Forest Harmony: Shinrin-Yoku Forest-Bathing (Japanese Cultural Immersion)
Rooted in the peaceful practice of shinrin-yoku, this Japanese immersion class at San Dieguito Park for Wildlings ages 5-7 invites students to slow down and experience nature with all their senses.
Children will learn essential vocabulary through mindful forest walks, nature-based crafts, and explorations of the serene spaces within our preserves. Students will discover cultural traditions connected to respect for the natural world while practicing observation, stillness, and gratitude. This session blends language learning with the restorative benefits of forest bathing to create a calm, grounding experience for all learners.
Families may also choose to extend the experience with an additional six-week classic or Spanish dual language session, or one-week thematic specialty classes, offering even more time for language development, connection, and deep summer learning.
Please Note:
We are always open to adding more sessions. Even if the class is full please add yourself to the waitlist as we may add more classes to the session depending on interest!
Wildling Classes are for students ages 5-7.
For younger students see our Seedling Classes!
Registration for this schedule starts on 02/02/2026 and ends on 07/02/2026
Participants must be 5 years to 7 years old when the program starts.
Wildlings Daily Rhythm 9:10–9:45 | Arrival & Community Connection 9:45–10:15 | Learning Invitations & Project Work 10:15–11:00 | Morning Meeting & Integrated Learning 11:00–12:15 | Walk-About & Field Exploration 12:15–12:45 | Lunch, Reflection & Closing Activities 12:45–1:10 | Pick-Up & Closing Circle
Students arrive and settle into the day through unhurried transitions, greeting peers and educators, and engaging in light exploratory play while the group gathers.
Students engage in thoughtfully prepared learning invitations that support creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration. Experiences may include building and construction, art and dramatic play, nature crafts, early literacy exploration, and primitive or survival-inspired skills. Students follow their interests while educators observe, scaffold, and extend learning.
We gather as a learning community for a snack, shared reading and/or shared writing, daily news, and collaborative discussion. This time supports whole-group exploration of math, science, local history, and other interdisciplinary topics, along with a bathroom break that encourages growing independence.
Students participate in walk-abouts to various nearby locations, engaging in hands-on exploration, observation, and inquiry. These experiences deepen connections to place and allow learning to extend naturally through movement, discovery, and group collaboration.
Students share lunch together, followed by reflective conversation, journaling or drawing, shared reading or writing, and time to reset. A second bathroom break is included.
The day concludes with a calm closing circle and reunification with caregivers.
Please contact The Native School if you have any questions.