We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lee Hamzy a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Lee, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?
The Story Behind Little Schoolhouse in the Woods
Little Schoolhouse in the Woods wasn’t born from a business plan or a grand design — it grew organically, the way spring ephemerals find the light. It began during a season of personal change: I had stepped away from my work at the Cincinnati Waldorf School to have my child. As someone deeply immersed in Waldorf education, I missed the rhythm of working with young children. So I brought a few kids from my former aftercare program into my home to care for them during the day.
That’s when something quietly powerful began to unfold.
We spent our days outside, often in Mount Airy Forest. I started to notice a change in the children — a freedom and lightness in their movement, their imaginations blooming, their joy deepening. It took time for me to understand what was happening, but eventually, it clicked: it was the forest. Nature itself was the teacher. The woods were sparking a sense of wonder and groundedness I hadn’t seen indoors.
Curious and inspired, I began researching and discovered the world of Waldkindergartens in Europe — forest schools where nature is the classroom. At the time, early childhood outdoor education was still a rarity in the U.S., but I knew this was the change I was witnessing and it needed to grow.
I began to share this vision with my husband, who was studying online to become a teacher. I told him, “This is it — this is what I’m seeing. The forest is the classroom.” It took some convincing, but eventually, he quit his job and joined me in this new project. We both attended the Farm and Forest Kindergarten training at Sunbridge Institute in New York, taught by the renowned Helle Heckmann, whose work helped crystallize the values we were already living into.
And from there, Little Schoolhouse in the Woods began to grow — slowly, lovingly, and with deep roots in our values: reverence for nature, trust in the child, and belief in the power of community.
Today, we are more than a school — we are a place where children are free to explore, to wonder, to connect. Where mud is magic and the woods are full of stories. It has evolved over time, shaped by the children themselves. Their growth showed us the way. We followed their lead — and the trees’.
Looking back, I didn’t set out to start what we are today, I followed what felt true, and let nature show me the rest. That instinct — paired with years of observation, learning, and love — is what continues to guide us today.
Lee, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Lee Hamzy, and I’m the co- founder and co-director of Little Schoolhouse in the Woods — a nature-based preschool program nestled on just over two acres of land, surrounded by Mount Airy Forest in Cincinnati, Ohio. We’re just 10 minutes from downtown, but once you step onto our land, you feel completely immersed in the wilderness. It’s a little pocket of magic, and we’re honored to share it with our community.
Nature has always been a part of me. I grew up running barefoot through the woods, building forts, hunting for fossils, riding bikes, and making magic with the neighborhood kids from sun up to sun down. That connection to the natural world shaped me — it taught me how to wonder, how to pay attention, how to be resilient and free. When my husband Jason Hamzy and I found our current home and land, it truly felt like a dream come true. We both knew this land was meant to be shared.
That dream came to life in the form of Little Schoolhouse in the Woods — a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) early childhood program born from a deep love of children, nature, and community. Our school serves 12 students, ages 3 to 6, and operates Monday through Friday, August through May. We are guided by the seasons, rooted in rhythm, and inspired by many different types of pedagogies. The forest is our classroom, and nature is our curriculum.
What sets us apart is the space we create — not just the physical space, but the emotional one. Our students are given the freedom to move, explore, and unfold at their own pace. In a time when childhood can feel rushed and over-scheduled, we offer something slower, quieter, and deeply meaningful. Children leave here with muddy boots, rosy cheeks, strong bodies, and open hearts.
We also strive to be more than just a preschool. We believe in community, and we’re committed to building relationships beyond our classroom. Throughout the year, we host community hikes, social gatherings, and seasonal celebrations that welcome families and neighbors into the fold. Our board of directors — made up of caring people — helps guide our mission and keep us rooted.
I’m most proud of what this school has become — not just because of what we’ve built, but because of the joy we see in the children every day. Their laughter echoing through the trees, their curiosity blooming with each new season, their friendships forming over shared discoveries — these are the things that remind us we’re doing something truly worthwhile.
If there’s one thing I want people to know about Little Schoolhouse in the Woods, it’s that we are here to honor childhood, to nurture wonder, and to build a future where children grow up feeling connected — to themselves, to one another, and to the earth beneath their feet.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
At the heart of Little Schoolhouse in the Woods is a simple but powerful mission: to build community through nature-based education.
I believe that children learn best when they feel rooted — in the land, in their stories, and in the people around them. That’s why we practice place-based education — an approach that uses the local environment and community as the foundation for learning. It’s hands-on, real-world, and deeply connected to where we are.
Every day, when we hike into Mt. Airy Forest, we’re not just taking a walk — we’re engaging all the senses. Our students learn to recognize native trees, listen for tree frogs, observe erosion, and feel the rhythm of the seasons. They absorb knowledge through stories, smells, sights, and sounds. These aren’t just lessons — they’re memories. Core memories that shape how children see the world.
Myd hope is that these children — even if they don’t remember the names of the trails or the details of every day — will carry with them a deep joy and reverence for the natural world. That joy becomes love, and love becomes care. And that’s the heart of our vision:
If every child had the chance to fall in love with their neighborhood between the ages of 0 and 8, they’d grow up invested in it.
They’d want to stay.
They’d want to nurture it.
They’d want to build a future there.
That’s how we create stronger communities —
One child.
One walk in the woods.
One story at a time.
How’d you meet your business partner?
How I Met My Co-Founder (and Husband), Jason Hamzy
Our story isn’t exactly your typical “how we met” tale — it’s a little wild, a little earthy, and completely rooted in the kind of community and adventure that still defines our lives today.
I met Jason while traveling on a converted school bus with a group of hippy kids heading to Rainbow Gatherings — those open-hearted, off-the-grid celebrations of peace, nature, and community. We had just driven up the side of a mountain near Mount Shasta, California, preparing to join the gathering. Before entering, though, our entire group had to pause and treat ourselves for lice — one of those rugged realities of life on the road. Most of us had dreadlocks, so we soaked our hair in rubbing alcohol under plastic bags and stayed close to our campsite to avoid spreading it.
That’s when Jason showed up.
He wandered over from word of mouth that we may have room on the bus and asked if he could join us on our next adventure. A few weeks later, after the gathering ended, he climbed aboard.
From there, the road shaped us. We became hitchhiking partners first, then best friends, and eventually, husband and wife. We lived in Little Rock for a while, did migrant work in Texas and Minnesota, and finally put down roots in Cincinnati to be close to my family — and to raise a family of our own.
Our winding path — full of roadside campfires, shared meals, and stories under the stars — shaped how we see the world and how we want to live in it. It also planted the seeds for Little Schoolhouse in the Woods: a place that values simplicity, connection, and the belief that life — and learning — is richer when lived in rhythm with the land and one another.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://littleschoolhouseinthewoods.org
- Instagram: @littleschoolhouseinthewoods
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littleschoolhouseinthewoods
- Other: https://littleschoolhouseinthewoods.substack.com/
