The forest as your classroom at Giant Steps

by Randy Pinsky

A four-week nature camp for kids, teens and young adults was the exciting next step of a pilot project launched by Giant Steps School in 2021.

“At first, it was hard to convince my daughter to try it out because it did not involve an iPad,” laughed mom Julie Kristof, reflecting on the Forest School initiative. “But the whole experience was really quite wonderful.” 

Launched by Giant Steps’ director of Innovation and Special Projects, Thomas Henderson, the camp developed from a week-long discovery in nature that began last spring. The Forest School educational model challenges the conventional concepts of education and advocates for child-led and explorative learning outdoors. Henderson observed this is particularly valuable for autistic youth, who tend to be overprotected and thereby lose out on many formative experiences. Through climbing, hiking, staring at the sky and enjoying the elements, youth developed a connection with the ever-changing yet peaceful natural world around them. 

As stated by Henderson, “taking risks is very important and playing in the mud and rain can be super fun!”

Each week welcomed a different age group, with participants coming from both Giant Steps and the wider community. Base camp was Angrignon Park with Friday field trips taking place off the island of Montreal. With a roughly 1:2 staff-to-participant ratio, parents could feel reassured this was a safe yet free space. 

According to Autism Parenting Magazine, being in nature and engaging in explorative play encourages curiosity, adaptability and self-reliance. These skills are particularly critical for autistic individuals who often struggle with change. Rather than be evaluated on how well they completed tasks, Henderson noted, campers had to solve challenges, be it building a fort or doing an art activity. While for many this was a very new experience, “we found there were some full-on engineers out there,” stated Henderson, with skills they might not have otherwise known they possessed. 

At its core, the Giant Steps Forest School (an approach in which Henderson is certified through the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada) is based on the principles of freedom, trust and reciprocal relationships. In starting and ending each day with a message of gratitude, “participants connected with the land, themselves and with the others around them,” observed Henderson, especially in workshops led by Kahnawake Elder Kevin Deer. 

More and more schools are seeing the value of incorporating the outdoors into their curriculum. “This approach has the potential of being transformative for both adults and kids,” Henderson said. “Everyone intuitively understands the importance of outdoor learning and play but don’t or can’t apply it.” 

When Giant Steps moves into its new location in Rosemont, students will visit a nearby wooded area during regular school days.

“The energy was so pure and beautiful, everyone felt included,” reflected Kristof. 

“Nature as a classroom provides a full sensory experience better than any sensory room I’ve ever seen,” said Henderson.