About Us
Child's Element offers a Forest School, Summer Camp, & Caregiver/Child classes in Nature Areas in Salt Lake, Utah and Surrounding Cities.
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.
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 play and community. Children are able to experience the natural wonder of being a child in our solely outdoor classes.
Sara Wild Jones
Founder, Director, Administrator, Teacher
Sara grew up in the PNW 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 25 years experience in early childcare, and has been running Child's Element since 2017, her desire to deepen her knowledge in this field continues. In the Spring of 2025, Sara became a Guide for Forest Therapy & Forest Bathing with an emphasis on Guiding children, families, and mothers.
This education has allowed Sara to incorporate new trainings for Teachers to support Children in further connecting with nature during class time.
Sara is also pursuing her Birthing Doula certificate, to be completed by the end of 2026.
In Sara's experience leading preschool groups at a Therapeutic Preschool adds a unique perspective in her approach to guiding children, and strives to provide children with the most beneficial foundational support.
She is dedicated to the work of connecting teachers and children with nature, self, their families, and community. You will see her present at classes often, connecting with children, teachers, and parents, as well as offering continued training for the teachers.
Sara lives in Salt Lake with her husband and son, and their dogs: Zeus and Dragon. Sara and her family spend time outside together on a regular basis climbing, hiking, snowboarding, riding motorcycles, gardening, dog parks, and tent or van camping to continue cultivating a strong connection with each other and nature.
Siena, Teacher at Mindful Forest School (Holladay)
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
Shianne, Teacher at Mindful Forest School (Holladay)
Shianne grew up in a small town in Southern Utah and recently moved to the Salt Lake valley. She has a deep passion for nature and the outdoors, and feels happiest when hiking, camping, swimming, or outside with kids. She is thrilled to have found Child's Element where she can follow her dream of guiding the current youngest generation, while also spending her time outside. Shianne's calming demeanor brings a grounding affect to every class. She is imaginative, present, and has a natural skill of connecting children to themselves and nature.
Shianne has two cats named Smokey and Cheese, a Bachelor's degree in History, and runs her own small business for handmade knitwear: @phroggycrafts on Instagram.
McKenna, Teacher at Mindful Forest School (Bountiful)
Kenna is Arizona raised, which means she came to us with a spot spot for wide skies and desert light, and a knack for finding beauty in places other people walk right past.
Before joining us, Kenna taught K-6 music at an elementary school and sent years as a guitar teacher (a chapter she's itching to pick back up). She is a teacher genuinely loves being outside, where outside feels like home.
Off the clock, Kenna can be found sewing, crafting, elbow-deep in her garden, or gone off-grid camping, backpacking, biking, or in the river. Her weekends are usually spent on road trips with her husband and dog, Jett.
Arielle, Teacher at Mindful Forest School (Bountiful)
(Photo coming soon)
Arielle was born and raised in Utah along the Wasatch Front. As the oldest child and oldest grandchild in her family, she has been around and with kids her whole life.
Arielle’s background in teaching started with girl scouts and girls camp. She studied dance for 14 years with a year of studying dance education. She taught dance classes for three years and went on to teach aerials (circus) to children 4 and up for the last eleven years.
She has a passion for creativity, exploration, and movement. She loves helping littles one's create, gain confidence and overcome fears with movement.
As a new mom with a one year old, when Arielle is not teaching her daughter is her main focus. All kinds of outdoor and art activities are their favorite, especially when they are able to connect with others and the world around us.
LaDonn, Teacher at Mindful Forest School (Bountiful)
(Photo coming soon)
LaDonn is a Kundalini Yoga and Yoga teacher who loves sharing practices that support presence, movement, and self awareness. She is a musician and singer, and has a strong love for music, rhythm, and creative expression. She is passionate about outdoor education and believes nature is one of our best teachers.
She is a lifelong learner who is naturally curious and loves exploring new ideas, places, and perspectives.
She enjoys creating and incorporating art, music, movement, storytelling, and imagination into everyday life. LaDonn has a kindness that is tangible. She is authentic and has strong emotional awareness that benefits each child in her class. She strives to be a person where anyone can feel safe to be themselves.
LaDonn puts high value on mindful and conscious parenting, and supporting children's independence, curiosity, and connection to the natural world. She loves adventure, community, festivals, travel, and finding moments of magic in ordinary moments.
She believes life is to be lived with experiences of curiosity, presence, play, and a sense of wonder.
Teacher of the Grown Up & Me classes
COMING SOON (this class is currently paused)