For children aged walking to 5 years old, with one accompanying parent/caregiver (babies in arms welcome). Enrollment is flexible and families can register up to 1 hour before class.

When & Where:

Tuesdays at Crescent Lake Park, St. Petersburg, FL - 1320 5th St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 @ 9:30am-10:30am (1hr)

Crescent Lake Park is a historic, 56-acre public park in St. Petersburg, Florida, centered around a picturesque 50-acre freshwater lake that attracts lots of wildlife, from turtles, to a diverse duck population, various water birds, and other migratory water fowl such as the American white pelican! It is widely used for its scenic walking trails and shaded green spaces. We will be gathering at a peaceful area surrounded by shade and oak trees, a magnificent old banyan tree, and a variety of birds to observe!

Thursdays at Bay Vista Park, St. Petersburg, FL - 7000 4th St S, St. Petersburg, FL 33705 @ 9:30am-11am (1.5 hrs)

Bay Vista Park is a scenic, hidden gem in St. Pete, offering shaded, open green spaces, waterfront views, bay and shoreline access for shallow water play, and abundant trees that create opportunities for sensory exploration and nature observation. There is also a playground (and bathrooms) on-site, making it perfect for a mix of nature play and playground fun!

About Owlets:

Owlets is a caregiver-and-child nature play gathering designed as an introduction to the Forest School philosophy that inspires the Fledglings drop-off program. It is a fully outdoor program.

Playfully named after the term for a baby owl, Owlets invites children ages walking to 5 years old and one accompanying caregiver to explore the natural world through slow, sensory-rich mornings.

These gatherings are intentionally unhurried, allowing children to move at their own pace and follow their curiosities. Owlets classes unfold around a seasonal focus, encouraging a sense of connection with the local environment and community.

Monthly themes create a spiral of learning and joyful discovery: repetition across the month fosters consistency, familiarity, and deeper exploration, while each week introduces a new layer of learning to sustain wonder and discovery.

Each gathering includes simple rituals such as a welcome circle, songs or stories, open-ended nature-based invitations and park exploration, and a closing moment to reconnect before parting. Children are offered open-ended, sensory-rich activities that support common play schemas and early social-emotional development.

Caregivers remain present throughout, participating alongside their children or stepping back to observe their experiments.

Owlets classes are capped at 12 children to allow for meaningful connection and space for exploration.

Caregivers and children are encouraged to dress in clothes that can get wet, dirty, and that dry quickly! Every class invites dirt and/or water play in some form. See the OWL Clothing Recommendations page here.