Nature Discovery Classes
Nature Discovery Class
WEDNESDAYS
1:45pm - 4:00pm
Grades K-5th
$75/month
Session 1: September 12th - November 28th
Session 2: (start date POSTPONED due to Coronavirus State Mandates)
Tentatively May 6th - June 10th
Explore nature, create art, and discover science. Nature Discovery Class is an after-school program designed to get kids outdoors, experiencing the delights of a PNW forest & creek environment while working on fun projects. A shortlist of topics that are covered includes ferns, berries, snails, salmon, frost, frogs, birds, nests, nature photography, nature-based painting, and nature journaling.
Children enrolled in the Nature Discovery program are given at least 1hour 45 minutes of free play time outdoors each Wednesday. While we provide activity prompts and supplies, we encourage the children to use their own imagination and personal choice to engage in activities that interest them. Research on free play in natural environments and its positive effects on learning and development shows strong links between creative play and physical, cognitive, language, and social development. Our goal is to facilitate an undirected, child-driven outdoor playtime each Wednesday, which will benefit the healthy development of the kids attending.
According to the Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), unstructured play in nature has many benefits, including:
-
Protection against the effects of pressure and stress
-
Skills in collaborative work, negotiation, and self-advocacy
-
Improved concentration and focus
-
Better physical coordination and balance
-
Greater imagination and creativity
Contact Brandy Stone about Nature Class Enrollment: 253-846-7323
Class enrollment is open all year. Requirements for the class are a pair of rain boots that will be left here for use in rainy & muddy conditions, or a pair of water shoes if you are participating in the spring session or a summer camp. Our goal is to promote the power of play, creativity & free exploration!
SUMMER CAMPS
Our summer camps offer kids a full day of fun nature and art-based activities. Topics covered include animal sketching, printmaking, stop-motion videography, photography, painting and lots of process art!
Your kids will also enjoy plenty of outdoor exploration. Many art projects will be completed outdoors in our old-growth forest, or near Issaquah Creek which runs through our property. Water play, bug collecting, building with sticks, collecting and learning about rocks & minerals, tubing down the creek and making paint out of berries are just a few of the fun activities that happen during our summer camps.
To register, please contact:
Brandy Stone
(253) 846-7323
.