Questions
Questions families ask first
What ages and hours do you have?
Larch is for children from age 3 until they start kindergarten, in two groups by age. Mornings run 8:30 am to 12:30 pm on three or five days, and long days run to 2:30 pm on Tuesday and Thursday.
How does a tour work?
A tour is a walk with the group on a school morning, about an hour, at the yurt and on the trail. Dress for the weather. Children are welcome to come along, and you can book a time on our tour page.
What sets tuition?
The group your child is in, the schedule you pick and whether you include summer weeks. Our figures are on our enrollment page and we go through them with you at the tour. How tuition works has the rest.
How is a place held, and how does the waitlist work?
A signed enrollment agreement and a deposit hold a place, and the deposit goes toward the first month's tuition. When a group is full we keep a waitlist by group and schedule, and offers go out in the order families joined.
Is Larch licensed, and where are the ratios?
Yes. Larch is a licensed child care center, with the heated yurt as its indoor base. The license, the adult-to-child ratio for each age and our trail routines are on the Safety page.
What if it rains, snows or storms, and what should my child wear?
We go out in rain and snow in the right layers. For thunder, lightning and strong wind we stay in the yurt, and on a very cold morning we shorten our time outside. Send layers for the season, waterproof boots, a hat and a spare set of clothes; the Outdoors page has a list for each season.
Who is trained in first aid?
An adult trained in first aid and CPR is with every group on the trail and carries the kit and a phone. The Safety page lists our routines for headcounts, sign-in and pickup.
Do children need to be toilet trained?
Children who start at Larch are toilet learning and can ask for help. We don't have a changing area in the yurt. Accidents happen, we handle them calmly, and spare clothes stay at the yurt. Tell us where your child is at the tour.
What if my child has a hard day?
Every child has them. An adult stays close, names what is happening in calm words and offers a quiet spot in the yurt or a walk with a teacher. We tell you at pickup, and we ask what helps at home.
Photos of your child
We ask your written permission before we share any photo of your child, on this site, in newsletters or on social media, and you can change your answer at any time. We never put a child's name with a photo, and the photos on this site are examples until we replace them with our own.
Still have a question?
Call, write or come for a walk.