Our offering to the Nosara community
We offer short and long-term bilingual (English/Spanish) holistic educational programs led by trained and experienced teachers to cultivate children's sense of wonder and reverence for all living things.
We have prepared a nurturing and beautiful learning environment with high-quality educational materials to awaken children's spontaneous interest and enthusiasm in learning.
A circular structure (Mongolian yurt), a native American tipi, a geodesic dome, and an ample natural outdoor area are dedicated to serving a small group of children between the ages of 1 and 11 years old in mixed-age activities.
Each week, a curriculum of activities allows experimentation and learning through play-based/nature-oriented explorations and artistic creations.
Every day, children explore Creative movement and Circus Arts.
Through hands-on practice, the children learn permaculture principles and biodynamic gardening:
How to tend to a garden and fruit trees.
How to grow organic food and medicinal herbs.
How to compost organic matter.
They bake with a solar oven and see the waste from their snacks turn into biogas and fertilizer. They learn deep materiality that will inspire them to use, reuse, recycle, and cultivate habits to advance toward Zero waste.
Nosara is a multicultural community with a spectacular natural environment. Our land is between the lush jungle and the ocean, close to the river and the mountains. We are very close to Playa Pelada, and It is a short 10 minutes drive from Guiones beach and Playa de Ostional. We have a school bus available
We love the nomadic lifestyle that is so common in our area; we have weekly offerings integrated with our more long-term, seasonal programs.
We have four main programs, and they are all very flexible, with part and full-time options.
WILD CHILD Playgarden is for young children 18 months to 6 years old.
WILD CHILD Wildschooling is for homeschoolers and unschoolers 7-11 years old of age.
KIDS MOON CLUB: Drop your children off at 5 pm, enjoy your time for self-care or go on a date, and come back to pick them up at 8 p.m. The evening will be full of stories, play and activities focused on connecting with the moon and the stars. This program is on-demand only. A minimum of three children are needed, so please RSVP.
INDIVIDUALIZED TUTORING AND CUSTOMIZED GROUP CLASSES are available on request. We offer English, Spanish, and French tutoring, Mathematics and Sciences, etc). For more information, write us info@dandelionwildschooling.org.
All our programs are very flexible:
Your child(ren) can start any time during the season.
We have daily drop-off, short and long-term programs;
Our programs run all year;
We encourage a minimum commitment of three full-time days. But you can choose the number of days you want, and change weekly as your and your children's needs and desires fluctuate;
With full-time and part-time options, our children will have plenty of opportunities to express themselves, develop creative thinking and imagination, and learn valuable interpersonal skills while experiencing sustainable living practices, co-creating, exercising, and having a lot of fun.
Our tuition fees are on a sliding scale and we offer scholarships.
We can customize our programs and schedules according to the needs of your family or your business.
Wild Child Playgarden & Wildschooling is the culmination of many alternative pedagogical approaches: we are equally inspired by Waldorf, Forest, Reggio-Emilia, Montessori, Sunbury, or Summerhill educational philosophies. Wild Child Playgarden & Wildschooling draws on the best aspects of each educational paradigm and the teachers' unique gifts, talents, and offerings.
Our philosophy and our values
We deeply long to share life's beautiful, meaningful and essential things. We love life; we love the earth and all its earthlings. We love being alive in this precious moment.
We are committed to having a flexible and organic relationship with the planet, its changing needs, and its dynamic -continually evolving- biological and cultural diversity that we both want to honor and preserve.
We love humanity, and we love its interconnectedness with all living things. We believe in the power of human connection and the fundamental need to cultivate a deep bond with the natural world.
We know that a safe, nonjudgemental, nurturing learning environment with caring adults -guides and mentors- nourishes the senses and is vital for blossoming joyful, creative play and imagination.
Our children's sense of safety, freedom, and full self-expression is essential.
We respect each child's learning pace, interests, and curiosity. We take into consideration that each child, in their different stages, has distinct needs and strengths they use to relate to the world.
We choose education as a powerful tool for connecting the colorful souls of the world and nurturing their creative potential.
We take a holistic approach to education and believe that the right education is free of ideology and conditioning.
We gift our loving presence and communicate with compassion.
We teach skills and avoid interfering in the child's learning process. We trust the intelligence of the child. We learn from and with the child.
We believe that when we are embodied and deeply rooted in nature, we are more receptive to the fascinating secrets that the Pachamama offers.
Wild Child Playgarden & Wildschooling team
Lili
I am the Founder, Education Program Manager, and Pedagogical Coordinator of Dandelion Wildschooling.
I have always dreamed of creating an alternative school or, more precisely, an alternative to school. I was born in Brazil, a country that I love for its culture and its nature: it's lush, it's vibrant, it's colorful. When I was 7, my family moved to Belgium. Access to better education was the reason for this radical change of culture, natural world, and society. I grieved the family left behind, the sun, the tropical fruits, the waterfalls, the musicality...This transition felt like a huge sacrifice, but I embraced and loved the European culture. There I learned three more languages (French, English, and Dutch), and earned a Master's degree in International Relations.
Education is essential to developing our capacities. I am forever grateful for the priority my parents put on education. Thanks to them, I started early to contemplate what "true and right education" is. Krishnamurti's philosophy of education and all the alternative pedagogies I learned about those past two decades have been great inspirations.
My former career as a humanitarian photographer and documentary filmmaker working for the United Nations and international organizations in DR Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Mozambique, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Latin American countries strengthened the belief that access to education is crucial for creating a better world. With the mainstream school/university curriculum, though, I had to spend a lot of time unlearning...
My quest for understanding the world, the human condition, and human-nature interconnectedness has always been a spiritual quest. My world meanderings and life between worlds led me to spend the past decade in California. I communed with nature, immersed in a culture that broke my spiritual resistance, empowered me as a woman, and transformed me into a devoted wife and fulfilled mother. California inspired me to "rewild" myself and the world around me. Nosara is my new home. I find all the most beautiful things I love in the world, and I am here to share the gifts from my world travels and life experiences.
Dandelion Wildschooling is an expression of a life journey filled with immense love for the world and many synchronicities. I follow my bliss, and this is where it leads me...
Dandelion Wildschooling is an evolving co-creation and a shared dream rather than a school.
My vision is to co-create a holistic, supportive environment where parents can drop their children off any time of the day, including some evenings (Kids Moon Club) and weekends. There will always be caring and qualified adults (trained in Waldorf, Reggio-Emilia, Forest, and Montessori pedagogies & inspiring specialists in different fields) to guide, mentor, witness, and hold space for our children so they can play freely, learn skills, make friends, explore nature, take supported risks, and co-create beauty.
This will also be a space for parents and future parents to gather and learn together to be better parents.
Dunnia
Waldorf Lead teacher 3-6 years old
My name is Dunnia, I am Tica, I was born on the Caribbean coast in 1992. I am the mother of three children. At the age of 20, I started my journey to Guanacaste, and in search of a free and respectful education for my son, I came across the Casa de las Estrellas school, which I instantly fell in love with!
I worked at this Waldorf school for 10 years with children from 2 to 7 years old, I also gave extra crochet and sewing classes to children from 9 to 12 years old.
I studied and graduated in Waldorf pedagogy in Cuernavaca (Mexico).
The Waldorf pedagogy has given meaning to my life. I love how it views children as free beings with unique gifts to bestow into the world (Educating through will or doing), respecting the individuality of each being, and accompanying them. It also taught me to open my heart wide to receive their great discoveries.
Being surrounded by children is the most magical thing that exists. I learn from each one of them and I do my best to inspire to them to express themselves freely.
Yuliana
Waldorf Lead Teacher 18 months - 3 years old
My name is Juliana, I was born in the province of San José. I spent the first part of my childhood in the city. Over the years my parents started their way to this beautiful place called Nosara, I feel lucky to have grown up surrounded by nature and the sea.
Two years ago, I gave birth to my first child. Almost at the same time, I discovered the Waldorf philosophy. I love being surrounded by children, learning from them, and growing as a person thanks to my experience with them.
After a short experience at Casa das Estrelas, life brought me to the wonderful Wild Child Nosara Playgarden & Wildschooling where I am given the opportunity to fulfill my dream. Last June 2023 I began my training as a Waldorf kindergarten teacher in Colombia, it was a magnificent experience.
I want to always be surrounded by children because their joy is contagious and they bring the best of me as a teacher.
Jennifer
Capoeira teacher
My name is Jennifer, I was born in Venezuela and I have lived in Costa Rica for 8 years.
I teach capoeira to the little ones and am a capoeira student at the Muzenza CR Academy. I complement my discipline with multiple activities such as Boxing, weight lifting, High-intensity exercise, Yoga, and Dance.
Capoeira is a Dance and Martial art born in Africa and brought to Brazil. Over the years it has expanded throughout the world as a practice to reconnect with history and defense and attack movements.
Capoeira builds strength and gives us flexibility, rhythm, and connection to each other through movement.
Capoeira is also music. The lyrics are in Portuguese. Songs tell stories about nature and all the natural elements that are part of it. I am passionate about nature and Movement. Capoeira songs are played with six instruments. Together Berimbao, Aabaque, Pandeiro, and Agogo mark the rhythm and intensity of the game.
I describe it to children as a movement game imitating animals and interacting with nature that will help them connect with other children and maintain their presence and attention in the environment.
Capoeira is made of dynamic movements that last 5 to 8 minutes with music and energetic support from the group.
Aya
Yoga & Mindfulness teacher
Aya Dunin’s approach to Mindfulness & Movement is informed by InnerYoga, the Hakomi Method (Mindfulness-based Somatic Psychotherapy), and Dharma of Trauma training. She is a 500 hours registered yoga teacher, and has an extensive background in dance.
" I invite children to cultivate: Awareness. Kindness. Breath. Ease. Courage (the InnerYoga foundational principles), and lots of play.
I provide digestible tools to cultivate intimacy with the self and the present moment. My intention is to guide children home into their body temple, practice gratitude, and develop a coherent nervous system."
Aya is a Birth / Postpartum Doula & a Somatic Psychotherapy practitioner. She offers private sessions addressing themes such as birth integration to pregnancy loss, plant medicine ceremony integration or support for most life's thresholds.
Aya leads a wombyn circle called Cercle Shakti, and supports young menarches to harness their power.
Aya grew up in the UK & France, and has lived in Japan & California for the last 15 years. Today she is grateful to call the unceded Chorotega territory of Ostional her home, grateful to be surrounded by such a relatable international community.
Flaminia
Sustainable landscaping designer artist
"It all started with my passion for nature and thus a desire to dedicate my life to being in contact with it. After many years studying gardening, sustainability, ecology, permaculture, biodynamic agriculture, natural pools, ponds design...I realized that it was also about wanting to help others to connect and live in harmony with our environment.
Dandelion Wildschooling project inspires me with those goals. We are landscaping with harmony and we are focusing on the needs of the children. Landscaping with the environment and dancing with the little ones, playing and learning with nature, and the respect that Pachamama deserves."
Rythm of our week
At Wild Child Playgarden & Wildschooling, we craft our holistic educational programs around the seasons and according to the needs of children and their parents. We observe the natural forces present throughout the different months of the year.
Art is the channel we use to reach the hearts and minds of children. Aesthetics harmonizes our environments and the various aspects of life.
Music and Movement, Storytelling, Artistic Creation, and Nature explorations are daily rituals at Wild Child Playgarden & Wildschooling,
Rythm of our day
The mornings start with free play and circle: children sing and dance, celebrating life. Honoring the miracle of this existence through music and movement is a sacred act.
It is typically followed by nature walks and explorations (including biodynamic gardening), a movement class (Kids Yoga & Mindfulness practices, Aerial arts, AcroYoga, Trampoline, Dance and Gymnastics,..), a healthy morning break snack prepared by the children, Art (watercolor painting, drawing with crayons, sculpting with beeswax, etc), and creative play.
Transition songs rhythm the day and introduce each activity.
After lunch, children prepare their cozy personal spaces for Storytime (with dolls and puppets) following the Waldorf Storytelling tradition. Most children nap after storytime.
The afternoon is created by the children in collaboration with the teachers. They choose between Sound journeys, exploration of creative movement, Arts & crafts, or kids' circus arts.
Wild Child Playgarden & Wildschooling aligns with the children's rhythms and with nature's cycles. There is a structure, but there is no rigidity.
Other activities include modeling with clay, weaving, felting, sewing, cooking healthy food, and baking bread.
Schedule an appointment via email
info@dandelionwildschooling.org
www.instagram.com/dandelion.wildschooling.nosara www.instragram.com/wildchildnosara
Whatsapp: +17073316717
