WILD ONES

Written By Devin Green

Wild Ones for 2025-2026 is currently full. To be added to the waitlist, please contact us.

Overview

Wild Ones is an outdoor, play-based enrichment program for children ages 6-12. Children join us weekly to engage and develop creative thinking, social intelligence, and complex problem solving through play experiences in the wild. We give kids uninterrupted time to explore the natural world, build and create with loose parts, spend quality time with other children and even cook over an open fire. They will challenge themselves in new ways, making lasting memories in the process.

The Details

  • Ages 6-12 yrs

  • Thursdays from Sept thru May 9:00-3:00

  • Structured as five six-week sessions. The more sessions you sign up for up front, the bigger the discount. 

  • Group size - 24 kids max, 3-4 staff

The Experience

  • Kids arrive between 8:50-9:00

  • 6-week theme with sub-themes, for example Hurricane Survival (building shelter, building a hospital, etc.),

  • Stone circle time - songs, name games, movement,– breaking the ice, getting kids warmed up and getting to know each other.

  • Go over the rules of TimberNook:  

    • stay in the boundaries,

    • kindness/respect rule (to the plants and animals that live in the woods; to ourselves making sure we’re eating and drinking and using the bathroom; towards other kids – sharing, taking turns, sharing materials, using words, not pushing hitting kicking, make sure they know have adults if need help;  respect for our supplies and materials. 

  • Hours of child-led play - building forts, inventing games, imaginary play, creative/artistic play, cooking in the mud kitchen

    • An adult’s presence can influence play. Our staff uses the TimberNook philosophy of “stepping back and tuning in” to minimize adult influence as much as possible. If not interrupted by an adult presence, children will delve deeply into their play experience and are more likely to work things out on their own, which supports their skill development.  Staff are there to step in if needed to offer conflict resolution tools and to act as mediators, working towards a time when kids can independently resolve issues. 

    • Healthy play often involves risk-taking, as it is on this edge that children can make the biggest leaps in their development. Our site offers opportunities for taking reasonable risks, such as tree climbing, campfires, using real tools, and rough and tumble play. Our staff has years of experience in creating a space where kids feel physically and emotionally safe to find their own “just right” challenges and can practice taking the proper steps to create safe boundaries. 

  • Campfire and cooking of afternoon snack

  • Cleanup time

  • Reflection on day 

  • Pick up at 3:00

  • Follow up email - every day participants receive a follow up email that has a brief description of the theme of the day and what opportunities were offered.  Beautiful action photos of your children are included! 

The Outcome

  • Kids have a chance to move their bodies for hours at a time - strengthening muscles, increasing range of motion in joints, improving balance and reinforcing spatial awareness. This all contributes to greater resilience and immune health.

  • Kids will be outside for hours at a time,  in all weather. This positively affects their sensory systems - touch, vestibular, proprioceptive, hearing, smell, vision, taste are all nourished and strengthened by time outdoors. They become more tolerant of “not perfect” weather and learn to appreciate all the seasons. 

  • Outdoor play with other children is highly stimulating to the brain! Kids are exposed to tons of new ideas, enhancing creativity and the imagination. They get a chance to pull on their own problem solving skills, increasing their self-confidence and realizing their own potential. Executive functioning skills are challenged and enhanced during real-life situations. 

  • Playing with a mixed-age group gives children a rich source of opportunities to build their social skills. They learn how to make friends and keep friends, see other’s perspectives, practice negotiation and cooperation, regulate their emotions and communicate more effectively. 

“Bedrock Play is a true blessing for our homeschooling family! It gives my kids a year-round outdoor experience where they can explore, play, and thrive in nature. The program’s themes are so engaging that my boys often carry their excitement into our homeschool curriculum, sparking creative learning that makes Bedrock Play so much more than just a play-based program. It also fosters a wonderful sense of community, allowing my children to build lasting bonds with the same group of kids over the years. Beth, the owner, is truly exceptional—her calm, easygoing nature and genuine passion for the kids and programming shine through in every detail. Bedrock Play has made it so much easier for me to give my boys the outdoor adventures they crave while enriching our lives in countless ways. We’re so grateful to be part of this incredible community!” - Angela Rexroad (Program parent)

Devin Green
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LITTLE WILD ONES