Where will my child wash their hands or eliminate waste?

Budding Minds Adventure Leads will carry biodegradable soap and water for children to wash their hands at the beginning of the day, prior to any meals, after eliminating waste, and at the end of the day. Children must bring their own hand towel to dry their hands so it can be reused throughout the day. Hand sanitizer will only be used if necessary and with the prior consent of families.

Public washrooms and outhouses will be used when and where possible. If there is an emergency when we are out in nature, not near an available toilet, an Adventure Lead will bring that child to a private place where they can do a “tree pee” if they feel comfortable.

Will you still run the program if the weather is severe?

Budding Minds commits to embracing the dynamic nature of our outdoor classroom and running as much as possible. We will consult weather forecasts regularly so that we can properly prepare for the day and use the weather to guide our adventures. On extreme weather days, we will constantly assess the children’s comfort and safety, using fire, shade, water, and if necessary, temporarily use public indoor facilities to restore warmth or cool down. In the event of inclement weather, where we deem it unsafe and hazardous to run the program, Budding Minds reserves the right to cancel the program until it can resume safely. 

Will you provide a shelter throughout the winter and on really cold days?

We will set up a winter tent as a temporary shelter for cold winter, late fall or early spring days. This will allow children to take off some of their outer layers to dry off and warm up. We will use it for snack and mealtimes on cold days as well so children can eat with their mitts off while remaining comfortable.

How will my child stay safe around water?

There is no body of water right at the main area where we will be with children every day, however there is the Kicking Horse River down the hill from our drop off/pick up location and Reflection Lake which is down the hill on the other side from our main location. We plan to take children near both bodies of water occasionally. Our water safety protocols are the following:

• One Adventure Lead will always remain between the children and the body of water

• Only small groups of no more than 3 children will be taken down to the water's edge at one time

• We will not take children near the Kicking Horse River at any point in the spring when the water levels are high and dangerous

• If we are doing a water activity, it will be planned in advance, parents will be notified and will sign a consent form, and children will bring life jackets

What does my child have to bring to forest school everyday?

• Backpack

• Snacks/Lunch

• Water Bottle

• Waterproof bag of spare clothes (including underwear, socks, long pants, and a long sleeve shirt)

• Hand Towel (to dry hands after washing them with warm water and biodegradable soap provided by the Adventure Leads)

Depending on the season, different clothing and gear will be necessary. To view the full list, please refer to the last two pages of our Family Handbook.

What if my child is sick?

Budding Minds outdoor setting can be physically and mentally challenging at times, and our top priority is to keep your children safe and healthy. For this reason, we ask that you be mindful of your child’s state of health and keep them home under any of the following circumstances:

• Temperature over 38°c

• Vomiting in last 24 hours

• Diarrhea (watery profuse stools)

• Communicable Diseases (including but not limited to measles, mumps, chicken pox, strep throat, flu, viral pneumonia, etc.)

• A cold or cough accompanied by difficulty breathing or very low energy

Your child may return back to the program 24 hours after their last symptom subsides or when your healthcare provider says it is safe for them to do so. 

If your child becomes ill during the course of the day, or seems to be suffering from a previous illness, you will be contacted to pick your child up early. We want every child to enjoy the day and be able to fully participate so if you are contacted for early pick up, it is because we believe your child is better off at home resting.

What are your emergency protocols?

In the case of a serious accident or emergency:

1. A pre-designated Adventure Lead will be the primary, establishing the nature and extent of the emergency and administer appropriate first aid.

2. The other Adventure lead will be the secondary and will call emergency services to provide details of the emergency and request necessary help.

3. If there is an injured party, their family will be contacted and the primary will stay with them until parents or emergency contacts arrive and will accompany them in the emergency transportation vehicle.

4. If there is a missing child, the primary will search the immediate area for 5 minutes and then call emergency services.

5. The secondary will supervise the remainder of the party and return with them to the pick up location as soon as it is safe to do so.

6. The secondary will contact all other families to pick up their children from the pick up location.

What will you do if you run into wildlife?

Our beautiful town of Golden attracts people from all over because it is tucked in the middle of three National Parks and is surrounded by nature. These reasons also attract wildlife, which is considerably lucky for us and is such a valuable part of nature-based learning. Finding tracks in the snow and deciphering which animal it came from, discovering scat or tree marks as evidence of an animal’s presence, or best of all seeing the animals themselves in their natural habitats will all be part of the magical adventures of the Budding Minds programs. However, this comes with risk because wild animals are unpredictable and can be dangerous when provoked or disturbed. We have to honour and respect that we are guests in their homes when we are in the forests and meadows of Golden. We have specific procedures in place for Adventure Leads to follow in case of encountering bears, cougars, coyotes, disturbing a bee or wasp nest, ticks, other wildlife and off-leash pets. We will educate and practice animal encounter procedures with the children so everyone is prepared and feels safe.