Voted Eugene's Favorite Preschool
Adventure. Friendship. Confidence. It All Starts Here!
At Oregon Outdoor Kids Forest Preschool, children spend every day playing outside, exploring nature, making friends, and building their confidence through play-based and child-lead learning. Every adventure helps them grow into more curious, more capable and more compassionate humans.
Why Families Choose Us
Families find us when they want more outside time for their kids, moving, climbing, exploring, finding bugs, getting dirty, and actually experiencing childhood instead of sitting inside.
At Oregon Outdoor Kids, the forest is the classroom.
No two days are ever the same. Some days it’s a day on the trail finding mushrooms and searching for frogs and newts, or hiking to a magical lookout on top of the world.
Other days it’s climbing trees and balancing on logs, splashing through puddles, chasing wind, and building little worlds out of mud, sticks and imagination.
Real outdoor childhood
We spend our days in the forests, fields and trails around Eugene, playing, climbing, running, imagining, balancing, digging, rolling down grassy hills, chasing butterflies, discovering, and following what sparks the childrens interests.
A small, tight-knit group of kids
Every child matters here. We move through the day together like a little pack. Being with the same group of kids all year creates a strong bond and they become very much like a little family, they check in, support, encourage and look out for each other, they make sure no one is left out and no one is ever left behind.
Confidence that sneaks up on them
You’ll see it happen slowly – hesitant kids start trying new things, taking risks, learning to navigate the best path for them, surprising themselves with how capable they are, I can’t turns to I can, and then teaching a friend how.
Friendship in Motion
Kids don’t just sit in a classroom here, they are out doing things, exploring and making decisions together. They are adventuring buddies, discovering new things as they go, and sharing in the excitement with each other. That’s where real friendships form.
Weather is part of the adventure
Rain, mud, wind, sunshine, it’s all part of it. Kids learn that weather always looks worse staring out of your window, and that they don’t have to hide away indoors, they can experience it, embrace it, enjoy it, learn how to adapt, and properly prepare, and keep having fun no matter what the sky is doing.
Explore With Us
Destination OUTDOORS
A Day in the Forest
We meet in the morning at our scheduled adventure spot and after a quick hug goodbye with their adults, we head straight into nature.
Backpacks on. Boots on. Energy up.
The kids help decide where the adventure goes that day.
Some days we follow winding trails through the trees, looking for mushrooms, wildflowers, deer or whatever else the forest reveals.
Other days we hike up to the top of Swing Hill, or summit Spencer Butte.
We’ve also been known to climb trees, jump in puddles, and slide down muddy hills. Or spend time in sunny fields, setting up hammocks, watching the clouds, reading books and running freely through the grass.
Around midday, we gather for lunch together on the trail.
After eating, the kids pack up their own things and spend the rest of the time playing.
By the time we return, they’re usually muddy, tired, and proud of what they discovered that day.
And almost always, they have something important they can’t wait to tell you about!
Programs & Enrollment
Explore the Wonders of the Great Outdoors
Start Your Child's Adventure Now!
Choose the adventure that’s right for your child. Our forest preschool programs are designed for children ages 3.5-5 who are fully bathroom independent, giving them the freedom to confidently explore trails, play in nature, and enjoy all that the outdoors has to offer.
School Year Program
September – June
Our Signature Experience
Children who attend throughout the school year have the opportunity to grow alongside the same close-knit group of friends, building deep connections, confidence, and a true sense of belonging.
10:00 AM- 1:00 PM
1 Day/Week $245/month
Light participation option for familes who are available only 1 day a week
2 Day/Week
RECOMMENDED MINIMUM
$345/month
Builds comfort, confidence, and familiarity week to week
Recommended for children to begin settling into group rythms
3 days Per Week – $445/month
Our most immersive experience. Spending more time together allows children to deepen friendships, enjoy the full adventure, and become part of a close-knit community.
Spring Session
April – June
Spring is a beautiful introduction to forest preschool and a great way for families to experience our program before joining the full school year community. As the forest comes alive, children explore trails, follow streams, find tadpoles and newts and go on grand adventures with friends.
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Program Details
1-3 Days Per Week (based on availability)
Summer Programs
July- August
8:30 AM- 11:30 AM
Wednesdays, Thursdays, & Fridays
Tuition $445/month
Our camps are held at various nature destinations, like Spencer Butte, Dorris Ranch, Hendricks Park, and Pisgah. Our extended summer program is similar to our full year preschool. Children come 3 days a week throughout the season, creating preductable rythms and form deep connections with the other kids in their group.
You just can’t beat summers in Oregon. It’s an amazing time to be outside playing and exploring!
