Don’t get stuck inside all winter. Get outside and explore our senses and learn a little bit about winter, trees, and even decomposers in our Winter Family Nature Classes.

Visit the UW Botanic Gardens this fall for to see some colorful leaves, and participate in some fun activities for families with kids 2-12 years old!

Listening and responding to the needs of our community is a cornerstone of the Fiddleheads philosophy. Sarah and I were absolutely astounded this year at the outpouring of interest our tiny school received. As word of the Fiddleheads Forest School spread, parents from all over the region took notice of the individualized attention we give to each child, our unique curriculum that thoughtfully integrates the specialized opportunities afforded by the environment to each student, and our remarkable forest grove classroom site where students develop a deep, mindful connection to their environment and to their peers. 

The sun is shining, mosquitoes are buzzing, and blossoms are bursting open everywhere we look; it could just as easily be June in Seattle, but the calendar still tells us it’s winter no matter how incongruous that may seem. Students at the Fiddleheads Forest School are taking full advantage of the seasonal changes. The warm weather has meant that we are continuing to discover lots of mushrooms and fungus in and around the forest grove classroom. 

you are outside. The sun is shining, illuminating the new growth on the western red cedars. It’s been a great growing season and the plants at Washington Park Arboretum are thriving. The backdrop of evergreen trees is a lovely frame to all of the native and non-native plants in the collection. Now, if they would just get here!
Just when you thought you couldn’t wait any longer, here comes the bus holding 60 scheduled school-aged children just bursting with energy and excitement to be out of school and outside on such a fine day as this. 

Most have us have been stung by a wasp or bee at some point in our lives, and many of us have an innate fear of flying insects with stingers. Personally, I was stung almost every year of my life between about the ages of 5 and 18. It never swayed me from spending all my free time outside, but I did cower at the familiar buzzing sound of nearby wasps. 

Last Thursday, the UW Botanic Gardens’ Education Team was honored at the UW’s annual Distinguished Staff Award Reception held at the HUB Ballroom.  The team, seen posing above at the reception, was 1 of 11 teams nominated to receive this year’s DSA.  Both individual and team winners will be chosen in the coming month and honored at the Annual Awards of Excellence on June 12th in Meany Hall Auditorium.  

The word spring comes from the old English springen, meaning “to leap, burst forth, fly up; spread, to grow.” This is a marvelous description of what we’ve been seeing happen to the minds, hearts, and bodies of students in the forest grove these past few weeks. The new growth in the forest has paralleled a very different sort of growth among the children’s minds. 

Avoid cabin fever and explore the Arboretum this winter! Learn about dinosaurs, science, turtles and more in our all new winter Parent/Child Classes.

The Soest Garden truly is an all-season garden. Learn how to keep your own garden looking attractive this winter with this hands-on class with Soest Gardener Riz Reyes!