Welcome to the Great Outdoors
Join the fun! Our kids go home every day with messy hands and bright smiles.
Jardin Infantil Academy is a small, family-owned business that offers children aged 4 to 12 a unique forest school experience. They focus on enriching early childhood education by providing outdoor learning opportunities that foster a lifelong love for the environment.
Day-to-day activities include building forts, playing at a splash pad, counting ducks and squirrels to practice numbers, drawing letters in the dirt or snow, enjoying picnic lunches, and pursuing various interests such as theater, art, cooking, sports, and nature exploration. It’s a hands-on and engaging approach to education in a natural setting.
What Drives Us
Jardin Infantil Academy is dedicated to early childhood education and youth development. Their mission is to nurture young minds, fostering confident, resilient, and passionate children with strong problem-solving skills. They draw inspiration from educational philosophies like Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and Waldorf to create a child-centered curriculum that emphasizes independence, individual interests, cognitive and physical development, mixed-age interactions, and multilingualism (Spanish and French).
Our academy aims to provide a safe, happy, and inclusive environment where all children can learn, explore, and grow. All of our staff are first aid trained and have passed a vulnerable sector check, ensuring a secure and supportive space for every child.
Where to Find Us
Our summer and year-round camps welcome children across the city. We have access to indoor space at a local church, which is situated on a hilltop at Bloor St. West and Indian Rd., but Jardin Infantil Academy does not have any religious affiliation.
In warmer weather, the children spend as much time as possible outside, including drop-offs and pick-ups directly inside High Park. In cooler weather in addition to campers eating indoors, they also get to enjoy fun indoor activities such as participating on field trips to an indoors destination, a visit to the local library for a special show or participating on a special presentation/activity leaded by our special guest.
We also have Marta’s daycare program which offers a home environment at the corner of Pacific Ave. and Glenlake Ave. Our indoor location is within easy walking distance of High Park, allowing maximum time outside for the children.
Jardin Infantil Academy Summer & Year Round Camps
High Park
Redeemer Lutheran Church
1691 Bloor Street West
Our Team
Marta Estrada
Hi! I’m Marta, the founder and director of Jardin Infantil Academy. My journey began with a deep passion for working with children, nurtured by my upbringing as the eldest in a family of five in El Salvador.
After completing three years of teacher training and launching two preschool programs there, I moved to Toronto in 1990, where I earned an Early Childhood Education diploma. Little did I know, the forest school concept was gaining popularity in Europe at the time, emphasizing nature-based learning. In 2000, I established Jardin Infantil Academy, named for “kindergarten” in Spanish and French.
Witnessing children flourish through exploratory play and develop self-confidence, I expanded our program to include camps for school-age kids, inspired by the positive impact on their development.
Steve
Hi, I’m Steve, and I’ve been working in early childhood education since 1993. In that time, I’ve taken care of infants, pre-schoolers, and school-age children, and mastered quite a few things…including the art of storytelling. I can do the voices for a classic like Little Red Riding Hood, or draw on my own imagination to weave a tale about a rescue helicopter that delivers sushi.