My kids don't spend their days in classrooms. They spend them exploring the woods.

Caitlin Conway, a mother of two living in Colorado, shares her experience with sending her children to a forest school and homeschooling them. The couple was inspired by a documentary about outdoor schooling in Nordic countries, despite initial reservations due to unfamiliarity with such practices in the United States. They began sending their eldest child to forest school when he was 4.5 years old, starting on the coldest day of February.

The child's immersion in the outdoor environment became his primary source of education until first grade, when they transitioned to homeschooling and enrolled in a homeschool enrichment program. The youngest child attends forest school three days a week and is homeschooled on other days. The forest school's curriculum focuses on social and emotional development, teaching kids to navigate challenges and conflicts while fostering their physical capabilities.

The Conway family also emphasizes outdoor exposure and has established a homeschool co-op consisting of other families who organize adventure days in nature. Caitlin Conway, who lacks an educational background, is a real estate agent but remains committed to this unconventional approach, as she observes its positive impact on her children's adaptability and bravery.

The main challenge they face is dealing with the opinions of others regarding the effectiveness of their homeschooling method.