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Learn about our program:
Farm & Forest School
Farm & Forest is a nature-based program that combines child-led exploration with guided learning experiences. Children will spend their days outdoors exploring through possible activities such as gardening, tracking animals, studying plants and wildlife, creating nature art, playing games, building shelters, learning basic tool and fire safety, cooking over campfires, hiking, learning social skills, and connecting with one another through play.
Our program is mostly self-directed and experiential. The learning happens through hands-on experiences, curiosity, and mentorship in nature.
At Giving Gardens of Indiana Farm & Forest School, we believe the natural world is a powerful classroom—supporting creativity, resilience, confidence, and meaningful social connections.
Farm & Forest School
4-12yr old
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Class Locations:
Class Locations:
Mondays: Class will take place at Giving Gardens of Indiana for every class.
Tuesday & Thursdays: Most classes will take place at Giving Gardens of Indiana or Morsches Park.
Location change will only be for scheduled field trips.
Main Locations for Class:
-Giving Gardens of Indiana
479 S. Towerview Dr.
Columbia City, IN 46725
-Morsches Park
1035 IN 205, Columbia City, IN 46725 (located in very back of park under pavilion next to the pond)
Field Trips to be announced.
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Dates/Times:
First Semester 15 week Program:
2026/27 School Year
Tuesdays 9am-2pm (5hr) Full-Add my child to the waitlist
Begins August 18th, 2026
and/or
Thursdays 9am-2pm (5hr) Full Add my child to the waitlist
Begins August 20th, 2026
Second Semester 15 week Program:
2026/27 School Year
Tuesdays 9am-2pm (5hr) Full Add my child to the waitlist
and/or
Thursdays 9am-2pm (5hr) Full add my child to the waitlist
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Tuition:
2026/27 Registration Fee:
-Tuesday or Thursday(5hrs)-$70 per family
-Tuesday and Thursday (10hrs)-$140 per family
**(all non-refundable)
This holds a spot for your child for the semester. This must be paid when you register to hold your child’s spot. This will be applied to your tuition when classes begin. If you choose to pull your child from the program, you will NOT be refunded your registration fee.
2026/27 Programming
(Each Semester is a 15 week Program)
TUESDAYS or THURSDAYS (5hrs)
1 day: $1,050 per child ($70 per week) for 15 weeks
TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS (10hrs)
2 day: $2,100 per child ($140 per week) for 15 weeks
Drop in Fee: $80 per class (1 day)
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Payment Information:
Giving Gardens of Indiana offers the following payments plans: one lump payment OR weekly. If tuition is not paid in full, a full weekly payment is due at the end of the week. A registration fee will be applied to hold your child’s spot for each program and applied towards your tuition total. For early withdrawals from a program after the school year/semester begins, prorated refunds will be applied according to the time of withdrawal if tuition was paid in full, minus the registration fee.
All bills and billing plans are created in Brightwheel and paid through Brightwheel. A $25 late fee will be applied after 10 days of a missed payment.
If you choose to temporarily withdraw your child from our programming, we will not hold their spot in the program.
**See Financial Aid Information page for Sibling Discounts and all tuition assistance options.
Daily Rhythm
Class Schedule:
8:50am-9am: Arrival Time
9am-9:30am: Morning Free Choice
9:30am-9:45am- Morning Meeting
9:45-10:30am-Lesson-Activity/Free Choice
11:30am-12pm-Lunch
12pm-1:45pm-Basecamp Exploration/Activities
1:45pm-2pm-Clean up/Good Bye
Free to Learn
“The drive to play freely is a basic, biological drive. Lack of free play may not kill the physical body, as would lack of food, air, or water, but it kills the spirit and stunts mental growth. Free play is the means by which children learn to make friends, overcome their fears, solve their own problems, and generally take control of their own lives. It is also the primary means by which children practice and acquire the physical and intellectual skills that are essential for success in the culture in which they are growing. Nothing that we do, no amount of toys we buy or “quality time” or special training we give our children, can compensate for the freedom we take away. The things that children learn through their own initiatives, in free play, cannot be taught in other ways.”
-Dr. Peter Gray, Free to learn
