Nature Adventures (whole family)

Collections
Nature Hikes
Food Chain Games
Dam Building Challenge
Observation with Magnification
River Walk
Our Pack Goat Carries Our Supplies
Learning Bird Songs
Nature Games
Scavenger Hungs
Journaling in Nature
Getting Art Supplies from Our Goat
Recording Nature Observations
Seasonal Walks & Observations
Winter Hiking
Pond Studies
Practicing First Aid Scenarios in Field
Nature Poetry
Searching for Wildlife
Meet Our Pack Got Grizzly Adams!
We Take Turns Leading the Goats
Building Shelters
Group Problem Solving
Searching for Hawks
Identifying Minnesota Wildlife
River Walk
Nature Journaling In-Field
Orienteering Skills
Animal Tracking
Sensory Games

Description

WHO: Nature Adventures are for the whole family! Parent or guardian must attend, unless special permission is granted ahead of time.
WHAT: One or Two sessions per month; this year, all the walks will be at the same time but you will be able to sign up for for ONE or TWO per term and choose which location/walk you’d like to join. Payments can be made by term or by trimester.
WHEN: Mondays, see calendar for exact dates, 10:00-11:30a.m.
WHERE: Various Nature Parks, most within 20 minutes of Loft & Field. You will be notified of our location with driving directions via email before each class (note that we sometimes have to change locations at the last minute because of weather conditions). If you’re choosing ONE walk per term, you can choose which one, no need to let us know ahead of time. If you’re choosing TWO walks per term, we hope to get to know you and your students really well!
COST PER FAMILY WITH PARENT IN ATTENDANCE: One walk is $9/term or $25/trimester; two walks are $15/term or $40/trimester.
MATERIALS FEE: $14 for nature journal (if you already have a good nature journal, feel free to continue using it). To buy a new nature journal, bring cash or check to purchase at Loft & Field or email us to request that we bring one with to the nature site.
HOW PAYMENT WORKS: Payments for Fall Term 1 classes will be charged on August 15. Payments are collected before the next term’s classes begin and will automatically continue until the end of the school year or cancel any time. No refunds.
If you’d like the benefits of membership without taking local classes, we have a “Membership Only” option on our Enroll page. Read more about the many benefits of a Loft & Field membership here.

General Information

Program of Study

Nature Adventure Outing – An important part of Charlotte Mason Education is nature walks and scouting activities. We are intentionally committing one morning and one afternoons each month for the whole family to be in nature. Our goals are to combine the active adventures of scouting activities with the calm and quiet nature observations and journaling. Each walk will begin with a poem that will help direct our ears and hearts to the beauty and wilderness around us. We will then follow the paths or wander the wilderness for a time before pausing to learn a nature game, or run a safety simulation (what if we got this far and someone broke a leg, what would we do?), practice orienteering and finding our way, or actively encountering Minnesota’s most common species of trees, plants or animals. After our active portion, we stop along the way to make a journal entry on something we’ve noticed or experienced. The goal is to record what we learned but also to try to capture that day in nature so well that you can picture it years later. We encourage everyone to carry their own nature journal and writing/art supplies in a small bag. Families who are not interested or able to journal (hello, babies!) can leave at any time or stay and play.

Optionally, we encourage you to attend the Parent Support Luncheon immediately following our Nature Adventure once per term, see the calendar. Pack a lunch and head back to Loft & Field to invest in support and problem-solving for your vocation as parent-teachers. You can see more information about Parent Support topics here.

FAQs

Does my student need to bring anything to class? You can choose to have each of your children carry his or her own bag, or you can bring one bag for the whole family. Your family should have the following available: water bottle with family name written on it, nature journals, pencils, some small snacks (like granola bars) in case a child gets overly weak/hungry.

Should parents stay with their kids? You, the parent, know more about your child and what will help him or her thrive. That means, you are the best person to make this decision! Some parents stay with their kids during classes, some stay nearby in case the child has a need, and most drop their kids off. You can choose what is best for your family throughout the year.

How should my child dress? – We go outside every day, regardless of the weather. You need to check the weather report and dress your child or send clothes that will keep them comfortable in all kinds of weather (rain coat in rain, snow pants in winter, shorts and t-shirt on hot days, etc.). Especially make sure your child is wearing sturdy shoes that cover the whole foot, we do a lot of running around and want to prevent tripping or injury. It is especially helpful if you label clothes with a family name so we can get them back to you instead of losing them in the Lost & Found (a.k.a. “The Black Hole”).

What should I do if one of my kids is sick? Please refer to our Health & Safety Protocols, we make a clear list of when to definitely keep your kids home, and when you can make your own decision.

Can I drop-off and pick-up my child from Nature Adventures? We want Nature Adventures to include the whole family, but if a parent or guardian can’t attend, please email rebecca@loftandfield.com to see if arrangements can be made.