The Guelph Outdoor School

Description

The Guelph Outdoor School is an outdoor immersion and nature based mentorship program for children and adults. We leverage the art and science of fostering connection with self, others, and the natural world. We are an alternative and compliment to the conventional classroom, and a timely response to nature deficit disorder, and the growing body of science which indicates that time in nature is amongst the healthiest and most effective options for personal growth, cognitive, emotional, and physical health. We operate during school hours, after school, holidays, and on weekends. Our approach features low ratios for responsive mentoring. Guelph Outdoor School facilitators make use of the core routines of nature connection, including: tracking and the art of questioning; self-sufficiency sessions in fire making, plant use, rope making, and hazard recognition; electrifying sensory and animal form games; song, story, and thanksgiving; bird language; mapping; and timeless wandering. We emphasize connection before facts, questions as much as answers, role modelling and story telling before lecturing. We operate year round, to foster a rich, area-specific knowledge and connection to place. Hope to see you out there :)