Wild Child Programs
Wild Child exists because we want children to create their own adventures, build friendships, and connect with nature. Adults act as guides with the belief that being positive role models for fun & healthy communication are just as important as the science facts.
Wild Child Silicon Valley and South Bay
Wild Child Santa Cruz
Wild Child East Bay
Summer Camps
Special Events
Wild Child Silicon Valley and South Bay
Wild Child Santa Cruz
Wild Child East Bay
Summer Camps
Special Events
Our Community
Wild Child Freeschool isn't just about the kids, it's about the Wild Families, too! To make the driving easier, consider setting up a Carpool so you can get to know other awesome kids and also get some mornings or afternoons off.
We start our sessions with a "Not-Back-to-School Days" so parents, younger siblings, and friends can come get a taste of Wild Child. Once per session, we come together in nature and celebrate with play, potluck goodies, and a shared love of the outdoors.
Our Family Camping trips are always a highlight, too! Whether you're a seasoned outdoor veteran or have never pitched a tent, we invite the whole family to come and share evenings by a campfire under the stars. Past locations have included Big Basin State Park, Wild Tender Horse Sanctuary in Pescadero, and Growing Up Wild in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
We start our sessions with a "Not-Back-to-School Days" so parents, younger siblings, and friends can come get a taste of Wild Child. Once per session, we come together in nature and celebrate with play, potluck goodies, and a shared love of the outdoors.
Our Family Camping trips are always a highlight, too! Whether you're a seasoned outdoor veteran or have never pitched a tent, we invite the whole family to come and share evenings by a campfire under the stars. Past locations have included Big Basin State Park, Wild Tender Horse Sanctuary in Pescadero, and Growing Up Wild in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Our Philosophy
We believe children greatly benefit from free play, time spent outdoors, and building positive relationships with adult role models! Wild Child combines all three!
Wild Child is a full-day nature program that incorporates a strong sense of environmental and social justice to outdoor experiences. We are committed to helping kids discovering their own unique interests, and how - at any age - you can be involved in creating a better world. And, yeah, lots of chances to get dirty.
While we welcome parent involvement, our intention is for this to be a time for kids to learn to interact with a community independently of their parents. A primary goal of Wild Child Freeschool is to encourage a child's independence and confidence in developing relationships with their peers. We do have policies to keep the group both emotionally and physically safe, and if a child repeatedly breaks these guidelines to the point that it detracts from the guides' ability to facilitate a positive group experience, Wild Child may request that a non-parent aide attend during the program day.
We are deeply inspired by like-minded programs like Trackers or Reikes Nature Awareness, incorporating real survival and homesteading skills into outdoor adventures. Wild Child has more of an emphasis on free play, unstructured time in nature, and astrong emphasis on cultivating joy – helping kids learn to be a positive influence in the world without taking life (or themselves) too seriously.
Wild Child is a full-day nature program that incorporates a strong sense of environmental and social justice to outdoor experiences. We are committed to helping kids discovering their own unique interests, and how - at any age - you can be involved in creating a better world. And, yeah, lots of chances to get dirty.
While we welcome parent involvement, our intention is for this to be a time for kids to learn to interact with a community independently of their parents. A primary goal of Wild Child Freeschool is to encourage a child's independence and confidence in developing relationships with their peers. We do have policies to keep the group both emotionally and physically safe, and if a child repeatedly breaks these guidelines to the point that it detracts from the guides' ability to facilitate a positive group experience, Wild Child may request that a non-parent aide attend during the program day.
We are deeply inspired by like-minded programs like Trackers or Reikes Nature Awareness, incorporating real survival and homesteading skills into outdoor adventures. Wild Child has more of an emphasis on free play, unstructured time in nature, and astrong emphasis on cultivating joy – helping kids learn to be a positive influence in the world without taking life (or themselves) too seriously.