How we keep kids safe outdoors
Our outdoor half happens in Discovery Park and around Magnolia. Here's what teachers do, and what your child learns to do, so they can explore freely.
Safety words we use every day
Keeping track of everyone
Teachers count children every 5 minutes on the trail, every 10 minutes in our outdoor classroom, and every time we stop or start.
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On every outing
- Before and after a hike, teachers check every face against the sign-in list.
- Teachers stay within shouting distance of each other. If they lose sight of each other, they call out their counts every 2 minutes.
- Teachers carry a first aid kit, health and safety forms, a phone, and a safety whistle.
Boundaries
- Our outdoor classroom is marked with visible boundaries, with barriers from ravines, cliffs, roads, and water.
- Children learn the boundaries in their first month by painting border rocks, walking the edges, and playing stop-at-the-edge games.
- We review them monthly, or more often if they're being tested.
If a child gets separated
Children learn to hug a tree, stay put, and shout. At three whistle blasts, everyone goes to the nearest teacher.
If a child isn't found within 15 minutes, we call you and 911.
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What teachers do
- One teacher gathers and counts the group, and keeps them calm with a story or song.
- The other searches the area, calling your child's name, then widens the search to familiar spots like a favorite trail, the playground, the parking lot, or the picnic shelter.
- After no more than 15 minutes of searching, we call you and 911.
- If your child has an AirTag, we'll ask you for its location.
AirTags
We encourage an Apple AirTag or other locator in your child's backpack. It's extra peace of mind, and you can use the map to talk about their day's adventure.
This is why our readiness checklist asks that children come when called and stay with the group. Readiness checklists →
Crossing the street
Children hold a partner's hand, cross on the white lines, and let go only once they're safely across.
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- We line up with partners in a "backpack train" and close the gap.
- Eyes on the friend in front.
- We sing a crosswalk song as we go.
- Teachers make sure it's safe, then everyone crosses together.
- For trips farther away, we walk or take the bus.
Climbing trees
Children climb on their own, never higher than a teacher can reach, with a teacher right there.
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- Children get into the tree by themselves. Teachers guide with words, never a lift.
- No higher than a teacher can reach to touch their belly button
- A teacher stays within reach of the child's middle
- Branches at least as thick as their arm
- Three points of contact at all times, like two feet and one hand
- Nothing in their hands, and nothing loose around their neck, like a scarf, necklace, or lanyard. A snug neck gaiter is fine.
- Up to 3 children in an extra-large tree, fewer in smaller ones
- Teachers clear rocks and cover sharp stumps below, and follow park rules about which trees are OK
Sticks and pretend play
Sticks are for digging, building, and imagination. Up and down when friends are around.
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- A stick longer than your arm gets dragged behind you.
- Pretend "bad guy" games are fine when everyone playing agrees.
- No pretend shooting at anyone who isn't in the game.
- A child who struggles with the rules puts sticks away for the day and tries again tomorrow.
- Before rough play, check your area and ask your friend. We talk about three kinds of touch: kind, rough, and hurtful.
We also talk about why "villains" act the way they do, usually from unkindness or low self-esteem, not because they're bad.
Real tools
Children use real hammers, saws, and hand drills, with an adult within arm's reach.
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- We start simple, like hammering golf tees into soft ground.
- Tools stay in a set area.
- Sharp ends point down when walking.
- Gloves, goggles, or aprons when the job calls for them.
- Children learn to notice the people and space around them.
Foraging
Children always ask before anything goes in their mouth. We only forage known, safe plants, and you can opt out.
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What children may taste
- Berries: salmonberries, blackberries, salal, Oregon grape, thimbleberries
- Leaves: nettles (carefully harvested, for tea), baby Oregon grape, dandelion, miner's lettuce, Indian plum
- For tea: cedar and Douglas fir needles
Our rules
- Always ask a teacher first, even for something you've eaten before.
- We'll tell you before foraging anything not on this list.
- Never in sprayed areas or near animal waste.
- Garden plants with toxic leaves, like tomatoes, are closely supervised.
Good to know
- Agreeing to foraging is part of the risk waiver in your enrollment forms. Tell us if you'd rather your child not eat any of these.
- Young children sometimes put things in their mouths without asking. Wind Rose isn't liable for that. If we know a child swallowed something poisonous, we call Poison Control and you right away.
- The park has allergens we can't control: nut trees, food left by visitors, plants, and animals.
Water play
Puddle jumping, sprinklers, and wading, splashing, and floating things down streams and creeks.
On hot days, cooling water games like "drip, drip, drop."
Wildlife
We watch animals from a distance and never touch them.
Coyote or fox? We gather, star our bodies, shout, and leave.
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- Raccoons: we gather and leave. Their droppings are toxic, so we report them and keep children away.
- Squirrels and crows: never touched. Food stays packed and supervised.
- Bats: never handled, alive or dead.
- Wasp or hornet nests: reported to the park.
- Dead animals: no touching. Looking closely with a stick is OK, then the stick gets tossed.
Dogs
Children don't pet dogs on the trail.
Bringing your dog to drop-off or pickup? It should sit and stay calmly.
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- Dogs' temperaments vary, so we admire from afar.
- If an off-leash dog comes near, we ask the owner to leash it and keep a distance.
- At drop-off and pickup, your dog should be calm, and not bark at or crowd children.
- Wind Rose isn't liable for interactions with dogs in the park.
Other people in the park
Most visitors are just curious. Teachers keep our space safe and call 911 if anyone seems unsafe.
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Polite reminders
Teachers remind people about park rules when needed: smoking near children, littering, swearing, or dogs off leash.
We call 911 for
- A car parked suspiciously or circling
- Someone watching the children for an uncomfortable amount of time
- Someone intoxicated, belligerent, or exposing themselves
- Any time we're uncomfortable
Our sites
Teachers check our play spots before children arrive, and use tools to pick up trash and droppings without touching them.
Hiking etiquette
Stay on the trail, leave no trace, and say hello to fellow hikers.
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- Stay on marked trails to protect plants and prevent erosion.
- Leave no trace: pack out trash, and leave rocks and plants as you found them.
- Use quiet voices so wildlife and other hikers can enjoy the park.
- Step aside to let others pass. Hikers going uphill go first.
- Watch wildlife from a distance, and never feed it.
- Greet others with a hello or a nod.
- We never build anything permanent in the park without permission.
Hot and cold days
Cold: we keep moving. Hot: shade and water games.
If a child shows signs of heat or cold illness, we bring them in, care for them, and call you.
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Cold
- Children stay active to keep warm, and teachers help them add layers.
- Hypothermia: we call 911, bring your child inside, remove wet clothes, and wrap them warmly.
- Frostbite: we warm the area gently in warm, not hot, water and never rub it.
Heat
- Shade, water games, and shorter hikes
- Heat exhaustion: we cool your child down in the shade or classroom, give cool fluids, and call you.
- Heatstroke signs, like confusion, no sweating, or hot dry skin: we call 911 right away.
When heat, cold, wind, or smoke cancels the outdoor half: Is school open? →
Not dressed for the weather?
We'll contact you. You may need to bring warmer or drier clothes, or your child may need to go home.
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- Teachers keep a little extra clothing on hand.
- In the worst weather, we use pop-up canopies and the covered area outside the Discovery Park Visitor Center.
- Need help getting gear? Talk with us. We host a clothing exchange for outgrown gear.
Lightning, wind, and falling branches
Lightning: we shelter at the Discovery Park Visitor Center.
Wind: we move away from big trees, and cancel outdoors at 30+ mph or gusts of 38+ mph.
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Lightning
- Thunder within 30 seconds of the flash: we start heading toward shelter.
- Within 5 seconds: we shelter at the Discovery Park Visitor Center. At the Locks or library, we stay under cover.
- We go back to play 20 minutes after the last strike.
Wind
- 15–20 mph: open areas only, away from big trees
- 20 mph, or gusts of 30+ mph: we move to the Ballard Locks, Magnolia Library, or Lawton Park
- We also weigh soaked ground, storm damage, and how long the wind will last
- If wind picks up during class, we may call for early pickup
Falling branches
If a large branch falls near us, we leave right away and don't go back until an arborist clears the area.
Why we let children take safe risks
Climbing, balancing, and exploring help children plan, build strength, and learn their own limits. Each day we choose our play spots by weighing the risks against the benefits, and every family signs our Outdoor Preschool Risk Waiver.
Read the full Risk Management handbook →