Special Programming

This 1/2 day Fall weekday session is designed to introduce younger children to our forest and basecamp. The program is inspired by a child-oriented learning approach with activities freely conducted in the natural environment. Through short exposure to real nature, young children’s psychophysical well-being and quality of life, cognitive function, motor coordination and balance, connectedness to nature, and health and well-being improves. Participants will develop positive resilience, initiative, and self-regulation.

*Children must be potty-trained and will be required to carry their own backpack to basecamp, containing snacks and lunch, water, a seasonally appropriate change of clothes, and a light coat if rain is in the forecast. Please do not pack toys or special belongings from home.

Hike, canoe, camp, and explore in this accredited course! Participants will become more comfortable in the great outdoors, learn survival and navigational skills and gain confidence to explore and adventure with their friends and on their own. The course will improve self-confidence, communication, and leadership skills, and celebrate individuality and teamwork. During the course each participant will earn their Survivalist and Naturalist patches, and a certificate of completion.

Attendance is mandatory to earn the Department of Education recognized grade 12 leadership credit.

This level 2 accredited course will teach self-reliance and independence, culminating in each student planning, preparing, and completing a multi day expedition on their own. Students will learn skills including map and compass use, cooking over a fire and a camp stove, setting up shelters in the winter and summer. and how to be an effective team member on a group expedition.

During the course each participant will earn their Survivalist and Naturalist patches, and a certificate of completion.

Attendance is mandatory to earn the Department of Education recognized grade 12 leadership credit.

Women in the Woods offers a shared experience through the peaceful and nurturing elements of nature and movement. Together we’ll hike or snowshoe (in the winter), paddle canoes on the river (in the spring and fall), and practise yoga with a certified instructor. We’ll find warmth, comradery and conversation around the campfire, cultivate positive mental health through the healing power of nature, and inspire community together and within ourselves.

We will enjoy the use of our new insulated and solar heated off-grid building overlooking the pond for indoor yoga and warming up when needed, and there is an outhouse on site with hand sanitizer available.

This program is uniquely intended as a fundraiser, with the fees going directly toward creating affordable programming for other groups. Each single day weekend session will have a specific group, association, club or society that the cost will be dedicated to.

Kids aren’t the only ones who benefit from time spent in the woods learning bushcraft skills, playing camouflage, and practising survival techniques. Adult Forest School is for the young at heart, ready to play, learn, and grow, the forest school way!

During these mini weekend sessions, we’ll practise our PCFS core routines such as tracking and plant identification, fire starting and whittling, compass basics and shelter building, solo sit spots, hammock time, and hiking. We’ll play games, make crafts, and when the weather is right we’ll canoe down the Big Caribou River, or snowshoe through the forest!