Little Macacos Forest School

Our Teachers

Directors

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Hello! We are Kevin and Cristina, the Founders and Directors of Little Macacos Forest School. We were inspired to start our outdoor education program because we’ve always wanted to be able to marry the work that we do with children in our in-home preschool program with the unique learning opportunities facilitated by being exclusively in a natural environment.

Cristina has experience working as both a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and Supportive Living Coach for those with special needs. Both positions helped her cultivate the empathy and skills of caregiving, patience, and responsibility at the professional level. In the early stages of Little Macacos, she was also a Tutor for students from pre-kindergarten to college. Through this experience, she learned how to work with children in the context of academia.

Cristina is a mother of two and graduate from the University of Phoenix with a Bachelor’s degree in Health Management.

Kevin is the eldest of his siblings and has years of experience caring for them with love and care.

Kevin saw other parents struggling to find quality child care and wanted to help fill that need through opening and operating Little Macacos. He has learned so much since starting the sister indoor-based program in 2015: he has loved learning the likes and dislikes of individual children as well as how to create a fun and enriching learning environment.

Kevin graduated from California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA) with a Bachelor’s degree in International Business and is a father of two.

Our Teacher

Hello there! My name is Jaqueline Arellano. At forest school I go by Teacher Jackie. I graduated with an Associates in Early Childhood Education in 2016 and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Child Development, and a minor in Art with honors from California State University, Los Angeles in 2019. I have more than 10 years of experience working with children ages 18 months- primary school. I have worked as a Tutor, Recreation Leader, Art Teacher, and Preschool Teacher.

My philosophy in education is routed in the belief of involving children in the learning process as well as providing access to various ways to express and think for themselves. Every child has the potential to learn and grow through play and support from their teacher.

Being an educator is my passion but being actively involved in my community is also very important. I was the Creative Content Chair of the Child Development Association at California State University, Los Angeles. Through the Center for Engagement, Service, and the Public Good at California State University, Los Angeles I volunteered at Kidspace Children’s Museum and Anna Bing Arnold’s Children Center for service-learning courses. I have volunteered for the Latino Equality Alliance of Boyle Heights for the past two years working with LGBTQIA youth and families as a volunteer for major events.

My outdoor experiences include having lived in a self-sustained commune in Northern California for a year where I learned gardening, repurposing, recycling, and outdoor survival skills. In addition, in high school, I was a Junior Naturalist for the Whittier Narrows Nature Center working hand-in-hand with wildlife and leading nature tours. On my spare time I enjoy traveling to natural sites, attractions, and landmarks hiking and exploring nature’s wonders.

Last but not least, I’m a loving mother of a four-year-old daughter named Luna. We enjoy going to the park, listening to music, and dancing in the car, playing “families”, reading bedtime books, visiting our neighborhood farmers market, and going to the local ice cream shop.

Testimonials

This little school is the best-kept secret in LA and has been a godsend for our family. My daughter started when she had just turned 2 and was very sensitive… and so was I about separating from her! From the moment we first visited, it was clear this was a special, nurturing place. We had tried a regular preschool for 2 weeks and it was too much… the nature environment and small class size immediately made her much calmer. She has grown into a confident, agile, nature-loving girl who notices details everywhere she goes. Jackie is a wonderful teacher who knows how to help kids develop character, and the activities and adventures they plan are always inventive. The families in this program are also really cool and supportive of each other and have become real friends. We will miss it!

Philosophy

Little Macacos Forest School is a half-day outdoor education program for young children based out of Elysian Park in Los Angeles. The three components that come together to form the foundation of our outdoor education program are nature-based learning, Spanish language development, and STEM-inspired curriculum. We believe that this unique combination of focused programing, combined with our beautiful outdoor classroom, deliver a truly transformative learning experience for our students.

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Location

Lttle Macacos Forest School is located in Elysian Park near the Chavez Ridge Disc Golf Course on Solano Canyon Drive. There’s plenty of parking near the playgrounds on either side of Solano Canyon Drive.

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About our program

Each day, we leverage the wonderfully natural setting that is our outdoor classroom to help foster the growth of our students and address their developmental needs. Our curriculum is flexible enough to meet each child where they are and allow them to run at their own pace. All children are different and not all learn the same as others. With our low provider to student ratio, we offer greater teacher-student interaction with more individualized teaching and care.

Our curriculum is STEM-inspired, child-centered, 100% outdoors, and taught in both Spanish and English. At Little Macacos Forest School, our mission is to be a guide in your child’s journey navigating the many wonders of our outdoor classroom.

Admissions

Join the Little Macacos Forest School community in four easy steps:

1. Explore our website

We’ve provided information about our philosophies and offerings to help you decide if our program may be right for your family.

2. Tour our program

Come see what makes Little Macacos Forest School unique. Please schedule a tour or attend an Open House event.

3. Submit an Enrollment Application

If you would like to enroll, please submit an application at www.wonderschool.com/little-macacos-forest-school-2953/apply – Please note that we require tours for all prospective families. Please do not submit an application if you have not visited the program.

4. Enroll

After reviewing your application, we’ll send an enrollment invitation. Upon accepting your invitation you’ll pay your enrollment fee, fill out enrollment documents and review our Parent Handbook.