Palouse Roots
Palouse Roots is a Waldorf-inspired early childhood nature school offered by the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute (PCEI) for children residing in Moscow and the greater Palouse region.
Overview
Founded in 2018, Palouse Roots is located on over 26 acres of nature preserve at the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute (PCEI) in Moscow, Idaho. Palouse Roots is an outdoor nature program for children ages four through seven years old. Our program is hosted Monday through Thursday from 9:00am to 1:00pm. Families have the…
Our Teaching Philosophy
Our primary objective is to create a positive connection between children and nature while encouraging them to be curious about the world around them and foster positive relationships with their peers. We provide an environment that encourages child-led learning and exploration. Our days are flexible and flow organically within a base structure. The role of our teachers is to guide…
Our Daily Rhythm
We start our day with open play as everyone arrives and checks in. We begin each morning with a morning circle where we greet each other, make note of the season, month, date, day, and moon cycle, and observe the weather and the landscape around us. We share our observations of the environment and natural world and explore how things work…
The Palouse Roots Experience
Palouse Roots understands the significant impact a strong connection with nature can have on a person’s physical and emotional well-being. Our Waldorf-inspired education approach emphasizes nature-based learning that prioritizes the child’s comfort in a gently structured day of child-led exploration, play, and teacher-guided activities. Practical life skills and fostering an inclusive, caring…
Playing Outside
Rain or shine, our Palouse Roots children spend their time outdoors, regardless of the weather. As the saying goes, “There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.” The children develop strong and healthy bodies by experiencing the outdoors in various weather and seasonal states while expanding their sensory experiences. Depending on the season, the children may sled down snowy hills, climb …
Tuition/Scholarship
Our program fee is $40 per four-hour program day, with a minimum of a 2-day-a-week commitment. We ask that families commit to a schedule. We intentionally keep the number of participants small to ensure that we have a low student-to-teacher ratio. As a result, our classes fill up quickly.
To ensure our program is accessible to our local community, we offer…
Join the Challenge
Palouse Roots is encouraging the community to join us in spending 100 hours outside this year! Click to download the flyer, and challenge yourself to enjoy 100+ hours of time immersed in nature.
Request a Tour
We are available to meet for a guided tour of our Nature Center and Palouse Roots site on program days between 10:00am and 12:30pm. Please contact us by phone at 208-310-7077 or by email at info@palouseroots.org.
Palouse Roots Intern Opening
We are always looking for Interns to join our team! To learn more about our Palouse Roots Nature School, visit our program page.
To apply, submit a cover letter, resume, and contact information to the Palouse Roots Program Coordinator at info@palouseroots.org.
Tuition Payment
If your child(ren) are registered for Palouse Roots, you may pay the tuition fees online using the PayPal button below (you do not need to have a PayPal account). In the field that says “Price per item” simply enter the amount of your tuition payment.