2023-24 ENROLLMENT IS NOW OPEN
Nature Explorers Program (Ages 5-11) (12-year-olds of currently enrolled 2022-23 families are welcome to join)
2023-24 is the “Year of Connection”
We are so excited to center this year’s Nature Explorers program around CONNECTION. Feeling connected to nature and to each other provides a foundation to flourish! By nurturing connection through nature study, team building, collaborative journaling, creative expression through art, and cooperative games, we will deepen our connection to one another and the natural spaces we share.
Opportunities to guide and count on one another will not only help us learn more about ourselves but also how to tackle challenges and build knowledge, helping everyone to thrive in any environment. This sense of belonging and identity in the community provides a lifelong benefit, and we’ll cultivate this experience through wonder, curiosity, and play.
Our Homeschool Enrichment Program, now Nature Explorers, is for families with children ages 5-11 looking to supplement their homeschool curriculum with nature-based exploration and learning. Through games, crafts, stories, songs, and adventure, children develop a deeper connection to themselves, the natural world, and their community. Skills introduced include plant identification, animal tracking, naturalist knowledge, orienteering, shelter building, fire safety, woodcarving, storytelling, nature art, and hazard awareness.
Enrollment Options & Locations:
CLICK THE LINKS BELOW TO REGISTER!
2023-24 Program Year:
9:00am - 2:00pm
October 3, 2023 - May 17, 2024 (See calendar for holidays and breaks.)
See tuition and fees here.
Financial aid is available for all homeschool programs. Please register for program before applying for financial aid.
Applications for financial aid are due one month prior to program start date.
What makes us unique?
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100% Outdoors - We spend all of our class time outdoors, unless there is severe weather. This means we get dirty and even play in the rain! We love exploring the woods and learning about the beautiful place where we live. Makeup days are offered for inclement weather that requires class cancellation.
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Small Class Size and Low Teacher to Student Ratio - We keep our class size small and our teacher to student ratio is one:eight (or better), which means individual attention and care to each child's needs.
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Highly-Trained Staff who Love what they Do - We hire the highest quality teachers in the area because we know who is with your child is incredibly important. Our teachers are well-trained, trustworthy, and experienced caregivers who love the work they do. Nature Connect provides ongoing staff development and opportunities for continuing education.
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Room for Creative Play - We believe that children are meant to play and use their imaginations. This is what makes childhood special. Our staff see themselves as facilitators of the children's experience, holding the space for them to explore, learn, and play in the outdoors.
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Physical Activity - We run, jump, slide, balance, and climb all throughout the day. Nature is the best playground! Children develop their physical capabilities and learn to be resilient in our classes. If the children need rest, we certainly make space for that to happen as well. Whatever the child's energy level, we work with it.
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Flexible, Nature-Based, Child-led Curriculum - Our curriculum is focused on our local environment and the plants and animals that live here. If we find a turtle in the woods or stumble upon a mushroom, that becomes our lesson. We believe learning happens the most when children have that "spark" in their eye. While we intentionally plan our days, we are also willing to toss out our "plan" for what we discover in nature. Read more about our curriculum and philosophies here.
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Inquiry Learning - We love children's innate sense of curiosity and we want to foster that. Therefore, we encourage the children to ask lots of questions. We then discover the answers or have fun wondering together.