Kids’ Nature Camp: Forest Languages

This program is a recognition of the immense benefits of being outside, playing, creativity, and a healthy dose of curiosity. We aim to help children explore in a supportive and safe environment to build confidence of their own capability. Throughout the summer we will focus on play and free exploration as a tool to learn, grow curiousity, and develop a sense of wonder for the amazing world that is around us.

Ages 6-13 with flexibility

Times: Tuesday 9:00-12:00 pm and Thursday 9:00-2:30 pm

Dates: July 6th-August 26th Tuesdays and Thursdays

Program Facilitators: Devon Macdonald and Annie Rutherford

Cost: No cost to participants *

* This is the first year that we have offered a program like this and we are excited about the opportunities it presents for future programming. We are offering the nature camp at no cost for participants because we recognize the learning and growth that comes in the first year. To allow this program to continue into the future we do plan on having a cost associated in future years to keep it sustainable. Thank you for joining us on our foray into the woods we welcome any feedback or comments you may have to help us to continue to grow and learn.

Click here if you are ready to register or call us at 250-994-3466.

COVID 19 POLICY

This program will run in accordance with the directives provided by the BC Provincial Health Office to ensure the safety of any children and staff involved and the broader community. Please read over our Health and Safety Site Plan before registering your child to ensure that you are comfortable with the measures we have in place and to give us time to respond to concerns. We will continue to review and update this document as the summer progresses and new information becomes available.

IMA COVID Health & Safety Site Plan: Focus Youth Programs

If you have any questions or concerns please contact Elyssia Sasaki (elyssia@imarts.com).

WEEKLY THEMES & GUEST ARTISTS

Each week will introduce a new theme which will serve as a jumping off point for our explorations. While we intend to follow these themes we also recognize that there are unforseen circumstances and so all of these themes have a built in flexibility to allow for discovery wherever that takes us. The themes will help to guide our play for each week and in a gentle way allow us to think about new concepts while having fun.

Artists will be announced soon! If you are interested in being one of our guest artists please contact Annie at annie@imarts.com. We would love to hear from you!

July 6 & 8 – A Place To Call Home

This week we will explore habitats and what makes a place home. Our play for this week will focus on building a habitat for ourselves within the forest and finding out who our neighbours are. This weeks art will explore the concept of home and the many ways that a home and habitat are created.

July 13 & 15 – Signs of Life

What clues do different life forms leave behind? This theme examines the trails that are left behind and how we can learn to read these clues and trails like a book to learn who was there. This theme will challenge us to understand different lived experience while making us think about the imprints we leave behind.

July 20 & 22 – Navigating the woods

How do we find our way when we are lost? To begin to answer this question we will build our awareness of the spaces around us. Through games and activities we will cultivate an understanding of the places around us build our capacity for understanding our landscape.

July 27 & 29 – Leafy friends

Did you know that you could make a shirt out of nettles? That willow can help you deal with pain and that you can eat dandelions whole? While we wont necessarily do all these things this week we will explore the amazing world of plants.

Aug 3 & 5 – Creating with the forest

This week’s theme is about discovering the exciting process of decay and renewal. What happens to the trees that fall on the ground? What happens to an apple if you bury it in the ground? We will try to answer some of these questions in this week but also look at how decay provides space for creativity and renewal in the forest. We will play games and test our creativity in finding ways to design and make with the forest.

Aug 10 & 12  Forest Languages

When you walk through the forest can you hear the trees talking? The answer is likely no and that is because trees don’t communicate in the same way we do but that doesn’t mean that they don’t talk with one another. This theme will explore communication in the forest. We will try to decode bird language, marvel at the wonderous world of mycelium and play with these concepts.

Aug 17 & 19 – The Five Senses

This week will focus on training our senses so we can be alert and more aware of what is happening. Our training will include sensory walks and games to get a better understanding of our own senses and the ones we may not use very often. To help us understand the senses and their importance in the forest we will look at how different animals use their senses and how it is important for survival but also to thrive within any environment.

Aug 24 & 26 – Finding Community

As our last week we will identify what it means to be part of a community and the importance of giving back. We will celebrate the community that we have created and think about ways that we can continue to make community in our lives.

WHAT TO BRING

We will be outside rain or shine. The key to having a good time in any weather is preparation. We request that every child come prepared for the day ahead. This list is a guide to what one might bring depending on the conditions outside. If there is anything on here that you do not have please contact us and we will do our best to arrange something. We want to ensure that your child/ren’s experience is positive even on those wet cold days.

Clothing

On Days Without Rain

• A long sleeve shirt (it will be buggy)
• Long pants
• A sweater (if it is looking to be a bit chilly)
• A raincoat
• Shoes that are comfortable and will handle clambering over sticks
• A hat

On Days With Rain

• A raincoat and rain pants
• Rainboots
• A fleece or wool sweater

Other Gear

• A backpack
• Water bottle (please fill it before you arrive)
• Sunscreen
• An extra pair of clothes can be a good idea especially for younger children
• Snacks

We will have bug nets to go over hats as well as extra water

SAFETY

Ensuring the safety of all participants is very important to us. Both facilitators have First Aid training and will carry a first aid kit at all times. We will also ensure that facilitators are provided with a radio for fast communication as wells as bear spray.

Due to COVID-19 we recognize that safety has taken on different dimensions please see our 2021 06 19 IMA COVID Health & Safety Site Plan for more information on how we are taking this into consideration.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding registration please contact us at info@imarts.com or call our phone number.
Thank you and we look forward to seeing you soon!