What makes us special
Fairy Forest is a sanctuary for early learning. We weave ourselves into the imaginative realities of our students, design and build custom provocations to allow children to dive deeper into their interests, and work to provide a safe and welcoming environment for families of every background. Our yurt classrooms provide a unique indoor environment for children to dream and imagine, while our extensive outdoor classrooms provide children the space they need to form a deep and healthy relationship with our natural environment.
Space to Explore
Our outdoor classroom is spread out into 5 anchor play spaces across a 66 acre property in Saco, Maine. Students have access to dozens of acres of land to explore. Trails and outdoor play areas capture children's attention and draw them closer to their environment.
Unique Play Experiences
We follow a child-led curriculum where our students interests are honored. We create provocations, activities, and games that allow children to explore developmentally appropriate concepts at their own pace. The staff function as guides and curators who scaffold learning experiences within the children's imagined, play-based landscape.
We lead with our values
We are committed to treating ourselves right, and we are committed to giving our all to the learning environment. This is why we pay ourselves a fair wage in the top 15% of care workers nationwide. Its why every staff member - director included - gets paid the same amount per hour worked. Its why we give ourselves paid vacation time. Its why we give ourselves agency in a non-hierarchical environment to follow the children's interests and use our space to create incredible play installations. When staff are treated fairly and with respect for how challenging this work can be, it prevents burnout and goes a long way towards addressing the issues of staffing consistency at early learning environments. All staff members take part in discussions about major decisions, and have a say in how our school is run.
Diversity and Inclusion
Fairy Forest is a Sanctuary for Childhood, a core part of creating a safe space is fostering a diverse and inclusive environment.
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A Safer Place for Queer Families:
We pride ourselves on being a queer owned and operated early learning school. We work every day to create a safer place for queer families and our friends.
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A safer place for neurodiversity:
We've worked with children across the spectrum of neurodiversity and believe that welcoming, loving, and growing alongside children of all stripes enriches the learning experience for everyone involved. We've accepted a number of children expelled from traditional preschool environments and created a safe space where children with sensory processing needs can get their needs met and have their experience met with kindness and compassion.
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Now Accepting Childcare Affordability Program Awards
We are now holding 2 full time and 4 part time slots per year specifically for families who receive an award through the childcare affordability program (formerly CCSP). Please let the director know during the admissions process if your family has received an award or if you will be applying for one so that we can help support your transition to our program.