Outdoor Preschool @ Root & Rise
Preschool classes will be held @ The Root & Rise campus for the 2026/27 school year!
Our Preschool and Kinder students learn in a mixed age group. Our days are filled with the joy of discovery and the freedom of outdoor play. Our daily rhythm provides students with gentle structure and slow transitions.
- 8:15 AM: Arrival and Child-Led play: Caregivers say their goodbyes as they drop off their little ones at the school gate where children are greeted by their classmates and teachers.
- 9:00 AM: Morning Circle: Our groups gather to sing our good‑morning song, notice the weather and seasonal changes, check in with our emotions, and move our bodies together. We also review the day’s rhythm so children feel grounded, prepared, and at ease as we begin.
- 9:30: Snack Time: Children come together to enjoy a snack from home, share conversation, and reconnect before returning to play.
- 10:15 AM: Story Time and Group Activity: Children gather with their classmates to share in our daily story followed by a group activity or craft aligned with our theme of the week.
- 11:00 AM: Lunch Time: Children gather their lunches, wash hands and move to their final learning zone of the day for a picnic style lunch.
- 11:30: Child led play and exploration: we engage in more free play in the natural world as teachers help children to develop their curiosity and sense of wonder.
- 12:25: End of day closing circle: Children gather their belongings and sing our goodbye song. Caregivers return to pick up students at the school gate.
Location and Approach
Root & Rise is the educational arm of Tierra Ohana Farm. We nurture early learners with a nature-based curriculum that blends regenerative agriculture, forest exploration, and whole-child education. Our 8 acres of land located in southwest Medford on Pioneer road are a mix of farmland, gardens, orchards and more wild oak grove hillsides teeming with native plants and wildlife. At Root & Rise children move through our learning stations during their days, learning stations include our harvest kitchen, the children's garden, music stations, nature discovery zone and homestead station.
A gentle, grounded start to learning - we believe early childhood education should honor the magic of childhood, the wisdom of the land, and the joy of community. Through tending the garden, caring for animals, exploring the land and sharing homemade farm-fresh food, Root and Rise helps children grow strong in body, nature, and curiosity.
Program Focus
Connection to environment and stewardship
Holistic Development: social, emotional, physical, cognitive - through free play and guided discovery, children develop social, emotional, physical and cognitive skills while forming a deep connection to the land and the outdoors
Daily experiences that immerse them in the garden, the farm and the natural world
Seasonal farm festivals to engage families and the greater community
Wildlife habitat restoration and sustainability projects
Forest Friday's
On Friday's We Go WILD!
Each Friday our families drop off their students at Blue Heron Park for a weekly Forest Friday program. Children and parent volunteers get the chance to explore nature, interact and observe with a diverse set of native plants and wildlife.
This means:
• A full day each week in the wild, beloved space where our community has grown
• Continued connection to the wetlands, springs, and trails that shaped our identity
• The best of both worlds: the wildness of the park and the room to grow at Tierra Ohana Farm
• A weekly return to the land that first held our school—honoring the roots of our shared story
• Opportunities for deeper ecological learning through seasonal changes, wildlife encounters, and hands‑on stewardship
• A bridge between our past and future: maintaining our connection to Blue Heron Park while expanding into a thriving farm‑based campus
• A chance for families to be part of the magic: each parent or family member is asked to volunteer twice per school year, spending a full Friday learning, exploring, and adventuring alongside their child
• Meaningful time in nature for adults too—research shows that being outdoors reduces stress, boosts mood, and strengthens connection, making these volunteer days nourishing for the whole family
A note on neurodiversity and inclusion
ALL are welcome, ALL are embraced, ALL are supported.
At Blackberry Academy Outdoor School we celebrate neurodiversity and warmly welcome students with diverse support needs, unique sensory processing, emotional support requirements. Our safe and nurturing environment allows children to learn and grow in their own individual ways. Our curriculum is thoughtfully designed to foster a love of learning and help children develop essential social and emotional skills that will benefit them throughout their lives. Our dedicated staff provide personalized attention to each child, ensuring they thrive. Additionally, we’ve observed that children who may struggle in more formal learning environments often thrive in outdoor learning programs.
If cost is an issue, please reach out, some financial assistance is available to those in need.
