2026 Summer Skills Program:
A Summer of Discovery!
 

Unleash your inner maker! In this program, kids transform natural treasures into actual, working tools. Throughout the program, children are introduced to the concept of reciprocity with the land—learning how to gather materials respectfully, minimize impact, and express gratitude for the resources they use. The focus remains on practical skill development, patience, and problem-solving. The Skills: Participants will learn the secrets of whittling, weaving, and binding to create their own carved wooden utensils, clay bowls, and sturdy cordage. The Fun: Through our play-based approach, your child will gain self-reliance, problem-solving confidence, and patience as they test their handmade gear and learn to gather materials respectfully from the land. The Takeaway: By the end of the week, they’ll head home with functional tools and a massive boost in confidence. Summer Program Mentors will provide direct instruction, demonstrations, and ongoing supervision to support safety and skill development.

Ever wonder how animals move through the woods unseen? Now your child can learn their secrets! Using all our senses, movement strategies, and awareness techniques, we will explore different natural landscapes. The Skills: This is a playful, quiet exploration where kids practice stealthy movement, sensory observation, and the art of camouflage. Using animal behavior and movement, participants will learn how animals remain aware of and adapt to their environment. The Fun: Through epic games of awareness and stealth, participants learn to blend into different landscapes, such as wooded groves, open spaces, and creekbeds. The Takeaway: We focus on slowing down, noticing the small details, and practicing the focus, attention, and impulse control needed to move like the wild. This program prioritizes calm, attentive learning and provides children with tools to increase focus, situational awareness, and respectful engagement with the natural world.

Join us for a week-long adventure to explore the many creative, useful, and surprising things you can do with plants. Through hands-on discovery, participants will learn to recognize common edible and medicinal plants and transform them into food, art, useful remedies, and nature-based creations. Every day blends exploration and hands-on projects - keeping kids engaged while building real-world skills rooted in curiosity and stewardship of the land. Participants will practice ethical plant gathering, sensory awareness, and observation as they learn how plants have supported humans across cultures and time for food, healing, and creativity. Using safely guided techniques, children will create herbal medicines, which may include herbal teas, infused oils & vinegars and simple salves, as well as natural dyes, botanical specimen cards, and other plant-based crafts they can take home and proudly share. This program is designed to spark confidence, creativity, and respect for nature. Kids leave not just with projects in their hands, but with a deeper understanding of plants as living allies—sources of nourishment, utility, and connection. For parents, this means a meaningful, age-appropriate introduction to plant knowledge that blends science, tradition, and imagination in a way kids genuinely love.

Dive into a week of water-filled fun and learning! This program supports physical confidence, curiosity, and environmental awareness, offering a playful and structured way to build skills around water. The Skills: Participants build physical confidence as they learn to read water movement, identify safe crossing points, water flow patterns, and navigate uneven creek terrain. The Fun: This week-long quest culminates in a final engineering challenge: designing and building a makeshift raft to test against the flow of the creek. The Takeaway: Children leave with deep confidence in their ability to solve problems under pressure and navigate the unknown, all while practicing resourceful stewardship of the land. Through guided practice, demonstrations, and supervised activities, kids will build confidence and competence. Mentors closely monitor participants and reinforce safety expectations at all times.