Family with young children hiking through a lush green forest
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A sanctuary for learning, naturally.

A 100% non-toxic microschool in Oakland County, Michigan. Half the day outdoors. Real food. No screens.

Become a founding familyHow we're different
3–9
Ages served
50/50
Indoor / outdoor
1:6
Guide ratio
0
Screens. ever.
Wild-tended.✦Whole-fed.✦Screen-free.✦Made in Michigan.✦
⟢ 01 — The Vision

Our kids deserve more than the status quo.

Traditional schools are increasingly defined by harsh fluorescent lighting, synthetic chemicals, ultra-processed food, and endless hours of screen time. We believe childhood should be protected.

Mitten Microschool is an escape hatch. We've combined the independence of Montessori with the wonder of forest school to create a holistic, wellness-first community where we stay intentionally small, and health dictates the design.

Mixed-ageProject-basedReal-worldOutdoors-firstTiny class
⟢ 02 — The Foundation

Four pillars hold up every choice we make.

/ 01

100% non-toxic.

Zero synthetic chemicals. Medical-grade air filtration, glass-bottle drinking water, and strictly non-toxic cleaning protocols. Even the crayons are tested.

  • HEPA + carbon air scrubbers
  • Reverse-osmosis filtered water
  • Solid-wood furniture, natural fiber rugs
/ 02

Real nutrition.

Food is fuel and food is family. Our instructional kitchen teaches children to cook from scratch with 100% organic, grass-fed, and locally-sourced Michigan ingredients.

  • Daily made-from-scratch lunch
  • School garden + chickens
  • Zero seed oils, dyes, or refined sugar
/ 03

50/50 immersion.

No more being stuck inside all day. We guarantee a minimum 50/50 split of indoor and outdoor time — rain, snow, sun, or shine. Michigan kids dress for the weather.

  • Forest mornings, weekly
  • Outdoor classroom + workshop
  • Real tools, real responsibility
/ 04

Real-world skills.

Montessori structure meets project-based learning. Kids leave knowing how to read a map, build a fire, write a letter, and disagree with kindness.

  • Mixed-age, self-paced learning
  • Apprentice-style mentoring
  • No standardized testing
⟢ 03 — A Day Here

A rhythm, not a bell schedule.

Children settle better when the day flows. We move with the sun, the seasons, and what's needed in the moment — long blocks of focused work, ample outdoor play, real food eaten together, and quiet for the body to rest.

Child arriving at school
8:00 — 9:00 amIndoors

Soft arrival

Children are greeted by name at the door. They hang their own coats, change into indoor shoes, and choose a quiet morning ritual — sweeping, watering, reading, or simply sitting with a guide.

⟢ 04 — The Difference

The receipts, side by side.

Most schools
  • Fluorescent lights, synthetic carpets, fragrance-heavy cleaners
  • 15-minute lunch of frozen, processed food
  • 20-minute recess if the weather is "nice"
  • Hours of screen-based instruction
  • One teacher, 25+ kids, single age group
  • Standardized testing, ranking, comparison
Mitten
Mitten Microschool
  • Daylight, solid wood, wool, glass — air you can taste is clean
  • An hour at the table, food cooked by us, eaten together
  • Half the day outside, every day, every season
  • Zero screens. Books, materials, hands, conversation.
  • Two guides, twelve children, mixed-age family
  • Narrative observation, mastery-based progress
⟢ 05 — The founding team

Meet the people building Mitten.

⟢ 06 — Honest answers

Questions you're probably wondering.

Is Mitten an accredited school?
We're working on becoming accredited. We will meet and exceed all state instructional requirements through narrative observation and mastery-based progress.
Where will the campus be?
We're actively seeking the best possible place.
What does "screen-free" actually mean?
Children never use tablets, phones, or computers during the school day. Our materials are physical: books, blocks, beads, brushes, real tools. Guides use a laptop only for documenting observations after hours.
My child has dietary restrictions. Can you accommodate?
Yes. We'll accommodate allergies and dietary needs, including substitutions where needed (gluten-free, dairy-free, AIP, etc.). We work with each family to honor cultural and religious food practices.
Outdoor in a Michigan winter? Really?
Really. There's no bad weather, only bad gear — we provide a stipend so every child has merino base layers, insulated bibs, mittens and boots that fit. Below 10°F we shorten outdoor blocks and warm up around the wood stove.
What about kindergarten readiness?
Mitten serves ages 3–9, so kindergarten happens here. Children leave us reading fluently, writing in cursive, comfortable with mathematical reasoning, and — perhaps more importantly — knowing how to ask good questions and solve problems with their hands.
You're on the list.
We'll be in touch within a week.
⟢ 07 — Help us build the village

We're gathering interest.

Join the waitlist for updates, invitations to our local meetups, and first access to founding-family enrollment.

Step 1 of 2
hello@mittenmicroschool.comWixom / Milford areaOpens Aug 2026