Now enrolling: December Mini Semester · Regular sessions return in January

Staten Island’s all-weather forest school Find your way back to play.

Child-led, all-weather forest school for ages 2–12 and their grown-ups, run by a volunteer nonprofit in the 120-acre woods of Pouch Camp in the Staten Island Greenbelt.

See upcoming sessions Support our work
  • Ages 2–12plus their grown-ups
  • From $20a session · sibling discounts
  • Year-roundrain, snow or shine
Children climbing up a rocky creek bed in the woods at Pouch Camp, Staten Island
A child in safety glasses using a cordless drill on a log while a volunteer steadies it

Real tools · muddy hands

Room for big ideas, week after week.

A young child adding logs to a large lean-to shelter in the woods
Two children stirring a pot of mud over a pretend stick campfire
A bright orange chicken-of-the-woods mushroom growing from a tree in the Greenbelt

Our philosophy

Our work is slow. That’s the point.

A project can take six weeks. Sometimes it falls down, and that is part of the lesson. Children choose what to explore, try hard things at their own pace, and come back week after week to finish what they started, even when it’s hard, especially when it’s hard.

Each session opens with a check-in and a short nature skill or craft, moves into child-led play, and closes with a gratitude circle and a seed offering for the forest.

  • Child-led play
  • Supported risk
  • Real tools
  • All weather
  • Leave no trace
What is forest school?

Programs

Forest school for every age

From toddlers on their first muddy walk to ten-year-olds running a power drill, with grown-ups who need play too.

Upcoming at the forest

Join us in the woods

Full schedule

December Mini Semester

Three weeks in December · special December days & times · Mini Semester · All ages with a grown-up

Registration open Register: December Mini Semester

Winter Family Forest School

Weekday mornings · our regular schedule returns in January · Ages 2–12 · Caregiver stays

Opening soon Create family account: Winter Family Forest School

Modern Bushcrafters Club

Fridays · 4–6 PM · next season announced soon · Drop-off · Ages 7–12

Next season soon Get a portal account: Modern Bushcrafters Club

Already registered? Log in to the family portal to manage sessions, forms and payments.

A bright green katydid resting on a child’s hand

From our families

Liz was really great about giving my kids the confidence to explore in class, which meant a lot to my daughter who is on the reserved side. She went from not wanting to share during the gratitude circle her first time to helping to volunteer a toddler class… It’s the mental break kids and adults are seeking, and the program is run by people who truly care about the experience of the children.

CindyMom of Luca (10) and Laila (7)

“They’re squirrel whisperers.”

Chanel Trombetta, Tottenville parent, as quoted in SILive. Read “Free play is the lesson” on SILive

Forest school for all

Help keep the woods open to every family.

Your gift trains our guides and covers land rental, tools and supplies, so sessions stay affordable and scholarships stay possible.

Donate now We fundraise with Zeffy, so 100% of your donation goes to our work.
Two young children walking up a grassy trail toward old stone steps at Pouch Camp in the Staten Island Greenbelt

Parent questions

New to forest school?

Everything you need to know before your first muddy morning.

Plan your first visit All questions

What is forest school?

Forest school is a child-led, long-term way of learning outdoors. Children return to the same woods week after week to play, build, take supported risks and learn real skills, guided by facilitators who observe and support rather than lecture. Our program is rooted in the UK Forest School model and meets in the woods of Pouch Camp in the Staten Island Greenbelt. Read our philosophy.

What happens when it rains or snows?

We play outdoors year-round, so rain boots, snow gear and sunscreen all get their moment. We only pause a session when conditions become unsafe, such as high winds, storms or extreme temperatures. Weather calls are based on the “feels like” temperature, wind speed and overall safety. Please check your email before each session for updates.

Do parents stay during sessions?

For Family Forest School, yes: each child or sibling group comes with a parent or caregiver. Grown-ups are invited to join in, take photos and help with a simple hands-on project. The Modern Bushcrafters Club (ages 7–12) is drop-off, and younger siblings are welcome there when a caregiver stays.

Is it safe for kids to use real saws and drills?

Supported risk is part of forest school, and safety comes first. Tools are introduced step by step, every Bushcrafters member starts with a tool safety workshop, children wear safety glasses, and volunteers stay close. Facilitators quietly observe and assess risk throughout every session.

Where do you meet?

At William H. Pouch Scout Camp, 1465 Manor Road, Staten Island, NY 10314, in the Staten Island Greenbelt. Meet at the Scout Shop parking lot, then it’s a 5-minute hike on a gravel trail with some hills. Heavy-duty strollers or wagons work best. Plan your visit.

About The Way Back Project

The Way Back Project – Forest School for All is a volunteer-run nonprofit forest school on Staten Island, New York. Founded by Anne and Elizabeth DeMarzo, it grew from a 2020 outdoor play group into a year-round forest school in 2022. Families with children ages 2–12 meet weekday mornings in the woods of William H. Pouch Scout Camp, 1465 Manor Road, in the Staten Island Greenbelt, for child-led play, real-tool skills and nature study in all weather. The program also runs the Modern Bushcrafters Club for ages 7–12, seasonal mini semesters, and field trips for schools. Sessions start at $20, with sibling discounts and need-based scholarships. More about us.