February Vacation
nature Adventure week 2025
A full week of adventures for 7-13 year olds in a multiage learning environment.
We meet Monday-Friday, February 17th-21st, from 9am to 3pm, at our site in the forests of Beverly.
Embark on a weeklong woodland adventure with Kestrel's naturalist and outdoor explorer staff.
Guided by an imaginative storyline everyone will contribute to, we will spend our days learning directly from forest wildlife, learning outdoor explorer skills, and making fun stuff. We will spend every morning out on the trails observing, sleuthing, tracking, and photographing wildlife behavior and other nature drama. In the afternoons, we will practice ancestral explorer skills such as firecraft, shelter design, and outdoor cooking. We will also have opportunities for nature crafts such as journaling, clay models, and face painting.
Each of our young explorers will select a woodland animal teacher to learn from, and outdoor skills to focus on.
At the end of the week, we will have a celebration at which each child will be invited to share their own findings from the forest and to demonstrate an outdoor guide skill. After a week in this program, each child will be ready to lead a winter outdoor adventure to observe their animal, while keeping their human friends warm and well fed.
In keeping with Kestrel’s model, we devote time to community building and we honor childrens’ voices and choices. Other than meetings and safety rules, no one has to try anything they aren’t comfortable with, and all learning styles will be valued and celebrated.
Given our wide ranging age group, everyone will have opportunities for silliness and play, to learn from others regardless of age, and for trying and learning new things without competition.
We do ask that families only sign children up for this program if the children understand the plan and are happy to attend, and are comfortable being outdoors in nature; we will be outdoors most of the day regardless of the weather. No special skills or literacy are required other than an interest in nature.
Our staff instructors are expert naturalists with lifelong nature observation practices, and are certified in first aid and CPR.
Who: This program is designed for 7-13 year olds with an interest in nature and the outdoors
When: Meets Monday-Friday, February 17th-21st
Where: TBA in Beverly. Location will have access to woodlands, an indoor place for warming up, and bathrooms
Price: $360 for the week (we are only accepting full week enrollments)
Payment will be live soon. In the meantime, you can hold a spot by completing an enrollment form below:
click here to fill out the required enrollment form
