Natural Nests

Natural Nests 🌳 Creator of Backyard Classroom: in area
🐔 Newbie
🤱 of 3 littles

05/12/2026

A snapshot at what we've been up to this spring 🌷. Homeschooling is a lot of work but a lot of people forget to mention the fun we have too!

✔️ Hikes and playground visits every 1-2 weeks
✔️ Homeschool Social Studies Showcase & our start with project based learning
✔️ Martial arts 3-4x a week
✔️ Kickball class/intro
✔️ Learning how to skate, skate meetups, skate parks
✔️ Gardening: weeding, mulching, planting, watering
✔️ Arts and crafts
✔️ Playing outside for hours nearly everyday and taking the challenge
✔️ Family dinners cooked from scratch every single night

"Children learn from anything and everything they see. They learn wherever they are, not just in special learning places."

- John Holt

If you want to see how children learn outside of the classroom, follow along on my journey homeschooling three kids all birthed within 5 years. No curriculums. No curated content or unrealistic aesthetic. Real life as a homeschooling crunchy mama who is finding a way to make it all work on a budget. And if you're in the area join us in real life! Link in bio for my locals only email list where I send out monthly homeschool focused meetups, hikes, enrichment classes, and more!

The Spring Season of Backyard Classroom is officially FULL! Thank you 🙏🏼 to all of my returning and new families, referr...
05/08/2026

The Spring Season of Backyard Classroom is officially FULL! Thank you 🙏🏼 to all of my returning and new families, referrals, and anyone who shared or liked a post. This homeschooling, homemaking, mamapreneur truly appreciates it!

🌞🌳 🌻 The Summer Season of Backyard Classroom's Classes and Day Camp still has spots though! The info is below or simply sign up for the newsletter and get it straight to your inbox along with info on our FREE meetups and hikes throughout .

SUMMER CLASSES - Caregiver attends with child, Ages 2–9
🌻SIGN UP: https://bit.ly/BCsummer26signup
🌻 LEARN MORE: https://bit.ly/BCsummer26

SUMMER CAMP - Drop-off program (or stay and work remotely &/or help out), Ages 4–11
🌞 SIGN UP: https://bit.ly/BCsummer26signup
🌞 LEARN MORE: https://bit.ly/BCcamp26

🎯 THE BACKYARD CLASSROOM MISSION 🎯
Backyard Classroom nurtures curiosity, creativity, and connection through outdoor learning. By looking closer and digging deeper, children discover that even ordinary places hold wonder. Through exploration, creativity, movement, and play, they build friendships, confidence, and a lifelong love of learning—finding life’s greatest lessons right where they are.

If you have kids 9 and under in the DMV area, join the Backyard Classroom Crew on outdoor adventures, many of which are ...
05/07/2026

If you have kids 9 and under in the DMV area, join the Backyard Classroom Crew on outdoor adventures, many of which are free! Join my email list for updates on the happenings. This month we...

🌷🦋🌸 Start our caterpillar/butterfly lessons with LIVE caterpillars which will metamorphisize into butterflies which we'll release in my outdoor classroom/suburban homestead later this month.

🥾🐢🚶 Hike through Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary with fellow homeschoolers with the aim to see turtles, otters, birds, and more! This is a little kid-friendly hike with lunch/snack half way through.

🛹🚴🛴 Skate, bike, scoot, mingle, and play at the playground at Tantallon North Neighborhood Park which has a paved loop. Last month kids brought kites and I'm bringing my parachute for 90s nostalgia and fun!

🌻🌞🌳 Last chance for the early bird discount of Backyard Classroom Summer Classes & Half Day Summer Camp: bit.ly/BCsummer26signup

Link up with fellow and get outside with us! Find your people, let the kids be wild and free, and get some much needed sunshine 🌞.

👉👉👉 SIGN UP at https://mailchi.mp/db3fb836d2e6/backyardclassroomcrew

I don't think I've ever sent than two emails in a month so don't worry about your inbox being flooded!

Summer Registration is LIVE - Classes AND Camp at Backyard Classroom! This summer is especially meaningful because it’s ...
04/10/2026

Summer Registration is LIVE - Classes AND Camp at Backyard Classroom! This summer is especially meaningful because it’s my fourth season running Backyard Classroom, and I’m thrilled to finally introduce something many of you have asked for…the very first Backyard Classroom Summer Camp 🎉! This will be in addition to my weekly classes so you can sign up for classes, camp, or both!

Below are the two ways your kids can join us for this summer:

🌻🌻🌻 Backyard Classroom Weekly Classes (Ages 2–9)
Caregiver attends with child

🌻 WHEN: Mondays, 11:00 AM – 1:15 PM, June 15 – August 17

🌻 WHAT: Each week kids ages 2–9 take part in hands-on activities focused on our planet and the local ecosystem with a splash of other subjects such as history, social studies, language arts, and more. By intermingling micro lessons with art, experiments, making, nature exploration, movement, and group games, children better retain information while building curiosity, confidence, and friendships.

🌻SIGN UP: https://bit.ly/BCsummer26signup
____________________________________________________
☀️ NEW: Backyard Classroom Half-Day Summer Camp (Ages 4–9)
Drop-off program

☀️ WHEN: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM

☀️ WHAT: Our summer camp is like an expanded version of our classes for ages 4-9 with a mix of educational lessons, play based activities to reinforce the lesson, and free play in our fun outdoor classroom to foster friendships. There are trampolines, a ninja playground, swings, a slide, two climbing domes, a large mud kitchen, zipline, playhouse, outdoor toys, and lots more! At camp there will be time for more involved projects such as plant-based fabric dying, process art, gardening and homesteading projects, foraging, and nature focused invitations to play.

☀️ SIGN UP: https://bit.ly/BCsummer26signup

Kids are meant to be outside - exploring, asking questions, getting their hands dirty, and discovering the world togethe...
03/15/2026

Kids are meant to be outside - exploring, asking questions, getting their hands dirty, and discovering the world together 👧🏾🔎🧒🏻. This spring, give your child the chance to learn about nature and science alongside other curious kids at Backyard Classroom at the Crowe’s Nest! Our outdoor classes are all about exploration, creativity, and connection as children observe the changing season, investigate the natural world, and play together in a beautiful and fun outdoor classroom 🌞.

🌷 Spring 2026 Season: March 23 – June 8
🌷 Mondays: 11:00 AM – 1:15 PM

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
👨‍👩‍👧 25% off siblings and siblings under 2 join free.

🌸 SIGN UP: bit.ly/BCspring26signup
🌸 MORE INFO: bit.ly/BCspring26info

Each week kids ages 2–9 take part in hands-on activities focused on our planet and the local ecosystem with a splash of other subjects such as history, social studies, language arts, and more. By intermingling micro lessons with art, experiments, making, nature exploration, movement, and group games, children better retain information while building curiosity, confidence, and friendships. Class finishes up with the loved 'Snack and Storytime' which features themed living books and often sparks vibrant discussions and questions.

Families also receive simple follow-up activity ideas and resources each week, so kids can keep exploring and learning at home which is perfect for homeschool families. Backyard Classroom integrates a mix of and educational styles.

Still want to know more? Check out the Backyard Classroom Highlight on IG: https://www.instagram.com/naturalnests

Get your little ones outdoors while you connect with fellow parents while the children play and explore. We all need a little more sunshine in our lives 🌞!

If you're over winter and ready for spring, fear not! 🌷 Spring is right around the corner and Backyard Classroom at the ...
03/03/2026

If you're over winter and ready for spring, fear not! 🌷 Spring is right around the corner and Backyard Classroom at the Crowe’s Nest is gearing up for our fourth spring season filled with outdoor exploration 🌳, science 🔎, art 🎨, and joyful connection in nature 🙌🏽! The flower bulbs will be popping up, the trees will be turning green again, and the sun will be higher in the sky shining on our faces, so join us in this beauty at the outdoor classroom!

If your child loved their time with us — or you've been meaning to join — now’s the time! The Spring 2026 Season starts March 23rd and runs through June 8th - every Monday from 11 AM - 1:15 PM. But the early bird discount ends soon and gets you a free class, so don't delay!

⌛⌛⌛ Early Bird Discount ends March 8th!
Save 25% on siblings, and siblings under 2 join for free!

🌸 SIGN UP AT: bit.ly/BCspring26signup

🌸 MORE INFO: bit.ly/BCspring26info

Backyard Classroom is designed for kids ages 2–9, and focuses on learning about our planet and the local ecosystem with fun play-based activities incorporating science, art, geography, history, social studies, language arts, and more. Children learn through micro-lessons, art, games, movement, exploration, and the social experience of the class. You can continue each week's lesson theme at home with free resources and easy activity ideas I send for reinforcement - perfect for homeschoolers!

Feeling cooped up with your little ones? Get outside and build resiliency in your children and with yourself! Register f...
02/22/2026

Feeling cooped up with your little ones? Get outside and build resiliency in your children and with yourself! Register for the last half of the winter season of Backyard Classroom - an all outdoors nature based class for kids 2-9 years old in Fort Washington, MD. Learn about the local ecosystem with fun activities incorporating science, art, history, social studies, & beyond! Friendships are formed during free play and by creating together.

Bundle up, step outside, and let winter work its magic.
❄️ SIGN UP: https://bit.ly/BCwinter26
❄️ MORE INFO: https://bit.ly/BCwinter26info
❄️ PRORATED DISCOUNT: If you'd like to sign up for the remainder of the classes this winter (Feb 23rd - March 16th), the total is just $79! Pay at bit.ly/BCwinter26payment. Registration includes supplemental resources to accompany each class and the theme that week and invites to our winter group hikes and meetups too!

Tag a friend who may be interested! Let's encourage one another to get outside and challenge ourselves while getting healthier with fresh air and much needed vitamin D 🌞.

Pictures from earlier this season - Winter 2026!

02/11/2026

This is how I get my kids more involved in holiday events like a while also keeping things natural and affordable. Everything is and 💕.

💓 Dexterity: Cutting out paper hearts and pasting onto bags
💓 Handwriting/Spelling: Writing classmates names on bags
💓 Art: Decorating the bags and their Valentine's
💓 Organizing: Ensuring each bag gets one of each item
💓 Reading: Handing the bags out to the appropriate classmate

Sometimes parents can get involved in making things picture perfect and the kids don't learn much from that. Let them write messily and draw stick figures because practice makes perfect.

01/18/2026

Join us for a special class on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Mon Jan 19th) all about & ✌️☮️🕊️. These classes are geared for children 9 and under and integrate science and nature into the lessons with activities, crafts, games and free play intermingled. If you're off of school or work and can't normally attend , this is your opportunity to join us in the great outdoors and celebrate an American Hero - Martin Luther King Jr.

SIGN UP at bit.ly/BCwinter26

Drop in just for the & class or the rest of the winter season (prorated discount applies, just PM me!)

❄️ Winter doesn’t mean staying inside. It means leaning into the season, so come and lean into it with other local famil...
12/28/2025

❄️ Winter doesn’t mean staying inside. It means leaning into the season, so come and lean into it with other local families seeking to get outside and build resiliency in their children. Sign up for the Winter ’26 season of Backyard Classroom!

With our early bird discount available through the end of ’25, now’s the perfect time to lock in the best price and a season of fresh air, movement, and meaningful outdoor learning.

Even in the colder months, children thrive outside. Our bodies need regular vitamin D from winter sun ☀️, crisp clean air as a break from the stagnant indoor air, and hands-on experiences with peers that build confidence, friendships, and a lifelong love of nature and science.

✨ New this season: A 5-class Winter Drop-In Pass for families who want flexibility without committing to the full session.

Bundle up, step outside, and let winter work its magic.

SIGN UP: https://bit.ly/BCwinter26
MORE INFO: https://bit.ly/BCwinter26info

📢 We just had three spots open up for the Backyard Classroom Halloween Party 🎃 tomorrow/Monday! Join other families for ...
10/26/2025

📢 We just had three spots open up for the Backyard Classroom Halloween Party 🎃 tomorrow/Monday! Join other families for a fun party in my fun-filled outdoor classroom where we'll:
🦇 Learn about bats for Int. Bat Week
🦇 Make bat art to take home
🦇 Make DIY slime together to take home
🦇 Play fun Halloween games
🦇 Exchange goodie bags or treats (optional) with a really crunchy crowd (no artificial colors, clean ingredients encouraged)

Costumes are encouraged but not required for all ages! REGISTER NOW before this event is sold out again ---> bit.ly/BCfall25signup

Address

Fort Washington, MD
20744

Website

https://www.instagram.com/naturalnests, https://mailchi.mp/db3

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