NATURE PLAYGROUP meets in Fairfax at the Peri Park green stage.

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NATURE SCHOOL meet at Lake Lagunitas in Fairfax.

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Our school year CAMPS meet at Lake Lagunitas in Fairfax and our summer camps meet at Lake Lagunitas and China Camp State Park in San Rafael.

• Each day children should bring an appropriately sized day pack containing a snack fitting to their appetite, water bottle, jacket if needed, and hand sanitizer if desired. *TIP try to make their pack as light as possible avoiding heavy food containers, thick jackets, and heavy bottles.

• A seasonally appropriate extra changes of clothes including socks and underwear.

• Sunscreen.

• A snug fitting hat, appropriate to the season.

We meet rain or shine! That being said, we move indoors on severe weather days. We have use of the Fairfax Pavilion as needed.

We believe in the motto: There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing choices. We make sure that everyone is dressed appropriately for the wet weather. We will provide suggestions for rain gear if needed. Rainy days can be the best days! Puddles abound and streams flow, while worms and salamanders creep out of their usual places.

When it rains we also set up a tent and tarp for children’s backpacks, our teaching supplies, and extra clothing. That being said, if it's a severe weather day we transfer class indoors and meet at the Fairfax Pavilion.

Outdoor School Shop is a great resource for clothing options -

https://outdoorschoolshop.com/gear-checklists/#cali

Yes! We are outside every day no matter the weather, except in extreme conditions. We are fully prepared for all seasons. Kids are a lot more resilient than we give them credit for, but we still pay close attention to their well being. In addition, we communicate with families about proper clothing for different seasons. Outdoor schools have found that when kids are prepared for the weather, they thrive and have fun. The kids at our school love wet weather! During rainy days, the salamanders and worms are a lot more active. All weather brings opportunities for learning.

We do encourage parents to ensure that their children have been to the toilet right before their class. There are bathrooms on site that will be supervised and sanitized before being used.

All children ages 3-6 who participate in our camps should be fully potty trained.

Learning doesn't just happen in dry/sunny summer weather. Often times, “uncomfortable” weather makes for the best learning and the most engaging activities. To ensure our participants enjoy their experiences at Snails & Turkey Tails and are comfortable throughout the day, it’s important that they come dressed appropriately for the day's weather.

Outdoor School Shop is a great resource for clothing and layering suggestions: https://outdoorschoolshop.com/gear-checklists/#cali

Not matter the season…

Children should have all of the following essentials when they are attending forest school, not matter the season or weather.

• Small well fitting backpack

• Snacks and lunch (no access to fridge or microwave)

• 1 FULL water bottles

• Seasonally appropriate clothing (see detailed list below)

• An extra change of clothes (underwear, socks, base layers)

• Proper footwear made for running (always close-toed)

• Hat (season appropriate)

The material of your child’s clothing is very important. Cotton is not a suitable material for outdoor adventures in most temperatures. Cotton dries slowly and can cause your child to be chilled when wet. Choose synthetic, wool or silk clothing which breathes well, dries quickly and insulates against the elements.

Cool Rainy Day Clothing (Fall/Winter/Spring):

• Base Layer: Synthetic or wool long john shirt and pants; wool socks

• Mid Layer: Fleece or wool sweater and pants.

• Outer Layer: Durable, WATERPROOF raincoat and rain-pants; warm hat; waterproof, insulated mittens; waterproof boots (Bogs, Kamik or similar).

• Extra Layers: 1-2 pairs of wool socks, 1-2 pairs of waterproof insulated mittens; warm hat; mid layer as indicated above; underwear.

• Optional: Extra boots

Cool Dry Day Clothing (Fall/Spring)

• Base Layer: Synthetic or wool long john shirt and pants; wool socks.

• Mid Layer: Lightweight fleece or wool pants and sweater.

• Outer Layer: Warm jacket; durable rain-pants, waterproof boots, waterproof mittens; warm hat.

• Extra Layers: 1-2 pairs of wool socks, 1 pair of waterproof insulated mittens; mid layer as indicated above; underwear.

Cold Winter Day Clothing:

• Base layers Long pants and shirts made of wool, fleece, polyester, or silk, and wool socks. You can also try merino wool base layers.

• Mid layers A fleece or wool sweater and pants, or a fleece or wool neckwarmer. On warmer days, a fleece vest may be enough.

• Outer layers A weatherproof winter jacket with a hood, or a fleece zip-up jacket with a hood. The hood can help keep warmth in, protect the neck, and be pulled up over a hat to protect the ears. You can also add a neck gaiter or hat/neck gaiter combo.

• Other items Closed-toed shoes, such as hiking boots or running shoes. Waterproof mittens or gloves. Insulated waterproof boots. You can also bring an extra set of socks, shoes, pants, underwear, shirt, sweatshirt/fleece, hat, and gloves.

Some other tips include:

• Avoid jeans, which can be hard for children to put on and take off, absorb moisture quickly, and restrict movement.

• Consider non-cotton base layers and socks, such as wool or synthetic materials like polyester and nylon.

• If it's warmer, you can remove the mid layer. If it's raining or wet, you can add a rain suit as your outermost layer.

Warm Rainy Day Clothing (Fall/Spring):

• Base Layer: Lightweight, synthetic material t-shirt and long sleeve; lightweight, synthetic material pants (quick-dry material is ideal); wool socks.

• Outer Layer: Durable, WATERPROOF raincoat and rain-pants; waterproof boots.

• Extra Layers: Fleece Sweater; wool socks, hat.

Warm Dry Day Clothing (Fall/Spring):

• Base Layer: Lightweight, long pants that can easily be rolled up; t-shirt; lightweight synthetic socks.

• Outer Layer: Fleece sweater or jacket; closed toe running shoes or hiking boots; sun hat

• Extra Layers: Extra socks; base layer.

**Please do NOT bring:

• Toys from home

• Electronics (iPads, iPods, cellphones, etc.)

• Pocket knives or tools

• Anything valuable or special that may be lost or broken.

NATURE PLAYGROUP:

10 children max, and their caregivers

NATURE CAMPS:

6 children max

AFTERSCHOOL:

6 children max

Health and safety is the number one priority at all times. We are trained in First Aid and CPR, carry cell phones and first aid kits, and our low teacher-to-student ratio allows us to keep a close eye on students at all times. If there is an accident of any kind, a full report will be taken and caregivers will be notified at the end of the day, if not sooner.

Generally, children who have experience playing outside injure themselves much less frequently than children who don’t have the privilege of extended outside time. This is because they are given the space and time to practice real-life risk assessment, gain essential gross motor skills, and understand their physical limits. These are skills that, when developed early in life, can help foster a lifetime of self-awareness and safety in the outdoors!

Whether this will be your child's first school experience or if they are seasoned pros, we do have a short list of requirements -

1. They can carry a backpack on short hikes

2. They are able to follow teacher instructions while we explore in nature

3. They are able to participate as part of a group

4. All students must be fully potty trained

* If your child is neurodiverse, or has other special needs, please let us know. We strive to be an inclusive community and want to be sure we can meet the needs of every student.

Each class or camp page has a registration link. Nature Playgroup and classes are managed by the Fairfax Recreation Center.

NATURE PLAYGROUP & AFTERSCHOOL CLASS:

We offer no refunds for missed or cancelled classes. With advance notice we may be able to accommodate a transfer.

CAMPS:

Cancellations made 30 days prior to the session start date receive a 50% refund. We do not offer any other refunds.

BIRTHDAY PARTIES:

Cancellations made 30 days prior to the session start date receive a 50% refund. If you cancel after that time you will receive a credit for a future date.

PLEASE NOTE:

All refunds reflect a nonrefundable transaction fee which is collected by our payment processing platform.

Yes, all programs that operate in public parks and recreation areas are required to carry liability insurance.

Yes we do! If you'd like to purchase a gift card just message us.