“Children still need a childhood with dirt, mud, puddles, trees, sticks, and tadpoles.
-Brooke Hampton
WELCOME TO LITTLE SCHOOL ON THE FARM!!!
Welcome to our little farm school! We are SO excited to offer this experience to homeschooled children in the Middle Tennessee area for the third year in a row!
In 2022, we felt called to start a farm school co-op that offers a peaceful place for children to learn about the beautiful world God has created through nature and farm studies. It also serves as a space for parents and their children to protect and honor the sacredness of childhood, strengthen children’s relationship with God’s natural world, and foster the development of the whole child and who they were called to be in this world.
“Let them once get in touch with nature, and a habit is formed which will be a source of delight through life.”
-Charlotte Mason
The Farm School Details:
Date: Thursdays during the months of Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec, Feb, Mar, April, and May (8 months)
Time: Morning and Afternoon Sessions Available
Morning Session: 9:00a – 12:00p
Afternoon Session: 1:00p – 4:00p
Grades: PreK – 6th Grade
Groups will be divided into three leveled groups and will focus on the same theme each week, but each group will dive into the topic through age-appropriate activities.
Location: Mt. Juliet, Tennessee (private residence so location will be provided upon registration)
This will be a small group session that will utilize a basic schedule full of nature/farm study curriculum and learning from doing and experiencing the natural world.
Classes will be held outside and in our barns (and will continue in the barns with rain unless very severe weather). We will have heaters and a bonfire as well for chilly weather.
Christian faith will be woven in throughout the day in a very natural way as we discuss God’s beautiful creations around us.
Each child will have their own binder and will share a cabinet of art/science supplies that will be updated throughout the year.
We ask kiddos to bring a sack lunch, bottle of water, boots, and change of clothes every Thursday.
A healthy snack will be provided for both sessions such as fruit, trail mix, popcorn, etc. Families will also enjoy various themed snacks/shared meals throughout the year for certain themes and holidays.
Children will regularly participate in activities such as:
-farm animal care
-nature journaling
-nature table + games + mud kitchen
-scavenger hunts
-cooking/preparing meals
-farm chores/life skills/survival skills
-art/handcrafts
-literature-based activities
-wildlife safety and shelters
-garden care/harvesting
-mud kitchen/playscape
-gardening
-guest speakers from the agricultural community
Examples of topics that were covered last year. Our new list of themes will be similar and shared this summer with registered families:
Sept: Leaves + Apples + Harvest + Fungi + Birds of Prey
Oct: Pumpkins + Arachnids + Foraging
Nov: Animal Tracking + Horses + Livestock + Farm to Table (Pioneer Life)
Dec: Winter Trees + Goats + Christmas on the Farm
Feb: Farm Equipment + Winter Birds + Sheep
Mar: Seeds + Chickens/Ducks + Blooms + Snails/Worms
Apr: Rabbits + Caterpillars/Butterflies + Pigs + Garden/Herbs
May: Wildflowers + Bees + End-of-Year Party
SEE WHAT FAMILIES ARE SAYING ABOUT OUR PROGRAM:
“Little School on the Farm has been a blessing as we worked out way through the first year of homeschool. The themes and activities each week all come together so perfectly. I love that each week my son is excited to read what class will be about that week in the weekly update. Additionally he loves coming to the farm to see what his chore will be. The community has been wonderful as well, everyone is so kind and helpful!”
“We love farm school so much! My kids ask every week, all week, how many days until Thursday. Jenna, Kaitlin, and Brittany strive to make class fun and engaging for all of the kids and the kids all leave class dirty and tired, just like childhood should be! The lessons are well planned out and my daughter especially loves doing each station that is set up geared towards the theme of the week.“
“Little School on the Farm has been such a wonderful experience for my son. He has made progress in all areas of development and wishes he could go everyday! The mixture of academic and life skills is so great! I can’t recommend this program enough. Jenna and all the other teachers are kind, patient and very knowledgeable. We will be a part of this program for as long as we can!”
Our background: I am a highly-qualified teacher in the state of Tennessee, entrepreneur, homeschool coach, teacher, and mama. After teaching for over 8 years and working with children through leadership and camp programs, I felt called to stay home with our boys to teach them at home on the farm. My husband, Sean, also has an early childhood education and is a board-certified behavior analysis. We have also run very successful summer camp programs in the past and have also volunteered to host other farm programs through a local horse rescue we helped create in 2016. In 2020, I started “The Whole Mama” blog, podcast, and mentoring business to inspire and support mothers – specifically homeschool mothers. In 2022, we also felt God’s calling to start this farm school co-op that offers a peaceful place for children to learn about the beautiful world God has created through nature and farm studies.
“A magical childhood isn’t about having the best toys, gadgets, and vacations. It’s actually the opposite. It’s about simplicity. A magical childhood is about freedom. Freedom to explore, discover, and play.”
― Ainsley Arment
Cost:
-$50 supply fee (per child) to register for the year due by July 1 in order to save a spot in the program
-$50 yearly registration fee per family due by July 1 (will be applied to the first month’s tuition)
-$175/month first child, $115 additional child, fourth child FREE
Pay ahead for the full year or semester and get your sibling discount(s) + 5% off
Other Details:
We will have a welcome bonfire before we start in September and various optional events throughout the year to foster our fun and supportive community. These events are offered so that we can all connect and spend more time on the farm together.
Coffee bar every Thursday for parents, too!
If you are interested in our program, please email us at: littleschoolonthefarm2021@gmail.com
“But the time we spend together as a family will root them deeply in values that matter and dreams that inspire.”
― Ainsley Arment
“Nature is a tool to get children to experience not just the wider world, but themselves.”
-Stephen Moss
“The Little School on the Farm has been a wonderful experience and my son loves going. We love spending the entire time outside on the farm learning about farm life, nature, God’s creation, and other educational topics. Jenna is wonderful at meeting the needs of many age groups in the class while keeping it fun and engaging for them all! We love farm school!”
“We are beyond grateful for Mrs. Jenna and her beautiful farm! This program has enriched our homeschool journey so much this year. Farm school is always the highlight of our daughter’s week.”
We can’t wait to see you on the farm!
