About Our School
A community-grown vision for outdoor education in the Township of Tay
How Nature Nurtures Tay Took Root
Nature Nurtures Tay Forest School grew from a simple belief: that children thrive when they spend meaningful time outdoors. What began as a vision shared among families in Port McNicoll and the Township of Tay has become a community-based non-profit dedicated to bringing nature-focused education to this beautiful corner of Ontario.
Our school is set on land at 2703 Triple Bay Rd., surrounded by forests, fields, and waterways that become our living classroom. Every day, children have the opportunity to explore, question, create, and grow — guided by educators who believe in the power of nature to inspire deep, lasting learning.
Our Educational Approach
We weave together multiple approaches to create rich, meaningful learning experiences.
Nature-Based & Outdoor
The natural world is our primary classroom. Rain or shine, children learn through direct experience with the land.
Inquiry & Play-Based
Children's questions and curiosity drive learning. Play is valued as the most natural form of exploration and meaning-making.
Land-Based & Experiential
Hands-on activities, practical life skills, and land stewardship are woven throughout every day.
Community-Centred
Families, educators, and neighbours collaborate to build a school that reflects shared values and local roots.
Seasonal & Cyclical
Learning follows the rhythms of the natural year — from planting to harvest, from frost to thaw.
Place-Based
Our curriculum is rooted in the specific geography, ecology, and history of this place on Georgian Bay.
Why Our Approach Works
Children learn best outdoors, in mixed-age groups, when learning feels meaningful and connected to real life. Here is some of the thinking behind our approach.
Benefits of Outdoor Learning
- Enhances social skills through collaboration, teamwork, and conflict resolution
- Boosts creativity and imagination with unstructured exploration time
- Improves memory retention by connecting learning to real-life situations
- Supports physical and mental health — time in nature lowers anxiety and improves mood, attention, sleep, and emotional regulation (“forest bathing” / shinrin-yoku)
- Connects children to nature and encourages mindfulness as a daily practice
- Adds healthy risk and adventure that builds confidence, resilience, and adaptability
- Makes hands-on STEAM learning genuinely engaging
Benefits of Mixed-Age Learning
- Children interact with different ages and abilities
- Children learn new skills from one another
- Older children develop leadership and mentoring skills
- Boosts confidence and self-esteem
- Children learn from each other’s strengths and collaborate to solve problems
- Allows children to progress at their own pace
- Reduces academic competition and the pressures attached to it
- Mimics real-life social structures
- Younger children often find peer learning less intimidating
- Develops perspective-taking skills
A Living Classroom on Georgian Bay
Our school sits on beautiful land at 2703 Triple Bay Rd. in Port McNicoll, in the Township of Tay. Surrounded by mixed forest, open fields, and close to the shores of Georgian Bay, this land offers an extraordinary setting for outdoor learning.
Children explore wooded trails, observe seasonal changes in the forest canopy, investigate creek beds, and learn to care for the land that sustains them. This place is not just where we learn — it is part of what we learn.
Our Team
The people behind Nature Nurtures Tay Forest School.
Franco Naccarato
President & CFO
Founding Member
Franco brings decades of experience in business leadership and financial stewardship to the school.
Alessandra Naccarato
Director of Accessibility, Inclusion & Community Engagement
Founding Member
Alessandra champions meaningful inclusion and ensures every family feels welcome and valued.
Ashley Lord
Director of Education & Programs
Founding Member
Ashley is a passionate educator who designs and leads the school's nature-based curriculum.