We are Toca, where learning happens through play.
Toca is a forest school in Park Slope, Brooklyn, for children ages 2 and up. Our educational program takes place outdoors year-round. We meet every day to explore, observe, create and play together using primarily elements we find in nature.
Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Every day
& year-round
We’re Bilingual! English & Portuguese (Brazil)
"The substance of play is joy. And nature is its essential territory."
— Maria Amélia Pereira, Brazilian educator
Childhood Culture. The Culture of Play.
Toca is an outdoor educational program centered around childhood culture, where play is the universal language that guides children toward a life filled with freedom, joy, autonomy, humanity and confidence. Through play, children develop their imagination, creativity and social skills. They learn to express themselves authentically, to empathize with others, and to navigate the complexities of life.
Nature is the source from which all the elements of childhood culture spring from. By connecting each child with the wonders of the outdoors, we cultivate a generation that appreciates and protects the natural world.
Methodology
Our methodology is guided by the following principles:
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We observe and listen to each child, allowing their natural curiosity and intrinsic motivation to guide our activities. By tailoring our approach to individual children, we create a supportive environment that nurtures their growth and empowers them to explore and learn at their own pace.
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Unstructured play is a vital component of childhood culture. Everything children do freely gives them the power of deciding what to do and which direction to take, which is exactly what they need in order to grow. This is what fosters independence, decision-making, and the development of social and emotional competencies.
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In our nature classes we encourage children to observe and interact with the natural elements around them. From studying plants and animals to exploring natural phenomena, the wonders of the outdoors offer rich opportunities. Nature teaches us that there is a time for everything - we just need to be receptive and patient.
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Children learn as a whole - their minds and bodies together. By understanding how physical, cognitive, emotional and social development are interconnected, we are able to support holistic growth, encompassing not only cognitive skills but also emotional intelligence, physical coordination, social interactions, and environmental awareness.
Who we are
As teachers, we strive to reconnect with our own inner child. When we experience the world through their eyes, we create a connection that fosters trust, empathy and mutual respect.
Meet Lelé.
Say Leh-Leh!
Founder and Program Directress
With a background in Fine Arts, Lelé has discovered and researched the philosophy of Childhood Culture since 1990 in her hometown of Belo Horizonte and throughout Brazil.
She has also worked for the Brazilian government assisting vulnerable children for over a decade applying this approach. Lelé moved to New York and for the past 21 years she became a reference of Childhood Culture, which she brought to life at TOCA.
Lelé is also the founder of Childhood Rescue Project, a 501c non-profit organization.
Meet our Team.
We are very fortunate to have an amazing team that brings a lot of joy, love, enthusiasm and creativity to the kids in the park.
Emily
Emily O’Donnell is a Comparative Religion major at Hunter College, expected to graduate in Fall 2026. She has worked professionally with children for 12 years. One of the most meaningful experiences was leading a foster care support group program at a church in Nevada, where she and her team cared for children with complex backgrounds. Those evenings revealed the transformative power of love, play, and presence, and reinforced that learning flows both ways between children and adults. Now based in Brooklyn, Emily treasures her time with the children of TOCA, exploring the park and the rhythms of the natural world. Though the setting is different from her earlier work, she finds that people’s core needs remain the same. Whether rescuing turtles, making mandalas, performing clown shows, or honoring a dead bird with a funeral, Emily values the children and the park’s ability to reveal both the playful and profound truths of life.
Jessie
Jessie values building genuine relationships with both people and the natural world around her. She graduated from the University of Southern California with a BA in Communication and began her teaching journey in traditional middle and high school classrooms in Los Angeles. She fell in love with outdoor education during a summer in Germany, where she worked at a children’s wilderness camp, and later went on to teach as a children’s ski instructor in both Colorado and Australia. These experiences deepened her appreciation for nature-based learning, ultimately leading her to a teaching position at a forest preschool in her hometown of San Diego, and now to the TOCA team. Inspired by the many wonderful teachers in her life, Jessie aims to create an empowering learning environment that fosters critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and a love for exploration. Outside of the park, Jessie enjoys collaging, treasure hunting at swap meets, and is currently learning belly dance.
Lulu
Lulu is a dedicated childcare provider and early childhood educator. Her passion for the field began while pursuing her bachelor’s degree at Sarah Lawrence College, where she focused deeply on developmental psychology. Over the course of her studies, she explored a plethora of different pedagogies through extensive research and hands-on classroom participation, with each environment offering unique teaching styles and missions. Lulu’s diverse experience includes volunteering at a local elementary school in Bronxville, NY, interning at Old First Nursery School in Brooklyn, NY, and traveling overseas to work as an English teacher in France. Each of these opportunities proved to be incredibly valuable, teaching her about the profound impact of education on malleable young minds. TOCA’s mission and emphasis on play through the exploration of nature is not only fun, but also highly effective in aiding children's cognitive development. Lulu is honored to be an active advocate of TOCA’s values and could not be more thrilled to be a part of this wonderful team!
Mac
Mac is a teacher and visual artist from New York City. She graduated from Colorado College with a BA in Film Studies and worked as a storyboard artist and illustrator for animation and film. She is interested in how children use story and imaginative play to process ideas about the world around them and encourages them to explore their interests through storytelling and games. With a background in art and drawing, Mac enjoys bringing in visual projects that can be made from the natural tools available and engage the children with creative puzzles. She loves to help them build fairy houses from twigs and flowers, jewelry, drawings and collages.
Mah
Born and raised in Brazil, Matheus has a degree in Food Science from the University of São Paulo. During college, he was actively involved with Enactus, where he had the chance to work on social entrepreneurship projects alongside vulnerable communities and learn from their realities. That experience sparked his passion for social impact and naturally drew him to the work of the Childhood Rescue Project and TOCA. The commitment of these organizations on creating positive social and environmental change reflects values that have always been important to him and continue to inspire his work today.
Riley
Originally from Delaware, Riley graduated from Flagler College with a B.A. in Sociology with a focus on social institutions and social change. While Riley has always enjoyed working with children through nannying, her passion for teaching began when her studies led her to Salamanca, Spain where she began teaching at an English school. During her time teaching both children and adults, she found herself inspired by the intuitively curious spirits of her youngest students. In 2024, Riley entered the world of forest schooling, teaching preschool aged children in San Diego. Riley finds joy in witnessing her students’ curious nature and seeks to foster that child-like wonder in all that she does. When she’s not in the park, you’ll find her immersed in nature, reading, cooking, making art, or exploring various forms of movement.
Zoe
Zoe grew up in Nyack, NY, lived in Park Slope for the last four years, and recently made the move to Harlem. With a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and a current focus on her master’s in special education, she has spent years working with kids of all ages in nature and environmental education. Zoe dreams of opening her own nature school one day. When she isn't teaching or enjoying the outdoors, she loves animals, traveling, art, and music.
Zeena
Zeena is an educator and multidisciplinary designer from Austin, Texas. She enjoys making creative, playful projects that invite kids to explore and learn by the act of doing.
Things we do at Toca
We walk, we sing!
We greet our trees.
We do “silence time”.
We build together.
We hunt for treasures.
We let children be.
What parents say
“Toca is an absolutely magical place. Lele and Peter are so warm and loving which sets an incredible tone for the other teachers, students and parents.
Both of my sons started going to Toca when they were 2 years old, and I really credit it for their love of playing in nature, getting dirty, and engaging in imaginative play. It’s very common when we go outside that they start building with sticks and rocks and flowers, pretending they are running a restaurant or museum, and that’s 100% because of Toca.
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“Our experience with Toca has been a genuine celebration of childhood, and some of the sweetest moments in my day come from seeing my daughter come around the path at pickup time, with a bright light in her eyes, a big smile on her face, acorns filling her pockets, and bits of leaves in her hair.”
“It can be hard to describe what our 4-year-old daughter Esme learned over the last year when she participated in TOCA. The difficulty lies in trying to figure out how to assess learning. Typically we talk in terms of skill or performance, but those metrics fail to capture what she gained over the year that she spent with Peter, and Lele in Prospect Park. Somewhat enigmatically I would venture to say that she gained self-certainty. As I am thinking about it, self-certainty fits somewhere between self-confidence, independence, and calmness. All that time in the meadow under the “magic tree” building pirate ships with sticks, searching for rocks, climbing on everything she possibly could, and just sitting quietly feeling the grass between her fingers cultivated a trust in herself. A lot of it, I think, can be attributed to the unstructured play in which they allow the kids to engage in whatever exploration they can imagine (as long as it is safe), as well as the time that they are allowed to investigate their surroundings, walk through the trees, talk with friends, or to simply be with themselves in nature. Esme cultivated a focus that we notice when we are teaching her to read, when she builds with her blocks, or is painting. A careful and considered attention to her surroundings that was allowed to cultivate outside of the rush of activities and programs that we typically sign our kids up for. I am confident that this will have been one of the most wondrous years of her life, and I hope that the lessons she learned this year will stay with her as she grows.
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“TOCA is more than a nature school—it truly feels like a community. As the saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child,” and I believe TOCA is exactly that village.
From the moment you arrive, Peter, Lele, and the staff greet every child and family with a warm hug and genuine excitement. That first interaction is so important because it creates a sense of belonging and connection.
The teachers always go above and beyond to make every child feel like part of the TOCA family. You can truly see how much they care. Happy teachers create happy children, and happy children create happy families.
Thank you, TOCA. You have been such a blessing to my family, and we are so grateful to be part of this wonderful community.
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“Lele, Peter, and the entire TOCA team have created such a special place for children to build a genuine connection with the natural world through curiosity, exploration, and play...all while growing up in the big city!
Finding our kids’ pockets filled with rocks and acorns and leaves is a wonderful reminder of the magic they’re experiencing out there in Prospect Park.
Two of our children have absolutely flourished at TOCA, and we so look forward to sending our third. We feel incredibly fortunate to be part of such a warm, unique, and fun community.
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“The absolute best. We sent my son here from when he was 22 months to almost 3 years old. Lele and Peter, the owners and directors are the most generous, warm people. They care immensely about the wellbeing and happiness of the children and their staff. The people they hire are top notch. The fact that the kids are outdoors all weather, and all seasons and the park is their classroom is such a unique experience. My son looks forward to going to TOCA everyday, and talks so much about how much he loves his teachers and friends. I felt a little hesitant about sending him out in the winter, but it ended up being such a special experience. I wish I had this when I was a kid.”
“My son has been there since he was 2 and it is the most magical setting - the way they nurture the children and play with them is something so incredibly special and I feel so lucky to have found Toca! “
”Every morning I drop my son off knowing he is spending his days in the most beautiful setting with truly magical educators - being a part of the Toca family has enriched our whole lives as a family and I feel truly blessed!”
““I met Lele when I was looking for a first “school” option for my oldest daughter. Now, nearly seven years and three kids later, I cannot believe how lucky I am to have found her. Lele has a gift. Time spent at TOCA is magical: stories come alive, nature transforms into art, wild two and three year olds become little angels. TOCA so special because it is child led but Lele facilitated. Lele is genuinely interested in how small children play. And she understands how important that play is to a child’s development and that child’s interactions with the world. Over the years my children have learned so much by being in this environment – and I have gained a warm, funny, smart and invaluable friend. I can’t wait for my youngest to join TOCA!
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“TOCA is the most joyous part of the week for our kids in Prospect Park. The passionate teachers have a positive attitude that is contagious. Our kids come home happy, rain or shine, cold or hot. They explored, they played, they asked questions, they are heard, they are seen, and they get answers while learning at the same time. The park transforms into a mythical landscape with a magic tree and a cave where something mysterious lives, and a bridge with a handsome troll in an ugly sweater. To have your preschool-aged children tell you a fairy tale enthusiastically is a great reward. We had tried another larger Prospect Park-based school for a year and found mixed enthusiasm and higher turnover among the teachers which led to an inconsistent experience. With TOCA our kids are excited to go to school every time. Our kids have been going to TOCA some weekdays and summer weeks for two years and are sad now that kindergarten won’t let them go as much.
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“TOCA was an incredibly nurturing environment for our daughter Chloe for two years. We saw Chloe thriving and truly enjoying every second at the playgroup. Lele is an extraordinary educator, with a remarkable vision and vocation. She created a unique, inclusive and creative environnement in which each child could find his voice, build confidence, self esteem and develop a strong sense of belonging to a warm community. Lele’s dedication and deep commitment to children and their emotional well being, is contagious. She calls herself a facilitator but she is truly a visionary educator and a role model for children. Through more than fifteen years of experience with children and profound commitment to her vision, Lele has developed a deep understanding of early childhood, of the importance of play, and how to foster creativity and imagination through original and poetic hands-on activities, games and group activities. Chloe will always remember her years at the playgroup as moments filled with joy and wonder.
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“TOCA was Isaac’s first school experience and we feel incredibly lucky that it was with Lele and Peter. Under the guidance of his teachers and with the wonders of an outdoor classroom, Isaac’s connection to nature has grown incredibly. I notice that when we take simple walks around the block the way he stops to study a stick or collects seeds is a direct result of his time at TOCA. He had initial separation anxiety but Lele really understands children and she was able to read his needs and help him make this transition. His confidence in himself and his physical abilities is stronger. His imaginative play is brighter. One of his favorite activities at home is to play school, acting as one of his teachers and searching the house for sticks! Isaac will miss his time at this magical playgroup but what he has learned and the connections he made will stay with him.”
“We feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to send our daughter to Toca. It was one of the best decisions we’ve made for our family and we are so grateful for everything this community has given us.
The teachers are truly exceptional. They are supportive, patient, and loving—not only with our daughter, but with our entire family. From the very beginning, they made us feel welcomed, encouraged, and confident that our daughter was exactly where she was meant to be.
The growth we’ve seen in our daughter has been remarkable. She has developed a genuine love and appreciation for nature and she finds endless joy in exploring the outdoors. One of the greatest gifts Toca has given her is the ability to be content without toys, screens, or constant entertainment. She has learned to use her imagination, observe the world around her, and stay deeply engaged in whatever she’s doing. Her concentration and ability to focus have grown tremendously.
We’ve also been impressed by her physical development. Her balance, coordination, and overall motor skills have advanced, and we know that comes from spending every day climbing, hiking, balancing, digging, and exploring in such a natural environment.
She is excited to go every single day. Rain, cold, mud, or snow—it never mattered. She always came home happy and eager to go back the next morning.
We couldn’t have asked for a more nurturing and inspiring place for her early years. We recommend Toca wholeheartedly to any family looking for a preschool that fosters curiosity, resilience, kindness, and a lifelong love of learning.
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FAQ
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Toca is a verb of multiple interpretations: To touch, to play an instrument and to create an emotional bond. It’s also a noun, meaning nook, or a place to hide.
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It means our program takes place in nature and every class is outdoors. We combine learnings from Casa Redonda and Casa das 5 Pedrinhas along with Lele’s extensive reseach and understanding of childhood culture and work with only what nature can provide. Prospect Park has all the elements childhood culture springs from. By connecting each child with the wonders of the outdoors, we cultivate a generation that appreciates and protects the natural world.
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No. Curriculums are wonderful for specific learning - but here they make no sense. Toca is the place to learn about oneself in their own space and time, which will always be honored and respected.
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There will always be a nice place for rest, but napping is not obligatory.
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No - and we’re really experienced in helping you through the process.
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Yes, absolutely! In fact, that’s the most beneficial enrollment for the child. Our minimum is twice a week (less than that is simply not beneficial; not for the child, nor for the rest of the group).
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Our minimum is 20 months. So, technically, yes.
