WHO: Baby Roots Nature Camp is for the youngest campers – in the midst of the metamorphosis from baby to toddler, and the grown up that brings them (parent, grandparent, nanny). Registration and tuition enrolls one family.
WHEN: Between May and October families enroll in month-long sessions; participating once a week for 4 consecutive, one hour classes, typically 10-11am.
WHY: The Nature Camp Outdoor Classroom is a thoughtfully curated space designed to highlight the importance of open-ended play — play that isn’t organized or directed by adults and doesn’t have predetermined outcomes. Baby Roots Nature Camp happens in our outdoor classroom, a toddler-scaled ‘Yes Zone’ for making sensory station messes outside! (water, sand, pinecones, pine needles, etc.)
HOW: Our outdoor classroom features a fully fenced-in play yard geared to the height, safety and developmental window of toddlers under 36 months. Nature Camp is simultaneously an early childhood nature program, as well as a class for caregivers – structured to provide adults with new vocabulary and frameworks for recognizing and recreating sensory adventures that support: experimentation, discovery, curiosity and intrinsic motivation.
FAQs:
Does the same adult need to attend each week?
No, a toddler’s caregiver may change over the 4-week session to include more than one parent, grandparent or nanny.
If I have more than one child under 36 months do I need to register them separately?
This will work a little differently this year. If you have more than 1 mobile child under 36 months, we as that you please add them for an additional $10 during the registration process. You will still only complete one registration. If you have a non-mobile baby and a toddler, you will simply complete the registration as usual.
Can my 3+ year old attend Baby Roots Nature Camp sessions?
No. The outdoor classroom is a fully fenced-in play yard geared to the height, safety and developmental window of babies & toddlers between 6 & 36 months, designed specifically so parents can feel relaxed about the safety of their crawling explorer, and the freedom of their newly walking adventurer to not be right next to them. As such, three and four year old children are not old enough to keep one and two year olds safe.
Our friends at Maine Audubon, Timbernook, Ketcha Outdoors, Maine Coast Waldorf School, 317 Main, and Growing Littles offer programming for preschool-aged children.
When should I register for this class?
We send an email when registration opens each year, and spots usually fill up fast. Make sure you’ve signed up for our newsletter so you can stay in the loop! This class is usually offered 3-4 times each month from May to October. If the class is full we recommend signing up for the waitlist. Last minute openings often happen.