Hi all, My name is Kate Golubinski. I'm the Founder of Forest Playgroup LLC Programs, as well as a passionate former nature school director and teacher, and early childhood nature curriculum writer. I've served on the board of directors for the Forest School Foundation of Asheville, North Carolina and I've also lead numerous nature-based homeschool … Continue reading The Ultimate List of Forest Schools, Outdoor-Based and Nature-Inspired Schools of the USA

What better way to welcome the winter season then to create a beautiful, nature-inspired craft? Today is winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, and the weather certainly showed it! A glistening blanket of snow covered the cold earth as we trekked through the woodlands. We lovingly adorned the bare trees with homemade birdseed ornaments for … Continue reading A Wintery Ornament Craft

Hi all! This is a bit of a personal post, but I feel pulled to express my excitement as I embark on some amazing upcoming nature-inspired endeavors! Firstly, I wanted to announce my elation of my most recent achievement. I have been warmly welcomed onto the Board of Directors for The Forest School Foundation! It … Continue reading New Beginnings with Nature

As the days grow colder, our world becomes icy and dark. ❄️ Especially in the coming winter days, inner and outer warmth is essential with both children and adults alike! What is outer warmth? Outer warmth is how we keep our physical bodies warm. For adults, this concept seems like second nature and often requires … Continue reading The Importance of Warmth

Nature is essential for many reasons, but one of my favorites is how it ties so nicely into life learning. By simply carrying out our nature-based family traditions this autumn during our forest homeschooling, we’ve learned so much about many aspects of life; birth, growth, transformation, hard work & diligence, patience, responsibility, prosperity, harvest, death, … Continue reading Pumpkins for Life Lessons

Autumn is a magical time; the leaves turn into brilliant colors and then fall like confetti from above, and the air turns crisp and cool. The sun makes it's way lower into the sky while our lively world becomes sleepy. Autumn is very much a time of transition. There are so many natural wonders that … Continue reading Magical Autumn Traditions in Nature

On a crisp early-autumn day, the girls and I found ourselves trekking through the woods in search of as many of our favorite nature treasures as we could find. We were preparing for our "Leaf Man" craft! "Leaf Man", a beloved children's book written by Lois Ehlert, is one of our favorite seasonal books to … Continue reading Read & Craft: “Leaf Man”

Nature has such a nurturing effect on children and adults of all ages. One of the many most effective ways of implementing nature-play for children is creating a play garden! What exactly is a play garden, and why is it beneficial? A play garden is a garden space in which children are not only allowed, … Continue reading Create a Play Garden; Reap the Health Benefits!

Have you ever imagined encouraging your child to jump into a pile of dirt or mud to play for hours? Well, you probably should! Playing in dirt, according to science, is an essential part of a healthy childhood. Not only is it fun, but it's very good for you! In fact, the health benefits can … Continue reading The Health Benefits of Dirt Play

Although we haven't officially begun our homeschooling year, we have begun some math practice through our Wild Math curriculum. Can I just say that I'm obsessed?! Math was always a dreaded topic during my education as a kid, and it lead to so many confidence issues. I flunked nearly ever math class I'd ever taken … Continue reading Homeschooling with Wild Math

29 degrees, no wind and crystal clear skies with twinkling stars; a perfect January evening. It was time to bundle up and head outside! The girls slipped into their plush snow pants - a dense, insulating layer to keep them warm. Then, they pulled on their woolen hats and socks, their snow boots, and their … Continue reading Winter Bonfire Memories