Trained educators provide a safe learning environment for children through hands-on, outdoor exploration. The learning found in the forest and on the farm has direct links to many parts of the Ontario Curriculum but the children are involved in deciding how the day unfolds.

There’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing. Children are taught to dress for the weather in order to be prepared for forest school. However, in the case of high-winds, thunderstorms and extreme temperatures, there is an indoor school space that has all amenities.

We will keep our driveway and parking lot clear of deep snow. Our school would close if there were not enough staff available, or our hydro is out. In either case, you will be notified of a school closure as soon as possible.

If the local school board announces a school closure or bus cancellation due to inclement weather, Farm & Forest School programs will remain open. It is up to the families’ discretion if they are comfortable travelling to the school.

There is a 1:5 educator to child ratio for preschool-aged children, 1:8 educator to child ratio for Kindergarten-aged children, and a 1:8 ratio for school-aged children.

The programs are growing and adapting with the community. If there is a strong interest in adding another day or age group to any of the programs, this may be possible in the near future. Please send your inquiries and interests in new programs and ages to info@cambridgefarmandforest.ca

This child care program is an Ontario private school as defined in the Education Act. The Ministry of Education ID number (BSID) for Cambridge Farm and Forest School is 886571. The school has been assigned a BSID number by the Ministry of Education and is listed as a private school on the Ministry website.

We offer programs for families and their children from newborn to 14 years old. For Forest School, we offer the following age groups:

• Preschool for ages 2.5 – 3
• Kindergarten for ages 4 – 6
• School Age for ages 6 – 12

For Camp, we offer the following age groups:

• Preschool for ages 2.5 – 3
• Kindergarten for ages 4 – 6
• School Age for ages 6 – 12
• Specialty Camp (GROWTH Camp) for ages 11 – 13
• Leaders-in-Training for ages 11 – 14

For our Family Programs, we offer the following age groups:

• Parent/Guardian and child ages 0-24 months
• Parent/Guardian and child ages 2-5

Learn more about our programs here.

We sometimes receive cancellations close to the start date of our programs. If this results in an open spot, we call the next family on the Waitlist as soon as possible. This means that you could receive a call at any time for that open spot. We ask that you decline or accept the spot offer within 24 hours.

Present during all of our Camp and Forest School programs, we have an Inclusion Facilitator who is proud to offer support to children who may have a neurodivergent diagnosis, experience learning differences, and need occasional support to be successful during their Forest School or camp experience. The role of the Inclusion Facilitator is to support an individual child for a short period to reintegrate them back into their group. We encourage you to call and discuss any needs that your child may have prior to or following registration for one of our programs. 

Children must be able to communicate their needs for a restroom and be toilet trained in order to attend our Camp and Forest School programs (this excludes Family Programs when the caregiver also attends the program with their child). Also, students must not require naps while at Forest School or Camp. Although we realize that our youngest learners may be in the process of transitioning out of naptime, the expectation is that students have the stamina to enjoy an active, outdoor program for the full day. 

Our Summer Camp follows the Forest School Principles which are child-led, play-based, and take place outside as much as possible. As such, the interest of the group and the weather dictate what activities are programmed. For more information on possible activities they may participate in, please visit this page. 

We are able to offer care during the following times:

Forest School:

8:00 – 8:30 am Before School Care (additional fee)
8:30 – 9:00 am Drop-off
9:00 am -3:30 pm Programming
3:30 – 4:00 pm Pick-Up
4:00 – 4:30 pm After School Care (additional fee)

View our Rates for each program here.

We understand that plans change. You must advise CFFS staff of any changes or your intentions to withdraw from the program with 30 days written notice to waive the payment penalty of the $100 Cancellation Fee. If you cancel with 30 days written notice, we charge a $30 Administration Fee and refund the remainder of your payment for any outstanding days of the program. If you cancel with less than 30 days written notice, we charge a $100 Cancellation fee and refund the remainder of the payment for any outstanding days of the program. 

Our groups take part in creating campfire treats and snacks over the fire but we do not supply daily lunches to our students or campers. Students/campers are required to bring their own lunches, snacks and reusable water bottles to our programs each day that they attend. Some programs (i.e. Day Camp) may offer meals that require additional payment such as Pizza Days. Learn more about what your student/camper may need to pack for their program here. 

You will pay for our programs through our registration portal. You will be able to access the invoice and see the changes made at all times via the Financial Section of your Household Account. Save the invoice for your records. More information on how to pay will be outlined in the final steps of the registration process. You may pay by credit card or eCheck. A deposit of $200 (which is a portion of your total fees) is required upon submission of the registration (not required for the Waitlist). Following that, you may pay in full or by selecting the monthly installments options (which are automatically withdrawn from your account on the first day of each month of the program). 100% of program costs are directed to the current or future operations at CFFS. Please note that we cannot allow for make-up days or single-day refunds during this time if you are unable to attend due to illness or other circumstances.

The goal of our Family Programs is to connect children and families to the wonderful outdoors. This program is intended for caregivers to bring their infants/children. Caregivers could include parents, guardians, grandparents, or other adult family members.

Unlike the Waterloo Region OneList, families can only register when their child will be of age by the time the program starts. Once your child is eligible for our programs then you can register. To make the process more seamless, you can create a Household Account in advance. Alternatively, children under the age of two can attend our Family Programs, which are seasonal programs where infants/toddlers and their caregivers get to explore the farm and forest. 

Our Educators are available during drop-off and pick-up timeslots to answer your questions or concerns about your child. They may redirect your question or concern to our Administrative team of our Executive Director, Assistant Director, Program Coordinator, and Inclusion Facilitator. They can schedule a meeting in person or on the phone to address your questions or concerns. Please visit our Contact Us page to connect with our team. 

It is recommended that a potential volunteer comes to see the programs in action before volunteering. This is to ensure they understand the mission and values of the program. They will be required to fill out a Volunteer Application Form and, if they are an adult, complete a Vulnerable Sector Check (Farm and Forest School can assist in obtaining the VSC). Please email info@cambridgefarmandforest.ca to state your interest and share more details. 

Yes! Students and teachers are encouraged to email Heather at the Cambridge Farm and Forest School to see if the programs are a good fit. Send any questions and inquiries to info@cambridgefarmandforest.ca