“Nature School has been a blessing for me and my daughter. My 4th grade daughter has found that being outdoors has make her a stronger and agile little person. From her first day to now she is no longer that shy little girl, she is adventures and has made me feel the eager to explore nature; we both now go for hikes and she has proudly taking the lead. Who knew exploring and learning under nature can be possible! Ms. Steffani and Ms. Naomi have done an amazing job with all the kids. Thank you both for your clearly contagious enthusiasm that is reflect in the kids’ faces at every day pick up time. This makes me a very happy parent.  Eva has explored every corner of Dixon Lake and Daley Ranch at Nature School. It partners up with Community Montessori Charter School to support families and teachers on each child learning. Lesson Plans, crafts, hikes, reading time, yoga, and more is provided. My daughter has shared with me how she got to read to the other kids and be the teacher during a lesson or have work with all the other kids to build a fort/den. Without noticing, kids are learning about engineering, teamwork, leadership, self-confidence and much more. Eva joined during a challenging time to say the least. I look forward to continuing with Nature School, to keep collecting memorial moments for my daughter childhood and cannot embrace to other families to be part of this great group. Thank you, Nature School”.

-Eva, Eva’s mom

“Trying to work and educate our son with distance learning was extremely challenging and taxing for the whole family. Mnium had no enthusiasm for learning and he really missed his friends. At Homeschooling in Nature, I know my son is safe, having fun, and learning all he needs to know (or more!). The added benefits of experiencing nature in a whole different level, embracing the elements, and learning about science, poetry, language, social and environmental issues, and how to care for our world, has strengthen his leadership skills and his empathy for others and nature. That he gets to do all of these while outside enjoying nature - this is priceless. And now, he never wants to go back to “regular school”, so we’re in this for good!

-John, Mnium’s dad

“Well, I don't know where to start, on the educational part or the fun part, both parts have gone further than expected with Nature School. My kids and I are so grateful to have Nature School. During this difficult and complicated school year, with school at a distance, it was almost unthinkable that we could find a way to be healthy and at the same time learn and socialize. My children have had the opportunity to climb a tree, run in the rain, run in the fog, do races, play with water, create their own restaurant and manage it, create their artistic dishes with only natural resources and many other activities that they experiment day after day. Not counting the educational component, where they enjoy a lesson surrounded by trees, squirrels, birds, insects and more, this makes the moments differently wonderful. I have so much to add but for now I just have a big Thank You Nature School for such great moments“.

-Noemí, Naomi’s mom

“Nature school has been such a light in the time of COVID. Homeschooling everyday for two working parents was a challenge for our outdoor loving, social butterfly. When we heard about nature school over the summer we decided to give it a try, and we're glad we did. Our child has been thriving this year. She wakes up early and is excited to go to school. She's with other children who love the outdoors and Star Wars as much as she does. She completes quite a lot of her work packet, learns about our native ecosystems, gets plenty of exercise and is able to be social in a safe and nurturing environment. Many thanks to Ms. Steffani and Ms. Naomi for all that they do for our children”.

-Jamie, Amra’s mom

“I love Nature School because of my friends, the amazing teachers and the fun activities! We get to climb trees, rocks, and explore nature every time and it’s so fun! My favorite parts are playing with my friends outside, doing unique arts and crafts, and having Ms. Steffani and Ms. Noemi teach us cool things we don’t learn in school like about social justice and the environment. I’m so happy I go to Nature School!”.

-Jacky, 3rd grade

“I think the Nature School teachers are wonderful, amazing people with tremendous patience and incredible creativity who share a love of nature and learning with their students. Our kids have flourished under the tutelage of Ms. Steffani and Ms. Noemi, and with other kids in an enriching outdoor environment. They've learned tons about nature (local plants and ecosystems!) and natural sciences, and they have also done better with their academics in general. They have become small naturalists, with their own love for the living world. What a gift this strange time has been, because of Nature School“.

-Matt, Birdie’s dad

“I like Nature School because I get to learn, be with my friends, explore and at the same time be outside and enjoy the world. At Nature School we play, learn, hike, eat lunch, explore and have a good time. My favorit thing about Nature School is that it is outside in the open and we met new people who I’ve never met. Nature School is 100% way better than home school or online school. I am really happy with going to Nature School is one of the best things that have hapned to me and it is all thanks to Ms. Steffani (The Teacher and Ms. Noemi the assistant). At Nature School we learn everything from Botany to Science, History to Zoology. Just recently we learned about the respiratory system and we put our own human together. The class room is really difirent from other normal classrooms. Our class room has zero walls and has no floor carpet. Our tables are mats, our walls are trees, our floor is dirt and grass, our playground is nature and our roof is the endless sky. Being at Nature School makes me feel free, safe and happy“.

-Naomi, 5th grade

“I like to be outside. We go on hikes. We play Star Wars with sticks. My favorite thing about nature school is that we can explore make forts. We learn about science and dr. Seuss. She teaches us how to take care of nature. I’m happy at nature school. I look forward to nature school days. My classroom is filled with trees and grass! The kids I go to school with are nice”.

-Judah, 3rd grade

“My name is Christopher Diaz, I’m 8 years old and I am second grade, I want to say thank you!! to Ms Steffani to teach me and take care of me at nature school. I’m so happy to learn about plants and how to care of the nature, I feel very happy and exited to go to nature school every Tuesday and play with my friends, thank you Ms Steffani, for teach me how take care and protect of nature“.

-Christopher, 2nd grade

“Nature School is the best because I’m outside learning and don’t have to work in a boring classroom. We see animals and get to name the gophers and the frog that jumped on Addie’s mat. We hike in the rain and sometimes it is sunny, and hopefully some time will snow.”

-Mnium, 2nd grade

“My name is Alexandra Diaz, I’m 11 years old I’m in fifth grade, I go to nature school every Tuesday, I feel very exited and happy to go to nature school I’m enjoy leaning about plants, animals and cleaning the nature, I want to say thank you!! Ms Steffani to let me join and teach me at nature school and teach me how to take care of nature!! Thank you for everything what you do for me Good bless you!!”.

-Alexandra, 5th grade

“I like Nature School because it helps me learn diferent stuff and at the same time explore Nature and I learn plants and the sistem of the body. My class room looks like Nature, it does not have 4 wall and 1 roof. I can see bird, squirrels, trees, plants, every thing. Thats why I like Nature School and I like to play with sticks. We pretend that they are light savers. My name is Emiliano and I am attending to Nature School two days a week wich is super fun and exciting. I really enjoyed a lot”.

-Emiliano, 3rd grade

“Finding nature school during this time has been a godsend! I started seeing signs of depression from my son being isolated and knew I needed to find something. I looked into several different places, and this one was the perfect fit for us! Nature school is safe, affordable, flexible, fun, engaging, entertaining and educational. The first day my son came home with the work he had done at nature school, I was so impressed! He is not only having an exciting and fun day outdoors, but he’s also learning so much. We are so thankful for nature school!”.

-Beki, Juda’s mom

“The pandemic put a hold on a lot for kids, including in-person interactions. Our kids, like most, experienced anxiety and dips in their confidence, and Nature School changed everything for our family. Our kids now have socialization along with quality lessons that go deep into the content at hand. There is something amazing about seeing your own kids spend an entire day outdoors, building forts while completing lessons, then looking forward to more. This was a big change from Zoom lessons, and we are so grateful”.

-Lucy, Rosie’s mom

“Before nature school my son said that he was feeling anxious and depressed. The lack of socialization during the pandemic had really impacted him. He was “attempting” to do school at home independently while parents worked and he was frustrated and so were we, trying to keep up with the school work, but mentally exhausted. Now, he is happy and well adjusted. He gets schoolwork done at nature school, is learning and progressing in all areas, and gets to socialize in a safe way. Nature school has gone beyond what I hoped in helping us get through this hard pandemic time and make the best of a bad situation and actually provides a learning environment that is fantastic and should be modeled during the pandemic and beyond. The school uses natural plants, animals and sightings to teach interest-based lessons in the moment, with live examples. The kids get exercise by hiking, playing and running around. My son is learning lessons in all areas with hands on fun experiences, such as economics by setting up a pine-cone restaurant and planning and creating a Yucca shop where rocks are sold according to supply and demand. He is learning to love the outdoors, the natural world and to be a kind, responsible human. I couldn't ask for more“.

-Naomi, Alex’s mom

“I like the nature program because I like to meet new kids. My favorite part of the day is when we do art projects. We went on a field trip and we planted trees. It was great because I got to learn about different types of oak trees”.

-Jeremy, 6th grade

“As a parent, I trust Ms. Steffani and her assistants to keep the kids safe while allowing them freedom to explore outside. My kid has made good friends at Nature School and I've watched her physical confidence rapidly grow. I also love that my child's vocabulary now includes words like "specimen." San Diego's temperate climate is a perfect location for this all-outdoor activity”.

-Kristen, Dylan’s mom

“Amidst pandemic fears, psycho-social isolation among children, and heroic juggling of endless responsibilities by parents, Nature School was a beacon of light and normalcy for our family. Ms. Steffani and Ms. Noemi provided a safe, nurturing environment for the students while also cultivating a sense of fun, learning and expression that was stifled in remote homeschooling. My daughter blossomed after being in Nature School for just a few weeks. Her confidence in exploring nature, climbing trees, and embracing the beauty of the outdoors was enhanced each session she attended. We are so grateful for the magic of Nature School and for the enduring friendships that were made. Thank you Steffani!“.

-Rebecca, Jacky’s mom

“One thing I love about Nature School is how interactive the teachers are. I remember once I had talked about how I was doing a report on Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and later on I got a book from Ms. Steffani on what RBG had done in her lifetime. It's cool how Ms. Steffani and Ms. Noemi really get involved and learn about what's going on, and they never forget about anything!”.

-Birdie, 5th grade

“Nature school is better than real school! You should really go to it! You get to hike and you are out in nature instead of indoors”.

-Alex, 3rd grade

“My name is Isabella Diaz. I’m in 3rd grade. I really like nature school because we get to do fun activities and we learn a lot about nature. Thank you for letting me, Alexandra and Christopher join nature school. I enjoy being at nature school! Thank you Ms Steffani and Ms Noemi for helping us and god bless you“.

-Isabella, 3rd grade

“Nature school is fun! It’s good for learning and it’s super nice. It’s super fun!”.

-Addison, 2nd grade

“I like learning about plants, the body, and other science. I like that sometimes there are art projects. There is also play time. I like making new friends and the hikes are very pretty. We got to find new plants and new flowers”.

-Sylvie, 1st grade

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-Lily, 2nd grade

“My children have been super inspired by the outdoor program! They are having a great time hiking, learning hands on science, nature journaling, art, and making new friends. There is even a writing component each day, which both kids enjoy. This program is different than other programs because Steffani is a biologist, and also has her Master’s in Inquiry Based Education and Community Based Conservation. It’s not just fun for the kids, the program is highly educational. The kids also went on a recent field trip to the mountains. They got to learn all about efforts to turn farmland back into natural habitat, and each family got to plant a tree!”.

-Melissa, Jeremy’s mom

“Mi nombre es Norma y soy madre de 3 niños Alexandra de 11 años, Isabella de 9 y Christopher de 8, los 3 niños van a la escuela de la naturaleza. Estoy muy feliz de que mis hijos puedan asistir cada martes a la escuela con la Sñra Steffani, ellos están muy emocionados y felices de asistir a la escuela. Estoy muy orgullosa de ellos como han aprendido a cuidar y proteger la naturaleza. Cuando hacemos caminatas a la naturaleza ellos se preocupan por levantar la basura que encuentran en el camino, deseo agradecerle a la Sñra Steffani su invitación de que ellos asistieran a la escuela de la naturaleza, y por enseñarles que es importante cuidar de la naturaleza, no maltratar las plantas y sobre todo cómo cuidar de nuestro planeta. Cada martes ellos regresan a casa muy emocionados contando sus nuevas aventuras, y todo lo que la Sñra Steffani les enseña sobre plantas animales, a ellos les encanta explorar en la naturaleza y escalar la grandes piedras una vez más quiero agradecerle, Sñra Steffani!! por ser parte de la formación de los futuros ciudadanos con más respeto y conciencia de cuidar y proteger al medio ambiente y nuestro planeta que lo necesita tanto. También quiero agradecerle a la Sñra Noemí por cuidar de ellos y ayudarles con sus trabajos, y especialmente que siempre les hace pasar un buen rato, y siempre encuentra la manera de sacarles un sonrisa, a mis hijos y todos los demás niños que hacisten a la escuela de la naturaleza. Gracias!! Por su esfuerzo, y tan hermoso trabajo que están haciendo con nuestros niños. Dios las bendiga!! Gracias!!!“.

-Norma, Isabella’s mom