Welcome to Wild Child!
We are a nomadic nature awareness program dedicated to helping kids (ages 5-12) build deep relationships with each other and the natural world.
Each day, kids visit a different stunning outdoor location -- be it oak-studded valleys, tidepools, or redwood forests. Founded as a co-op, Wild Child gives kids plenty of time for free play in nature while helping them get in touch with their scientific curiosity!
Each day, kids visit a different stunning outdoor location -- be it oak-studded valleys, tidepools, or redwood forests. Founded as a co-op, Wild Child gives kids plenty of time for free play in nature while helping them get in touch with their scientific curiosity!
Wild Child Silicon ValleyFull day, immersive nature programs from 10am-4pm. Sessions run for 12 weeks.
Learn about our current offerings including:
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Wild Child Santa CruzNew! Visit our Santa Cruz Page and register for one of our new full-day Sunday programs.
Upcoming dates:
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See a Wild Child Day in Action:
FAQ:
Q. Who are you guys?
A. Read all about it on the About Us page!
Q. What's with the cost? I thought you were a "freeschool"?
A. We're using a co-op model to be able to afford to pay our really amazing Nature Guides. The fee for regularly-enrolled families is $60/day per child - significantly less than other nature programs in the Bay Area. Fees will be used directly to pay our Guides -- no income goes to our family. The "freeschool" part is that the kids are free to pursue their own interest and be their own selves.
Q. What's unschooling?
A. Unschooling is a philosophy where kids are allowed to pursue their own interests and direct their own learning. The idea is that if kids are given the time and encouragement to follow through on their own interests, they will naturally pick up the basic skills (and so much more!) in the process. In most programs aimed at kids, activities are initiated by adults. And yet the "basic skills" of the elementary years - and so much more - can come naturally as a result of play and the "flow" that comes from self-directed work.
Q. Why nature awareness?
A. One of the biggest problems for kids in Silicon Valley lack of time spent out of doors. Wild Child gives kids time in nature, plus the broader, more immersive "I'm alive!" experience that you only get in more wild places - and boy does the Bay Area have some spectacular wild places!
Q. I'm confused about the fee breakdown. Can you explain?
A. We have a few different payment options for families. We've tried to keep it near $10/hr - cheaper than a babysitter! Here's the breakdown:
A. Read all about it on the About Us page!
Q. What's with the cost? I thought you were a "freeschool"?
A. We're using a co-op model to be able to afford to pay our really amazing Nature Guides. The fee for regularly-enrolled families is $60/day per child - significantly less than other nature programs in the Bay Area. Fees will be used directly to pay our Guides -- no income goes to our family. The "freeschool" part is that the kids are free to pursue their own interest and be their own selves.
Q. What's unschooling?
A. Unschooling is a philosophy where kids are allowed to pursue their own interests and direct their own learning. The idea is that if kids are given the time and encouragement to follow through on their own interests, they will naturally pick up the basic skills (and so much more!) in the process. In most programs aimed at kids, activities are initiated by adults. And yet the "basic skills" of the elementary years - and so much more - can come naturally as a result of play and the "flow" that comes from self-directed work.
Q. Why nature awareness?
A. One of the biggest problems for kids in Silicon Valley lack of time spent out of doors. Wild Child gives kids time in nature, plus the broader, more immersive "I'm alive!" experience that you only get in more wild places - and boy does the Bay Area have some spectacular wild places!
Q. I'm confused about the fee breakdown. Can you explain?
A. We have a few different payment options for families. We've tried to keep it near $10/hr - cheaper than a babysitter! Here's the breakdown:
- Register for a full 10-session package for $60/day (total $600)
- Register for a 5-session package for $65/day (total $325)
- Drop-in to a single session for $75/day
- Use funds from Ocean Grove Charter School for $70/day (we're an approved vendor)
