ESC: companion in forest school (children from 2 to 6 years)

Menais is a non-formal educational project based on interaction with nature and animal-assisted intervention. Our main objective is to promote a comprehensive development of childhood, ensuring their intellectual, physical, relational and emotional well-being in a natural environment. During the school year we work as an open-air school aimed at boys and girls between 2 and 6 years old and in nonschool periods (summer, Easter, Christmas ...) we offer camps for children and young people, but our project is oriented to the whole community: families, neighborhood and society in general. It is an inclusive proposal, for all those people who want to be participants. Two afternoons a week we have “Tribo miudiña” (“tiny tribe”) that offers families a meeting place and mutual support during the pregnancy and respectful parenting processes. Some weekends we organize various activities open to the community: mycology, organic gardens, capoeira ... and training workshops on various topics related to nature and education: permaculture, bush-craft, bio-construction ... We also offer activities to other schools such as environmental education workshops, immersion experiences in nature and storytelling in the forest. As an African proverb says: "to raise a child you need a tribe", so our project does not focus exclusively on the needs and interests of children, but rather families, forests, animals and the local community are educational agents.