Which Elementary School with Good Outdoor Spaces?
Parent Q&A
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Private school with big field
–Feb 2, 2023Hello,
we are moving to the Berkeley area. We are considering to send our kids to a private elementary school. While, we appreciate the small class sizes, individualized education in private schools, our kids are very active and like sports.
Are there private elementary schools around the area with big fields and good PE programs?
Thank you in advance
Feb 2, 2023Our daughter needs a significant amount of outdoor major active / nature time to self-regulate. Inconveniently, the average playground with a small garden doesn't seem to work for this-- she seems to do better in a physical setting with lots of trees and major movement opportunity. This seems like a tall order for a school environment, but I was wondering if anyone knew of any schools public or private that might have a significant nature / outdoor movement facility? Or, are there any athletics-oriented schools the way there are arts-oriented schools?
We are in Berkeley so we qualify for BUSD, and are also fine with private schools in Berkeley/Oakland/El Cerrito/Albany/Alameda area.
Thank you!
Aug 23, 2022
There are several school that could fit your requirement. Our kids attend Prospect Sierra which has a large play area and adjacent field. Head Royce is another program that has a large athletic program which we considered.
We are at Wildcat Canyon Community School in El Sobrante (about 15-20 minutes north of Berkeley) and we love it. It's a Waldorf-aligned curriculum, which would be worth looking into if you're not familiar with it as it's quite different from "traditional" curriculum in some ways. But what we love most about our school is ALL THE OUTSIDE. The school has 91 acres, most of it undeveloped woods and fields. There are also several playgrounds and large grassy spaces on the central campus, as well as a school garden.
Our kids are still young, in preschool and kindergarten, and they're often outside almost all day. The older children still go to the garden weekly, hike on the adjacent Wildcat Canyon trails, and spend time out in the woods on campus. If you're looking for an outdoorsy school I'd highly recommend you check us out.
I haven’t toured any private schools in Berkeley with large fields however Prospect Sierra in El Cerrito has a enormous field and outdoor space. It’s also a phenomenal school and worth checking out.