KMES Nature-Based Kindergarten
Detailed Information for Families
Daily Outdoor Experiences
Wilderness Wednesdays
We will begin our adventure in the building with our morning routine and specials. Then, we will get ready to head outside with our Wilderness Wednesday chant or an outdoors-themed song. We will head to our WW area to find our "sit spots". These spots are places children will go to each week to quiet their minds and tune into nature - they will learn to use their senses to experience nature and to notice what has changed since the last visit. Students will have a chance to share their observations with one another.
Then, students will have several stations to choose from for their exploration time: mud kitchen, sand, story rocks, nature art, den/fort building, loose parts, and more.
We will return to the building for lunch, most days. We are hoping to have lunch outside, picnic-style, one Wilderness Wednesday each month! On those days, we would ask your child to bring a sack lunch. If needed, your child could still get lunch from the kitchen at school.
After lunch, we will head back outside for more exploration time!
We will plan to have our snack outside and read a story.
Sometimes, we will also have literacy or math stations for a short time!
Appropriate Gear
No Weather is Bad Weather!
These classes will go outside for Wilderness Wednesdays, regardless of the weather, unless there are extreme or unsafe circumstances. We will follow the school's policy for those situations. The experience may be altered on especially rainy or cold days to include more games, movement and breaks inside. For other days and lessons that we've planned outdoors, we will still plan to go out unless the activity just is not possible due to the conditions.
Due to the amount of time spent outdoors in this program, in all kinds of weather, appropriate gear for all seasons is vital for students’ comfort and success.
Some gear will be provided for students by KMES & will be kept at school. Most items will need to be provided by families. A gear checklist is provided below.
Gear Provided by KMES (items stay at school):
Rain suit
Waterproof rain mittens
Rain boots
Gear Provided by Family (all items must be labeled with first and last name):
Light-weight jacket for fall/spring (fleece is good)
Knit hat for fall/spring
Winter jacket/parka (preferably waterproof)
Snow pants/bibs (preferably waterproof with reinforced knees)
Snow Boots (preferably waterproof)
Wool socks
Warm winter hats
Snow mittens (preferably waterproof and pull up over the jacket sleeve)
Neck gaiter (fleece is preferred and is warmer than other materials)
Insulated water bottle (to keep drinks cold in warm months and warm in cold month
- Layers
2. Second or mid-layer - fleece pants and a fleece jacket/shirt
3. Third or outer-layer - insulated and waterproof items work well!
Two changes of clothing (labeled), for when your child's clothes get wet or dirty at school
Layering is the key to being comfortable, especially in the winter! You can check out this Layering Guide for more about what this can look like for your child. Stay away from cotton for base layers and mid-layers, please, as cotton will not keep your child warm enough or wick away moisture.
Resources for Gear:
Not all outdoor gear is created equal. Even notable, brand-name companies have gear that is Not all outdoor gear is created equal. Even notable, brand-name companies have gear that is not really meant for extensive outdoor play and learning.
The Outdoor School Shop has worked closely with programs and parents over the years to create a one-stop-shop for gear that is both effective and durable.
We're excited to share that The Outdoor School Shop + KM Nature-Based Kindergarten have partnered and created an easy way for families to shop our gear checklist and receive a discount! You'll be able to find everything on our gear checklist, including some highly recommended brands on our special KM Nature-Based Kindergarten gear page.
If you decide to shop here, you'll be able to use a unique code (see below) to receive 15% off your entire order!
FYI: This code will work for anything in the shop, not just the items on our specific page!!! Feel free to shop items for other kids, for yourself or for summer fun!
Note: Many brands are based overseas so are not the same as our sizing. Please read each item's description and sizing carefully before purchasing.
Visit: https://outdoorschoolshop.com/schools/KMNature/
15% off code: KMNATURE (no spaces)
There are many great brands that are NOT on The Outdoor School Shop, too.
- Land's End offers a wonderful, waterproof parka and waterproof snow pants (they often go on sale AND you can get a 50% off code for signing up for their list!)!! They also have great base layers (long underwear) available, too!
- LL Bean offers a host of outdoor products, including snow gear, base layers, fleece mid-layers, socks and more!
- Kamik offers the Rocket and the Snowbuster as great snow boot options.
- Turtle Fur offers great fleece neck gaiters, but also has options for winter hats and more!
- Smartwool also offers great hats, as well as wool socks, base layers and more!
- Yeti offers the Rambler Jr insulated water bottle that is easy for kids to use with mittens on!
- Polaryn O. Pyret is a Swedish company that is a leading brand in outerwear. They offer most of the outdoor gear on our checklist and they have also offered families a 15% discount! Once you sign up at the link (here), you just need to be logged into your shopping account for the discount to apply. No code is needed. Just list our school as the outdoor "school". You can use the discount on an unlimited basis throughout the year and it applies to anything you buy! If you have any questions, you can contact the coordinator, Jennifer Athanason: outdoorschools@polarnopyretusa.com
Many retailers offer the types of gear your child will need and offer discounts on products if you sign up for their mailing lists or if you meet their discount qualifications (teacher, veteran, medical professional, etc). Many items can also be found, possibly for less, on Amazon, REI or elsewhere if you do an internet search.
Discount clothing sites can also be explored, such as kidizen, ThredUP, and WornWear. You may also try second-hand stores such as Janky Gear (in Rochester).
You can find many quality items at garage sales or handed-down from family or friends! Just be sure the items are still in good condition, without holes or tears and have working zippers, clasps, Velcro & buttons.
We suggest you shop ahead of time to have the gear needed for each season before the season arrives. Gear can be a great birthday or Christmas gift from family and extended family, too!
If your family has barriers to purchasing gear, please contact the school as soon as possible. We will work with you to be sure your child has what they need to be outside!
Gear Communication:
There will be communication from your child’s teacher regarding gear. We will send out the seasonal gear reminders as we enter each season. We will try to have updates in the weekly newsletters for the upcoming weeks. We will also be using the Remind system for updates that may happen last minute, so you will be asked to download and use that app.
Logistics of Nature-Based Play and Learning
- Students may come home a little wet and/or a dirty! Should a clothing change be needed, we will facilitate that at school (with the extra clothes you've provided).
- Students may be exhausted, particularly on Wilderness Wednesdays. The play and fresh air will tire them out in a positive way! A strong bedtime routine and good night's rest each night will help them be ready for each day.
- Students will be encouraged to play in nature. They may be playing with sticks, building with rocks, hanging on trees, balancing on stumps, jumping around, rolling down hills, sledding, etc. We will be observing by the ponds on our property. Students will learn to take calculated risks and understand the consequences of their choices, as well as how to alter choices for the next time (if needed). We will guide students with this process. At times, students may have minor bumps, bruises or scrapes from our nature experiences. We will have First Aid kits with us outside and will attend to minor things. If anything should happen that would require the nurse's attention, we'd facilitate that and would contact you.
- Sunscreen will be needed (even on cloudy or cold days). You can apply before school begins (especially to faces), but we will also have some at school for reapplications, as needed. Hats will also be helpful with the sun!
- Bugs may bite and bug spray may be needed, at times. We will communicate with you about this, as the situation arises. Ticks may also need to be discussed in the warmer months. We will communicate about this, as well.
- Hydration is vital and your child will be encouraged to drink often. Cool water is great when it's warm. In the winter months, warm beverages will help warm us up! Water bottles should be cleaned at home, nightly.
- Properly hydrated students will need to use the bathroom! Students will have regular bathroom breaks inside, as our schedule allows, and we'll always go before/after outdoor time. Bathroom procedures outside will be a bit different. Students will use a port-a-potty during our outside time, if we are far from the building. Your child will never be denied access to the bathroom, but sometimes it may take us a while longer than normal to get to a bathroom. For this reason, if your child is still working on bathroom procedures and "holding it", that would be good to practice over the summer.
- Volunteers will be vital to making our Wilderness Wednesdays a success! We will rely on volunteers to help us keep eyes on students and possibly lead stations or activities. At times, we will ask for "experts" that might be willing to come in and teach about something such as bee-keeping, syrup, monarch butterflies, plant/animal identification, etc. We are so excited to partner with families and community members!