Explore a magical forest school where little learners connect with nature, creativity, and each other through Warunya “June” Soontorntae’s vision.

In Thailand, education often emphasises academics over exploration, and the potential of nature-based learning is still widely overlooked. 

Here, Mama June (Warunya “June” Soontorntae) and Papa Robin (Robin Schroeter) are changing that with Firefly Forest School, located at Lad Prao. They have gathered their little fireflies – children with sparks to discover, create, and shine. 

The school is named after fireflies because, like these tiny woodland creatures, each child carries their own light. Alone it may seem small, but together their glow transforms the forest into something magical. At Firefly Forest School, every child is encouraged to find their light, connect with the natural world, and carry their curiosity and creativity into life.

The Path of Nature-Inspired Education for Children 

“Well, actually, my first inspiration came from my son. Ever since I had him, I started looking for a school that would suit him. I wanted my child to be surrounded by nature and to learn through art. Since my background is in performing arts and I’ve always been a very artistic person, I felt it was important for him to have time to reflect on life and express himself creatively. At the same time, I also wanted him to develop practical, hands-on skills.”

While researching for a school focusing on nature and art, she found a group in the home-schooling community. Charlotte Mason’s curriculum matched her style and she joined this group.  

“There’s this idea she mentioned that what matters most in education isn’t how much knowledge a child has when they finish school, but how much they care about life and the world around them. I really connect with that. To me, this kind of learning structure represents sustainable education: one that allows children to take what they’ve learned and carry it forward into their lives in a real and lasting way.” 

She tried applying it with her own child when he was about three years old. She took him outdoors to explore different themes and learn through nature. Later on she invited her friends from the groups she joined to participate  in the experience as well.

Later June and her family went to Germany to visit the hometown of her husband. While there, she came across a small school by a forest trail, where children were playing nearby and a campfire filled the air with the scent of wood smoke. Curious, she asked about it and discovered it was a forest school. That moment inspired her as she realised it was exactly the kind of education she wanted for her child. 

From that experience, she began to grow within her community and decided to establish the Firefly Forest School, with her husband, Robin supporting her on the business side. 

“Mostly, the curriculum is guided by my own approach, while Robin manages the operational side of the school, overseeing its vision, administration, and parent relations, as well as social media and other organisational aspects. When it comes to the content, I draw inspiration from the forest school model in Germany and from Rudolf Steiner’s philosophy, which integrates human life and personal development into education.” 

Learning Through Wonder and Play

“I once wrote something that has stayed with me: “How can we tell children to protect nature if they don’t feel connected to it?”

When we grow up, we’re often told we must love and conserve the environment, but if we don’t truly understand why it’s important, that message doesn’t stay with us. For me, what I’m doing now is about nurturing that connection, helping children realise that nature is part of their lives, and that they themselves are part of the world around them. Everything is connected.”  

The school provides classes from pre-kindergarten to kindergarten and recently expanded into primary levels from grade 1-3. Even at this early stage,  June introduces thematic learning, gradually increasing the depth and complexity of the subjects as the children grow. 

“Our themes are tied to the seasons. For example, at this time of year, around Halloween, we explore pumpkins, mushrooms, leaves, and other seasonal motifs. Within each theme, we weave in various subjects — maths, science, English, so learning becomes integrated and meaningful. In reading, they might explore stories about pumpkins; in maths, we count and measure pumpkins; and in science, they can observe growth and change.”

Every activity is hands-on and incorporates elements of creativity and drama. June believes that these immersive experiences, where children engage and create, form long-lasting memories and deepen their understanding of the world around them.

“Many people often ask whether we teach regular subjects, or if the children are just playing all day. Some parents and adults aren’t familiar with integrated learning, so they wonder how reading, writing, and maths fit into our approach. The answer is yes, we do cover all the standard subjects, but we make them engaging and playful.”

To make learning magical, June teaches maths outdoors in the garden and turns baking into little science experiments, making every lesson exciting. Children begin phonics, reading, and writing around four or five years old, and practise basic numeracy, all within a themed curriculum. 

Where Curiosity Blooms And Wonder Grows: The Motto At The Heart of Firefly Forest School. 

This marks the third year since she began welcoming other children into the classroom, and she feels that this year has shown the most remarkable progress yet. In the July term alone, families from Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Germany, and the United States travelled to join the programme.

Many families have returned year after year, and the school continues to evolve in every aspect from engaging activities and enhanced safety systems to the positive feedback from parents.

“I’ve always had a ten-year plan to grow the school into a stable, larger institution recognised for its meaningful curriculum. Already, other schools are adopting our approach or observing our methods. I hope this can spread beyond Bangkok so more children can access diverse education. Being part of change doesn’t mean doing it alone, I want to contribute to transforming Thai education, and I can already see it evolving in exciting ways.”