Bringing the Forest to Life - Outdoor Adventures with Your Preschooler
- Renata Aylward
- Sep 8
- 2 min read
Each week, long before little boots crunch across the gravel to the Caretaker’s Cabin, MFFC staff are already in motion in preparation for our twice-weekly Kits & Cubs program.
Our Education Manager (Miss Elena to her PreK charges) begins the process weeks in advance, with a stop at the Manchester Community Library, to hand-pick storybooks that match a theme. Each week focuses on something relevant to the rhythms of the land like pollinators, hibernation, maple syrup, or evergreens, in service to helping young learners make a connection between what they see in a book and what they discover together in the landscape around them.
Miss Elena adjusts lesson plans to align with current events on the farm or in the forest. Are the sheep getting their winter coats? Then it’s time to talk about warmth and wool. Are the turkeys gobbling outside the Harwood barn? Perfect, let’s learn about animal behaviors before winter.
Each week, Kits & Cubs families receive a lively email packed with information on what to expect, what to wear, and weather conditions for that morning. (The weather on our hill is unique!) To ensure everything is ready for the children and their caregivers, the morning of Kits & Cubs, Elena conducts a thorough sweep of the caretaker’s cabin, prepares materials ranging from paints to pinecones, checks the roster, and confirms that everyone is signed in and ready to explore.
Behind the simplicity of each Kits & Cubs session is a growing archive of lesson plans, built from scratch in the program’s early days. Today, many beloved themes return each year, like apples, pond explorations, snow, and syrup. Kits & Cubs attendees have even hatched baby chicks in the incubator.
Like the forest itself, the Kits & Cubs program continues to evolve and grow. Merck Forest created a drop-off program this summer called Little Sprouts for children aged 3 to 5, which sold out quickly and likely will be expanded and offered again in the future.
So when you see a group of little ones walking the trails, listening to stories, or discovering worms beneath a log, know that every moment, each experience, is patiently crafted just for them. Kits & Cubs is a weekly invitation to wonder.
If you would like to join in on the fun with your little one, register here for the date(s) that work for you.
