Valley Forest School

08/24/2026

It’s about time to start the school year!! What’s your favorite piece of forest school gear? 🏕️🎒🥾

08/13/2026

Maybe forest school is just one of those things that gets better with age.

Year 1 — We were winging it. No curriculum, still figuring out what forest school should look like, and then there was covid, so we closed.

Year 2 — Schools were still wildly unpredictable. We reopened with hopes of giving children an opportunity to learn and play in an open-air setting. It still felt a bit chaotic.

Year 3 — I kinda sorta knew what to expect, but we were still very much figuring out what VFS was supposed to look like. Many families who started homeschooling out of necessity learned they actually loved it.

Year 4 — I wrote the first edition of our curriculum on a two-year rotation. It gave us a starting point, but I didn't connect with it- felt more like words on paper.

Year 5 — Year two of that curriculum, still wasn't loving it. Time to start over.

Year 6 — Fresh inspiration. A completely new curriculum built from years of direct experience and filled with more intention, rhythm, and flow. It finally felt like us.

Year 7 — The curriculum thrived in its second year. The rhythm was strong. And I realized the next thing we needed wasn't another curriculum—it was an Educator Guide to deepen the community, consistency, and heart of the program as a whole.

And here we go into year 8 🌿

I have a feeling VFS will never really be "finished", but in one way or another will just keep growing right alongside the children.

08/12/2026

Too many favorites to pick from, but here’s a glimpse at some of the highlights☀️🎣🧚🏽 Thanks for spending your summer with us!!

07/28/2026

Survival Mode: Activated 🔥💧🏕️

07/26/2026

Spent a lovely summer afternoon reminiscing with a fellow adventurer about the inspiration behind opening Valley Forest School. 🌿

If you've ever wanted to hear the long answer to why VFS means so much to Bekah—where it all started and the vision behind it, here it is!

Bekah Quirin is an outdoor educator, adventurer, and mom of three. ...

07/22/2026

Swooning over here with the arrival of this fall's wool friend for our Forest Sprouts classes. All Sprouts classes are open for registration! 🥰

07/22/2026

Water Adventure Camp Round 2 💧🐠🦞🤿

07/16/2026

Update: 3 days have been filled! There are just 2 days open at Farm School now 😊

It's incredibly rare for us to have a preschool teaching position open for 5 days a week! 🍄🐿️🌿

We have a hybrid position open in Virginia at our Catawba Forest School and Fincastle Farm School for this upcoming school year which begins in September. 2 days at Forest, 3 days at Farm. It's a glorious combination and I know it would be a dream job for the right person out there.

This position needs someone with a lot of love for ages 3-4 and an incredible passion for being outdoors in the Appalachians in all seasons.

Send an email to Bekah to get the official job description and application- [email protected]

07/08/2026

So much fun energy for games of the forest camp! Halfway through our summer camps and we are having so much fun 😎☀️