The environment at Friendly Forest Preschool has been created to be natural, sensory, beautiful and inviting. It is designed to encourage creativity, imagination, and investigation. There are no commercial toys or logos. Plastic equipment is limited to water based activities.
The indoor environment has many nature- based and open – ended play materials. These are made from wood, metals, shells, stones, driftwood, animal furs, and fabrics.
The outdoor environment is brought into the classroom with snails, fish, worms, crickets, butterflies to observe, feed and take care off and potted plants and flower arrangements to feel and smell.
The sand, water, seed tables, are always available for sensory play.
The art shelves are stocked with many types of paint, drawing materials, paper, glue, collage materials, and tools. These shelves are open and accessible to the children at all times.
There are open areas for block building group projects and small hideaways for solitary play.
The large rambling outdoor environment has been built to encourage movement, exposure to the elements, and play with sand, water, leaves, and sticks.
The plants like lavender, mint, lemon balm, and cedar, have been chosen to provide smell and texture.
The children plant and harvest vegetables and flowers, dig for worms and learn how to protect ants, insects, and slugs rather than stepping on them.