Free Forest School’s Emergent Learning information and educational materials are supported by a generous grant from the VELA Education Fund.

Emergent learning is an approach to planning and teaching that relies on children’s interests, fascinations, and discoveries to inspire and drive the curriculum.

Example: Students find a bird nest on a walk outside and are excited about it! That discovery could lead to a hunt for loose parts on the ground to build their own nest, pretending to be baby birds, reading books about birds, or starting a bird watching observation log. With the support of the caregiver/teacher, the observed interest the children have in the nest creates additional opportunities for learning that nurture their interests and abilities.

Emergent learning can be practiced with children of all ages, by teachers, childcare providers, homeschool families, and by parents as they play with their children.

Video Resources

What is Emergent Learning?

Learn more about what emergent learning means in practice and what happens when kids drive the curriculum for their own learning in this 13-minute video. You can also download the slides here.

Common Play Urges

Learn more about nine common childhood play urges and how you can support children as they engage with these urges in this 14-minute video. You can also listen to the audio-only version, or download the slides here. Learn more by following our #playurgeoftheweek series on Instagram.

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