Outdoor Academics

Get your students out of the classroom and into the woods! We offer after-school and school-day programs and trips that tie wilderness awareness and primitive living skills to an ecology and science curriculum. The hands-on experience outdoors works wonders to bring abstract science concepts to life.

Our outdoor academics programs are custom-designed to match your students’ grade level(s) and interests. Whether it is an ongoing after-school program, a field trip, or a series of classroom presentations, we guarantee to take learning to the next level!

<< >>

Classroom Experiences and Trips

WilderSkills staff will come to your school or homeschool group and do instruction in the following areas: Basic Survival (Shelter, Water, Fire, Food), Primitive tools and crafting, and nature observation and appreciation. We will also help you arrange day-long field trips for your students that promise to provide unique wilderness experiences. Please allow at least 3 weeks of advance time to schedule an in-school program or field trip.

After-school Programs

Afterschool should be the time for students to take what they’ve learned in school and apply it through play and exploration. We will go in depth, exploring wilderness survival and primitive skills and awareness. Our afterschool programs run on Tuesdays & Wednesdays, spanning the entire school year. The repeated exposure and directed play outdoors will help your child gain a deeper understanding of themselves and nature, and to learn the necessary skills to slow down, disconnect from video games and television, and build confidence. Complete details can be found on out WilderSkills Outdoor Apprentice Program Page.

Outdoor Training for Educators

We offer adult training courses specifically directed to educators – to help you gain the basic skills you need to encourage your students to connect with nature.

Ancient Skills

Track a fox, navigate by the stars, breathe fire to life, and make tools from only natural materials. Students at WilderSkills develop a strong connection to outdoor spaces and the ability to meet basic living needs wherever they are through hands-on exposure primitive living technologies and nature awareness practices. Learning these skills prepares students for a lifetime of rich outdoor experiences.

Wild Adventures

When creativity fueled know-how turns sticks and rocks into the functional basis for building anything, adventure chases boredom outside in a hurry! New awareness helps to completely transform sterile outdoor experiences into regular and meaningful family adventures. Our challenging courses push students to build confidence, trust, and to combat fear while experiencing the exciting wild unknown.

Deep Connection

Balance out modern tech-life overload with nature-based activities that positively impact mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Consistent, meaningful connection with wild outdoor spaces will not only spark creativity and imagination, it reduces symptoms of depression, ADHD, bullying, and obesity, and increases levels of self-confidence, cooperation, reasoning and observation skills, and overall fitness.