Join us in the woods
Check out our programs, running almost year-round, and accommodating children ages 3 – 12.
Spring Drop off program
Email kellie@allen.net to pay $250 or get a link to pay online. Ideal for children under age 5 but all ages are welcome! Tuesday mornings Fall River May 7-June 11, 2024 9-12 am
Thursday mornings Jerry Lawrence Park May 9-June 13th. 9-12. Enjoy learning about nature this spring, free play, and socializing with other children in all kinds of weather.
Spring Parent and Tot
Maple Buds, JERRY LAWRENCE – Parent and tot program for kids under 4
Friday mornings May 10-June 14, 2024 9-11 am Email kellie@allen.net to pay $200 or get a link to pay online
Forest Fledglings: Weekend Adventure Program
Are you ready to ignite your child’s sense of wonder and adventure? Look no further than Forest Fledglings, the exciting weekend program designed to spark curiosity and deepen your child’s connection to nature, each other, and themselves.
What We Offer:
Hard Skills: Our experienced instructors will guide your child through essential naturalist and survivalist skills, including shelter building, plant and tree identification, nature crafting, medicinal uses for native plants, orienteering, bird identification, animal tracking, and forest safety.
Soft Skills: Beyond wilderness skills, Forest Fledglings focuses on fostering valuable life skills such as teamwork, resilience, independence, patience, and confidence. Through inquiry-based learning and immersive forest experiences, your child will develop the skills they need to navigate and thrive in the world around them.
Schedule: Forest Fledglings runs on Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm at Long Lake Provincial Park. The program spans six weeks from April 20 to June 1, with a break for the long weekend (Saturday, May 18th).
Who Can Join: Forest Fledglings welcomes young adventurers aged 6-12. Whether your child is a curious beginner or a seasoned explorer, our instructors tailor activities to suit individual interests and skill levels, ensuring an engaging and enriching experience for all.
Why Choose Forest Fledglings: With Forest Fledglings, your child will embark on a journey of discovery, connection, and growth in a supportive and nurturing environment. Whether they’re honing wilderness skills, making new friends, or simply soaking in the beauty of the great outdoors, Forest Fledglings promises an unforgettable adventure for your young explorer.
Join us and watch your child flourish as they explore, learn, and thrive with Forest Fledglings! Register at this link:
Summer Camps 2024 – Registration now open!
Interested in signing up for Forest Camp? Please read before registering
Programs are catered to specific age and interests – please carefully read the program descriptions to ensure you are signing your Child up for the program that best suits their needs. Keep your child’s interests and comfort in mind when signing up for full day programs spent entirely in nature. In Fall River we have a compost toilet and at Jerry Lawrence we have Outhouses.
Roots and Boots believes in every child’s right to enjoy and benefit from nature. We do not however, currently have the resources to provide direct one-to-one support. If your child requires one-to-one support to be safe in an environment such as an unfenced, wooded area then please reach out to the resources below to see if they can provide financial assistance. If you’re able to secure financial assistance please contact us and we can discuss how to set your child up for a safe and successful experience at Roots and Boots Forest School.
1. Department of Community Services Direct Family Support –
https://novascotia.ca/coms/disabilities/DirectFamilySupportForChildren.html
2. Autism Nova Scotia Family Support –
Family Support Services
3. Nova Scotia Early Childhood Development Intervention Services –
4. Or call 211.
We do cancel programs due to the weather; this includes thunder and lightning warnings, heavy rainfall warnings, flash flooding, high winds of 40km consistently or gusts of 65km, and extreme temperatures of +32 with the humidex and -15 with the windchill. We do not refund for weather cancellations.
We plan to run outdoor summer day camps for 6 weeks in both locations this summer.
Dates: July 1-5, 8-12 and 15-19 August 5-9, 12-16 and 19-23.
The cost is $350/child/week with no tax being charged this year. Please note there are no refunds for weather cancellations (high heat, thunder/lightning, or high winds).
Registration is online starting at 9 am March 31st for existing families and April 1st at 9 am for new families. A link for existing fams will be sent via email and new fams will find it posted on our website and Facebook page.
Ages 5-10
There are 30 spaces and 6 staff each week at Jerry Lawrence Park in Upper Tantallon. There are 14 spaces and 2 staff available at Fall River. If you do not get a spot, please join the waitlist and hopefully one comes available.
Please note there will be 1 group opened strictly for ages 11-13 (10 spots) the weeks of July 15-19 and Aug. 12-16 in Jerry Lawrence only. This age group will focus on learning outdoor skills such as bushcraft, knots, wilderness survival and plant id.