Where is Barefeet Farm School?

-We are located about 5 miles Northeast of Bellingham, Washington, off of the Mt. Baker Highway. Email us to set up a tour!

Do you accept Working Connections subsidies?

-We do!

What happens if it rains?

-We put on our raincoats! Appropriate gear is necessary for enjoying our time outside together. (And if it rains during the summer, we have hot chocolate.)

What happens if it’s freezing rain and gale force winds?

-We have three open air shelters in our outdoor classroom. We encourage kids to keep moving. We drink tea. We don’t have class if it’s less than 20 degrees.

How do I get on the waitlist?

-Children must be 2.5 years old to be added to our waitlist. We enroll for summer camp and school year programs in February of the desired enrollment year. Email us barefeetfarmschool@gmail.com if you’d like to receive email reminders for the enrollment process.

Do you charge an enrollment fee, a supply fee, or an application fee?

-No, those are covered by tuition costs.

Why “Barefeet?”

-When founder/director Erin was a kid, she almost never wore shoes. Even in the winter. Even in public. To “that girl is freezing! you should put some shoes on her!” Erin’s mom would reply, “you try putting shoes on her.” Barefeet is a reminder to celebrate decision making and a little bit of wildness. Having bare feet has all kinds of benefits for a person’s microbiome, mental health, balance, and spirit.

What’s your discipline strategy?

-Conflict is part of community. We empower kids to work through their conflicts by speaking to each other and listening to their own emotions. Some kids need more support to reach this point than others, which is a normal part of development. This support may look like taking centering breaks, deep breaths, 1:1 adult support, conversation modeling, and more. Being out of control feels bad for everyone, and we support kids to learn how to stay in control. All of our staff are trained in Conscious Discipline.

-Kids learn what they see, what they experience. We have teachers at school to create a safe container for play. In our community, the adults are energetically sturdy so that the kids can be free and flexible in their learning. It is taxing for young kids to have to be the strong ones in a community and it often comes out sideways in out-of-control behaviors. Teachers work to be conscious of their emotions- it is so much harder for kids to regulate if their adults aren’t regulated. In this way, our discipline strategy is preventative and ongoing.

What do you do all day?

-We play! That really is mostly it. We provide tools and an environment that supports different kids of learning through play, and the kids take it from there. We meet three times per day to gather as a group. To learn more about self-directed play and its benefits, visit our Resources and Inspiration page.

But will my kid be ready for kindergarten?

-Will kindergarten be ready for them? When children are supported to be confident communicators and curious investigators, they will be ready to learn how to read and write. When their muscles have tumbled and ran and stretched, they will be ready to sit in chairs. We don’t get them ready for kindergarten by starting kindergarten earlier, but rather by supporting the skills they need to enter kindergarten, or whatever happens next for them.

Do you accept mid year registration for preschool?

-Yes, if there’s space!

Will you teach me how to start a school too?

-Yes! Visit our Coaching and Consulting page to get started.