An Outdoor Education

San Francisco Waldorf students restore native habitats, hike rain or shine, and cultivate community gardens—experiencing first-hand the exceptional biodiversity of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Outdoor education is a part of Waldorf education. For nursery and kindergarten children that means long walks and days of outdoor exploration. These outings help children gain awareness of the cycles of nature, build social skills, and develop fine and gross motor skills.

Kindergarteners begin a three-year gardening program led by our gardening teacher. They plant, dig, harvest, and explore the gardens. By third grade, students learn about beneficial insects, work with tools, cook with fresh produce, and serve a harvest meal to their class community.

Grade school students learn from experts in the field, from foresters in the Presidio to marine scientists at the Marin Headlands. In third through eighth grades, they are also are challenged with exciting week-long excursions into California wilderness areas. The trips complement academic studies such as botany, geology, and astronomy, and help students learn about cooperation, personal responsibility, and environmental stewardship.

Classes have sailed the San Francisco Bay, hiked the trails of Point Reyes, and camped in Big Sur and the Sierras. Trips in the middle school grades may include additional challenges such as kayaking, ropes courses, rock climbing, and spelunking.