Forest school management software helps outdoor and nature-based programs stay organized, even when learning happens far from a classroom.
From unpredictable weather to rolling enrolment and seasonal staff, forest schools face unique operational challenges that traditional school or childcare software wasn’t built to handle.
In this guide, we break down the best forest school management software available today, so you can spend less time on admin and more time outside with your learners.
DISCLAIMER: Activity Messenger is our product. This guide reflects our experience working with outdoor and nature-based programs.
Forest school operators consistently report similar operational challenges:
These challenges often lead to juggling spreadsheets, email tools, form builders, and payment platforms, increasing admin time and risk of errors.
The right platform should help you:
✅ Simplify registration
✅ Collect waivers and medical information
✅ Automate communication
✅ Manage drop-ins, waitlists, invoicing, and payments
✅ Stay organized, even in the woods.
Running a forest school comes with unique challenges that traditional school or daycare software often doesn’t address. The right software should combine flexibility, mobility, and automation to make your daily operations smoother. Here’s what to look for:
| Feature | Why It Matters for Forest Schools |
| Online Registration | Parents and guardians can sign up quickly, even on mobile devices, without creating accounts; supports rolling enrolment and drop-ins, reducing admin for seasonal or weekend programs. |
| Digital Waivers & Health Forms | Collect medical information, allergies, and legal waivers securely and efficiently to reduce paper handling in the field, ensure safety compliance, and make emergency info easily accessible from phones. |
| SMS & Email Messaging | Instant communication keeps parents updated and staff aligned; send weather alerts, gear reminders, or last-minute schedule changes. |
| Flexible Payments | Supports deposits, full payments, instalments, or e-transfers, making it easier to handle seasonal camps, multi-day programs, and drop-ins without manual invoicing. |
| Drop-Ins & Waitlists | Automatically manages open spots and waitlisted participants to maximize enrolment and reduce administrative errors when spots become available at the last minute. |
| Mobile Access | Ensures staff can access the platform anywhere to track attendance, check participant forms, and send messages directly from the field—no office or desktop required. |
| Attendance Tracking | Keep accurate records for safety, reporting, and program analysis to quickly mark participants present via mobile, review trends, and improve program planning. |
| Automation & Workflows | Automate reminders, follow-ups, surveys, and notifications to reduce repetitive tasks and ensure families receive timely updates. |
| Reporting & Analytics | Understand enrolment trends, payment status, and program performance to help you make informed decisions about staffing, session planning, and future program offerings. |
| Software | Best For | SMS / Text Messaging | Waivers & Health Forms | Mobile-Friendly (Field Use) | Drop-Ins & Waitlists | Best Program Size | Limitations |
| Activity Messenger | Forest & outdoor schools | ✅ Native | ✅ Built-in | ✅ Mobile-first | ✅ Native | 30–300+ families | Setup required for automations |
| Pembee | Small UK-based forest schools | ⚠️ Limited | ✅ Built-in | ✅ Mobile-friendly | ⚠️ Partial | 10–50 families | Limited marketing & SMS |
| Jumbula | After-school & camps | ⚠️ Limited | ✅ Built-in | ✅ Mobile-friendly | ✅ Native | 50–500+ families | Complex UI, limited SMS |
| Brightwheel | Childcare centres | ⚠️ Limited | ✅ Built-in | ✅ Mobile app | ⚠️ Limited | 30–200 families | Less flexible for drop-ins |
| KinderLogix | Childcare programs | ⚠️ Limited | ✅ Built-in | ⚠️ Admin-focused | ⚠️ Limited | 50–300 families | Heavy for outdoor programs |
| Jotform | DIY forms | ❌ Not available | ⚠️ Forms only | ✅ Mobile-friendly | ❌ Manual | 10–50 families | No attendance or comms |
| Google Forms + Mailchimp | New programs | ❌ Not available | ❌ Not supported | ✅ Mobile-friendly | ❌ Manual | Under 30 families | Manual admin, no payments |
Best all-in-one platform for forest schools and outdoor programs
Activity Messenger is designed for programs that operate outside traditional classrooms. It combines registration, digital waivers, payments, attendance tracking, email, SMS, and surveys into a single platform.
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📌 Read More: Interested in learning more about what Activity Messenger can do? Check out our feature pages to explore the power of SMS marketing, easy waiver collection, and simplified attendance tracking for stress-free outdoor school management.
Best for simple booking-focused forest schools
Pembee is a lightweight booking system designed specifically for forest schools, particularly in the UK. It focuses on parent-friendly booking flows and clear session management.
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Best for structured after-school and camp programs
Jumbula offers advanced registration logic and scheduling tools, making it popular with after-school programs and camps.
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Best for childcare-style forest programs
Brightwheel is widely used in childcare and early learning environments. Some forest schools that operate as licensed daycares adopt it for billing and parent communication.
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Best for compliance-driven childcare organizations
KinderLogix focuses on operational compliance, reporting, and childcare administration.
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Best for DIY forms with payment options
Jotform is often used to build registration and waiver forms with Stripe or PayPal integration.
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Best free combo for small or new forest schools
If you’re starting out, a mix of Google Forms for registration and Mailchimp for parent emails can get the job done, all for free depending on usage.
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Running an outdoor or forest school comes with its own set of challenges, unpredictable weather, off-grid locations, and plenty of moving parts. That’s why more and more nature-based programs are turning to Activity Messenger to manage registration, collect payments, send reminders, and stay in touch with families.
Here’s how three inspiring outdoor schools use Activity Messenger every day:
Nurtured by Nature Forest School
Based in Ontario, Nurtured by Nature Forest School uses Activity Messenger to manage seasonal registrations and automate parent communications. With customizable forms, they collect everything from allergies to emergency contacts, all in one place. Waivers are signed digitally, and last-minute changes (like weather delays) are sent via SMS.
Parry Sound Forest School
This nature-based program relies on Activity Messenger to simplify class signups and collect payments online. Instead of juggling spreadsheets, Parry Sound Forest School now tracks attendance and sends newsletters to keep families informed without the administrative chaos.
The Guelph Outdoor School
The Guelph Outdoor School, one of the most established outdoor schools in Canada, uses Activity Messenger to streamline operations. They’ve automated communications and created engaging email templates for updates and program announcements. They also use group text messaging to quickly reach parents before or after a session.
Book a demo with Activity Messenger to learn how you can handle registration, payments, digital waivers, and SMS alerts in the field.
Book a demoThe best forest school management software depends on how your program operates. Forest schools that rely on flexible scheduling, digital waivers, mobile access, and SMS communication benefit most from all-in-one platforms like Activity Messenger that reduce paperwork and manual follow-ups.
Yes. SMS messaging is essential for forest schools. It ensures parents and guardians receive weather updates, gear reminders, or last-minute schedule changes immediately, even if they don’t check email. Reliable SMS can prevent confusion, missed sessions, and safety issues.
Absolutely. Modern forest school management software lets you collect payments, digital waivers, and medical forms in a single registration flow, reducing paperwork and administrative errors. This also simplifies tracking seasonal enrollments, drop-ins, and multi-day camps.
Mobile access is critical. Staff and volunteers often work in the field, away from desks. Look for software that allows attendance tracking, form access, messaging, and payment processing directly from smartphones or tablets.
Yes. Many forest schools begin with simple registration and payment tools and gradually adopt automation, SMS alerts, waitlist management, and reporting features as enrolment grows.
The right software depends on your program size, session frequency, and communication needs. Look for a platform that is mobile-friendly, supports digital forms, handles flexible enrollment, and integrates payments and messaging. All-in-one systems like Activity Messenger are ideal for schools that want to reduce admin while staying connected with families.
Using specialized software saves time, reduces errors, ensures compliance, and centralizes registration, attendance, payments, and communication. It also provides analytics to help you plan future sessions and understand enrollment trends.
Yes. Most platforms let you assign roles, track attendance, and send targeted communications to staff, whether they’re full-time, part-time, or volunteers — perfect for the flexible staffing model of outdoor programs.
The best forest school management software should work with the realities of outdoor education, not against them. Whether you’re running weekend nature classes or a full-time forest school, the right platform will reduce paperwork, improve communication, and give you more time outdoors with your students.
If your program relies on flexible enrolment, digital waivers, and real-time communication, investing in an all-in-one solution like Activity Messenger can dramatically simplify your operations.
💡 Curious if it’s the right fit? Book a free demo to see how Activity Messenger helps forest schools and outdoor programs reduce paperwork, streamline registration, and stay connected with families, even in the field.
Not ready to switch right away?
No problem. Many forest schools adopt Activity Messenger gradually. It can complement your current setup for digital waivers, SMS alerts, payments, drop-in management, attendance tracking, and parent communication, letting you test automation and mobile workflows without disrupting your program.
