welcome to
our forest preschool
Maya Forest Preschool Manila is the first Deped recognised forest preschool in the country. Formerly Escuela Legarda, Maya Forest Preschool Manila decided to take advantage of its one hectare enclosed natural forest surrounding the school. Situated in the heart of Sampaloc, Manila, the forest is a safe and convenient place for children to have the opportunity to be one with nature, have the space to run and climb, and to learn in an environment which supports all aspects of their learning.
Our Teachers
Toddlers and Wanderers
Bachelor of Elementary Education with specialization in Early Childhood Education
Explorers
Bachelor of Elementary Education major in Special Education from the University of Santo Tomas
Rangers
Bachelor of Elementary Education major in Special Education from the University of Santo Tomas
Kinder
Bachelor of Elementary Education major in Special Education from the University of Santo Tomas
What should preschools really teach?
At Maya Forest Preschool Manila, aside from advocating outdoors and learning in nature, we focus on the important skills young children need:
- The ability to focus on a single activity
- The ability to understand and follow directions
- The ability to cope with disappointment and frustration
- The empathy to think beyond themselves
School Year 2021 - 2022
Our Bridge Program
Maya Forest Preschool Manila has been working on promoting and advocating outdoor play and minimal use of gadgets for children. Shifting to an online school platform was against what we had worked so hard for. We didn’t believe it was an appropriate and effective learning method for very young children and we didn’t want to backtrack on our beliefs simply to stay open.
Each month, we send out one nature-themed forest kit packed with activities which the children can do with their parents. These activities are what we would do during a regular school year. All of our kits contain materials from the US that were carefully curated by our team. This time, parents get to experience the fun learning process with their children.
For students to meet their teachers and classmates, and to have interactive art, music, games, and activities, we have online ClassMeets via Zoom. These online ClassMeets are conducted 2-4 times a month, depending on the level.
