About Us
The Child's Element offers a Forest Preschool & Parent/Child classes in and around the Foothills of the Wasatch Mountains
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The Child's Element programs guide children and families in developing mindfulness and emotional intelligence while having fun. From creative expression and meditation, to building, hiking, and playing outside, our programs are where imagination and confidence soar.
We believe that allowing a child to be a kid, supports their learning through free play.
We have calm, fun, and supportive Teachers, who are passionate about child development and emotional connection, peer connection, and family connection.
With only the use of nature-related tools and items, attendees join together in our outdoor community to utilize ideas and their creative uniqueness.
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Experiencing our Earth's elements hands on, families and children learn with the seasons.
We find joy in every moment of every year.
Our Mission
The Child's Element provides an environment where children learn through free play and community. Children are able to experience the natural wonder of being a child in our solely outdoor classes.
Sara Wild Jones
Creator, Director, Administrator, Teacher
Sara grew up in the Pacific Northwest where she was primarily homeschooled. Her love for the outdoors was established as a child as she explored the Forest behind her house. Her natural gift with children was seen at an early age and has now provided child care for hundreds of children throughout her life.
Sara's degree in Psychology & Child Development from the University of Utah fueled her passion for guiding young developing minds.
Although Sara has over 20 years experience in early childcare, and has been running Child's Element since 2017, her desire to deepen her knowledge in this field continues. She will complete her Nature Forest Therapy Guide Certificate in Spring of 2025.
In Sara's twenties she led groups of young children in a Therapeutic Preschool. This experience adds a unique perspective in the training she has created for Teachers at Child's Element.
Sara strives to provide children with the most needed foundational support in their earliest years. She is dedicated to the work of connecting children with nature, self, their families, and community.
Sara lives in Salt Lake with her husband Max, and their dogs: Zeus, Oliver, and Dragon. Sara and Max spend time outside together on a regular basis climbing, snowboarding, riding motorcycles, gardening, dog parks, and tent or van camping to continue cultivating a strong connection with each other and nature.
Lea, Teacher
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Lea moved from WA to UT when she was 5 years old. Her backyard in Utah ran along the fence line of an enormous apple orchard. Lea spent most of her childhood there. She'd spend her days with the horses and catch snakes in the grass. With Steve Irwin as her number one influence, she quickly became the neighborhood snake wrangler. Her neighbors would specifically request her for snake extraction. She was only 7 years old.
From 2010-2015, Lea volunteered at a program in Orem called Friday’s Kids. There, she was a caretaker for special needs children between the ages of 3-12. Soon after Lea reconnected with her passion for animals and nature. She has spent the last 8 years in multiple fields, becoming certified as an animal behavior specialist- focusing on wildlife education. In 2021 Lea started her own business called Creature Connection. As a behavior consultant, she offers Canine and Equine Training. She strives to teach people animal language, and to preserve the wild spark in future generations. She believes wild life education strengthens our relationship with the land, and brings us back to our sovereignty. Lea is passionate about discovering the natural world, especially alongside children, and is thrilled to be a part of Mindful Forest School.
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Maddy, Teacher
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Maddy has flourished in environments where she can be creative, empowered, active, and adventurous in all aspects of life. From ages 2-17, she attended strict private schools where students were expected to learn in one specific and traditional way, with grades based on their ability to sit still and take tests. Asking questions about “why” things were done a certain way was often considered backtalk. While she values her traditional education, she feels that her opportunities to learn through alternative activities such as Girl Scouts, sports teams, and art extracurriculars taught her practical life skills she uses every day in her career, friendships, and hobbies. She believes forest school is a place where kids can not only learn life skills but also gain empowerment and confidence in themselves.
Maddy brings a wealth of experience and passion to her role as a teacher at a forest school. With a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and minors in psychology and nutrition from the University of Utah, she combines her academic background with practical skills to create a holistic learning environment for her students.
With 10 years of experience working with children in various capacities, including nannying, behavior therapy, coaching basketball, camp counseling, and teaching, Maddy is well-equipped to engage and inspire young learners. She has been CPR and first aid certified for the past 12 years, ensuring a safe and secure environment for all her students.
In addition to her role at the forest school, Maddy owns and directs a youth basketball program called Roots and coaches basketball at Granger High School. She also enjoys spending time with her dog Hazel, selling handmade crafts on Etsy, spending time with her nephew, and going to concerts.
Siena, Teacher
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Siena grew up in Cedar City, Utah and moved to the Salt Lake City area in 2020 to continue her college education at The University of Utah. Siena’s love for the outdoors developed early in her childhood through exploring and recreating in the vast and beautiful mountains and canyons of Southern Utah. Siena has always had a deep passion and gratitude for the outdoors and the benefits that one can receive from it.
Using this as motivation, Siena received her Bachelors of Science in Recreational Therapy in 2023 and is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) as well as licensed through the state of Utah as a Recreational Therapist. With this as her educational background, she combines her skills from working with teenagers in a mental health setting and knowledge in Attention Restoration Theory to create a mindful and holistic learning environment for children, where every activity and connection is intentional and important in their development.
Siena’s love for nature soars everyday, even outside of Forest school. She enjoys rock climbing, playing and practicing mindfulness in the rain, camping, hiking, backpacking, and hammocking. If she’s not doing something outside, she is crocheting, cooking, reading, doing yoga, listening to music or enjoying quality time with the people she loves
Elaina, Teacher
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Elaina believes that fostering emotional connection, mindfulness, and independence while using the Earth and its resources is priceless for young children. Caring for the Earth ties all humans together, and deepens our connection with ourselves and others. She feels strongly that nature provides healing and education for all people, especially children.
Elaina was raised on a cattle ranch in Wyoming, nestled in the Green River Valley where she was part of a very small, tight-knit community. Growing up with an intimate relationship with nature, she developed a deep respect and love for life in all its forms and stages - whether it was a calf born that spring, a garter snake moving through the yard, the vegetables in the garden or a spider living in the garage. As a child she explored the woods across the river and hills surrounding her small town, all while tending to dozens of siblings and cousins. Having a large family supported her passion of caregiving and teaching. She spent much of her free time outside reading encyclopedias and wilderness books to share knowledge with her cousins about the world around them. It was obvious that she was meant to teach from a young age.
At 19, she trained to become a caregiver for adults with developmental disabilities where she was commended on her incredible dedication and compassion for those she worked with. She realized that her empathy, mindfulness, and love of teaching would be valuable in every part of her life. She has been CPR & First Aid certified for 6 years and has worked as a private nanny, a daycare teacher and a Registered Behavior Technician for children with autism before discovering Child’s Element. She strives to expand her knowledge of children’s development, and is incredibly happy to be teaching at Mindful Forest School.
Elaina lives in Salt Lake where she enjoys spending her free time painting, hiking, swimming, biking, and exploring in the mountains while balancing it out with a few trips to the arcade or the movie theatre for discount Tuesday tickets with her partner Tim and step-daughter Luna.
Shay, Teacher
From a very young age, Shay has had a passion for learning about the world around her; some of her earliest memories are of watching educational television like National Geographic and PBS, and flipping through the world encyclopedia. Shay has always been compassionate for all living things and the natural world around us, with a strong belief that we as humans are not above any other creature, plant or even microbe, on this planet.
This philosophy deeply influences her approach to child care and child development. She has a deep love for little minds and believes that children are incredibly capable of doing and learning; all they need is the space, support, guidance, and encouragement to be able to self actualize. In 2023 Shay received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and is currently attending Southern New Hampshire University to complete her master’s degree in the same field. In 2024 Shay, along with a few friends, started the Coping Creative Craft Collective, an arts and crafts organization aimed at promoting mental health awareness and community outreach through art.
Shay currently lives in Salt Lake City with her husband Connor and dog Okonokos. Together they enjoy playing music, going to concerts and traveling any chance they get.
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