NATURE SKILLS CAMP

2024

NATURE SKILLS camp

July 22-26, 2024
9:30 am – 3:30 pm
Ages: 6-10
Cost: $325

The whole world is alive around us! Let’s learn to listen to the plants, stones, birds and clouds, as we live out our own wild tales in the forests of our beloved Green Mountains.  While using all five senses, and a whole lot of proprioception, children (ages 6-10) will learn about the plants, animals, geology and weather that make our home here in Vermont so special.  They will cultivate the permaculture ethics of caring for themselves, the land, and their communities.

Children will move their bodies, observe deeply, and participate in service projects that see them building a group shelter, tending a fire, creating habitat for local creatures, and cooking for one another.

We’ll play lots of games, make lots of art, and harvest from the land as we explore our relationship with nature and how we are all interconnected.

 

SKILLS

  • WILDCRAFTING/PRIMITIVE SKILLS: Shelters, Fires, Basic tools, Tracking, Plant ID, Nature Art
  • PLANT SKILLS: What plants need, How to plant plants, Gathering responsibly
  • ANIMAL SKILLS: Local Animal ID and Behavior, Tracking, Animal habitat project
  • NATURALIST KNOWLEDGE: Cloud reading, Rock ID, Water Cycle

Basic Daily Rhythm:

9:30-10:00 Opening Circle- Check in and icebreakers
10:00-11:00- Opening Exploration- fun, physical, nature exploration
11:00-11:15- Snack
11:15-12:30- Morning Explore- hands on, open ended nature exploration
12:30-1:30- Lunch/ Free Play
1:30-2:00- Story Time
2:00-3:00- Service to Nature- give back to our natural community with an action based project
3:00-3:15- Nature Craft
3:15-3:30- Reflection and Showcase

What to bring to camp

Please pack your child with the following daily:

  • Backpack your child can carry comfortably

  • Swimsuit

  • Sun hat or baseball hat

  • Natural bug repellent and sunscreen

  • Towel

  • Lunch

  • Snack x2

  • Water bottle

  • Rain gear, head to toe (muddy buddy)

  • Waterproof shoes or sandals

  • Extra set of clothes

  • Layers–always have a fleece or thin jacket packed

  • Wear closed toed shoes/boots and clothes that can get dirty! Close toed sandals are great.

    ** Please put child’s name on all items
    **We are outside in all weather conditions

Mike Loots, MS

My career in education has been long and winding, and has allowed me to wander through some really incredible lands- to even make deep connection with a few acres.

I earned an education certification from the University of Iowa and spent several years in Iowa City, teaching middle and highschool while coordinating our school garden programs and leading our Farm to School network.

I spent summers split between gardening and guiding expeditionary programs on rivers and climbing crags. I was trained through NOLS and held a lead instructor position with Outward Bound before heading back to school to earn a Masters in Conservation Leadership through CSU.

My work in conservation has always been at the intersection of ecology, recreation and education and I have been particularly interested at how programs that promote time in nature affect their participants.

My wife, two year old son, and I recently relocated to Vermont from the Western Slope of the Rocky Mountains where we ran an experiential education, micro-middle school (mostly my wife and I ran the school, but I’m sure my son felt like he was helping too).
Here in Vermont, I managed Climate and Environmental Science with the Montshire Museum of Science and currently work with Cedar Circle Regenerative Farm and Education Center.

I earned my PDC through Whole Systems Design and have a deep love of the land we’ll be learning with this week.

I am fluent in barred owl, conversational in several squirrel dialects and am very much looking forward to having so much fun with you this summer!

lani Courtney

A dedicated herbalist and holistic wellness advocate, I have a passion for exploring with children and learning about the interconnectedness of nature alongside them. This love has only elevated since becoming a mother of two, ages 4 and 7. I am returning to teach at Whole Systems Health for my second Kids Nature Camp, and am excited to be on this magical land again.
An educational background in both Biology and Fine Art, it has provided me with a unique perspective on the natural systems and the beauty they offer. This led me to pursue a clinical herbalist program at the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, where I delved into herbal medicine making, nutrition, and traditional assessment methods.

Inspired by my studies, I founded Taking Root, a medicinal herb farm and clinical practice offering herbal teas, remedies and consultations. My dedication to herbalism also led me to become a founding member of Tata Harper Skincare, where I played key roles in product development and quality assurance over a 15-year career. These days I am developing a new multivitamin made with real honey, tailored to make daily supplementation effortless and enjoyable for children, offering parents a convenient and delicious way to support their children’s health and vitality.

Outside of my professional pursuits, I find joy in gardening, camping, travel and working part time at my daughters outdoor nature preschool. Now residing in Salisbury, Vermont, I continue to share my passion for herbalism and the natural world with my family, and learn new ways to see the world through the eyes of children daily. They are our greatest teachers.

All camps take place on our permaculture farmstead in Rochester, Vermont.
Contact us at erica@wholesystemshealthvt.org with any additional questions.