There was always something about summer camp. Why couldn't "real" school feel like this? We all have warm memories of our time at summer camp where dramatic arts, nature inspirations and constant movement were abundant!
As a teacher, this nostalgia didn't go away. Working for Toronto's P.I.N.E. Project in 2020 only reinvigorated that love of "camp," as I saw how magical outdoor learning was.
Forest schools or "waldkindergarten" classes are known for having their origins in various Scandinavian and German settings during the 1800's and 1950's, but this conversation cannot be complete without recognition of Indigenous communities around the world who have engaged in this type of learning since time immemorial. These individuals have paved the way for place-based style of learning that truly connects children with their communities and land. Forest school practices existed in the traditional communities of the Inuit, First Nations, and Metis groups long before it was commercialized.
In our modern world, a large disconnect exists between children and their natural environment. In addition, the global pandemic has complicated traditional learning with more time spent online and less time outside in the fresh air.
This divide has led to various environmental, social, psychological, and spiritual implications for children and adults alike. There is a necessity for kids to have contact with nature for their healthy development into adulthood, as this has been well documented in numerous scientific research studies and publications (Richard Louv, 2005).
Our belief is that children are capable learners, who can lead their own learning and social journeys with the help of a kind instructor. We ensure our daily structure allows for kids to play, strategize, create, wander and imagine! With this in mind, we encourage children to speak out about their interests or ideas, in order to shape our day.
The name Wildflowers Camp Inc. stems from Dolly Parton's 1980 mentioning of her beloved plant friends. She wrote a song about "Wildflowers," which sounds like an old fashioned Appalachian folk song. In the song, she talks about feeling "restless" and wanting to branch out, a sensation that many children might feel in traditional indoor school settings.
"Wildflowers" served as a metaphor for Dolly because they "...don't care where they grow." This holds true to the fact that even in a big metropolitan city like Toronto, we can still experience incredible nature and express ourselves through various art forms of music, theatre, drawing and building in order to grow. This song and message echo the sentiments of staying connected and branching out, all the while joining hands with a supportive community at a park.
"Wildflowers" Lyrics
The hills were alive with wildflowers And I was as wild even wilder than they For at least I could run they just died in the sun And I refused to just wither in place.
Just a wild mountain rose needing freedom to grow So I ran fearing up where I'd go When a flower grows wild it can always survive Wildflowers don't care where they grow.
And the flowers I knew in the fields where I grew Were content to be lost in the crowd They were common and close, I had no room for growth And I wanted so much to branch out.
So I uprooted myself from home ground and left Took my dreams and I took to the road When a flower grows wild it can always survive Wildflowers don't care where they grow.
I grew up fast and wild and I never felt right In a garden so different from me I just never belonged, I just longed to be gone So the garden one day set me free.
I hitched a ride with the wind and since he was my friend I just let him decide where we'd go When a flower grows wild it can always survive Wildflowers don't care where they grow.
Just a wild mountain rose seeking mysteries untold No regret for the path that I chose When a flower grows wild it can always survive Wildflowers don't care where they grow.