Davis Forest School is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) outdoor education and nature play organization based in Northern California. We create immersive, land-based learning experiences that center curiosity, connection, and community. Our programs invite children into a deeper relationship with the natural world through free play, exploration, artistic expression, storytelling, active games, and quiet observation — all held outdoors, year-round.
Since our founding, we’ve more than doubled the number of children we serve each year. In 2024 alone, we reached nearly 600 children across our Davis and Sacramento locations — and we’re still growing!
We believe every child deserves access to nature. Outdoor education is not a luxury — it is a vital foundation for well-being, resilience, and a lifelong sense of belonging. Yet too often, access to green spaces and nature-based learning is shaped by systemic barriers rooted in race, class, and privilege. At Davis Forest School, we are committed to equity in the outdoors. Through our equity fund, we offer reparations-based financial support and need-based tuition assistance to ensure that no child is turned away due to financial hardship. Roughly one-third of our students receive some form of support to make their participation possible.
We hold our programs on the ancestral lands of the Patwin Wintun (Davis area) and the Nisenan people (Sacramento area), and honor the deep, ongoing relationship these communities have with the land. Their knowledge, stories, and stewardship are foundational to our work.
When you support Davis Forest School, you’re helping us grow a future where all children — regardless of background or income — can feel a sense of wonder, freedom, and belonging in nature.