PoemTree After-School Program for Ages 5-12
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PoemTree After-School Program is a nature-based program inspired by forest schools for children and preteens between the ages of 5 and 12, led by experienced outdoor educators.
This creative, play-based (mostly) program offers children the gift of free time to play, explore their own imaginations and build outdoor skills in the woods. When we visit the woods or other nature areas, we practice supervised "risky play" by climbing and exploring, which is important for children's development in many ways. PoemTree runs Monday-Friday, 3-5:30 p.m., with a choice of attending two, three, or five days a week. Early-out care is also available on days when the Ames Community School District dismisses classes early. Families may enroll at any point during the year (if space is available), and for just part of the year if desired, rather than for the whole school year. Join for a month, a season, or the whole school year! For the 2025-26 school year, the Ames Community School District will bus kids from Meeker and Fellows, to Prairie Flower. Request busing with the district via your parent portal. PoemTree families are invited to Prairie Flower's seasonal festivals, meant to help build community within our families. Starting in fall 2025, PoemTree families will be asked to be part of Prairie Flower's co-operative model by contributing 5 hours of volunteer time per semester to the center. This could be through serving on a committee like Fundraising or Classroom Upkeep, or by helping with miscellaneous tasks like helping at a seasonal festival or staffing an event booth at a community event. What Goes on During PoemTree?
After arrival, we start with a snack, which the kids often help prepare. Then, our main activity is free play in the nearby woods and/or nature playscape. However, on any given day at PoemTree, you may find your child:
During the winter months when days are shorter, we are at times forced indoors, where our main activities are playing board games, cooking, making art and other forms of crafting and handwork (like weaving, knitting, sewing, and painting). As a child-led center, we follow the impulses and interests of the children. Seasonally, we explore different themes or skills. Tuition for 2025-26 school year - effective August 2025: Find your household size and income level to determine what tier your family is in. Annual income is “adjusted gross income” using your most recent federal income tax return. 
To qualify for Tier A-D, upon enrolling you must confirm eligibility by sharing either a free/reduced price lunch eligibility letter (for Tier A or B), or most recent federal tax return for the household (Tier A-Tier D). If sharing your tax return is not possible, you can instead share pay stubs for all working adults in the household, or proof of unemployment or non-income. Your information is kept confidential.
The number of spots at Tiers A-D are limited. You must be a Story County resident to qualify. We thank the Story County ASSET grant funders (United Way, Story County, and City of Ames) for making this sliding fee scale possible! We also accept childcare assistance funding through Iowa DHS for families meeting DHS requirements (the current income requirement is an annual household income of $51,440 or less, for a family of four). This requires a separate application through DHS. We also accept tuition reimbursement from the Federal Childcare Subsidy Program for federal workers who qualify (e.g. USDA employees in Ames). Written notification of your intent to withdraw (or to change your schedule to fewer days per week) must be received one month in advance – otherwise, tuition is still due for the 30 days of the notice period. For example, if you email the Director ([email protected]) on or before February 1st asking to withdraw starting March 1st, then March tuition will not be due. However, if you email the director on February 15th asking to withdraw starting March 1st, then a prorated payment for tuition from March 1-March 15 is still due. |
Apply Today! Enrollment is open for the 2025-26 school year.
Give your child or pre-teen the gift of free time, space to play a chance to build creative outdoor skills with their friends in the woods!
Note that we use Brightwheel for forms and for communication with families. You will be prompted to create a Brightwheel account if you do not have one already.
Space is limited. Once you apply, a member of Prairie Flower's enrollment team will contact you.
PoemTree Motto
In woods, creeks & ravines We swear to care for bees and trees and all living things between In words, deeds & responses We strive to be kind and mindful to ourselves, our teachers and our fellows In works, dreams & creations We will go forth playfully to build and imagine new things |