Apple Orchard School

Apple Orchard School is built on the principles of unschooling, loose parts theory, risk-taking, outdoor play, and unstructured play. We see no difference between play and learning. Our school gives kids a chance to participate in creating a kids’ community where collaborative experiences can take place.

Our school is a part-time enrichment for unschooling families, not a private school or umbrella school.

The kids choose the materials in their school, direct their own learning, and build their own community. The kids are the architects of their own play: play that is self-directed, unstructured, and minimally intruded upon by adults. The adults present during the school day have completed a training program to give them skills to provide useful support to the kids’ community while remaining non-coercive and non-intrusive.

Our school is held outdoors in all seasons, in all weather, on an acre of land outside Farragut, TN. “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.”