Moscow’s first outdoor preschool is considering adding an afternoon session to the schedule next fall after four years of full enrollment.

The so-called “nature preschool,” Palouse Roots, was established by Darci Deaton in 2018 at its current location, the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute. For four hours a day, five days a week, a class of 12 children ages 4-7 attend classes at PCEI’s Nature Center almost exclusively in an outdoor setting.

Editor's note: The previous paragraph was changed from the original version of the story to clarify the founder of the school.

Palouse Roots Director Misha Cleveland says the program offers young children the opportunity to explore the changing landscapes each season while building social skills.

“We instruct them to be gentle with the fauna and flora,” Cleveland said. “As we’re moving through spaces, we encourage them to stay on the path.”

Classes are held throughout the school year. When the weather doesn’t cooperate, the children learn to play in the rain.

A separate program for children ages 6-12, called Nature Explorers, began last fall in response to needs identified from the pandemic. Nature Explorers is organized by Brooke Lowry.

“The kids are required to have fully waterproof gear,” Cleveland said. “They’re able to stay outside through the winter and splash in freezing-cold puddles.”

When the children aren’t climbing trees or playing in the mud, they’re learning how to interact with each other and be mindful of their own bodies.

“Our job is just to guide them and make sure they’re being kind to each other,” she said. “They’re making friends and learning how to have boundaries.”

Cleveland came up with a strategy last year to encourage the children to be more respectful amongst the group. Any child who hits or hurts another’s body is sent home for the day.

If a child steals a toy from another, they’re encouraged to ask for it back and communicate why the action made them upset.

“We teach them that when somebody first does something that bothers you, tell them to stop,” she said. “It’s been so useful, especially for the kids who struggle expressing themselves or setting boundaries with friends.”

Once a month, Cleveland gathers information for each child and sends an email to their parents detailing the progress they’ve made socially and emotionally.

Jennifer Boie, whose daughter Mari enrolled in the program in September, says it’s been a wonderful experience so far. When COVID-19 cases began near the end of summer, Boie hesitated sending her unvaccinated 5-year-old to a typical school setting.

“Originally I thought it might just be until vaccination was available, but now my daughter is vaccinated and I still want to keep her there because it’s been a wonderful experience,” Boie said. “I thought she would be exhausted when she came home at the end of the day or really cold but she is just teeming with life.”

The program allows her daughter to choose what kind of outdoor activity she wants to do, whether it’s climbing trees, making nature crafts or examining the pond for critters.

While group snack time is at 10:30 a.m., the kids are encouraged to eat or drink and take off or put on layers as they need.

“We’re constantly asking them to listen to their own bodies,” Cleveland said. “They’re also in charge of packing up their own things.”

Being able to pack their own bag is a big deal for many of the children, Misha says, especially the ones who’ve been homeschooling because of the pandemic.

“They’re free to enjoy their childhood and follow their imaginations,” Cleveland said “They get really creative playing together and learning how to get along with each other.”

Boie plans on sending her daughter to the Nature Explorers program next year, when she begins kindergarten. She’s grateful for the open space at the center and the good relationships the teachers model.

“It’s been a hard time for everybody the last couple years, but one of the best decisions I’ve made during the pandemic has been to put Mari in the outdoor preschool at Palouse Roots,” she said. “Being able to spend her mornings out there has given her so much confidence. I can’t endorse the program enough.”

Palermo can be reached at apalermo@dnews.com or on Twitter @apalermotweets.

ON THE WEB

Learn more about Palouse Roots at palouseroots.com/.