Weekend School
Rooted & Kind Community
For School-Going Children & Families
A circle of like-minded families committed to raising rooted, kind, and capable children through nature-based learning, screen-free experiences, and mindful community living.
What is Weekend School?
Weekend School – Rooted & Kind Community is a circle of like-minded parents who believe in nature-based, mindful learning where children grow by watching, participating, and experiencing alongside adults.
This is not replacement education — it's the missing piece. A weekend community for families whose children attend regular schools but deserve more: screen-free real-life experiences, practical skills, emotional intelligence, and a supportive circle of families who share your values.
"Children need the right example — what parents, adults, and the community are doing. Here, they practice by seeing adults engage in the same values: sustainability, kindness, mindfulness, and connection to nature."
What We Believe
Learning by Example
Children watch adults practice what we preach — sustainability, kindness, mindfulness
Screen-Free Childhood
Real experiences, real materials, real ecosystems, real relationships
Practical Life Skills
Cooking, gardening, crafts, chores, independence — skills that matter
Community Circle
A supportive network of families raising conscious, connected children together
Founded with Love & Expertise
Created by an educator who thinks outside the box — someone who has worked with thousands of children worldwide, dedicated to reimagining what childhood can be.
With decades of hands-on experience in early childhood development, nature education, and family well-being, our founder brings a unique blend of global perspective and deep Sri Lankan ecological knowledge — from identifying every native tree species to teaching traditional crafts passed down through generations.
This program was born from a simple belief: every child deserves to know where their food comes from, how to care for the earth, and how to live with kindness and purpose.
Skills Your Child Will Actually Master
Not just activities — real, practical, life-changing capabilities
Independence
Ecological Wisdom
Traditional Crafts
Sustainable Living
Social-Emotional
Creative Expression
Programs by Age Group
Tiny Wonders
Ages 6 Months – 3 Years
Where the world is met with wonder and the body learns through nature
📅 Half-day Saturdays: 08:30 AM – 1:00 PM (parent-accompanied)
A 54-week neurodevelopmental programme grounded in Finnish pedagogy and Forest School principles. Infants and toddlers explore Bolgoda Lake's natural environment through sensory immersion, movement, and parent-child bonding — with caregivers as active co-learners throughout every session.
Key Skills
- Sensory integration (touch, sound, sight, smell)
- Gross motor development on natural terrain
- Language foundations through narrated exploration
- Parent-child attunement & secure attachment
- Screen-free ecological identity from birth
Little Roots
Ages 3–5
Where curiosity is the only credential required
📅 Half-day Saturdays: 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Gentle sensory exploration, nature play, wonder-building, and emotional literacy. Children follow butterflies, dig for worms, make mud pies, listen to stories under trees. No pressure, no performance — just the best Saturday of the week.
Key Skills
- Ecological vocabulary (15+ species)
- Fine & gross motor development
- Emotional literacy (10+ emotion words)
- Simple weaving, clay, natural paint
- Composting & seed care
Forest Explorers
Ages 6–8
Where questions are more important than answers
📅 Full-day Saturdays: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Real field science, hand tools, natural construction, and team challenges. Children investigate using field notebooks, build water filtration systems that actually work, and present findings to their group. Being curious is the most valued skill.
Key Skills
- Field science methods & field journal
- Hand-tool use (saw, mallet, trowel)
- Water filtration system construction
- Ecological mapping of Bolgoda
- Community food growing & cooking
Trail Builders
Ages 9–11
Where real challenges meet real capability
📅 Full-day Saturdays: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Systems thinking, advanced natural building, fermentation science, biodiversity surveys, and environmental advocacy. Sessions feel like expeditions. Children arrive with purpose, work hard, and leave proud. The work is long, physical, and real.
Key Skills
- Cob & bamboo construction
- Charcoal kiln operation
- Formal biodiversity surveys
- Fermentation (kombucha, sourdough)
- Environmental advocacy presentations
Wild Leaders
Ages 12–14
Where young people do real work that actually matters
📅 Full-day Saturdays + overnight expeditions
Original research published to real databases. Structures built that remain on site. Presentations to government decision-makers. A 2-day expedition planned and led by the group. This is a leadership and environmental programme — not a children's activity.
Key Skills
- Original research & publication
- 2-day field expedition leadership
- Environmental advocacy to govt.
- Traditional knowledge documentation
- Community enterprise & mentoring
Full-Year Curriculum by Age Group
Select your child's age group to explore their complete year-long programme.
Tiny Wonders 54-Week Curriculum
A neurodevelopmental foundation programme where infants and toddlers explore nature through sensory immersion, movement, and parent-child bonding. Grounded in Finnish pedagogy and Forest School principles — caregivers are co-learners at every session.
- ✓Week 1: Welcome to the Wild — arrival ritual, grass introduction, parent attunement circle
- ✓Week 2: Bare Feet on Earth — grass protocol, first soil contact, sensory narration
- ✓Week 3: Water Sounds — lake proximity (safe distance), water tray introduction
- ✓Week 4: Leaf World — large leaf textures, banana leaf exploration, nature vocabulary begins
- ✓Weeks 15–16: Rain experience — warm rain protocol, puddle play, rain sound listening
- ✓Weeks 17–18: Monsoon mud kitchen — toddler-scale natural cooking play
- ✓Weeks 19–20: Sand introduction — dry sand, wet sand, bilateral pouring and filling
- ✓Week 21: Clay exploration — natural clay manipulation, bilateral pressing and rolling
- ✓Week 28: Post-monsoon walk — what changed? ecological observation for tiny eyes
- ✓Weeks 29–30: Climbing progressions — low log climbing, natural obstacles, balance beams
- ✓Weeks 31–32: Carrying & transporting — heavy natural objects, wheelbarrow play
- ✓Week 33: Digging Day — child-safe tools, deep soil exploration, earthworm introduction
- ✓Weeks 41–42: Favourite place visits — each child returns to their most-loved nature spot
- ✓Weeks 43–44: Full sensory celebration — all materials experienced across the year revisited
- ✓Weeks 45–46: Language of nature — naming 15+ species, sounds, textures together
- ✓Week 47: Emotional literacy circle — naming feelings in nature, parent-child attunement
Choose Your Family's Rhythm
Flexible weekend attendance options to fit your family's lifestyle
🎁 First 50 Families Enrol Completely FREE
In celebration of our 2nd anniversary — enrolment fees, membership tiers, and monthly fees are all waived for our first 50 founding families.
Alternate Weekends
2 sessions/month
Every other weekend
for first 50 families 🎉
Weekly
4 sessions/month
Every Saturday OR Sunday
for first 50 families 🎉
Every Weekend
8 sessions/month
Both Saturday & Sunday
for first 50 families 🎉
+ One-Time Enrollment Fee: LKR 150,000 FREE
🎉 Waived for first 50 founding families — 2nd Anniversary Gift
Includes all materials, insurance, founding family kit, and lifetime founder recognition plaque
Questions Answered
Everything you need to know about joining our community
What exactly is Weekend School – Rooted & Kind Community?
Weekend School (Rooted & Kind) is a carefully curated community of like-minded parents who believe in nature-based, mindful learning. We believe children learn best by watching and participating alongside adults in real-life experiences. This is a screen-free, hands-on community where children develop independence, emotional intelligence, and practical life skills through weekly nature immersion at Bolgoda Lake.
Can my child attend if they already go to regular school?
Absolutely! This program is designed specifically for families whose children attend regular schools. Weekend School complements traditional education by providing what schools often can't — deep nature connection, traditional craft mastery, sustainable living skills, and social-emotional development. Weekend sessions mean no conflict with school schedules.
What do parents do while children are in sessions?
This is a whole family experience! While children engage in nature activities, parents can participate in yoga by the lake, mindfulness sessions, wetland ecology tours, traditional craft workshops, cooking classes, community gardening, photography, fishing, boat rides, or simply relax in our parent lounge. It's a win-win for everyone — children thrive, parents rejuvenate.
What commitment levels are available?
Flexible options to fit your family: 2 sessions/month (alternate weekends) for LKR 20,000, 4 sessions/month (weekly) for LKR 35,000, or 8 sessions/month (every weekend) for LKR 60,000. All prices include the 50% founding family discount for the first year. Choose what works for your family's rhythm.
What skills will my child actually develop?
Real, practical life skills: cooking traditional meals, growing their own food, managing compost, identifying native trees, creating pottery and traditional crafts, playing musical instruments, practicing mindfulness, resolving conflicts peacefully, working collaboratively, and developing emotional intelligence. These are skills for life, not just childhood.
Why only 50 families?
Quality over quantity. A small, intentional community ensures every child receives personalised attention, deep learning experiences, and meaningful relationships. This selective approach maintains the integrity of our nature-based philosophy and creates a tight-knit family circle where everyone knows each other.
What ages are appropriate?
Tiny Explorers (3-5 years): Half-day Saturdays, gentle sensory exploration. Young Naturalists (5-14 years): Full-day weekends, comprehensive nature immersion. Programs are carefully designed for developmental appropriateness.
Is this safe? What about supervision?
Safety is paramount. Small group sizes, trained facilitators, buddy systems, comprehensive first aid readiness, and clear safety protocols. Our founder has 20+ years of experience with children ages 0-14 and holds the highest Forest School certification from the UK.
Become a Founding Family
Only 50 of 50 spots remaining
Join a selective community of families committed to raising conscious, capable, and connected children
Share your family's story and values with us
🎉 Celebrating 2 Years of Forest School Colombo!
As a thank-you to our founding community, the first 50 families enrol completely FREE — enrolment fee, monthly fees, and membership tier are all fully waived for Year 1.
🌟 You're viewing application #1 — Only 50 founding spots left!
Where Children Flourish,Parents Grow, Families Connect
"A community rooted in nature, grounded in values, and kind to all living things."
This is your invitation to join a circle that will shape your family's values, your children's capabilities, and your shared connection to the earth.
+94 76 310 1101
contact@forestschoolcolombo.com
Location
Bolgoda Lake, Piliyandala