to do the things I need to do to keep myself healthy and happy. This includes taking experiential workshops, fostering relationships, and participating within groups which have a similar interest to become a more compassionate and fulfilled being.“
–Peter
“Self-forgiveness for my own judgments. And oh yeah, coming to Esalen.”
–David B.
“Hmm, this is a tough one! I guess I take care of my heart through fostering relationships with people I feel connected to. Spending quality time with them (whether we're on the phone, through messages/letters, on Zoom, or in-person). Being there for them, listening to them, sharing what's going on with me, my struggles and my successes... like we do in the Esalen weekly Friends of Esalen Zoom sessions!”
–Lori
“I remind myself in many ways of the fact that " Love is all there is!" LOVE is the prize and this one precious life is the stage we get to learn our lessons. I get out into nature, hike, camp, river kayak, fly fish, garden, I create, I dance (not enough!), and I remain grateful for each day, each breath, each moment. Being in the moment, awake, and remembering the gift of life and my feeling of gratitude for all of creation.”
–Steven
“My physical heart by limiting stress and eating a heart-healthy diet. My emotional heart by staying in love with the world and by knowing that all disappointment and loss will pass.“
–David Z.
Today, September 29, is World Heart Day. Strike up a conversation with your own heart and as you feel comfortable, encourage others to do the same. As part of our own transformations and self-care, we sometimes ask for others to illuminate and enliven our hearts or speak our love language.
What if we could do this for ourselves too, even if just for today… or to start a heart practice, forever?
For many people who grew up before the digital revolution, free play outdoors was a standard part of childhood. Today, increased screen time, more indoor extra-curricular activities and even diminished school recess have changed the landscape of childhood.
Big Sur Park School, the ecology-based outdoor early education school located in Esalen’s Gazebo Park, is part of a growing movement of passionate educators and families countering “nature deficit disorder” with forest school. The result? More time and space to explore in nature while laying the social and emotional foundation for lifelong thriving.
“A huge part of the forest school experience is working with the child’s intrinsic motivation to learn,” says Big Sur Park School Director Jessica Tamayo. “Because we have an emergent curriculum that allows kids to pursue their own activities, they are able to follow the spark of their own curiosity wherever it leads them, for however long it takes to unfold.” Following through on their own projects and interests is a key foundation for lifelong learning.
Big Sur Park School, which provides year-round programming for children aged two to six in the Big Sur community, draws from the cultural legacy of Gazebo Park School, the ecology- and Gestalt-based early childhood program founded at Esalen by Janet Lederman. The Gazebo philosophy views the child as inherently capable and resourceful, so exploration and risk taking are a natural part of the experience.
“Risk taking develops resiliency, problem-solving skills, self-determination and confidence,” shares Jessica. “Children are thinking through decisions for themselves, experiencing the results, and developing their own ability to bounce back from setback or disappointment. For example, when there is a conflict, the teacher doesn’t immediately rush in to smooth things over. We are absolutely present to step in, and we’re also there as a neutral presence to help them process their own experience of what happened and create resolution. This fosters a healthy sense of self in the child.”
The Gazebo legacy of outdoor learning has taken root and flourished beyond Big Sur. “I was inspired to make the Gazebo model accessible to more groups,” shares early childhood educator Joanna Claassen Ferraro, who also is an Esalen faculty member and former Gazebo Park School educator. After moving from Big Sur to Oakland, Joanna visited Oakland preschools that claimed to have a nature component, but she was disappointed in what she saw. “Children were kept behind tall fences, in a very ‘safe’ place — preferably padded. AstroTurf was common.”
As a result, Joanna founded Early Ecology forest school, which serves 60 families. “Early Ecology came directly out of my experience at Gazebo, and gives children in the city the opportunity to have a deep connection with nature including sensory experience, spontaneous discovery, mystery, beauty and change. The children see themselves as part of these cycles of nature and as stewards of their local environment.”
When Joanna started Early Ecology in 2013, it was the only forest school in the Oakland/East Bay region. Today, there are at least a dozen nature-based outdoor preschool programs. A survey conducted by the Natural Start Alliance at the end of 2017 found more than 250 nature preschools and kindergartens in the U.S., up 66% from the year before. Movements like these, and increasing awareness of the perils of nature deficit disorder, bode well for children’s well-being and a return to nature as a source of connection, joy and lifelong wisdom.
“When I ask parents why they’re enrolling their children in forest school, the answer almost always goes back to their own childhood and the timeless magic that comes with free play,” says Joanna. “It seems clear that more and more, parents want their children to experience that wholesomeness, health and wonder that comes from the outdoors.”
Big Sur Park School is a 501(c)(3) early childhood program serving the local Big Sur community with year-round care for children ages two to six on-site at Esalen. If you are interested in learning more about child care while at Esalen or would like to volunteer as a "tree", please email info@bigsurparkschool.org.
Photos: Courtesy of Big Sur Park School.
“Remembering to be as self compassionate as I can and praying to the divine that we're all a part of.”
–Aaron
“Prayer, reading, meditation, walking.”
–Karen
“Erratically — which is an ongoing stream of practice to find peace.”
–Charles
“Try on a daily basis to be kind to myself and to realize that making mistakes is a part of the human condition. Learning from our mistakes is a journey. But it starts with compassion and caring. First for oneself.”
–Steve
“Physically: aerobic exercise, volleyball, ice hockey, cycling, sailing. Emotionally: unfortunately I have to work to ‘not care’ about people or situations which may end painfully. Along the lines of ‘attachment is the source of suffering’, so best to avoid it or limit its scope. Sad though because it could also be the source of great joy. Is it worth the risk?“
–Rainer
“It's time for my heart to be nurtured on one level yet contained on another. To go easy on me and to allow my feelings to be validated, not judged harshly. On the other hand, to let the heart rule with equanimity and not lead the mind and body around like a master.”
–Suzanne
“I spend time thinking of everything I am grateful for, and I try to develop my ability to express compassion for myself and others without reservation. I take time to do the things I need to do to keep myself healthy and happy. This includes taking experiential workshops, fostering relationships, and participating within groups which have a similar interest to become a more compassionate and fulfilled being.“
–Peter
“Self-forgiveness for my own judgments. And oh yeah, coming to Esalen.”
–David B.
“Hmm, this is a tough one! I guess I take care of my heart through fostering relationships with people I feel connected to. Spending quality time with them (whether we're on the phone, through messages/letters, on Zoom, or in-person). Being there for them, listening to them, sharing what's going on with me, my struggles and my successes... like we do in the Esalen weekly Friends of Esalen Zoom sessions!”
–Lori
“I remind myself in many ways of the fact that " Love is all there is!" LOVE is the prize and this one precious life is the stage we get to learn our lessons. I get out into nature, hike, camp, river kayak, fly fish, garden, I create, I dance (not enough!), and I remain grateful for each day, each breath, each moment. Being in the moment, awake, and remembering the gift of life and my feeling of gratitude for all of creation.”
–Steven
“My physical heart by limiting stress and eating a heart-healthy diet. My emotional heart by staying in love with the world and by knowing that all disappointment and loss will pass.“
–David Z.
Today, September 29, is World Heart Day. Strike up a conversation with your own heart and as you feel comfortable, encourage others to do the same. As part of our own transformations and self-care, we sometimes ask for others to illuminate and enliven our hearts or speak our love language.
What if we could do this for ourselves too, even if just for today… or to start a heart practice, forever?
For many people who grew up before the digital revolution, free play outdoors was a standard part of childhood. Today, increased screen time, more indoor extra-curricular activities and even diminished school recess have changed the landscape of childhood.
Big Sur Park School, the ecology-based outdoor early education school located in Esalen’s Gazebo Park, is part of a growing movement of passionate educators and families countering “nature deficit disorder” with forest school. The result? More time and space to explore in nature while laying the social and emotional foundation for lifelong thriving.
“A huge part of the forest school experience is working with the child’s intrinsic motivation to learn,” says Big Sur Park School Director Jessica Tamayo. “Because we have an emergent curriculum that allows kids to pursue their own activities, they are able to follow the spark of their own curiosity wherever it leads them, for however long it takes to unfold.” Following through on their own projects and interests is a key foundation for lifelong learning.
Big Sur Park School, which provides year-round programming for children aged two to six in the Big Sur community, draws from the cultural legacy of Gazebo Park School, the ecology- and Gestalt-based early childhood program founded at Esalen by Janet Lederman. The Gazebo philosophy views the child as inherently capable and resourceful, so exploration and risk taking are a natural part of the experience.
“Risk taking develops resiliency, problem-solving skills, self-determination and confidence,” shares Jessica. “Children are thinking through decisions for themselves, experiencing the results, and developing their own ability to bounce back from setback or disappointment. For example, when there is a conflict, the teacher doesn’t immediately rush in to smooth things over. We are absolutely present to step in, and we’re also there as a neutral presence to help them process their own experience of what happened and create resolution. This fosters a healthy sense of self in the child.”
The Gazebo legacy of outdoor learning has taken root and flourished beyond Big Sur. “I was inspired to make the Gazebo model accessible to more groups,” shares early childhood educator Joanna Claassen Ferraro, who also is an Esalen faculty member and former Gazebo Park School educator. After moving from Big Sur to Oakland, Joanna visited Oakland preschools that claimed to have a nature component, but she was disappointed in what she saw. “Children were kept behind tall fences, in a very ‘safe’ place — preferably padded. AstroTurf was common.”
As a result, Joanna founded Early Ecology forest school, which serves 60 families. “Early Ecology came directly out of my experience at Gazebo, and gives children in the city the opportunity to have a deep connection with nature including sensory experience, spontaneous discovery, mystery, beauty and change. The children see themselves as part of these cycles of nature and as stewards of their local environment.”
When Joanna started Early Ecology in 2013, it was the only forest school in the Oakland/East Bay region. Today, there are at least a dozen nature-based outdoor preschool programs. A survey conducted by the Natural Start Alliance at the end of 2017 found more than 250 nature preschools and kindergartens in the U.S., up 66% from the year before. Movements like these, and increasing awareness of the perils of nature deficit disorder, bode well for children’s well-being and a return to nature as a source of connection, joy and lifelong wisdom.
“When I ask parents why they’re enrolling their children in forest school, the answer almost always goes back to their own childhood and the timeless magic that comes with free play,” says Joanna. “It seems clear that more and more, parents want their children to experience that wholesomeness, health and wonder that comes from the outdoors.”
Big Sur Park School is a 501(c)(3) early childhood program serving the local Big Sur community with year-round care for children ages two to six on-site at Esalen. If you are interested in learning more about child care while at Esalen or would like to volunteer as a "tree", please email info@bigsurparkschool.org.
Photos: Courtesy of Big Sur Park School.
“Remembering to be as self compassionate as I can and praying to the divine that we're all a part of.”
–Aaron
“Prayer, reading, meditation, walking.”
–Karen
“Erratically — which is an ongoing stream of practice to find peace.”
–Charles
“Try on a daily basis to be kind to myself and to realize that making mistakes is a part of the human condition. Learning from our mistakes is a journey. But it starts with compassion and caring. First for oneself.”
–Steve
“Physically: aerobic exercise, volleyball, ice hockey, cycling, sailing. Emotionally: unfortunately I have to work to ‘not care’ about people or situations which may end painfully. Along the lines of ‘attachment is the source of suffering’, so best to avoid it or limit its scope. Sad though because it could also be the source of great joy. Is it worth the risk?“
–Rainer
“It's time for my heart to be nurtured on one level yet contained on another. To go easy on me and to allow my feelings to be validated, not judged harshly. On the other hand, to let the heart rule with equanimity and not lead the mind and body around like a master.”
–Suzanne
“I spend time thinking of everything I am grateful for, and I try to develop my ability to express compassion for myself and others without reservation. I take time to do the things I need to do to keep myself healthy and happy. This includes taking experiential workshops, fostering relationships, and participating within groups which have a similar interest to become a more compassionate and fulfilled being.“
–Peter
“Self-forgiveness for my own judgments. And oh yeah, coming to Esalen.”
–David B.
“Hmm, this is a tough one! I guess I take care of my heart through fostering relationships with people I feel connected to. Spending quality time with them (whether we're on the phone, through messages/letters, on Zoom, or in-person). Being there for them, listening to them, sharing what's going on with me, my struggles and my successes... like we do in the Esalen weekly Friends of Esalen Zoom sessions!”
–Lori
“I remind myself in many ways of the fact that " Love is all there is!" LOVE is the prize and this one precious life is the stage we get to learn our lessons. I get out into nature, hike, camp, river kayak, fly fish, garden, I create, I dance (not enough!), and I remain grateful for each day, each breath, each moment. Being in the moment, awake, and remembering the gift of life and my feeling of gratitude for all of creation.”
–Steven
“My physical heart by limiting stress and eating a heart-healthy diet. My emotional heart by staying in love with the world and by knowing that all disappointment and loss will pass.“
–David Z.
Today, September 29, is World Heart Day. Strike up a conversation with your own heart and as you feel comfortable, encourage others to do the same. As part of our own transformations and self-care, we sometimes ask for others to illuminate and enliven our hearts or speak our love language.
What if we could do this for ourselves too, even if just for today… or to start a heart practice, forever?
Esalen Institute
55000 Highway 1
Big Sur, CA 93920
US: 1-831-667-3000
info@esalen.org