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Forest school

Meet Morticia, our Eastern kingsnake and one of DNC's wildlife ambassadors! 🖤 Snakes can seem a little creepy crawly at first. 😬 But when our forest schoolers got to gently touch Morticia, curiosity won out over nerves. 🙌 Here's what they learned: 🐀 Kingsnakes help control rats, mice, and other pests 🐍 They even eat other snakes, including venomous ones like copperheads and rattlesnakes 💪 Their secret? A natural resistance to pit viper venom 👑 That's how they earned the "king" in their name! Kingsnakes are nonvenomous, and they're one of nature's best pest-control crews. 🌿 Up-close moments like this turn fear into fascination and help kids see that every creature has a role in a healthy ecosystem. 💚 Perfect timing for spooky season, too. 🎃 #ForestSchool #EasternKingsnake #SnakesOfGeorgia #DunwoodyNatureCenter #DunwoodyGA

Does learning outside actually help kids grow? Research says yes. 🧠🌿 A 2023 review of studies on forest school for kids ages 3–6 found that children in forest school showed greater benefits than kids in indoor classrooms in: 🧠 Cognitive function 🤸 Motor coordination and balance 🌳 Connection to nature 💛 Health and well-being It makes sense. Out here, every log is a balance beam, every creek is a science lab, and every "how do we build this fort?" is a real problem to solve. 🪵🔍 At Dunwoody Nature Center, our 22 acres along Wildcat Creek are the classroom. As proud members of the Forest School Association, we're part of a worldwide community committed to quality Forest School for all. 🌍 🔗 Link in bio to explore our forest school programs

🌲 What is Forest School? 🌲 It started in Scandinavia, inspired by friluftsliv ("free air life"), the idea that time outdoors is a way of life. 🇳🇴🇸🇪 Today it's a learning approach shared by thousands of trained practitioners around the world. 🌍 The basics: 🗓️ Regular sessions over time, not one-off visits 🌳 Always in woodland or natural spaces 🧒 Kids lead the learning 🧗 Supported risk-taking, matched to each child 💛 Growth for the whole child: social, emotional, physical, and intellectual What kids gain: ✨ Confidence and self-esteem 🧠 Real-world problem-solving 🌧️ Resilience and independence 🎨 Creativity 🌿 A lifelong bond with nature At Dunwoody Nature Center, our 22 acres along Wildcat Creek are the classroom. We're proud members of the Forest School Association, the professional body championing quality Forest School for all. Fit Your Fit: Oakwood Forest Preschool, Camp Eagle after-school, My Chickadee and Me, and seasonal camps 🔗 Link in bio to learn more #ForestSchool #ForestSchoolAssociation #NatureBasedLearning #DunwoodyNatureCenter #AtlantaKids

🦇 October is BAT MONTH at Dunwoody Nature Center! 🦇 We kicked things off with our Friday Night Hike: Echoes in the Dark 🌙✨ Naturalist Amy Gadd led us through the forest after sunset, sharing fascinating insights into the secret lives of bats, the night shift heroes of our ecosystem. Thank you to everyone who joined us in the dark! 🔦🌲 All month long, we're celebrating these misunderstood mammals. Stay tuned for more bat-tastic fun 🖤 #BatMonth #DunwoodyNatureCenter #FridayNightHike #BatsOfGeorgia #DunwoodyGA

🪲✨ Friday Night Hike: Insects Illuminated 🌙 We'll explore what makes insects such an essential (and fascinating) part of the forest after hours. Get ready to see DNC in a whole new light. Tickets sell fast - buy yours now at the link in bio! #DunwoodyNature #FridayNightHike #NatureAfterDark #DiscoverDunwoody #ThingsToDoInAtlanta

Ever seen the forest after dark? ✨ Join us for a guided evening hike through Dunwoody Nature Center, led by one of our naturalists. As the sun sets and the moon rises, you'll wander trails that feel completely transformed — learning the history, legends, and seasonal stories tied to this luminous time of year. 🌲🌙 It's a night hike like no other — mysterious, magical, and unforgettable. 🦉 📅 Registration closes August 14th 📧 After that? Email taylor@dunwoodynature.org to check availability Spots are limited — grab yours before the trail fills up! 🔗 Link in bio #FridayNightHike #DunwoodyNatureCenter #NightHike #NatureAfterDark #DunwoodyGA

@friendsofdunwoodylibrary honored us with a $1,000 check to stock our Oakwood Forest Preschool, Camp Eagle Aftercare, and nature camp programs with new books — because curiosity about nature starts with a great story. Thank you for helping us grow young readers and young naturalists together. 💚 #DunwoodyNatureCenter #FriendsOfDunwoodyLibrary #CommunityPartnership

Ready for one last magical night with our fireflies? ✨ Step into the woods after hours for our Friday Night Hike on Friday, July 10th from 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM. This is likely your last chance this year to catch the forest's firefly display before the season wraps up for good.⁠ ⁠ We'll start our hike while it's still bright and beautiful, and as the light fades, keep an eye out for fireflies making their final flickers of the summer — a fitting send-off before they disappear until next year.⁠ ⁠ Online registration closes on July 9th, so secure your spot today! This is truly one of the last opportunities to catch fireflies at the Nature Center this season! - don't miss out! When: Friday, July 10th | 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM⁠ Register here at the link in our bio! #dunwoodynaturecenter #discoverdunwoody #dunwoodyga #thingstodoatl #accessatlanta #discoveratlanta #georgianature #naturecenter #getoutside #getoutdoors

🌅Ready to activate your inner twilight explorer? 🌅⁠ ⁠ Step into the woods after hours for our Friday Night Hike on Friday, July 10th from 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM. It is a unique chance to watch the Dunwoody Nature Center transition in real-time. We’ll start our hike while it's still bright and beautiful, and end right as twilight takes over and the forest begins to wake up in a whole new way.⁠ ⁠ Online registration closes on July 9th, and we need a minimum number of explorer sign-ups to hit the trails, so secure your spot today!⁠ ⁠ When: Friday, July 10th | 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM⁠ Who: Anyone up for a fun adventure! ⁠ Tickets: $7.00 (Members enjoy a sweet discount at $5 with code NIGHT25)⁠ ⁠ We’d love to see you there 🐝!! Information below: ⁠ https://dunwoodynature.org/mec-events/friday-night-hike-july-2026/ ⁠

🍁 Calling all little acorns! 🍁⁠ ⁠ Applications for the Oakwood Forest Preschool are officially LIVE for the upcoming school year starting September 8th! Our play-based, place-based, emergent learning program is almost exclusively outdoors on the 22 acres of the Dunwoody Nature Center. ⁠ ⁠ Our Mission: To nurture children’s curiosity through outdoor play-based, child-led learning. ⁠ Our Vision: A place where children flourish as confident and curious learners connected to nature.⁠ ⁠ Interested in learning more? Visit our website to get your little acorn signed up today! ⁠ ⁠ We’d love to see you there 🐝!! Information below: ⁠ https://dunwoodynature.org/education/oakwood-forest-preschool/⁠

Huge thank you to the team from Keller Williams for spending the day giving back at the Nature Center! 🌿⁠ ⁠ Their volunteers tackled invasive plant removal, refreshed our trails with mulch, built furniture for the Learning Lab, and even donated a huge collection of items from our Forest School wishlist. ⁠ ⁠ We’re so grateful for y'all's support! 💚

We had the sweetest time wrapping up the semester with our Oakwood Forest School class! 🌲⁠ ⁠ Students tie-dyed shirts, created giant bubbles, enjoyed a nice lunch, and met Sunny the squirrel (our Forest School mascot)! 🐿️

THANK YOU! 🫶⁠ ⁠ An anonymous donor surprised us with all of these items from our Amazon wishlist for Oakwood Forest School, and we couldn’t be more grateful. The kids are already loving the new books and building blocks! 🌿📚⁠ ⁠ Donations like this help us create new opportunities for creativity, exploration, and outdoor learning for our students.⁠ ⁠ If you’d also like to support the Forest School in this way, you can browse our wishlist here: https://dunwoodynature.org/wishlist/

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