Sample Tidal Trails School Schedule

  • Early Morning Care option available for families and students. Students will have a variety of options to explore before the intentional lessons.


    Example: Classical music in the background, quiet play exploration, child lead interest activities before the lessons begin for the day.

  • Families drop students off at school. We encourage a swift and confident drop off. Students will have access for free play exploration during this time.

  • Students will be outdoors and introduced to a variety of materials for facilitated exploration. This is a space where students can work on their own, or in a group. Available activities will be based off class interest (i.e. Pinecone painting, mud kitchen play).


    Example Mud Kitchen: group work to develop social and emotional skills, grouping, classifying, counting, cooperation.

  • Students will have the opportunity to eat a snack and regroup as a class to set up for the rest of the day. Teachers will establish expectations for the Code of Cooperation before venturing outdoors.
    Example: preparing for a nature walk after snack time.

  • Students will be outdoors for a trail walk, tree climbing adventure, or gardening.

  • Students will transition into lunch and downtime. Lunch to be served between 12:30- 1 pm.

    Example: after returning from the Outdoor Excursion students will take time to reflect on the day and story time to bring students

  • Students will be encouraged to rest, take a nap, and settle down.


    Example: Students go to personal cots to relax for the afternoon. Quiet music, nature sounds used to encourage quiet time.

  • Families pick up students for the end of the regular day schedule.

  • After School Care begins. Students will be return outdoors for free, unstructured play and offered a snack.

How to be prepared for school

Outdoors & clothing 

  • Play clothes, please see the image to properly dress for the day’s weather. The children will be getting messy as they explore: jumping in puddles, playing in the rain and mud, creating messy art & engaging in rich sensory play

    What is ‘play clothing’ ? 

    • Comfortable clothes your child can climb, jump, run and go to the bathroom comfortably. 

    • Weather appropriate (send layers for fall and spring days) 

    • Clothing that can get messy 

  • Always kept at school: rain coat, rain boots, rain hat, rain pants AND 2 extra sets of play clothes at all times (weather appropriate), sunscreen & bug spray 

What to bring to school 

  • Packed lunch, snacks, (all labeled with name & date) 

  • Water bottle 

  • All weather clothing available at all times at school AND 2 extra changes play clothes in case of accident or messy play 

Items to leave at home: 

  • Toys from home 

  • Special clothing (things you do not want to get messy) 

  • Pacifiers (please do not bring in the building)

  • Small items that can be choking hazards

  • Juice boxes

  • Candy