Twisted Tuckamore Forest School inspires creative freedom in children

Sampson Vassallo, co-owner & co-operator of Twisted Tuckamore

Land, food and art are the three themes that guide children and their educators at the Twisted Tuckamore Forest School.

Sampson Vassallo with children enrolled in the forest school.

"At Twisted Tuckamore, we are inspired by the growth and connectivity that emerges between children and the creative freedom of a forest classroom," said Tara Cashen, co-founder of Twisted Tuckamore Forest School. "This forest is our teacher, encouraging children and educators alike to centre place, play, and inquiry. This forest is also an invitation to children of all developmental stages and backgrounds to find themselves in nature, breathe fresh air, experiment, get creative, and pursue their respective and collective journeys of discovery."

Tara, a recent graduate of Grenfell Campus's Environment and Sustainability program, participated in Navigate's entrepreneurial internship program in 2023.

The forest school takes its cues from children, holding the belief that children know best how they learn.

"We have the gear to be outside all day - rain or shine," said Tara. "Our programming is, first and foremost, flexible, as we follow group interests and the weather. We pair high-energy exploration and play with rest, reset and individual exploration. We run around, play games, draw, sow seeds, rest in our sit spots, build forts, pick berries, tell stories, sculpt mud, identify plants and animals, climb trees, harvest garden veggies, build fires, play in the stream, and tinker with recycled and natural materials."

Children ages 5-12 from all backgrounds are given the opportunity to build relationships with the land through regular and repeated access to the same forest site, developing lasting relations and habits over four days of programming. The program runs through, June, July and August with different camps for different ages: Dandelions (5-8), Wild Strawberries (7-10), and Spruce Roots (9-12).

The program draws from the strengths and resources of forest school pedagogy while providing specific outlets to engage with food and art, and most critically, responding to this land which is Mi'kmaq land.

Tara said land-based education has a very long, rich history in this area, and when people engage cross-culturally with the land, there is an opportunity to heal and rearticulate relationships.

"As an operator of European ancestry, it is hugely important to my heart, the kids' experiences, the land, and our broader community, that Mi'kmaq learners and educators can benefit from and steer this program," she said. "Learning with the land, from our food and through creation are highly connected and make for a well-rounded experience. The active imagination of your remarkable children, coupled with our dedication, will bring novelty and valuable lessons to each day we spend together in the forest."

For more information, visit https://www.twistedtuckamore.com/.