What does a typical day at Adventure Group look like?

Each Adventure Group session has a clear beginning and end. Our day will start with a group meeting led by the Outdoor Guide (leader) who will establish and communicate the boundaries of the learning and play area and any rules regarding safety and care. Oftentimes we will share a prayer, a poem, and perhaps a folk song before we set out on our hike to base camp. When we reach our base camp we will collectively participate in games, nature exploration activities, mico nature lessons, crafts and forest arts, and outdoor skills. For the last hour of Adventure Group families are welcome to unpack their lunches and students may engage in free play. This may look like sledding, shelter building, climbing, group games, or anything else the students may come up with. To end our time together, the Outdoor Guide will once again call a group meeting and invite the students to reflect on their experiences. After a final farewell, families will be free to go or stay and enjoy the outdoors.

What ages is Adventure Group for?

Adventure Group is for the whole family. Our educational component (micro-nature lessons, activities, outdoor skills) will be tailored to school-aged students, but younger siblings will benefit from consistent exposure to the outdoors and mixed-age free play. We hope to see a wide variety of ages participate in Adventure Group, especially pre-teens and teens! Adventure Group is reserved for families whose oldest student is at least six years old, but younger siblings are welcome to attend and participate to the degree that they are able.

What types of micro nature lessons will be covered?

Our micro nature lessons will flow with the seasons. Some examples are plant and tree identification, woodland or prairie conservation, color study, weather, the lifecycle of water, animal hibernation, birds, clouds, and so much more! The options are endless!

What outdoor skills will be taught?

Each season will be assigned an element - earth, wind, water, fire - and this will help dictate which outdoor skills we focus on. For example, in winter we may focus on the element of fire because humans often seek out warmth when they are cold. Within that elemental study, we may learn fire safety, how to build a fire, how to start a fire, how to make fire when you don’t have matches, and more! Throughout the year the goal is to add “tools” to a student’s “toolbox” so that they feel confident and equipped to enjoy the outdoors safely in all seasons.

What items should we bring to Adventure Group?

Families will need to bring very little. Proper clothing, a nourishing lunch, a bottle of water, and perhaps a warm drink to enjoy on a cold day will be the essentials for each family. We ask that students not bring objects, toys, backpacks, books, binoculars, nature journals, electronic devices, etc. We encourage each student - and adult! - to attend Adventure Group with a willingness to observe, explore, and engage with nature without the use of objects.
*On snowy days families are welcome to bring sleds.

What type of lunch should we pack?

We believe that simple meals are best but you also need to consider the weather. In the summer this may look like meat sticks, crusty bread, cheese, nuts, and fruit. In the colder months, your body requires more energy to stay warm and to keep moving so you may choose to bring small snacks to “graze” on during short breaks (trail mix, meat sticks, energy bars, dehydrated fruit) and for lunch, you might enjoy a meal that can warm you from the inside out such as rice and beans, chicken or tuna salad wraps, or warm soup in a thermos. Remember, our lunch hour will be outdoors and we want to be good stewards and minimize our impact on the land we are exploring so we will leave no trace. If you bring it in (trash), you must bring it out!

What is the role of the parent and the Outdoor Guide?

The role of the parent is two-fold: to support their child(ren) in exploring and connecting with the natural world and to themselves engage with nature. The role of the Outdoor Guide is to conduct consistent, regular sessions that are linked together through the process of planning, observation, adaptation, and review. Wildwood Adventure Group is a child-centered program which means that the parents and Outdoor Guides are meant to follow and support the student’s interests, perspectives, and ideas.

What clothing do you recommend for each season?

Someone once told us “There is no bad weather, only bad clothing,” and we have found this to be (mostly) true. Dressing for the elements is part of learning how to engage with nature and enjoy the outdoors in all seasons. Please take time to look over our Recommended Gear list.

Will Adventure Group ever be canceled due to weather?

When we say “all-weather” we mean it. Wildwood Adventure Group will meet in the open air when there is rain, fog, cold, heat, wind, and snow. If the weather becomes dangerous (lightning, high winds in the woods, flash flooding, etc.) we will immediately seek shelter. If the National Weather Service issues a weather warning to stay indoors, when hazardous weather poses an immediate threat to life, we will cancel our meeting for the day and reschedule. If ever this is the case, we will try to notify families by 8 am. Generally speaking, if you don’t hear from us then it’s safe to assume that Adventure Group is ON and we will see you in the open air! In our experience, children (and adults!) are far stronger and more resilient than given credit for.

Is this group right for me?

Wildwood Adventure Group will meet outdoors in all seasons and all weather. Adventure Group is reserved for families whose oldest student is at least six years old. This is a parent-child program. It is not a drop-off. We ask that all families consider their capacity to show up consistently. Consistency in the group impacts the ability of children (and adults!) to connect with others and themselves. This is a learning community and a place for you to belong!

Who will lead Adventure Group?

Jessica and Alex will be your Outdoor Guides. They know that communal time in nature is never wasted. Jessica and Alex have many years of experience engaging with and working in the outdoors in all seasons and all weather. Collectively they have learned invaluable skills for enjoying the outdoors safely with their 5 children. From deep sea diving to hiking “the rooftop of Africa”, and every experience in between, their passion for God’s creation and His call to steward it wisely has increased and they delight in sharing that experience with others.