Overnight Camp will provide an opportunity to deepen our connection to nature, refine our wilderness skills, work on service projects that tend and beautify the land, and live in community much like our native ancestors did only a few hundred years ago.

During Overnight Camp your child will:

• Learn and utilize a variety of wilderness survival skills and native technology.
• Practice awareness, quiet-mind, telling the story of their day, animal forms, curiosity, exploration, caretaking, and gratitude.
• Face personal and group challenges tailored to build self-confidence, group unity, and self-awareness.
• Build comfort and competency living in the outdoors.

Overnight Camp Details

Overnight camp is for boys and girls ages 10-17.

The Overnight Camp will run:

• Sunday July 29 (noon) – Friday, August 3 (noon)

Registration begins on February 1st.

The Teen Leadership Experience is for youth 13 and up who are interested in deepening their relationship with wilderness skills, exploring their relationship with themselves, and learning more about the teaching skills utilized by Wild Earth instructors.

The Teen Leadership Experience will offer your teen a chance to:

• Hone a wilderness skill in the area of their choosing
• Practice core routines such as awareness, journaling, sit-spot, story of the day, animal forms, questioning, wandering, gratitude, etc.
• Shadow a variety of Wild Earth instructors at each of the three camps
• Face personal and group challenges tailored to build self-confidence, group unity, and self-awareness.
• Practice honoring yourself and others, including self nurturing, setting boundaries with younger kids (how not to become a human jungle gym), and making intentions.
• Play, learn and design games.

Teen Leadership Experience Details

The Teen Leadership Experience is for boys and girls ages 13+.

Wild Earth is offering one three-week session of the Teen Leadership Experience:

• July 2 – July 20

Time: Each week on Mon, Tues, Thurs and Fri from 9:30am-3:30pm.

Cost: $720 for the three-week session. $150 non-refundable and non-transferrable deposit per child is required with registration.  Sibling discounts apply.  Limited scholarships available depending on enrollment and need  (see registration form for details).

Location: Clove Valley Road, High Falls, NY

This year Wild Earth is also offering a one-week overnight camp for Raven and Teen Leadership Experience campers.

Registration begins on February 1st.

At Raven Camp our day begins by giving thanks in a big circle. After a few songs and silly movement games to get us into our bodies, we’ll split up into clans for the day to play amongst the trees and stream, build forts in the leaves, work on wilderness skills, wander the land, and work on service projects that tend and beautify the land.

At the end of the day, with sticks in our hair, mud between our toes and smiles on our faces, we’ll return to the big group circle, and share stories from our day.

Raven Camp is where your child will:

• Practice a variety of wilderness skills and native technology.
• Practice awareness, quiet-mind, telling the story of their day, animal forms, curiosity, exploration, service, and gratitude.
• Face personal and group challenges tailored to build self-confidence, group unity, and self-awareness.
• Build comfort and competency in the outdoors.

Raven Camp Details

Raven camp is for boys and girls ages 10-13.

Wild Earth is offering one three-week session of Raven Camp:

• July 2 – July 20

Time: Each week on Mon, Tues, Thurs and Fri from 9:30am-3:30pm.

Cost: $720 for the three-week session. $150 non-refundable and non-transferrable deposit per child is required with registration.   Sibling discounts apply.  Limited scholarships available depending on enrollment and need  (see registration form for details).

Location: Clove Valley Road, High Falls, NY

This year Wild Earth is also offering a one-week overnight camp for Raven and Teen Leadership Experience campers.

Registration begins on February 1st.

Our day begins by giving thanks in a big circle. After a few songs and silly movement games bring us further into our bodies, we’ll split up into clans for the day to play amongst the trees and boulders, sculpt clay from the stream banks, look for mysteries under rocks and logs, build forts in the leaves, wander the caves and cliffs and explore the land.

At the end of the day, with cattail fluff in our pockets, our faces painted with mud and charcoal and smiles on our faces, we’ll return to the big group circle, and share stories of the day.

Kestrel is where your child will:

• Play and explore the beautiful outdoors.
• Experience and practice a variety of wilderness skills and native technology.
• Practice awareness, quiet-mind, animal forms, curiosity, exploration, telling the story of the day, and gratitude.
• Face personal and group challenges tailored to build awareness, self-confidence, and group unity.

Kestrel Camp Details

Kestrel camp is for boys and girls ages 7-10.

Kestrel campers can attend one 2-week session, two 2-week sessions or all three 2-week sessions:

• July 2 – 13 – FIRST SESSION IS FULL, WAITING LIST ONLY
• July 16 – 27

– SECOND SESSION IS FULL, WAITING LIST ONLY

• August 6 – 17

Time: Each week on Mon, Tues, Thurs and Fri from 9:30am-3:30pm.

Cost: $480 per two-week session. $150 non-refundable and non-transferrable deposit per child is required with registration.  Sibling discounts apply.  Limited scholarships available depending on enrollment and need  (see registration form for details).

Location: 81 Clove Valley Road, High Falls, NY

Registration begins on February 1st.

Alongside a wondrous, ambling stream at the base of the Shawangunk Ridge, we will play in rhythm with nature and the seasons. We will gather inspiration from the forest to guide our activities through movement, song, crafts, stories, games, fire and fun!

Each day begins with a morning circle where thanksgiving, songs and silly movement games bring us further into our bodies. During the day we’ll play amongst the trees, create bridges across the stream, build fairy houses and explore nature’s treasures. We’ll also take plenty of time during the day to recharge with snacks, rest and lunch. At the end of the day, with leaf and flower crowns on our heads, our faces painted and smiles on our faces, we’ll return, energized from a day in the woods!

Screech Owls is where your child will:

• Play and explore the beautiful outdoors.
• Experience a variety of wilderness skills and crafts, story and song.
• Practice awareness, quiet-mind, telling the story of their day, animal forms, curiosity, exploration, and gratitude.
• Be in a nurturing environment to build self-awareness, confidence and group unity.

Our Screech Owl instructors are experts in guiding children to safely and freely move in the direction of their own curiosity. Several of our instructors also have extensive experience in Waldorf Early Childhood Education.

Screech Owl Camp Details

Screech Owl camp is for boys and girls ages 4-7.

Screech Owl campers can attend one two-week session or both two-week sessions:

• July 2 – 13 – FIRST SESSION IS FULL, WAITING LIST ONLY
• July 16 – 27

Time: Each week on Mon, Tues, Thurs and Fri from 10am-3pm.

Cost: $480 per two-week session. $150 non-refundable and non-transferrable deposit per child is required with registration.  Sibling discounts apply.  Limited scholarships available depending on enrollment and need  (see registration form for details).

Location: 47 Butterville Road, New Paltz, NY

Registration begins on February 1st.

A typical day will flow with a natural rhythm, focusing on a common nature-based theme while together creating our own special home in woods.  Nature exploration will be interwoven with crafts, story, song, games, and sharing circle.

This program is structured to spark curiosity while also fostering the feelings of comfort and peace that can be found by simply being outdoors.

Program Information for Parent/Tot Camp

For: Boys and Girls ages 3 to 4 accompanied by a parent, grandparent or guardian

Parent-Tot campers are invited to attend one three-week session:

• July 3 – 19, Tuesdays and Thursdays

– PARENT/TOT IS FULL, WAITING LIST ONLY

Time: 10:00am to 12:30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays

Location: On pristine and private land bordering the Mohonk Preserve & Shawangunk Ridge in New Paltz (Butterville Road)

Cost: $240 for the three-week session.  $50 non-refundable and non-transferrable deposit due with registration.  Sibling discounts apply.  Limited scholarships available depending on enrollment and need (see registration form for details).

Registration begins on February 1st.

Through song, games, primitive skills, environmental projects, adventures, journaling, and more – we will follow your children’s hearts into what they most desire to learn.

Using experiential learning skills, your children will exercise self-confidence, creative problem solving, and compassionate communication.  Additionally, we will explore place-based knowledge such as local edible and medicinal plants, animal biology, ecology, geology, and more.

Letting your child’s excitement and passion lead, we will link what they already love to an expanded connection to place.  Our goal is for your child to emerge with a deeper sense of belonging to the greater community of life.

Spring Curriculum Will Include:

• Land stewardship & caretaking skills such as identifying exotic invasive weeds as well how to encourage natives.  This includes basics in landscape ecology and plant identification.
• Shelter craft such as debris hut, understanding how heat moves and how to trap it for your benefit.
• Navigation skills – how to orient yourself, and how to find your way if you are lost.
• Primitive Fire making skills such as bow drill & hand drill, fire safety, match handling, teepee and tinder construction,
• Water finding / purification skills – how to know if water is drinkable or not and how to purify it if it isn’t.  Basic meteorology skills, weather prediction, cloud identification, etc.
• Gardening skills – partnering with Regeneration Farm  to help harvest and plant.
• And much more!

Program Information

Serving:  Youth age 7 years and older, and teens.

Dates: Nine Tuesdays and three overnight experience this spring:  3/13, 3/20, 3/27-3/28 (overnight), 4/10, 4/17, 4/24-25 (overnight), 5/1, 5/8, 5/15-16 (overnight).

Time: 10:00am – 3:30pm on Tuesdays, pick-up from overnight, time to be announced.

Location: Beautiful land bordering the Shawangink Ridge at Outback Farm, 81 Clove Valley Road, High Falls, NY.

Resources: For additional learning and support, we may recommend some resources to enhance your child’s naturalist journey. Depending on their age, learning style, and skill, we may suggest Kamana for Kids, Kamana One, or a specialized packet suited for their needs.

Cost: $660 includes tuition, land use, and materials fees.  Limited scholarships available depending on enrollment and need.  Program cost does not include Kamana for kids / Kamana One / specialized packets which we may recommend, but are optional for your purchase (approximately $25).

Register Now for Dawn Song Village Program

Additional Questions and Information:Please call Thomas Meli at 516-850-8187 or email him at tpmeli@gmail.com about this program.  Please call David Brownstein at 845-256-9830 or email him at david@wildearthprograms.org with questions about registration.
Note to Parents:  We would like to include parents in the process as much as possible.  If you would like to visit the program, or be involved in some piece of it during our time out there (especially the overnights), please contact me to let me know of your interest.Though what happens in our days is highly dependent on what is alive in the children to learn, a curriculum is available for parents who would like to use it to submit to the State.

An Imaginary Moment at Dawn Song Village School:

To the east, I watched as she stalked up slowly and gently to a robin with the intention to touch it.  As she moved a purple damselfly landed on her arm and she smiled.  To the south, a boy is excitedly collecting wood from a Pine grove across the stream to see how the heat and light of a Pine fire differs from a fire made from Oak.  To my west he is splitting dogbane to make cordage for the hammock he wants to sleep in for our overnight.  To the north she is following the tracks of Deer to its day bed while her friend is hiding in the brush nearby to see if she notices.  So much pulls on our natural curiosity!  Why is there a Pine grove over there past the stream anyway? I hear the crunching of leaves as he walks over to check the plant field guide to find out if that is a Cedar or a Pine.  I hear the grasses bend to the east and see the gleam in her eyes as she reaches out to touch the Robin. It flew out into the Cedar nearby, but later it will return to the nest it already made in her heart.

Let’s get the kids outside, exploring the natural world together!

Three saturdays this winter and early spring (come for one day or come for all three!), Wild Earth’s experienced and inspiring adult and teen staff will guide your  children (age 7-12) in super-fun earth skills (fire-making, shelter building, tracking, wandering with new awareness, becoming invisible) and crafts, experiential knowledge of plants and animals, exciting games, and joy filled story and song.

Participants are grouped by age in “clans,” who together will explore 160 acres of natural beauty and diverse ecosystems in an oxbow of the Rondout creek.

Through it all, we will practice gratitude and reverence for the earth, as well as foster a vision of community based on mutual respect and acknowledgement.  Our goal: to form a stronger connection to self, each other, and the Earth.

Program Information

For: Boys and Girls ages 7 to 12

Dates: Pick one, two, or all three of the following Saturdays:

• February 4
• March 3
• April 14

Time: 10:00am to 3:30pm.

Instructors: Josh Roberts, Sheena Marie, Paul Tobin and special guests

Location: 160 acres of natural beauty at Camp Epworth, 8 Epworth Lane, High Falls, NY  12440

Cost: $60 per day.   Sibling discounts apply and limited scholarships available depending on enrollment and need.

Register Now* for Wisdom of the Woods!

*Please indicate the dates you are choosing in the comments section

Additional Questions and Information:

Please call Josh Roberts at 703-881-2388 or email him at joeroberts3rd@gmail.com about the program contents.  Please call David at 845-256-9830 or email him at david@wildearthprograms.org about registering for this program.

This active program for boys ages 9-13 will focus on various earth skills as well as adventure and exploration in the Shawangunk region of Ulster County — and beyond.  We will usually meet every other Sunday from October – May, and will also have an overnight in the spring.  We will be sharpening our wilderness skills and deepening our connection to nature through guided activities such as:

• Tracking
• Fire by friction
• Wandering with awareness
• Stalking and the art of camouflage
• Storytelling
• Discovering natural mysteries
• Shelter building
• Making natural cordage
• Primitive tool making
• Practical camping skills
• Being outdoors through different seasons and weather
• Games and play

Program Information

For: Boys ages 9 – 13.  This program has a limited enrollment (fifteen boys ages 9-12 and five boys age 13).

Dates: Thirteen Sundays October – May and one overnight experience:
Oct. 2, 16, 30, Nov. 13, Dec. 4, 18, Jan. 8, 22, Feb. 5, Mar. 4, 18, Apr. 15, April 28-29 (overnight).

There will be an optional two-night “Winter Wolverine Campout” on Feb. 18-20 for boys ready for this experience under separate registration and an additional fee.  Please let us know if you might be interested in registering for this experience.

Time: 10am-3:30pm on Sundays, overnight times to be announced.

Instructors:  Program will be led by Peter Ferland and Josh Roberts with Larry Brown, Thomas Meli, Tyler McNamara and other guest experts and instructors.  The staff are experienced and dedicated guides who will treat you and your children with compassion, respect and positive communication.

Location: Outback Farm at 81 Clove Valley Road in High Falls, as well as new terrain – possibly High Point Mountain in West Shokan and/or day hikes in the Catskills.

Cost: $790 includes tuition, land use and materials fees.  You may pay program fee in one lump sum or in three seasonal installments, with the first installment due at registration.  Limited scholarships available depending on enrollment and need.

This Program is currently full.  Please call for more information.

Additional Questions and Information:

Please contact Peter Ferland or Josh Roberts with questions about the content of this program.
Peter Ferland: (845) 384-6192 or peter_ferland@yahoo.com
Josh Roberts: (703) 881-2388 or joeroberts3rd@gmail.com

Please contact David Brownstein at (845) 256-9830 or david@wildearthprograms.org with questions about registration.

The Old Ones have prophesized that the tapestry of the world is ready to be rewoven into something kinder, wiser and strikingly beautiful. Therefore the Mystwood Adventurer’s Guild now calls upon all creative, cooperative and daring adventurers to weave a fantasy world called Mystwood.

World Weavers of Mystwood is a production arts and a CIT training program woven together.

Our young designers will create the mythical land of Mystwood, an engaging, nurturing, age-appropriate setting for the 8-11 year olds who will enroll in our upcoming program, Mystwood Adventurer’s Guild, in 2012.

During each meeting the World Weavers will face a design challenge focused on an aspect of the Mystwood world. The program fee covers eight monthly group meetings as well as weekly support of each teen’s ongoing creative process.

Come fall of 2012, the Weavers will receive a formal invitation to join the Mystwood Adventurers Guild as Apprentice Members (CITs) to participate in live quests as characters and guides for younger voyagers along the sometimes harrowing yet always rewarding path.

Program Logistics

Serving: World Weavers of Mystwood is for youth aged 13 and up who are actively interested in:

- Fantasy settings and adventuring

- Theater, acting, costume & prop design, make-up artistry, stage management

- Writing, character development, history, ancient languages

- Drawing, painting, songwriting

- Making masks, swords, books & maps

- Working cooperatively with peers and children of all ages

- Being in nature and learning a variety of earth-living skills*

*see Mystwood Adventurers Guild 2012, coming soon

Dates: Meets one Saturday each month from October through May. 10/15, 11/19, 12/17, 1/21, 2/18, 3/17, 4/28, 5/12. Mentoring & creative support continues throughout the month via web and participant-initiated appointments.

Times: 9am-12pm each Saturday meeting.  Ongoing mentoring times will vary.

Instructors: Tyler McNamara and Alisha Mai Frank

Location: An indoor location in New Paltz, to be announced

Cost: $440 covers 8 in-person sessions as well as ongoing mentoring support from staff throughout the program experience.  Sibling discounts apply and limited scholarships available depending on enrollment and need.

Register now for World Weavers of Mystwood

Please call Tyler McNamara at 828-335-3446 or email him at tylermcnamara@gmail.com with questions about the content of this program, or call David Brownstein at 845-256-9830 or email him at david@wildearthprograms.org with questions about registration.