After School Nature Clubs
Our After School Nature Clubs offer children what they really need; time spent outside, actively learning, and exploring in the natural world. Sessions engage youngsters in active, hands-on experiences throughout the changing seasons. Each group meets weekly, September – May.
Children spend time hiking and exploring the woods, meadows, pond, and creek. They play group nature games, make art with natural materials, work in our Learning Garden and help care for our farm animals. They learn about wild animals and their habitats as well as about wild plants and ecosystems. Groups may learn about fire safety, fire building, tracking, wild edible plant identification, shelter building, and more.
After School Nature Club experiences extend children's knowledge, confidence, and love of the outdoors and allow children to engage both with nature and with one another. Activities call upon children’s ability to collaborate, to communicate with one another, and to grow as a team.
Adventurers
After School Nature Club for 5 - 7 year-olds
Mondays 3:30 - 5:30
September - May
Total Group Size: 15, 1 to 5 ratio
Trailblazers
After School Nature Club for 8 - 12 year-olds
Tuesdays 3:30-5:30
September - May
Total Group Size: 15, 1 to 5 ratio
Explorers
After School Nature Club for 6 - 9 year-olds
Wednesdays 3:30-5:30
September - May
Total Group Size: 15, 1 to 5 ratio
Pathfinders
After School Nature Club for 10 - 14 year-olds
Thursdays, 3:45 – 5:45
September – May
Total Group Size: 15, 1 to 5 ratio
Scholarships
In keeping with our mission, Learning Outside works to serve as many of our community's most underserved children, through its scholarship program, as possible. Children who fully meet need-based criteria, attend on 100% scholarships, as funds permit.
Learning Outside identifies children who meet need-based criteria with local public school social workers and family specialists who refer youngsters to our programs.
To date, 37% of our summer campers attend on 100% scholarships and overall, 20% or more of the children attending Learning Outside’s programs each year, are referred by local partnering organizations and attend our programs on full scholarships.
Process
A school social worker, or county-appointed family specialist, contacts Learning Outside to establish that a child meets the criteria for referral.
Learning Outside determines program availability and available funding.
A registration form is completed by the family with support from the social worker, and/or family specialist.
Once the completed registration form is returned, the child is placed, if scholarship funds permit.