Thanks for exploring with us!
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OUR MISSION: To inspire a life-long appreciation and love of nature by connecting children with the outdoors. We do this by immersing ourselves in nature and using it as our classroom.
Completely outdoors, our on-site classes at School of the Wild are held at Lovett Pinetum, our home campus. We use nature study as our educational backbone and offer plenty of opportunities for exploring, self-directed play, and discovery. The Pinetum expands over 100 acres and has both coniferous and native forests, wetlands, creeks, springs, and fields for all our adventures. School of the Wild provides a secular, multi-age learning experience in the best classroom - the great outdoors!
What does a typical day look like for our students? In Explorers (ages 7-12), our classes include a morning nature study lesson as well as a snack break and a student-led exploration in the forest. Students have a lunch and play break mid-day, followed by an afternoon nature art, experiment, or mini-project session, along with poetry tea time and play time in the creek, forest, or field.
Our Kinder students (ages 5&6) welcome the day with a review of the weather and season followed by a hike, snack, and nature study lesson. They eat lunch mid-day and then enjoy creek time or another hike followed by a craft and free play to end the day.
*NEW PROGRAM THIS FALL
School of the Wild spreads its wings!
We are studying WILD WETLANDS at School of the Wild during the 2025-26 nature school year! Starting September 15, we will be piloting our first remote program where you will be able to join us on your own schedule from wherever you love to explore with your family, co-op, or class. Space will be limited as we test-drive our first semester of offering video mini-lessons and learning plans that mirror what we are doing in our School of the Wild Explorers classes.
We will send your learning plans weekly (for 10 weeks) along with links to simple nature study video lessons taught by Laura and our other School of the Wild teachers. Geared toward ages 7-12 (adaptable for other ages), each week will feature...
- video mini-lesson
- wetland topics with background information
- word of the week
- nature journaling prompt
- outdoor exploration inspiration
- lesson extension idea
- poetry suggestion
Do you want to join us? Enrollment will be available soon! We are striving to make this program educational, fun, engaging, and affordable. We can't wait to explore with you.
Email Laura@fireflynatureschool.com if you have questions or would like to be added to our "interested family" list for this new nature adventure!
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School of the Wild at Lovett Pinetum
APPLY FOR THE 2025-26 SCHOOL YEAR!
*Our on-site Kinder and Explorers classes are full for the 2025-26 school year. Please click HERE to join our WAITING LIST.
Here are our class offerings for the 2025-26 school year!
KINDER CLASSES for AGES 5&6
Kinder classes will discover the delights of Missouri flora and fauna as they study their natural surroundings through the seasons.
Tuesday or Thursday from 9:00am-2:00pm
Tuition per student - $1048 for the school year or 8 monthly payments of $131
*10% sibling discount for additional students enrolled from the same family
EXPLORERS CLASSES for AGES 7-12
Explorers will continue their study of Missouri ecosystems as they investigate the wonders of wetlands. From properties of water and soils to wetland plants and animals, students will study the ecology of this important habitat.
Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday from 9:00am-2:00pm
Tuition per student - $1048 for the school year or 8 monthly payments of $131
*10% sibling discount for additional students enrolled from the same family
ADVENTURERS CLASS for AGES 13-16
Principles of Photography - Students will study design elements of photography in nature, focusing on one element each month. With ample opportunities for learning and practicing during class as well as fun and engaging “homework” assignments, Adventurers will spend creative time outdoors and work together to design and publish Lovett Pinetum’s 2027 calendar. *Students must bring their own camera - DSLR camera preferred, but digital cameras including phones will work.
One Wednesday of each month (Sep-Nov, Feb-Apr) from 9:30am-12:00pm. Class meetings are 9/10, 10/1, 11/5, 2/4, 3/4, & 4/1
Tuition per student - $210 for the school year
Click HERE to Apply for Adventurers.
SotW FAQ:
Is this a drop-off school, or do you offer family-style classes.
Our classes at Lovett Pinetum are drop-off programs where your child will spend the day with us. Our nature school complements any curriculum and is a way to add hands-on science, art, social studies, language arts, math concepts, and more to your child's learning.
Why do you charge tuition?
Our classes have many costs associated with them such as insurance, teachers, facilities, activities, field equipment, and supplies.
What do you do if it's raining or snowing?
Rain, snow, sunshine, fog, it's all weather that we can learn in and about. We will dress for the weather and have a blast! In case dangerous weather pops up during the day, we have a safe, indoor gathering space.
What does my child need to bring?
Students will need to bring a water bottle, snacks, and lunch with them as well as things like weather-appropriate shoes and clothing, bug spray, and sunscreen. We will send out a supply list for registered students. We provide all outdoor equipment and many supplies for students to use.
Contact Us! Have questions? Feel free to reach out. We are happy to help. laura@fireflynatureschool.com