Our Philosophy

Wild Onion Play provides a safe and empowering environment for children to grow at their own pace, as whole people, within the urban ecosystem of Zhigaagoong [Chicago], where wild onions grow. Our philosophy is centered on reducing hierarchy between staff, children, and the larger community by embracing consensus decision-making and mutual trust.

Adults act as co-learners, learning from and alongside the children, as facilitators, providing activities and materials, as observers, stepping back to assess and allow children to play freely, and as caregivers, assisting with care routines and setting appropriate limits.

Days at Wild Onion have a flexible daily flow that can shift and grow to meet children’s needs and interests while providing routine.

  • This schedule represents a typical day at Wild Onion, but the exact times of activities will shift depending on group needs.

    9:00-9:15 am Drop-Off

    Families arrive and check in with the playworker by the backpack tarps. Each child takes their tarp, spreads it out, and stakes it to the ground. They then place their things onto the tarp. (On rainy days, we have a shared backpack tarp under a shelter). A playworker looks over the child's gear to ensure they have everything they need for the day.

    After gear has been checked, the caregiver heads out or stays through morning meeting.

    9:30 am Morning Meeting

    Morning meeting is called by a bell and song. We greet each other with a brief community-building activity. Then, we discuss the weather, community agreements, and the day's activities. We aim to keep these conversations brief so that the children stay engaged.

    After morning meeting, we encourage drop-off caregivers who are still present to say goodbye for the day!

    9:45 am Guided Exploration

    A playworker facilitates an open-ended activity that is informed by the kids' interests and experience levels. These activities are typically designed to encourage group work and skill development. They may look like a large-scale art piece, 'play lab,' or tool practice.

    10:30 am Snack

    Snack is be called by a bell and song. Participants gather their water bottles and snack bowls, put them at a spot on the snack quilt, and then wash their hands at the water coolers. During this transition, playworkers check in with children about going to the bathroom, gear, and other reminders as needed.

    During snack, a playworker will tell a story or facilitate conversation.

    After eating, participants wash their hands, put away their snack things, and transition into play.

    10:45 am Free Play

    This is an unstructured time for children to dive into play. This may look like building, climbing, acting out stories, creating art, or squishing mud. Playworkers step into 'watching mode,' making and documenting observations about each child, ensuring physical and emotional safety, and supplementing play as helpful.

    The group will typically be close to the backpack tarp area at this time. On special occasions, we may go for a morning adventure.

    12:00 pm Lunch

    Lunch is called by a bell and song. Participants gather their water bottles and lunch boxes, put them at a spot on the snack quilt, and wash their hands at the water coolers. During this transition, playworkers check in with children about going to the bathroom, gear, and other reminders as needed.

    After eating, participants wash their hands, put away their lunch things, and transition into play.

    12:30 pm Sit Spots

    At the beginning of the season, children choose a special spot to sit for a short time every class. These spots are all within sight of each other, but distant enough to provide some solitude. Playworkers help children gain comfort in this practice by offering activity suggestions, art supplies, or books as helpful.

    12:45 pm Free Play

    During this free play time, playworkers and children may adventure into the 'beyond' (the Forest Preserves outside of typical boundaries) or practice tool use, depending on interest and energy levels.

    2:30 pm Closing Meeting

    Closing meeting is called by a bell and song. We reflect on the day with a quick community-building activity. We say goodbye to each other. After closing meeting, children gather their things and help clean up some playthings.

    2:45 pm Pick-Up Time

    Caregivers arrive and sign their child out with the playworker by the backpack tarps.

    2:45-3:00pm Chat with Playworkers

    Playworkers communicate noteworthy events from the day, share accomplishments, and pass along preparation notes for coming sessions as needed. Caregivers are encouraged to glance at the lost and found pile before leaving.

Wild Onion’s philosophy is anchored in our relationships with each other and the with the land. Here, children find opportunities to explore and reflect on their physical, cultural, and ecological surroundings in order to better know themselves and participate in community. When opportunities arise, facilitators invite children to investigate existing power relationships and explore concepts of liberation.

We inhabit and learn on occupied Bodéwadmi (Pottawatomie) land. We are committed to respecting indigenous heritage and histories, learning the story of the land and the people of this land, and honoring those who have been unjustly removed from their homelands in these woods.

Being fully outdoors in most weather fosters comfort and familiarity with the natural environment, and encourages children to construct knowledge about the ecosystem.

  • Anti-hierarchical - Children, families, and coworkers have equal power within Wild Onion Play Collective. We work towards this value by utilizing consensus decision-making in staff meetings, inviting community members to participate in all aspects of the organization, operating transparently, and recognizing children’s agency and intelligence.

    Holistic - Programming is designed to foster the child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive growth. We recognize that children deserve to develop at their own pace in a nurturing and empowering environment.

    Place-based - Being fully outdoors, our direct environment is the beginning and end of all Wild Onion programming. We provide children with opportunities to explore and reflect on their physical, cultural, and ecological surroundings in order to better know themselves and participate in community. As a program, we seek to collaborate with our immediate and larger community.

    Flexible and Emergent - Days at Wild Onion have a flexible framework that can shift and grow to meet children’s needs and interests while providing routine. Inspiration for activities will come from adults, kids, and the environment. All activities will be optional, engaging, and sensory-rich.

  • Stimulating - We provide a variety of playthings including loose parts, arts, books, and tools in order to provoke play and exploration. Activities are designed to be sensory-rich and engaging.

    Comfortable - We evaluate and supplement our surroundings in order to provide a predictable, challenging, and safe environment. We center the principle that outdoor education should not happen at the expense of comfort, and seek to provide indoor arrangements in the case of extreme weather (likely library rental rooms, museum visits, or spaces offered by community members).

    Child-empowering - Materials are sourced with children in mind and stored in ways that children can access them. Children are encouraged to move freely (within limits) and take appropriate risks.

  • Facilitators - We introduce flexible activities, inspired by children’s interests, that aim to develop children’s creativity, fine motor skills, and inspire them to use the scientific method and the power of observation. We seek opportunities to educate through play, storytelling, and collaboration.

    Observers - We step back, let children do their thing, and make thoughtful and informed observations about children’s growth and needs.

    Co-learners - We embrace curiosity and join kids as they explore and wonder. We acknowledge that education is never complete and that we can learn from kids, each other, and the ecosystem that we are a part of.

    Caregivers - We provide care and nurturing, and help with caregiving routines when needed. We believe that mutual trust and secure relationships between playworkers and children is important to creating a comfortable environment for children to explore and take risks in.

    Kindred - We are a part of a Community that is in turn a part of this Ecosystem. We are kind, we treat our queer and wild family as a part of ourselves. We encourage care for each other and for the land, we acknowledge that we are passing through this space as visitors and under the hospitality of those who have their roots here: the first nations, the forest, the river and all those who call here home.

How Wild Onion Lines up with Other Pedagogies

  • We are largely aligned with Forest School programs.  

  • We are largely aligned with Reggio Emilia philosophy. Key differences include our outdoor setting, and the framework of activities that playworkers bring in (as opposed to a wholly emergent curriculum).

  • We share Montessori’s emphasis on thoughtful design of the learning space, and have a similar approach to age and developmental groupings. We differ from Montessori philosophy in that we embrace fantasy and adults’ roles as co-learners. 

  • We share Waldorf early childhood programs’ emphasis on creating comfort and beauty, embracing magic, and encouraging all-weather play. We do not employ Waldorf theories of development and may utilize technology as a tool for learning. 

  • We draw inspiration from indigenous tradition and Critical Pedagogy.