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About Us
Emerging Sprouts Forest School
Emerging Sprouts Forest School is a unique place that puts children’s learning in their own hands.
Emerging Sprouts has been, from the very beginning, a collaboration of thoughtful visions. It is a nature-based early childhood program rooted in both the Reggio Emilia approach and the Forest School traditions. Our days are shaped by curiosity, guided by experienced educators, and grounded in the belief that children learn best through meaningful, hands-on experiences in the natural world. We see children as capable, collaborative thinkers and active participants in their own learning. Our curriculum emerges from their questions and interests—whether that begins with a discovery in the creek, a shared story under the trees, or an investigation sparked by the changing seasons. Teachers carefully document this process, creating a responsive learning journey that evolves with each group.
Social-emotional development is at the heart of our work. Through exploration, peer collaboration, and supported risk-taking, children build confidence, resilience, empathy, and a strong sense of belonging. Nature provides both the classroom and the catalyst. Emerging Sprouts operates as a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to high-quality nature education. We partner with schools, parks, and community spaces to bring developmentally appropriate, outdoor learning opportunities to more children and families.
Led by Founder and Director Emma Emmerich, an Early Childhood Specialist with over 15 years of experience, Emerging Sprouts is committed to creating safe, nurturing environments where children can grow academically, socially, and emotionally—rooted in wonder and connected to the natural world. Visit our Programs page today to explore Emerging Sprouts’ nature-based early childhood programs.
With programs in Castro Valley, CA, Berkeley, CA, and Cincinnati, OH, Emerging Sprouts Forest School is a nature-based early childhood program where curiosity, exploration, and learning unfold outdoors.
For more information, please call (513) 666-8122 or email us at emergingsprouts@gmail.com.
Connect with us!
Our Mission
Emerging Sprouts Forest School inspires children's growth and learning by creating accessible, nature-based experiences that foster curiosity, social-emotional development, and a lasting connection to the natural world.
Our COre Values
NATURE is our classroom.
GROWTH happens through exploration and connection.
EMPATHY guides our interactions.
LEARNING is hands-on, meaningful, and shared.
Testimonials
Emma is an amazing teacher,
with a loving heart, strong
boundaries, and a strong sense
of magic and fun. She's also a fierce role model--particularly for young girls and gender non-conforming children--in a world of princess girls and lego boys. I can't think of anyone better to guide a preschooler through forest adventures!
Aya de Leon
Author and UC Berkeley Faculty
Emma’s real world depth of
understanding of child
development has been garnered from both formal education and years of working with a wide range of children in many different contexts. She is patient, constructive and allows children to take appropriate risks. Add in her naturalist skills and understanding of how nature can benefit children and you have a recipe for a forest preschool.
Jason Neumann
Public Programs Manager, Cincinnati Nature Center
Our Forest Philosophy
SAFE OUTSIDE LEARNING
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL CENTERED CURRICULUM
Developmentally &
age appropropriate
Emerging Sprouts merges the child centered Reggio Emilia Philosophy with the Forest School Philosophy.
Emerging Sprouts is organized and operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes in accordance with Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. More specifically, Emerging Sprouts is dedicated to expanding children’s access to nature education by partnering with schools, parks, and nature preserves in order to provide more children and families with educational programs, and offer teachers nature curriculum enhancement.
The mission of Emerging Sprouts is to provide outdoor education by developing and providing age-appropriate nature-based educational opportunities, to improve students' understanding of scientific curricula, to support students in building strong foundations based in social-emotional support, and to educate students about the natural world. Specific activities of Emerging Sprouts include:
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Establishing credible nature-based curricula for students, families, and schools and making these curriculums available to the community;
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Improving access to nature-based education for children in Hamilton County and city limits of City of Cincinnati;
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Educating families and schools about the benefits of nature education for all families and students.
Principles by which we guide our curriculum:
We see children as co-creators of their learning process in the forest and the classroom.
We provide Reggio-Emilia inspired Forest School curriculum.
We believe each group of children brings their own unique interests to school.
Our curriculum is based on the interest of the group, ever-changing, and documented by our teachers on a daily basis.
At Emerging Sprouts we believe that every child should have access to expansive nature, nurturing teachers, and peer to peer education.
Emma Emmerich, Founder and Director of Emerging Sprouts Forest School is an Early Childhood Specialist and has been teaching and working in the field of Early Childhood Education for the past 15 years.
Emma
Director and Lead Teacher
Emma's vibrant energy is infectious, as she is playful and spontaneous. For the past 17 years, she has been teaching, directing, and working as a Child Development Specialist. In January 2017, she founded Emerging Sprouts Forest School because she recognized the need for children to have access to nature-based learning in the forest. Emma earned her Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education and Development from San Francisco State University. Her passion for curiosity and play is evident in the Emerging Sprouts Curriculum.
Javier
Teacher
Javier's joyful and grounded energy is universally loved and appreciated. He consistently brings his sensitivity and creative play to our classroom. With 4.5 years of experience learning about early childhood through the eyes of his son and students at our Forest School, he is a natural with students. Our Forest School is incredibly fortunate to have him on our teaching team.
Luna
Teacher
Luna's deep compassion for young children shines through in her nurturing interactions with the children at our Forest School. With a rich background in theater and an unwavering passion for working with children, Luna brings a sense of enchantment and wonder to our school.
Luna passionately incorporates her love for the arts into our educational programs through active listening, engaging art projects, soulful singing, and various other creative activities.
Castro Valley
Cincinnati
Jenna
Lead Teacher
Jenna is deeply passionate about the outdoors and genuinely loves working with children at Forest School. With 5 years of experience in education, spanning from art to outdoor activities, she confidently brings compassion, a profound love for adventure, and unwavering care to her students. Jenna can be found helping students build pine cone dolls, searching for fossils, discovering a crawdad in the creek, and more!
Berkeley
Tre-C
Lead Teacher and Administrator
Tre-C has spent 15 years working in outdoor education with organizations all over the world including: NOLS, Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions, the National Park Service, and several independent, private schools. Prior to launching her career as an expedition leader, Tre-C was a full time nanny for four years in Connecticut while pursing her undergraduate degree. She has an uncanny ability to connect with students of all ages while challenging them to acknowledge and develop their potential. She enjoys teaching and facilitating adventure in the outdoors because she loves helping students be the best version of themselves. Tre-c is particularly excited to work at the Emerging Sprouts Forest School to foster inquisitive, curious, and present-minded children.
Tracy
Intern Teacher
Tracy is grateful for the opportunity to be a member of the Emerging Sprouts community. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology at Sonoma State University. She is currently in her final year of the Doctorate of Occupational Therapy program at Samuel Merritt University in Oakland. She is passionate about supporting health, wellness, and participation in life for all ages and abilities through engagement in occupations - which are anything meaningful from self-care to climbing trees. She especially loves learning with children through play and exploration. Tracy is excited to empower others to learn, grow, and become more connected with the world around us. She enjoys practicing connection through yoga, hiking, and gardening.
Linda
Intern Teacher
Linda has proudly lived in the Bay Area her whole life and is grateful for its natural beauty. She enjoys spending time in the outdoors by going on walks, visiting local parks, and camping with family and friends. She received her B.S. in Kinesiology from San Francisco State University and is currently a third-year occupational therapy doctorate (OTD) student from Samuel Merritt University. She enjoys working with children, and has an interest in exploring the impact that the natural world has to offer to children of all abilities. She is excited to be a part of Emerging Sprouts, learn from each child, and have FUN!
LiSette
Intern Teacher
Lisette is passionate about working with children, especially in nature! She grew up in the East Bay Area and has enjoyed exploring regional parks and trails since childhood. She attends Samuel Merritt University and is completing her last semester of her Occupational Therapy Doctorate. She has a B.S. in Health Sciences from California State University East Bay with an emphasis in pre-clinical studies. Her professional journey working with children includes years of working for both Mt. Diablo School District and Martinez Unified School District as a para-educator and special education assistant. She is excited to work with Emerging Sprouts and combine her love of nature and working with children.