Class Guide: Ages 20 months-3 years
Details on where to go, what to bring, and what to wear, including health & safety protocols. This guide is for families enrolled in our mixed age 20 months-3 years classes.
Hello Brooklyn Nature Days families! We are looking forward to having your children join us in the park!
We are an all outdoor program and as an outdoor nature program we plan to experience and learn from all types of weather. All year round, we hold class in the sun, snow, and rain, and make sure each child is safe, engaged, and supported during our play and explorations. To prepare families for what to expect, we have created this guide to help you plan ahead for every kind of weather Mother Nature has to offer.
Please read the information and guidelines below carefully to help your child be as prepared as possible to enjoy our program. Take careful note of the essential gear and supplies with which your child needs to arrive. Teachers will do a cursory gear check upon each child's arrival. Please understand that due to safety concerns it is BND policy that we cannot sign in a child that is not properly prepared for the weather and outdoor environment. We will ask you to return home for any missing gear. We take child safety seriously and enforce this policy strictly.
Communication & Updates
All families will receive a link to a password-protected page on our website to access our weekly newsletter which will contain: the upcoming weather forecast, important weekly notes, and the names and phone numbers for teachers at each drop-off and pickup location. The newsletter will be updated each week by 5pm on Fridays so you have the most up-to-date information possible. Teacher phone numbers are to be used ONLY in an emergency or if Brightwheel is not working. Additionally, at the end of each week, families will receive a weekly wrap-up via Brightwheel from their teachers.
Please check out our photo log to see what's been happening during our outside adventures. Our blog will be updated weekly with photos & discoveries from our time in nature. Please be sure to follow us on instagram @brooklynnaturedays for more updates!
If inclement weather changes our class location, families will receive an update via brightwheel. Please check the forecast regularly to make sure children come dressed and prepared for our days together.
Families should feel free to reach out to teachers directly via brightwheel only with pertinent information or questions at any time. Brightwheel messages are responded to M-F from 7am-5pm.
Important Class Notes
Our standard day runs from 9am until 12:30pm. Please be prompt for both drop off and pick-up. If you are more than 15 minutes late you will have to travel into the park to meet the class. If you are running very late or your child has an appointment on the day of class, please note we cannot sign in your child after 10:30am, as it is too disruptive to the group and the day’s flow to introduce another child into the play at that time. We like our groups to feel free to explore the park and having a child dropped off past 10:30am infringes on the exploratory nature of our classes.
Class Location
All our classes take place within Prospect Park. Details on specific drop off locations below.
📍 Grand Army: Inside the park at Endale Arch at the tip of the Longmeadow.
📍 9th St & Prospect Park West: Inside the park, just past the monument (not far from the bandshell).
📍 Prospect Park Southwest/Vanderbilt St: Right inside the Vanderbilt entrance of the park, in the grass across the path from the playground.
Teachers will be identifiable by the Brooklyn Nature Days logo on their apparel. You can find photos and bios for your child's teachers posted onour teachers page.
If you are running late or your child will be absent from class please reach out to the teachers via ourbrightwheel app. If you are running behind they will advise where’s best to meet. The Brightwheel app is the most efficient way to communicate with teachers during class, as we can read the message and respond quickly.
Families must sign their child in and out each day electronically with our teachers via ourbrightwheel app using the auto-generated 4-digit code (families can edit their numbers within the app if they’d like to a 4-digit code that’s easier to remember than the auto-generated code).
Children will be given a BND tag to pin on clothing each day to class to identify them as part of our group. Please be sure your child arrives wearing this tag each morning. We recommend pinning the tag to your child’s backpack at pick up at the end of each day so that it does not get lost & is readily accessible for their next class.
⚠ Important: Children will only be released to adults who are listed on the brightwheel app as either “parent” or “approved pickup.” If you need to make a last-minute change about who is picking up your child, and are unable to update the profile info onbrightwheel, please send a Brightwheel message to let us know in writing of the change. All changes must be in writing. Verbal changes will not be honored. We take this policy very seriously in order to keep all children safe and ensure they are only released to grown ups who are authorized to pick them up.
Child expectations & Support plan policy
What is your Child Support Plan (i.e. “discipline policy”)?
We are so glad you asked! This subject is of the utmost importance to us at Brooklyn Nature Days, as we maintain a pedagogy that accepts each child as they are and provides a safe space for all children. We believe that discipline is about supporting children as they make mistakes and providing them with social-emotional guidance as we creatively face conflicts together. Conflicts are where the learning happens and we’re here for it. There is no punitive language or punishments at Brooklyn Nature Days—ever. No shaming. No timeouts. No taking away privileges arbitrarily. Only redirection, repair, and restarts (plus cuddles).
We have plans to design a whole page of our website about this topic due to its importance, but for now we wanted to let you know what to expect if your child is involved in a conflict with another child that leads to physical or emotional injury. If the injury is minor like pushing, hitting, kicking, etc, we will let you know via Brightwheel about what happened (whether your child was the one who hurt someone or the one who got hurt). We will give you context and let you know some language we use at BND to process conflict. We will discuss with you what happened for your child only, as we do not discuss other children’s varying emotional and developmental needs outside their family. If age-typical hitting/pushing/kicking becomes a pattern for your child, we will request an in-person meeting with you to come up with support strategies. If support strategies are ineffective or the area of needed support is not quite clear, we will recommend an outside neuropsych evaluation for your child so we can gather more comprehensive information about their brain and how to serve them fully. As this process generally takes weeks or months, we will do our best to work with you to come up with a support plan for your kiddo in the interim.
We ask for your understanding that all children are coming from different stages of development and little brains are hard at work and play to learn effective tools of communication. Impulse control doesn’t begin to develop until age 4; hitting and pushing are sometimes used by young children to communicate something they need but are not yet able to say with words, such as wanting to play with someone and not having the words to verbalize that intent. Please be patient with your child and others as this big learning takes place. Something we like to say is “I cannot let you hit someone. Were you trying to tell them something? I can help.” We’re here to help them through it and are happy to talk further about this if it comes up for your kiddo.
If behaviors arise for your child that could potentially lead to an unsafe environment for themselves and/or other children in our program (including but not limited to biting or consistently running away from the group) we will reach out to you to make a support plan and will do our best to make accommodations and provide support. If your child is unable to continue attending for repeated safety reasons, we will talk it over with you and will offer you the ability to transfer your spot to another family. We cannot offer refunds or credits in the event your child is not able to continue attending due to safety reasons. If your child has a history of biting or of elopement (running away from parents or teachers), please reach out to us at enrollment@brooklynnaturedays.com before enrolling so we can come up with a plan together and ensure our expansive 600-acre classroom is the right fit for your kiddo. We are committed to creating a safe environment for all kiddos while supporting a vast spectrum of needs and developmental phases and we appreciate your collaboration as we do this joyful and important work!
Do you have experience working with kiddos with a PDA profile?
We do! We have worked with many kiddos with a Persistent Drive for Autonomy and our teachers are all trained in support tactics and helpful strategies to help kiddos thrive. Please reach out to us to discuss your kiddo’s specific needs and we will make a plan! Please also read the FAQ above, as children with a history of elopement may have a tricky time staying safe in our vast outdoor classroom. Reach out and tell us more and we’re happy to navigate it with you!
Find our full FAQs here
Sick Policy
If your child has had a fever or any other symptoms linked to illness in the past 24 hours (vomiting, diarrhea, rash, etc.) or if you feel your child is contagious and/or will not be able to safely explore and play with us in the park, for their well-being and the well-being of the other children, please keep them home. Specific COVID protocols can be found at the bottom of the guide in our COVID section.
If on a given day our teachers notice any behaviors or symptoms that we suspect may be due to illness your child will not be able to attend. We will contact you to have your child picked up early if they seem ill or unwell at any point throughout class. Brooklyn Nature Days reserves the right to request a doctor’s note in order for a child to return to class after being out for illness. Please note in the case that your child needs to be picked up due to illness, we will need them to be scooped within 30 minutes of us contacting you in order to keep illness from spreading and maintain the flow of the day for all classes. Refunds will not be given for early pickups.
Inclement Weather Policy
Make-up Policy: Brooklyn Nature Days does not offer make up classes when a child is absent and class is in session. Make up classes are offered only when classes are not held due to Brooklyn Nature Days cancellation only. Brooklyn Nature Days does not offer make up classes or refunds for COVID-related class closures or cancellations due to exposure, quarantine, or government mandate.
Classes may be canceled on days where the weather forecast does not allow for safe outdoor play. In this case, we will send a message to families via Brightwheel by 6am the day of class and all children scheduled to attend that day will receive the option of a makeup class scheduled later in the semester. These makeup days will be scheduled by Brooklyn Nature Days and alternative makeup days will not be offered. We are outdoors rain or shine; inclement weather for us means dangerous conditions only, such as severe heat/cold, wind advisories, and thunderstorms. Dates for make-up classes can be found on our calendar.
In the event that it is safe to travel outdoors for short periods but unsafe to hold classes in the park all day, we may decide to hold class in our emergency indoor location located at 153 Ocean Avenue (John Hus Moravian Church). Please note that in the event that we hold classes at John Hus Moravian, makeups will not be offered. This inclement weather policy is at the discretion of Brooklyn Nature Days to decide how to proceed on a given day.
Additionally, even though we monitor the weather doppler and various weather radar apps consistently, surprise weather does sometimes occur. In the event that unsafe weather conditions unexpectedly arise during class time we will notify families how to proceed via Brightwheel. Make up days are not offered for partially attended classes.
Please ensure your Brightwheel notifications are on and all important phone numbers is listed on your child’s BW profile as it is our primary mode of real-time communication during class time.
Birthday Treat Policy
You are not obligated to observe your child’s birthday with us during class. However, if you wish to have your child celebrate their birthday with us, here are some guidelines:
Any snacks/treats must be individually wrapped, store-bought items that are peanut, tree-nut free. We are unable to distribute home made snacks at this time.
Please send the ingredients for the snack or treat 48 hours in advance of bringing it in so we have time to approve the ingredients with all families and families of children who have specific dietary needs have time to send in an alternative snack if necessary.
As an alternative, or in addition, you may opt to send in your child’s favorite book for us to read at snack time on their birthday. Please let us know in advance if you plan to do this!
What To Wear
Please send children in comfortable clothing that can get wet and dirty and allows them to move and play. It is imperative children arrive dressed appropriately for class in order for them to fully enjoy our outdoor learning environment. We ask families to be mindful of the temperatures, as our goal is to spend multiple hours outside. When in doubt, it is best to send along any extra layers you think your child may need. It is better to have extra layers as opposed to not. It is much easier to help a child who is too warm take off layers than scramble to find extra clothes to keep them warm.
Rain gear: We recommend that rain gear is worn over your child’s regular gear on rainy, muddy, and damp days. Regardless of the weather, rain gear should always be included in your child's bag. Rain boots must be worn on rainy, muddy, and damp days.
Sun Hats: Sun hats are necessary for hot, sunny days. They provide some SPF and can keep a child from overheating.
Footwear: Please take note that it's important for the kids to have proper footwear with rubber soles that protect toes and has good grip for running and climbing. Examples include: Keen Newport H2 hiking boots, Keen closed toed sandal or athletic sneakers. Rain boots are absolutely necessary on rainy days as is a spare change of shoes. Please also include a dry pair of boots on wet days, as we often have to change socks and boots. NO open-toed sandals, flip flops, Natives or Crocs at any time as they have little to no tread.
Children are encouraged to immerse themselves in our natural surroundings. Please be advised that children’s clothing will become dirty and possibly stained during class.
For the warmer months children must arrive wearing sunscreen, sun hats, and bug spray each day. For colder months, we recommend multiple layers for warmth, which can be adjusted if a child feels too warm.
Here is what we recommend during cold weather:
Top and bottom layers made of wool, silk, or ‘Heat tech’ material
Warm pants and tops
Sweater or fleece
Snow suit (even on days when there isn’t snow, to keep bodies warm)
Wool socks
Insulated, waterproof footwear with rubber soles for gripping when running and climbing
Winter hat and/or balaclava and coat hood
Scarf or neck gaiter
Waterproof mittens/gloves (and several spare pairs) We recommend two pairs of gloves to be worn—a thin stretchy knit pair that allows the kids to use their hands for work as well as a waterproof, heavier pair on top. Please clip these to their sleeves so that they can take them on and off as needed.
For cold weather only: Please pack a few Hot Hands Hand Warmers or usb re-chargable hand warmers daily for your child in colder seasons. For safety reasons,please do not send your child with hand warmers containing lighter fluid.
We recommend multiple layers for warmth for winter, which can be adjusted if a child feels too warm.
Important: Please ensure your children come prepared to enjoy their days with us. We are diligent in making sure the children are safe and as comfortable as possible at all times. We build shelters to shield us from the rain and wind, have their water bottles accessible all day to stay hydrated, and provide water for refills. Teachers will do a cursory gear check upon each child's arrival. Due to winter safety concerns it is BND policy that we cannot sign in a child that is not properly prepared for the weather and outdoor environment. We will ask you to return home for any missing gear. We take child safety seriously and enforce this policy strictly.
We understand that this gear can get expensive. Please check out our “BND Parents” Facebook page to connect with other parents to trade gear. If you have any issues acquiring the necessary gear, please reach out to enrollment@brooklynnaturedays.com — We are here to help!
Gear Company Recommendations
We have had success with the following products & children's outdoor gear companies:
Gear Discounts & the BND Outdoor School Shop
🐢 Polarn O. Pyret offers a 15% discount to families that are enrolled in outdoor classes. To register, please fill out the form found here: https://www.polarnopyretusa.com/outdoor_schools/
🐥 Oakiwear offers a 25% discount off your order when you enter the discount code: brooklynnaturedaysat checkout.
🍄 To find all the items on our gear checklist and for help choosing the right gear for your kids, we have partnered with Outdoor School Shop. Founded by mothers who support and have children in Outdoor Learning programs, they will be a resource for you, answering any questions you may have regarding what to purchase, how to layer, and the differences between brands and types of gear.
https://outdoorschoolshop.com/schools/brooklyn-nature-days/
Please make sure you use the code BROOKLYN at check-out for 15% off!
Please note: Brooklyn Nature Days does not make any money from this affiliation and there is absolutely NO obligation to shop here. We just wanted to streamline everything for families in the hopes this can makes layering for winter a bit easier. If you have any questions about the gear offered on this site, you can reach out to Outdoor School Supply directly and they can answer any questions you have.
What to Bring
Our goal is to travel through the park as lightly as possible. We bring our wagons to hold our supplies as well as the children’s belongings. Each child may bring one bag which holds all they need for the day, clearly labeled with their name.
We recommend families purchase a dry bag for their child’s belongings. A dry bag ensures items stay clean and dry outside in all weather. A 30-40L bag should fit all that is needed for the day. Examples can be found here: Earthpak Waterproof Dry Bags
Please send:
2 FULL water bottles (park water fountains do not always work reliably and we want to ensure children are properly hydrated)
A peanut, tree nut free snack (please clearly label “SNACK” and “LUNCH” so teachers can be sure to offer the correct items for snack and lunch)
A packed lunch (must be tree nut and peanut free)
Extra set of seasonally appropriate clothes (tops, bottoms, underwear, and socks) in the event of a potty accident or clothing getting wet.
Extra pair of waterproof footwear
Sunscreen and bug spray clearly labeled with your child’s name (for warmer months).
Additional warm layers: hats, gloves, wool socks, shirts, pants, leggings, etc. (for colder months).
Appropriate full rain gear (including rain pants) should always be included in your child's bag.
For cold weather only: Please pack a few Hot Hands Hand Warmers or re-chargable hand warmers daily for your child in colder seasons. For safety reasons, please do not send your child with hand warmers containing lighter fluid.
A small mat or towel to sit on during class (e.g. a cut up fresh direct bag is a popular option that a lot of our families opt for)
Diapers and a changing mat (if applicable)
Families are responsible for disinfecting all items noted above each day to ensure they are clean and ready for use when your child arrives to class.
Please do not let your child bring anything else from home, as we want to travel as lightly as possible. Our vision is to explore and interact with nature during these hours and toys or additional belongings from home are disruptive.
Please make sure all items - bags, water bottles, lunch boxes, hats, and outerwear - are clearly labeled with your child's name. While we strive to keep each child’s belongings organized with their bags at all times, items do sometimes become lost or left behind and it is much easier to return them to you when they are labeled clearly.
Please ensure your children come prepared to enjoy their days with us. We are diligent in making sure the children are safe and as comfortable as possible at all times.
Things We Need To Know
Remember that Prospect Park is a not a manicured environment and contains hazards like bees, poison ivy, and other irritants. We will do our best to avoid these hazards, but if your child is particularly susceptible to them, please let us know.
Please be aware that NYC posts a tick advisory for the public parks. We generally avoid areas where they are most likely to be found, but ticks do live in the park and nature can be unpredictable. Please read the advisory below and check your child after class each day.
If you do find a tick, please let us know as soon as possible.
NYC's tick advisory is posted here:http://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/ticks.page
IMPORTANT: If your child has any allergies, any other medical conditions, or is taking any medication, please make sure to let us know in writing via the Child Information and Release Form and on the brightwheel app. Once we receive this information, we will send an additional permission form to parents of children who need to carry an allergy action plan, epipen, or other medication at all times in case of emergency.
Regarding bathroom use: Children will have access to the public park restrooms or our portable potette potty.
What We Will Eat
🚫 🥜 We are a tree nut and peanut-free program. 🚫 🥜
All families will need to provide their child with snack. Children must also bring their own lunch daily -- it is imperative that it is peanut/tree nut free. If your child has any dietary restrictions, please let us know in writing.
For children enrolled in standard day 9am-12:30pm classes: Please pack 1 morning snack & 1 lunch.
For children enrolled in 3K-2nd Grade 9am-2pm class: Please pack 1 snacks and 1 lunch in separate containers clearly marked “AM snack”, “lunch”. It may also be a good idea to pack an extra granola bar in their bag if you know your child tends to get a little hungry towards the end of the day.
We will assist children in opening any snack containers or food packages, but please also ensure that their food is accessible to them, toddler friendly, and easy to eat while they’re sitting on the ground.
Health & Safety, COVID Protocols and Things to Know
Health and Safety:
Beginning Monday, March 28, 2021 masks will be optional for all students and staff once we reach our designated play spots in the park. We will also still wear masks on any occasion where we will need to go indoors, such as when we seek shelter in the Picnic House due to extreme weather events. While these events are rare, it is important we are all prepared. This policy is subject to change as per the Department of Health, which is the local governing body that mandates our COVID protocols.
Daily health checks are required for all staff, as well as children arriving to class each day. Families will be asked daily about the overall health of their child and immediate family to ensure there aren’t any COVID-related symptoms or exposure.
All children with ANY signs of illness are encouraged to stay home until they receive a diagnosis that allows them to return to class. If your child demonstrates any virus symptoms during class, or just seems unwell overall, we will call you and have you pick them up immediately. Symptoms include but are not limited to: fever, vomiting, cough, wheezing, headache, diarrhea, shortness of breath, sore throat.
Frequent hand sanitizing will be required, including, (but not limited to) arrival, before snack/lunch, after snack/lunch, after a diaper change/using the potty or restroom, and before dismissal.
Bathrooms:
Potty trained children will use our outdoor portable potty, disinfected between each use. All outdoor potties are outfitted with a tent which provides the bathrooming child with privacy. Public restrooms will also be available to older children who aren’t comfortable using our portable potty. In these circumstances where a public restroom is required, children will be accompanied by a teacher to the restroom. Teachers will first perform a cursory inspection of the restroom and stall to ensure it is clean, safe, and fit for use.
As with our outdoor potty tent, children will be given complete independence and privacy while bathrooming unless they require assistance from a teacher and ask for help.
It is our policy not to wipe children who are potty-trained. This does not include children who are wearing diapers or pull-ups to class but are on the potty-training journey. This policy ensures we’re encouraging kiddos to be independent and to have agency over their bodies as they get older and more capable with self-care. If your potty-trained child requires additional support with bathrooming or if there’s anything we should know about their potty-training journey, please let us know in writing via Brightwheel.
For children who are potty-trained:
We will let you know via Brightwheel when your child poops on the potty during class and wipes themselves. This way, you will know that they might need a little extra cleanup help once they get home from class.
We will offer your child verbal support as they wipe and ensure they have sufficient wipes to clean themselves.
If at any time your potty-trained child has diarrhea or a potty accident, we will of course change them into clean clothes and clean them up and let you know asap via Brightwheel.
Inclement Weather Policy
Classes will be canceled on days where the weather forecast does not allow for safe outdoor play. In this case, we will send a message to families via Brightwheel by 6am the day of class, and all children scheduled to attend that day will receive the option of a makeup class scheduled later in the semester. These makeup days will be scheduled by Brooklyn Nature Days and alternative makeup days will not be offered. We are outdoors rain or shine; inclement weather for us means dangerous conditions only, such as severe heat/cold, blizzards, wind advisories, and thunderstorms.
Additionally, even though we monitor the weather doppler and various apps consistently, surprise weather does sometimes occur. In the event that unsafe weather conditions arise after class has already started, we will notify you via Brightwheel. Please ensure your Brightwheel notifications are on and your phone number is listed on your child’s BW profile.
COVID-19 Positive Tests and/or Possible Exposure: It is to the benefit of all that there is open and regular communication regarding the health and well-being of all teachers, staff, children, and their immediate families in regards to COVID and possible exposure. We ask that all individuals involved in our Brooklyn Nature Days community immediately report any suspected or confirmed cases of COVID to our directors.
Covid Vaccine: All Brooklyn Nature Days teachers are vaccinated against COVID-19. While children are not currently required to be vaccinated against covid, if and when it becomes mandated by the NYCDOH we will require all students to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Government Mandated COVID Related Closures:
In the event our classes will be unable to operate due to government restrictions, which results in citywide and/or statewide closures, refunds or makeup classes will not be offered. Makeups will be for weather-related closures only.
Brooklyn Nature Days COVID Related Closures:
On a smaller level, we will be closely monitoring any reports of suspected or positive COVID cases within each individual class. In the event a closure or quarantine is required by local city health officials for a particular group of individuals or class(es), refunds or makeup classes will not be offered. Makeups will be for weather-related closures only.
For more information on our covid policies please visit: https://brooklynnaturedays.com/covid-appendix
Thank you in advance for your support and compliance with these safety protocols. It is our number one priority to keep all staff, students, and their families safe and we appreciate your collaboration with our efforts.
