Introducing holistic and integrated Nature-immersion in the Seattle area. 

Overview and Logistics:

  • Outdoor education class offering games, team-building exercises, creative challenges, naturalist skills and much more

  • Experienced mentors prioritize physical and emotional safety of students and hold current certifications in Wilderness First Aid and CPR

  • 7-10 and 10-14 year olds; groups of 6-10 children

  • Tuesdays or Thursdays; weekly 6 hour class 9:30-3:30

  • Based at Carkeek Park, with room for field trips and alternate meeting locations

  • Tuition of $72 per class day; $720 for total 10-class session

  • Session 1: Jan 10th - March 21st

  • Session 2: March 28th - June 6th

  • Please contact our administrator at wilding.programs@gmail.com for questions and enrollment!

As American academia has evolved, scholastic emphasis has been redirected away from the individual creative process and towards the standardized regurgitation of pre-established thought. I believe that this has contributed significantly to the rise of mental illness, disconnect from the natural world, and widespread apathy. 

In my work with children, I strive to embody what is known in the 8 Shields Institute as “Coyote Mentoring.” This involves working to spark curiosity and growth in people, through artful questioning, informal and fun awareness exercises, games, and leaning into the natural flow that arises from every particular group. I believe that teaching our youth how to think (rather than what to think) is a core responsibility of intact adults, and will ultimately lead to a healthier, more sustainable world. 

PROGRAM VISION

        

Our 4 Core Practices

1. Nature immersion and exploration. A core component of this program would be its outdoor setting, which provides endless learning and growth opportunities in and of itself. I studied Nature-connection, wilderness survival, and natural mentoring for two years with the Wilderness Awareness School, and would be excited to bring some of the routines I learned to your children. These could include outdoor skills such as firemaking, building shelters, and providing emergency first-aid, and we could also get into plant identification and herbal medicine, animal tracking, bird language, etc. I also imagine a large part of this program would look like wandering through the forest, interacting with the natural world and talking about the endless mysteries and opportunities that can appear. Lots of fun possibilities here!

2. Games. I believe that the magic of play is an essential part of Nature-connection and something that I strive to bring in my work. I imagine this program having ample time for outdoor games, whether they be upbeat and exhausting or relaxed by the fire. Getting kids excited to play outdoors and without electronics would definitely be a goal of mine.

3. Introducing core routines for a healthy life. My dream is that every student I work with leaves my program equipped with certain life skills that serve them far beyond the confines of this experience. I believe that certain routines such as gratitude, sit spot, respectful listening, and sensory awareness exercises provide immense benefits to mental health and a person’s overall senses of groundedness and stillness. There is also a growing body of scientific evidence to assert that there are tangible positive effects on a person’s neurobiology that can manifest from these practices. I am excited to chat with parents more about what some of these core routines entail and look like in practice!

4. Challenges/rites of passage. I try to build certain thresholds into my programs, to provide a true sense of accomplishment at different milestones throughout the year. Parents may be invited to attend or participate in some of these to provide support for students. Examples of safe but powerful rites of passage I’ve done in the past include blindfold obstacle courses, string-walks, team-building group challenges, and simply having powerful talking circles where we can really dig into the deeper elements of what feels important to students.

        Beyond these four categories, I believe there is a lot of room for additional elements and curriculum pieces to be added in. I definitely want to hear the input of any interested parents/students, as I am very flexible regarding the planning of this program and would like to cater to as broad a range of clientele as possible. If parents are interested in bringing in more academic subjects to the program, that is also something I’m very open to. I have a deep love of language, history, philosophy, and arts that I would be happy to organize activities around if that’s of interest. 

Thanks again and I’m looking forward to working with you!