Join us on this journey as we plant new roots and grow toward a brighter future!

For the past nine years, Ponderosa State Park has been the heart of our operations, providing an incredible space for our program and community. However, as the park expands to meet its own growing needs, our time here is coming to an end. The 2025-2026 school year will be our final year at Ponderosa State Park.

This marks a pivotal moment for Roots—we are embarking on an ambitious mission to find a new location and build a permanent home, one intentionally designed to support the unique needs of our students and staff.

This project is about more than just ensuring the future of Roots; it’s an opportunity to create a lasting space that embodies our mission and values. We envision a home that will serve as the heart of Roots for generations to come, fostering growth, exploration, and a deep connection to nature. We hope our new site will allow us to expand our programs, meet the evolving needs of children and families, and deepen our impact within the broader community.

This project is a significant step forward in realizing our vision of exceptional early childhood education—one that nurtures curiosity, creativity, and a love for learning while making a lasting difference in the lives of children and families in our community.

Together, let's pave the way to empower life-long learners.

What is Roots?

Roots is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Founded in 2015 as Idaho's first forest preschool, Roots Forest School is nestled in Ponderosa State Park. Our preschool students spend their class time in both our forest classroom and on group hikes around Ponderosa Park. Whatever the venue, children at Roots learn through self-directed inquiry. With teachers as their guides, children have the time, space, and materials to find the answers to important questions that help them understand the world. We are excited to be in our 10th year in operation! Currently over 186 Roots Alumni span kindergarten to seventh grade in our local school districts. Visit our website to learn more!

Why Forest School?

Forest schools provide a balance of child-led play and focused experiential learning. Students engage with their surroundings and are immersed in nature. Place-based curriculum follows the flow of the seasons with the study of local ecology and seasonal changes while students learn the importance of taking care of their environment, its creatures, and each other. Research shows that this approach encourages the development of executive functioning skills that will contribute to a student’s success in future academic and personal endeavors.

A Glimpse Inside!