Since the late 1970s, children have lost 12 hours per week in free time, a 25% decrease in play and 50% decrease in unstructured outdoor activities.

- Esther Entin, M.D. All Work And No Play:: Why Your Kids Are More Anxious, Depressed

Nurture in Nature

Nature Den follows the forest school philosophy, offering a nurturing, heart-centered rhythm where children can engage in free, sensory-rich play in natural environments. We support children in pursuing the activities that interest them, helping them grow resilience, competence, and confidence through learner-driven adventures.

Autonomy and choice, paired with reflection during Circle Time, foster responsibility, empathy, and self-awareness. By focusing on each child’s strengths, we cultivate intrinsic motivation, giving children the tools to navigate challenges and build resilience from within.

From Ego to Eco

As children explore their connections to themselves, each other, and the natural world—smelling flowers, climbing trees, observing wildlife—they develop compassion, mindfulness, and a sense of belonging. They learn that their actions ripple outward, nurturing both themselves and the world around them.

Relationships matter deeply to us. The community a child grows in is one of the greatest determinants of wellbeing. Supported by research on happiness and life satisfaction, we intentionally cultivate connections that help children feel known, supported, and held—because when the village returns, the child thrives.

What children get up to in 60 seconds

A Social Enterprise

Every child deserves attention, care, and the support to reach their full potential.

Our Social and Community Focus

At Nature Den, we embrace forest school principles not just in education, but as a way to honor the wider community, the ecosystem, and the bigger picture. This ethos is central to our community-building learning theory.

Forest School Scholarships are available for those in need or on merit-based grounds. Children with a blue CHAS card are automatically eligible — no application required, just drop us a message.

Every Forest School we create is designed for the surrounding community. We gladly share our knowledge and expertise so others can establish their own forest schools, whether in Singapore or across the region. Our goal is to cultivate a network of Forest School communities, giving future families access to green spaces where children can learn, connect, and thrive together.

As the first approved therapeutic forest school in Asia, we are proud to be fully inclusive. Our team is trained to work with both neuro-typical and neuro-diverse learners, ensuring that every child feels seen, supported, and empowered.

Spiritual (nature-connectedness)

NatureDen’s forest school program is designed to promote nature-connectedness which correlates with personal well-being. Based on research, nature-connectedness increases with contact and place connection. This means repeatedly going back to the same nature space, getting to know it, engaging with it (e.g., climbing the trees), developing ownership of it and feeling free and safe to move around in the space, and claiming the space as one’s own (knowing the nooks and crannies).
Physical

NatureDen helps children grow into happy, healthy, independent and well-rounded people. The forest school way of learning helps nurture natural curiosity, creativity and physical activity. Use of tools encourages the development of fine motor skills and mind-body coordination. Often, the physical development in children is noticeable even after only a few sessions.
Intellectual

If a child’s sensory and movement needs are not met, they will find it hard to concentrate. A child whose sensory needs are nourished will be alert and ready to learn. At NatureDen, children seek out whatever their bodies need and this can look like a child playing with mud, or a child balancing on a log. After their their sensory and movement needs are satisfied, they are ready to learn and grow their intellect!
While playing together at NatureDen, children may need problem solving skills or make up rules for games together, which also stimulates their intellectual development.
Communication (and language)

At NatureDen, children are encouraged to take turns to talk and listen to one another. Children often chat and sing happily with a friend. Story telling and songs provide opportunities to develop speech and language. Making speeches or singing songs with actions can help young children learn the meaning of words through verbal and non-verbal communication.
Children are given communication tools to help them assert themselves in a calm manner, and to resolve conflicts, a much valued skillset.
Emotional

Children learn about building social bonds and developing compassion for the nonhuman at NatureDen. Being free to choose their activities increases their intrinsic motivation which in turn helps them develop perseverance and resilience. Children build self-esteem from helping others and grow confidence from taking on bite-size tasks and succeeding in them. They are given opportunities to express their feelings and to recognize them in others which develops empathy.
Often, children whose behaviors are deemed problematic by adult have underpinning fears and anxiety.
Emotional regulation takes the whole of childhood to learn. The part of the brain that regulates emotion continues to grow till we are in our 20s. The first step to managing emotions is to be aware of them. We help children identify, manage and use their feelings in a helpful manner.
Social

Friendships provide opportunities to learn from each other and refine social skills. At NatureDen, as children play, they find out about rules for getting along with others and acceptable social behavior. Having fun with a friend helps the child develop good self-esteem. We value diversity and encourage behaviors that take care of one another. They learn to be supportive of others and build strong bonds.