Hidden Villa’s Earth Club for Kids

Description

This new science, adventure, and play program will build skills needed to connect with nature on a deep level. The Club will devote plenty of time to species identification, nature journaling, wildlife observation and tracking, measurement techniques, wild food foraging, and many other ‘hard skills’ needed by every naturalist.

Play and adventure are also important at Earth Club! Naturalist Garth’s catalog of nature games is extensive, and playing these games will add additional skills such as moving silently and with stealth, teamwork, close observation, sensory focus, and more. As for adventure, Hidden Villa’s wild lands beg to be explored, and fresh discoveries may await around any curve of the trail!

Application process: In order to provide the best possible experience for Earth Club participants, it is necessary to limit registration to just 8 students per 4-week session. It is vital that each student really wants to be there to sustain the group’s energy - so, we are asking each potential participant to provide a brief explanation of why they want to participate. This may be by hand-written letter, or, if that presents a barrier, alternative arrangements may be made (such as a Zoom call with the participant and a trusted adult, or an arranged in-person visit with the Senior Naturalist at Hidden Villa.) Sorry, no typed letters (or emails) will be accepted for this purpose. This ‘application’ process must be completed well ahead of the beginning of each 4-week session, so please plan ahead!

For the October program, please submit your letter of interest by no later than September 30. Applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis, and the first 8 students meeting its requirements will be provided with the registration link.

Applications and/or questions may be directed to [email protected] OR by mail to:

Garth Harwood, Senior Naturalist

℅ Hidden Villa

26870 Moody Rd.

Los Altos Hills, CA 94022

Price

$200 for 4, 3-hour club meetings. Scholarship assistance is available according to need. Please reach out to [email protected] with inquiries.

Good to Know

Scholarship assistance is available as needed.

Each family that registers a student will be invited to send an adult to take a turn as a chaperone and tag along on at least one club meeting per session. A minimum of one extra adult per meeting will be essential for transparency and safety. Our adventures will also maintain radio contact with office personnel at all times for another layer of safety preparedness. A signup sheet for chaperone duty will be available on the first day of each session.

There is an application process to ensure all students are excited to take part (see above for details.)

This program runs rain or shine. Students should arrive with a backpack containing snacks, water bottle, a sketchbook or journal, pencils, and a change of clothes in case we get wet (Hidden Villa will provide ponchos.)

Students should leave phones and other electronics at home.

Who Is This For?

Motivated students ages 9-12.

Duration

Classes take place on Saturdays from 1:00pm - 4:00pm for 4 consecutive Saturdays.

Two Fall sessions are available. When registering, please choose the start date for your desired session and this will include all 4 dates in the series.

Session 1: October 1, October 8, October, 15th & October 22