Join Us
LOCATION
CHINA CAMP STATE PARK
101 Peacock Gap Trail, San Rafael, CA 94901
We meet at various locations within the park including China Camp Beach, Miwok Meadows and the the Back Ranch Meadows Campground.
China Camp State Park is a 1,514-acre park nestled along the shoreline of San Pablo Bay in San Rafael, California. The park boasts panoramic views, lush oak woodlands, and over 100 acres of protected tidal salt marsh. From the shores of San Pablo Bay to the heights of San Pedro Mountain, China Camp State Park teems with life. In total, 26 species of mammals, 140 species of birds, 44 species of fish, and 15 species of reptiles and amphibians can be found here, some year-round, some as seasonal visitors.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The Snails & Turkey Tails Forest School Afternoons program is for children ages 6-9.
Classes are offered weekly, as monthly packages. Register for 1-3 days a week. Pick and choose the days that work for you!
Please be aware that some months may meet more or less than 4 weeks due to holidays or camps and pricing reflects this difference.
We offer a 2 hour afternoon enrichment program that runs from 3pm-5:00pm. Our drop-off window is 3pm-3:15pm.
Our forest school program is offered from September to May.
We offer small group instruction with 8 students and 1:4 teacher/child ratio.
100% of our days are spent outside!
WHY WE LOVE CHINA CAMP STATE PARK!
All of our classes and camps meet at China Camp State Park in San Rafael. We love China Camp not only because of it's history but because it offers children diverse landscapes including oak woodlands, meadows, tidal wetlands, and salt marshes. It is also home to many species of animals including deer, squirrels, coyote, fox, bats and numerous birds. We are often greeted by wild turkeys in the early morning hours!
We go on field trips within the park depending on the day/week which gives children a chance to connect with the land and all that it has to offer. Also, the park is wild but in a fairly central location and if you haven't visited recently, we definitely encourage it!
ABOUT FOREST SCHOOL
Forest School includes activities such as:
Outdoor Play: We prioritize outdoor play and physical activity, giving children the opportunity to climb, build, and engage in imaginative and creative play in natural settings.
Nature Explorations: Children are allowed to explore the natural environment around them. Learning about animals, flora and fauna, and ecosystems through direct interaction and observation.
Risk-Taking: We encourage children to take assessed risks and develop problem-solving, resilience, and autonomy skills. To develop confidence and self-esteem children are encouraged to do activities such as tree climbing and den building.
Seasonal Learning: We embrace seasonal changes, encouraging observation and interaction of the children with nature throughout the year. Thus, forming an understanding and appreciation for the natural world and its rhythms.
Environmental Education: Environmental education is often incorporated into our curriculum, teaching children about the importance of protecting the natural world, conservation, and sustainability.
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Forest Schools offer a range of benefits for children’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development. Here are some key benefits of Forest Schools:
Connection With Nature: Forest Schools provide children with daily contact with the natural world, promoting a deep connection between the child and nature. Research shows that spending time outdoors can improve mood, reduce stress, and promote overall well-being.
Physical Development: Encouraging children to be outdoors climbing trees, exploring the natural landscape, and building dens develop physical strength, coordination, and gross motor skills. Giving children the opportunity to run, jump, climb, balance, and manipulate objects in unstructured, natural settings helps their overall physical development.
Emotional Well-Being: Forest Schools provide a natural environment where children can explore freely and express their emotions in a calming environment which encourages emotional resilience.
Social Skills: Forest Schools promote collaborative activities for children, such as teamwork during outdoor games, and cooperative building projects like den building. These collaborative activities encourage social, communication, problem-solving, and negotiation skills. By working together children can learn to share resources, delegate roles, and respect each other’s ideas and boundaries.
Risk Management: A key skill that children need to develop in childhood and to be used well into their adulthood is risk management. Forest Schools promote activities where children must calculate risk. These activities could be tree climbing to using tools under supervision. By developing key risk-assessment skills in early childhood, children can develop confidence and resilience. Research has shown that the more children are exposed to manageable risks the better they are at decision-making and self-regulation.
Creativity and Imagination: Children's creativity and imagination flourish in natural environments. Forest Schools provide the perfect environment for imaginative play, storytelling, and creativity using natural materials. Therefore, enhancing children’s cognitive development, imaginative thinking, and a sense of wonder.
Environmental Awareness and Appreciation: Children who spend time in nature develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of the natural world. Forest Schools include in their curriculum ecological education, teaching the children about local flora and fauna, ecosystems, and sustainable practices. By learning about how to look after nature you are sowing the seeds in children’s minds of how to look after the natural environment around them.
Academic Learning: Outdoor learning can work perfectly alongside traditional classroom learning and aid academic performance. Research has shown that nature-based learning enhances cognitive skills such as attention, concentration, creativity, and problem-solving. It also supports a holistic learning approach that can be integrated across the curriculum.
Health Benefits: Forest Schools promote overall health and well-being by encouraging children to be outside doing physical activities instead of being sedentary. Being outdoors in a natural setting allows children to breathe in the fresh air, have sunlight exposure, and be in contact with diverse microorganisms, which can strengthen their immune system.
Long-Term Benefits: Studies have shown that Forest School experiences can have a positive impact on children. These experiences develop a love for the great outdoors which extends into adulthood and a lifelong appreciation for nature, a sense of environmental consciousness, and improved mental health outcomes.
Every forest school afternoon begins with a WELCOME CIRCLE where students have a chance to transition and settle into nature. We take time to welcome one another and notice our surroundings. Each afternoon explores a different topic and during this time we introduce that topic through STORY. Students are then free to EXPLORE in nature. During this time of DISCOVERY some children break into groups while others choose to focus independently on particular interests. We then come together to CREATE art or BUILD a shelter or work on another type of group activity. After taking a short SNACK break, we go on a nature HIKE where we might go on a scavenger hunt, try out a nature obstacle course or search for birds and signs of local wildlife. At the end of our time together students come back together to SHARE their discoveries for the day and REVIEW any new terms or skills that we learned. We end with a MINDFULNESS moment as we prepare to transition back home.
A Typical Day
