“I can't say enough good things. This is preschool as it should be. Every kid should be so lucky."
- Stephanie Smith, mother of Owen

Please excuse us while our site is under construction. We are currently working on 2026 programs and enrollment links, and they will be going live soon.

Find out about enrollment for all of our programs here. If a program that we conduct is full, please contact Jessica to get on the waitlist and to add your contacts to the mail list to learn about all enrollment opportunities.

  • Enroll in Forest Preschool

    (enrollment opening Feb 2026)

  • Enroll in Forest Fridays for K-3rd Graders

    (enrollment opening Feb 2026)

  • Enroll in Outsiders Adventure Afterschool

for 9-12 year olds (enrollment opening Feb 2026)

  • Enroll in Pathfinders Afterschool for K-3rd graders (enrollment tbd)

  • Enroll in Summer Program for 3-6 year olds (enrollment open!)

  • Enroll in Outsiders Summer Program

    (enrollment tbd)

  • Enroll in Healers and Harvesters Summer Program (enrollment tbd)

If you would like to be on the enrollment mail list to receive first news about enrollment opportunities, please contact Jessica.

We run small, intimate programs at Fiddleheads. Spaces usually fill up very quickly for our Forest Preschool and our Summer Programs. We have one open house in the fall and usually one open house in the spring. We have no office staff and do not conduct tours outside of open houses. We send out email notifications for open enrollment opportunities to our mail list and we enroll on a first come first serve basis.

Clothing and Gear

​We will spend 2-7hours outside every day, in every kind of weather, in every program that we conduct. We require that children arrive every day ready to play outside for the duration. Children will need to be prepared with appropriate clothing in order to be comfortable and healthy. Dressing your child appropriately for outdoor school every day is possibly the most important thing that you can do to ensure their happiness and success in this or any outdoor program. Here is a suggested list of items for year round outdoor learning. (Not all of these items will apply for each program, and if obtaining any of these items is a hardship, please inquire, we have lots of extra gear):

Rubber boots

Insulated rubber boots

Insulated and waterproof winter boots

Wool socks or fleece boot liners (extra pairs)

Long underwear (wool or synthetic fiber, cotton doesn’t count)

Rain pants or rain suit

Raincoat or rain suit

Water resistant or waterproof winter coat

Water resistant or waterproof rainpants

Wool or fleece hat (plus extra)

Neckwarmer or balaclava

Waterproof or wool gloves and mittens (extra pairs)

Layered clothing (long sleeve shirt, sweatshirt or sweater, light jacket, rainproof outer shell)

breathable clothing for summer

bathing suit

comfortable water/hiking shoes such a keens

camp towel

Safety

There is a lot of free explore and playtime at Fiddleheads, but we make sure that it is all done as safely as possible. Safety, physical and emotional, is the Number One priority at Fiddleheads. We accomplish this through constant awareness and supervision.

In the woods we have set boundaries. We make sure all the students are aware of the boundaries and monitor to make sure that free play is safe and fun for every student.

When we go on walks in the woods, students are instructed to stay between the teachers. One teacher leads the hike, one brings up the rear.

Walking outside of the school grounds or the rec park, our safety measures are heightened if we walk along the streets. We use a belted rope to stay together in traffic areas.

When offsite the in forest, staff will have supply wagons stocked with snacks, water, first aid kits, and emergency clothing. All teachers are first aid and cpr certified.

If your child is highly oppositional or cannot stay with a group, forest school may not be a safe option for them. Please inquire before enrolling if you have any questions or concerns about your child’s ability to participate at forest school.

Helpful Info

Please contact Jessica to attend an open house or to request a meeting or enrollment forms.

Children must be at least three years old by the beginning of the program and fully potty trained to attend.

There will be no more than 12 children total enrolled with 2 or 3 staff members. This is twice the teacher child ratio required by the state of VT.

(They say 10:1, we about 5:1)

We will always do our best to accommodate allergies. There are dogs, cats, bees, chickens and rabbits that live on site.

We will provide a healthy, vegetarian snack, and we require that children bring their own lunch.

We will follow the BRSU school year schedule for vacations and snow days with a few exceptions.

For Tuition info, see the program page for each program, linked in our programs page, or follow the enrollment links above
(all prices include materials, no additional fees)

Fiddleheads does accept income based subsidies for some programming. Vermont families making up to $160K annually may qualify. We recommend applying. Contact Sunrise Family Resource Center in Bennington or the representative CCFAP office in your county to inquire.