Gilbert Nature School: Connecting Children with Nature
Gilbert Nature School: Connecting Children with NatureGilbert Nature School: Connecting Children with NatureGilbert Nature School: Connecting Children with Nature
Join Gilbert Nature School for exciting outdoor Montessori learning and experience the joy of outdoor school!
Gilbert Nature School: Connecting Children with Nature
Gilbert Nature School: Connecting Children with NatureGilbert Nature School: Connecting Children with NatureGilbert Nature School: Connecting Children with Nature
Join Gilbert Nature School for exciting outdoor Montessori learning and experience the joy of outdoor school!
At Gilbert Nature School, we believe that genuine education encompasses all facets of life. From gardening to inventing a handheld water filter to planning our next shade structure, we "Follow The Child" as we draw inspiration from student interests, our own creative passions, and the Sonoran Desert.
Our unique blend of the Montessori phil
At Gilbert Nature School, we believe that genuine education encompasses all facets of life. From gardening to inventing a handheld water filter to planning our next shade structure, we "Follow The Child" as we draw inspiration from student interests, our own creative passions, and the Sonoran Desert.
Our unique blend of the Montessori philosophy, Forest School learning, and the Wilderness Awareness School approach to mentoring form the foundation of our curriculum.
A typical week includes time tending our organic gardens, farm animals, learning survival skills and practicing wildlife watching, yoga and meditation lessons, and many hours creating and experimenting in our incredible Loose Parts Playgrounds and Mud Kitchens.
In addition, we provide all of our students with music education (with a violin pedagogy program coming in 2025!) and access to our professional-grade pottery studio.
Our Values
Our Environment
Our Curriculum
+We are a 100% Screen Free School
+We ask our families to be Screen Free at home
+We allow children to follow their own interests
+We encourage deep concentration and flow-state experiential learning
+We serve organic snacks and Reverse Osmosis water
+We choose non-toxic cleaning supplies for our entire school
Our Environment
Our Environment
Our Environment
At Gilbert Nature School, students spend their mornings outside in our large outdoor learning environments. Mornings are spent in a fluid combination of group projects and free play-- an approach backed heavily by child development research.
Since children are hardwired for learning, we offer their bodies and minds the freedom they need t
At Gilbert Nature School, students spend their mornings outside in our large outdoor learning environments. Mornings are spent in a fluid combination of group projects and free play-- an approach backed heavily by child development research.
Since children are hardwired for learning, we offer their bodies and minds the freedom they need to fully develop to their full potential.
The combination of fresh air, freedom of movement, and endless opportunities to learn through trial and error each morning allows our students to truly thrive-- just as nature intended.
In our Full Day Program, when it's time to sit down and focus on academics in our carefully curated Montessori classrooms we observe that our students are fully engaged and ready to apply themselves.
What is Nature School?
Inspired by the Forest Schools of Europe, Nature School is a groundbreaking approach to education wherein students spend much of each day immersed in outdoor learning. Our unique program offers students an unhurried schedule with freedom to create, explore, wonder at, discover, and enjoy life on Earth.
At Gilbert Nature School, our mission is to provide top-notch Montessori place-based outdoor education experiences that promote physical activity, mental wellness, academic growth, and an appreciation for nature. We believe that learning in and about the great outdoors can be a powerful force for good, and we want to share that with as many people as possible.
Our Roots
Our Services
Our Mission
Founded in 2023 by Clarissa Pollack, a passionate Montessori educator and nature enthusiast, Gilbert Nature School started as a small operation with a big dream. She believes that every child should have the opportunity to experience the beauty and excitement of learning with nature.
Our Services
Our Services
Our Services
We offer a wide range of services, including our flagship Nature School program, School Holiday nature immersion camps, Summer Camps, and special seasonal events for families, all inspired by the Montessori Method and our passion for place-based learning. Our team of experienced educators is passionate about what we do and are committed t
We offer a wide range of services, including our flagship Nature School program, School Holiday nature immersion camps, Summer Camps, and special seasonal events for families, all inspired by the Montessori Method and our passion for place-based learning. Our team of experienced educators is passionate about what we do and are committed to ensuring that every adventure with Gilbert Nature School is inspiring and enriching.
Did you know? learning in nature...
Boosts Creativity, Confidence, and Motor Skills
Boosts Creativity, Confidence, and Motor Skills
Boosts Creativity, Confidence, and Motor Skills
At Gilbert Nature School, children are encouraged to stretch their minds and bodies to reach their fullest potential.
Four out of five children say they feel more confident in themselves after spending time participating in outdoor activities, according to new University College London research.
Enhances Language and Communication
Boosts Creativity, Confidence, and Motor Skills
Boosts Creativity, Confidence, and Motor Skills
Descriptive language, storytelling, and community problem solving all bubble up from immersive nature experiences in an outdoor education based Montessori school.
This study shares that children use five times more words when playing outdoors compared to indoors !
Improves Educational Outcomes
Boosts Creativity, Confidence, and Motor Skills
Improves Educational Outcomes
Outdoor education enhances educational outcomes by improving children’s academic performance, focus, behavior and love of learning at school.
Capturing the Essence of the Gilbert Nature School Campus: Our Photo Collection
Our Educational Philosophy
Child-Led Learning
Our program is founded on the academic model created by Dr. Maria Montessori and blends child-led learning, modern child development research, and theWilderness Awareness School approach to nature education mentorship. Our philosophy is based on respect-- respect for others, respect for the environment, and respect for self. We respect each child’s Inner Teacher and trust that, when left to their own inner guidance, each child's educational path is both unique and whole.
We believe that children grow and thrive when allowed and encouraged to follow their instincts and take their own calculated risks, and we respect their judgment. In the spirit of exploration, we encourage the children to fully experience their own initiative and learn what they may.
Participants will gain educational experiences through place-based exploration, creative nature-based play, observation, guided academic studies, and fun! Children will practice innovative problem solving, sharpen their curiosity, and develop as helpful members of their community. As we discover our local flora and fauna together, our hope is that out students deepen their connection to the natural world as they blossom into lifelong learners.
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This year's theme is Growing Our Food. Camp is 100% Screen-Free and full of enriching hands on, project based, and Montessori inspired learning activities in the fresh air with highly qualified educators.
Space is limited to ensure low teacher to student ratios.