CONNECTIONS
NATURE PLAY
Connections Nature Play is Diamond Valley’s only Forest School program.
Our program is licensed under the Province of Alberta’s Early Learning and Child Care Act and follows the Child Nature Alliance of Canada’s Forest & Nature School model.
As a licensed child care program, families whose children are enrolled in Connections Nature Play may be eligible for the Affordability Grant and the Child Care Subsidy through the Federal-Provincial Child Care Agreement.
Connections Nature Play provides opportunities for children to build their social-emotional, physical, intellectual and creative well-being through outdoor adventure-based and inquiry-driven play. Our program aims to cultivate connections with the land, culture, others and self among 3-6-year-olds supported by attentive Early Childhood Educators at a 1:5 adult:child ratio.
Why Forest School?
Academic research into the benefits of nature play shows that regular, unstructured and self-directed play in nature supports children in experiencing improved physical, mental and emotional health as well as greater self-esteem, lowered stress levels and milder symptoms related to ADD, ADHD and anxiety.
Spending time in nature, with repeat visits to the same natural areas, allows children opportunities to build self-confidence, connections with the land, emotional regulation skills, motivation and concentration, as well as develop their positive self-image and ecological literacy.
Click here to view the Child Nature Alliance of Canada’s Principles of Forest and Nature Schools.
We offer:
- Outdoor play-based and curiosity-driven experiences
- Attentive and supportive guidance from certified Early Childhood Educators and trained Forest & Nature School Practitioners
- Core hours option works well for children who still nap
- Extended hours option works well for working parents
- Small groups (1:5 ratio)
- Registration capped at 10 children
- Childcare subsidies available
- Parented nature play programs, day camps and other opportunities
2024/2025 Program
To meet demand, Connections Nature Play is expanding to five days a week for the 2024/2025 program year!
Monthly Rates for Core Hours (9:00am to 2:30pm)
$225/month for 1 day/week
$450/month for 2 days/week
$675/month for 3 days/week
$900/month for 4 days/week
$1,125/month for 5 days/week
Monthly Rates for Extended Hours (8:00am to 4:30pm)
$275/month for 1 day/week
$550/month for 2 days/week
$825/month for 3 days/week
$1,100/month for 4 days/week
$1,375/month for 5 days/week
An annual registration fee of $60 applies to each family. This fee entitles each family to register any/all of their children as well as free admission to family-friendly programming throughout the year, such as Jr Maker workshops and seasonal events hosted by the Diamond Valley Sustainable Living Centre.
- Complete and submit registration form, and
- Submit payment via e-transfer for the first month plus annual registration fee must be made via e-transfer to dvslc.treasurer@gmail.com with the following in the memo/notes field:
“Month/Year – Child’s Name – Days/Core or Extended + reg fee”
For example: “Sept/23 – Latisha Cohen – Mon/Wed Core + reg fee”
Drop In Child Care
While capacity allows, coming to a drop-in day is a great way to try our program out!
Daily Drop-In Rate:
- $60/partial day (9am-2:30pm, core hours)
- $70/full day (7:30am to 5:00pm, extended hours)
First Timer Promotion! Your child’s first drop in day is only $39!
Children must be 3-6 years old, able to use the toilet independently, and not yet in grade 1 to attend. Parents are welcome to tag along for part or all of the first day if desired.
Our Educators
Kirsti Sarrazin
Kirsti has been providing childcare at her dayhome in the Diamond Valley for the past 7 years and prior to that, enjoyed a decade-long career in fisheries. She loves being outside and sharing the wonder of nature with all children including her own. Kirsti is a certified Forest and Nature School Practitioner and is working towards her Level 2 Early Childhood Educator certification.
Katie Bakken
Katie has been working with children of all ages in a variety of settings, including schools, provincial parks, summer camps for over 30 years. Parenting has allowed her to discover the joy of fostering children’s natural curiosity in the great outdoors. In addition to being a Certified Teacher, Katie is also certified as a Forest and Nature School Practitioner and Level 3 Early Childhood Educator.
Jay-leena Looy
Jay-leena is passionate about integrating connection and nature into education and is a strong advocate for children. She believes all children are capable and competent, and that the role of each teacher is to create a learning environment that allows all children to thrive. Jay-leena can often be found tending her garden and enjoying walks with her dog Leo. She is qualified as both
a Level 3 Early Childhood Educator
and holds her Permanent Teacher Certification.
Michelle Robertson
Michelle has spent the last 3 decades educating herself and working with children of various ages in various roles. She is a certified Level 1 Early Childhood Educator and also carries counseling and trauma therapy certifications. Michelle is passionate about children and their healthy development.
Thank you, Michelle, for being part of the team this spring! We will miss you, and wish you all the best on this next chapter in life.
All Connections Nature Play Educators have undergone the Police Information Check and Vulnerable Sector Check process and are First Aid trained. We encourage and support our Educators in working towards Forest and Nature School Practitioner certification through the Child Nature Alliance of Canada.
Although we spend most of our time with the children outdoors, we also have access to washrooms and an indoor play space for when conditions are not conducive to being outdoors all day, such as cold spells, heat waves, extreme air quality and severe weather.
Thank you to the
Turner Valley Legion
for partnering with us
to create a ‘home base’ for us in our first year!
We have thoroughly enjoyed our time at the Legion, and now we are excited to find a new home for our established forest school child care program.
We are looking for land that has year-round road access, walkable access to a variety of natural habitats such as forest, stream, wetland, grassland and reliable cell service for communications with families. If you or someone you know would like to discuss a potential partnership, please call or text the Connections Cell at 403-498-6321!
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Thank you to the
Foothills Energy Coop for financially supporting the establishment of Connections
Nature Play!
We’d love to hear from you!
Call Us: 403-498-6321
Monday to Friday, 8am to 4:30pm
(excluding Statutory Holidays)
Email: natureschool@dvslc.ca
Anytime!
