Colectiva Wild Haven
Nurturing their wild, protecting their sovereignty.
Wild Haven in Chirripó, Costa Rica
Wild Haven in Chirripó, Costa Rica
Wild Haven is the physical place - the land, buildings, outdoor environments, and daily spaces that hold the children. It is where learning, play, movement, and relationship unfold in real time.
Wild Haven is the grounded, embodied container.
The Sacred Oak Way is the philosophy and village way that lives within (and beyond) that space. It is the guiding worldview.
Wild Haven is the home that holds the children. Sacred Oak is the way we live, learn, and relate within it - and the village vision it grows into.
Join Us in 2026
Join Us in 2026
Come for a period of 1 month or stay longer and join in the full experience.
Sacred Oak is beginning in person with a pilot season in Chirripó, Costa Rica, at the learning village hub called Wild Haven - a place of mountains, jungle, rivers, and real life. This first season is an invitation to grow alongside us as we bring The Sacred Oak Way into lived experience.
Come experience the magic of Chirripó with your family and take part in village life centered around Wild Haven.
Families live in nearby housing and can gather daily at the learning hub. Children experience responsive, personalized education rooted in real-life projects, creativity, and warriorship. Parents are supported through conscious parenting practices, shared responsibility, and meaningful connection with other families.
This is slow, relational living - learning, creating, eating, training, and growing together.
Join Our Zoom to feel into it.
January 24, 2026 10:00am CST
The age groupings at Wild Haven are guidelines, not rigid boundaries. Children grow in different ways and at different rhythms, and learning is most alive when it meets a child’s readiness, interest, and capacity for responsibility.
If a younger child feels drawn to clubs, projects, or deeper focus, they may be invited into those experiences through conversation with their mentor. Likewise, children are always supported to move at a pace that feels safe, supportive, and right for them.
Movement between groups happens thoughtfully and relationally - based on curiosity, emotional readiness, and mutual agreement between the child, mentor, and family. This flexibility allows each child to be met as they are, rather than shaped to fit a system.
At Wild Haven, we trust that when children are given time, support, and meaningful invitations, they naturally grow into the next stage.
Wildlings (ages 4–6)
Wildlings learn through play, movement, relationship, and sensory experience. Their days are unhurried and responsive, guided by curiosity and supported by clear, calm adults. Learning unfolds through the environment, daily rhythms, and real experiences - not lessons or worksheets.
What Wildlings Are Doing
Free exploration and imaginative play
Climbing, balancing, carrying, building with their bodies
Creating art, mixing colors, working with clay
Playing with water, sand, and mud
Listening to stories, acting them out, making meaning together
Practicing care — for themselves, others, and the environment
Resting when they need to, with support
The Spaces Wildlings Move Through
Sensory Zone – water tables, sandbox, mud kitchen, loose parts
Creation Zone – painting, clay, drawing, mixed materials
Warrior Zone – climbing, balance, movement, strength play
Rest & Calm Zone – hammocks, cushions, quiet corners
Nature Spaces – gardens, paths, open land
The Ways We Support Wildlings
Freedom within clear, loving boundaries
Consistent rhythms that create safety
Close adult presence for co-regulation and emotional support
Trust in play as the foundation for learning
Attention to nervous systems, not behavior management
Wildlings are not rushed into academics. Instead, they build the foundations for lifelong learning — confidence, curiosity, coordination, and trust in themselves and the world.
Wayfinders (ages 7–12)
Wayfinders are in a stage of growing independence, skill-building, and identity. They are ready to take their interests seriously, work toward goals, and collaborate with others - while still learning through hands-on, real-life experiences.
What Wayfinders Are Doing
Working on personal or collaborative projects they care about
Building skills through focused practice and exploration
Joining clubs that match their interests and strengths
Creating, building, experimenting, and problem-solving
Developing pride in their work and sharing what they’ve made
Clubs & Project Examples
Clubs shift based on the children present and their unique essence. Examples include:
Art & Creation Club
Building & Construction Club
Nature Skills & Herbalism Club
Science & Investigation Club
Movement & Warrior Skills Club
Clubs run in 6-week arcs, giving children time to go deeper, practice skills, and work toward something tangible they can share at the end of the cycle.
The Wayfinders Rhythm
Monday – Personal Projects
Wayfinders focus on self-chosen projects, supported by guides and mentors.Tuesday & Wednesday – Clubs
Time for shared interest groups, skill-building, and collaborative learning.Thursday – River Day
A full day of outdoor exploration, movement, rest, and connection in nature.
Mentorship & Adventure Maps
Each Wayfinder is paired with a mentor they build a real relationship with - someone who checks in with them, supports them, and truly sees them.
At the start of each month, Wayfinders meet with their mentor to create a personal Adventure Map. Together, they map a 6-week learning arc, allowing learning to be intentional, responsive, and deeply personal.
Wayfinders are not following a preset curriculum. They are learning how to follow themselves - with support, structure, and meaningful relationships.
Waymakers (teens)
Waymakers are at a stage where learning deepens through real responsibility, mentorship, and meaningful work. Apprenticeships offer teens a way to move beyond exploration and into commitment - working alongside skilled adults, developing real-world skills, and discovering what it means to contribute to something larger than themselves.
At Wild Haven, apprenticeships replace classes and grades. Learning happens through proximity, practice, and participation, within clear structures that support focus, care, and accountability. Teens build confidence, pride, and purpose by staying with work over time and seeing their efforts matter.
Cycle One: Teen Creative Apprenticeship — Artist Residency
The first apprenticeship cycle is a real-world art residency. Teens work inside a functioning studio alongside a professional artist, each with their own space and the freedom to pursue long-term projects while being held within a steady rhythm of creative life.
Projects unfold over multi-week cycles and may include personal bodies of work, material apprenticeships, collaborative murals, or community-based creations. Weekly guided experiences - such as jungle hikes for inspiration, sketching sessions, gallery visits, or technique demonstrations - support both skill development and creative depth.
The cycle includes monthly open gallery days and culminates in a formal Art Gala fundraiser, where teen work is shared with the wider community with care and intention.
Wild Haven is for teens ready to work deeply, take responsibility for their growth, and be part of something real.
Read more about Greg Allen (our Artist and Creative Catalyst) and the apprenticeship here.
Reading, Writing & Math - A Grounded Perspective
Let’s begin by naming the fear.
Many parents worry: Will my child learn to read? Will they fall behind in math? Am I risking their future by not pushing sooner?
These fears don’t come from children - they come from old systems, comparison culture, and fear-based narratives we’ve inherited.
We believe that what matters most in childhood is passion, purpose, confidence, play, emotional intelligence, happiness, and the ability to relate to others. These are the foundations that allow learning to emerge and endure.
This doesn’t mean reading, writing, and math aren’t important. They are.
They are basic human skills, not fragile accomplishments that require constant pressure to develop.
At Wild Haven, learning in these areas is responsive and natural - not forced, scheduled, or artificially woven into every activity. We do not believe children need continuous academic exposure to be successful.
When a child shows interest, curiosity, or readiness, we respond.
That response might look like:
Supporting a child to read a recipe they’re excited about
Writing lists, signs, or stories that have real meaning
Measuring wood for a building project or ingredients for cooking
Introducing fractions, numbers, or spelling because they matter in that moment
Short, focused guidance is offered when it’s useful, not before.
This allows learning to land with clarity and confidence, instead of resistance.
Decades of research and lived experience show that children raised in environments like this do learn to read, write, and work with numbers - often quickly and with strong comprehension - once they are developmentally and emotionally ready.
At Wild Haven, we trust childhood.
We trust readiness.
And we trust that when children are supported, seen, and engaged in real life, the basics take care of themselves.
Our Daily Rhythm
Our days are rooted in deep responsiveness to each child - trusting their unique essence to unfold in its own timing and direction.
Rather than top-down instruction, Sacred Oak at Wild Haven offers rich materials, real tools, meaningful work, and mentorship invitations. Children move through personalized pathways and natural collaboration, following curiosity while learning how to be in relationship with others, the land, and themselves.
Learning here unfolds through doing, experimenting, building, creating, negotiating, resting, and trying again - supported by attentive adults who listen closely and respond in real time.
Responsiveness & Deep Listening
Each month, the Wild Haven team gathers to observe what the children are showing us - through their play, questions, conflicts, fascinations, and creations.
From this, guides design a Monthly Adventure Map: a shared rhythm that reflects group interests and brings in project invitations, materials, and experiences aligned with what is alive for the children.
Alongside this, each child meets individually with a mentor to explore inspiration for a personal or collaborative project. Together, they create a Creation Path - a flexible, goal-oriented plan that supports the child in bringing something meaningful into the world, step by step.
Boundaries That Support Freedom
Our days flow with the rhythm of children and the natural world, balancing freedom, guidance, and play within clear, respectful boundaries.
At the beginning of each cycle, agreements are shared and created with the children. Their voices matter. These shared agreements support safety, care for the space, and respect for one another - and are held collectively by the group.
Parent Presence & Child Autonomy
Parents are welcome to quietly observe in ways that support the children’s natural flow. They are also invited to join during designated eating times.
We encourage families to pack snacks so children can honor their own hunger cues throughout the day. Eating is always available. Rest is equally respected - children may relax in a hammock or rest space whenever their body asks for it.
Here, autonomy is not separation - it’s trusted independence held within a responsive village.
About Wild Haven
Rooted in deep presence, reverence, and respect for each child and their unique essence, Wild Haven is a living, evolving village - A space where children lead their way, and the whole family is invited to grow alongside them.
Nestled in the lush Chirripó mountain region of Costa Rica, we are a community committed to sovereignty, nature, and heart. We guide and support the children to live in their truth - to express freely, feel deeply, and trust themselves. In their presence, we as adults are naturally called forward to embody our own authenticity. As we truly honour who they are, we are reminded to do the same - and together, we rise into a more conscious, connected way of living. We are now witnessing 'the village' that so many of us have longed for, come to life - a living reflection of our shared prayer for belonging, harmony, and truth.
We believe that when children are trusted and given the space to listen to and express their inner voice, they become their own greatest guides. Our role is not to mold them, but to walk alongside them - creating an environment where they can connect with their true essence and evolve from that sacred place of curiosity, freedom and self-trust.
Wild Haven extends beyond the children. It embraces the families, guides, and community members who walk this sovereign path together. We are raising these children together - and through this shared journey, we are remembering what it means to live in harmony with ourselves, one another, and our Earth Mother.
Who were you before the world told you who to be?
Perhaps that’s what this village is here to remind us - that within each child, within all of us - lives the wisdom to remember our true nature and access the gifts we came here with...
Wild Haven VisionAt Wild Haven, learning is sourced from living - Every day is an invitation for co-creation and collaboration.
We listen to our children as active participants in their own learning. We honour their authenticity, allowing their interests and curiosities to guide the path. You won’t find a rigid curriculum here. Instead, we follow the sparks of their inspiration, trusting that they will lead the way toward meaningful, relevant, and self-driven experiences... And they do!
We provide a natural, yet fun environment where children choose their own direction, deciding how and with whom they interact. The guides carefully pay attention to what lights them up and take action on that.
We deeply value play, and children are given all the space they need to play freely - because it matters. Through play, they return to their essence: unconditioned, creative, and fully alive.
The old authoritarian model is dissolving. Our children feel it. They speak through their behaviours, their resistance, their longing for something different. We are here. We are listening. We are answering their call.
Imagine a space where your involvement is welcomed and valued - where you can join us for lunch, observe our daily flow, or find a quiet moment in the parent co-working space. Here, you’re not just an observer; you play a vital role in the unfolding story of your child’s journey.
What you’ll experience at Wild Haven
Living Ecosystem:
A living, breathing ecosystem rather than a rigid program - one that evolves with the needs of the children, families, community, and our Earth Mother.
Emotional Attunement:
Guides are trained in emotional intelligence and embodiment. We model and support responsible emotional expression, deep listening, and compassionate communication - creating a culture of safety, honesty, and heart connection. These practices are shared openly with parents, weaving a bridge of understanding between home and our village.
Holistic Learning:
Learning rooted in play, exploration, self-direction, and nature. Projects emerge from what children are curious about; guides follow, facilitate, and support.
Deep Belonging:
Families don’t stand on the side; they are woven into the rhythm - part of the decisions, celebrations, and challenges. We grow together.
Amy Viola
Founder & Guardian of Wild Haven
From a young age, I’ve felt a deep connection with children - a sense that I could truly see them, feel them, and meet them where they were.
Long before and throughout my university years, I cared for many children of all ages, learning so much from them, as they were constantly reminding me of who I really was...
I began University on a volleyball scholarship, intending to become a Guidance Counsellor, but midway through my degree I realized that memorizing information I would never actually use wasn’t the path for me. It felt wrong and I wasn’t willing to give my time and energy in a way that didn’t trust would be worth it.
I completed a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and History and then moved to Vancouver, where I immersed myself in the world of emotional healing - completing trainings in yoga, energywork, breathwork, and counselling - practices that continue to shape the way I hold space for both adults and children. I later trained to become a Holistic Doula, and remain deeply passionate about all things pregnancy, birth, and beyond.
For over a decade, it's been an absolute honour to facilitate private sessions and sacred circles. It's become apprent through this work that I'm only able to hold space for children and others to the degree that I can feel, see, listen to and love my own inner child.
In 2018, my husband and I welcomed our son, Onyx Atlantic into the world in The Netherlands. Four years later, we moved to Costa Rica, where we were deeply inspired by self-directive learning at Casa Sulà. For the first time ever, I witnessed the guides there fully trusting children to lead their own learning - and it shifted everything for me. I continue to be mentored by Margarita, the founder of Sulà, as we bring this inspiration into what we are creating within Wild Haven.
Today, as the Founder and Guardian of Wild Haven, I feel blessed to walk alongside an incredible team of heart-centred humans in creating a conscious village for the children, and interwovenly, our families.
I see children as the pulse of our community. When they are given the freedom to imagine, explore, and create, they open doorways into a future we cannot yet see - one they are already dreaming into being.
Wild Haven is not just a space for children - It is a space for families to grow, expand, and awaken alongside them. Together, we uplift one another while holding a shared vision - one that I believe has the power to ripple out and serve the collective in big, beautiful ways!
♡ Amy
Please contact me directly for registration and to stay updated with the evolution of Wild Haven!
+31 614266369 (WhatsApp)
Amy Cojocar
Founder & Vision Weaver of
The Sacred Oak Way
I’ve always carried a deep knowing that children are not empty vessels to be shaped, but sacred beings - each holding their own intelligence, timing, and unique brilliance.
I could feel when learning environments honored that truth, and when they quietly worked against it. This sensitivity became a lifelong devotion to understanding children as they are, not as systems expect them to be.
I completed a Bachelor of Education, but along the way I realized that forced knowledge without lived integration felt hollow. What drew me instead was understanding nervous systems, behavior, and belonging - how safety, relationship, and trust shape a child’s capacity to learn. My path wove through early childhood education, global pedagogical influences, and years of working directly with children and families in real, responsive learning environments.
Over time, I founded and led my own learning program, grounding philosophy in daily life - not as theory, but as something lived with children. I later taught early childhood educators at the college level, supporting new guides in articulating their values, understanding child development through a trauma-informed lens, and designing environments that respond to who each child actually is. These experiences deepened my commitment to education that is coherent, embodied, and rooted in real life.
