2023/24 Early Years Nature-Based Discovery Program
This Early Years Discovery Program is a journey of self-discovery, playful exploration of the natural world, and building peer and community connections.
There are two separate Pods, each running for 6 hours, 2 days a week. It is divided into 3 separate Journeys throughout the year; a fall, winter and spring Journey. Families can choose to enrol their child in one, two or all three Journeys. Families can choose to enrol their child in either Pod 1: Golden Acorns or Pod 2: Golden Sprouts (see details below).
Music and movement with Leah Gardner is offered once a week for each pod.
Program Design
Journeys
$1,600
2023 Fall Journey - 16 Weeks
September 5 - December 21
$1,000
2024 Winter Journey - 10 Weeks
January 8 - March 14
$1,300
2024 Spring Journey - 13 Weeks
April 2 - June 27
Pod 1. Golden Acorns
Mondays and Wednesdays
9am- 3pm
Peer Pod: Children ages 3-5*
*Child must turn 3 prior to the journey’s start date, and not turn 6 until after the journey’s end date
Pod 2. Golden Sprouts
Tuesdays and Thursdays
9am-3pm
Peer Pod: Children ages 3-5*
*Child must turn 3 prior to the journey’s start date, and not turn 6 until after the journey’s end date
“IT TAKES TIME—loose, unstructured dreamtime—to experience nature in a meaningful way.”
Location, Location, Location!
All children will be dropped off and picked up at the Town of Golden’s Keith King Memorial Park. There is a large parking lot and a small concession building where the Budding Minds Adventure Leads will be each morning, with big smiles, to greet you and your children. There is so much to discover in this natural and community-built landscape and opportunities for your children to become knowledge keepers and stewards of this place are endless. Alongside their Adventure Lead, the children will explore the forests, trail networks, water channels, marshes and mountains that surround them.
Playful Exploration
The children will participate in diverse, multisensory experiences, where they will be provided opportunities for problem solving, social and emotional development while participating in nature based discovery play.
Our peer pods will engage in playful exploration demonstrated by playfully exploring and investigating the properties of objects, experimenting with action and reaction, cause and effect, while connecting to a deep sense of curiosity.
“No barefooted, tree climbing, frog holding, mud pie baking, cloud spotting, puddle stomping, bird calling, wild foraging, moon gazing, firefly chasing, fort building, creek following, rock hunting moment with Mother Nature is ever wasted.”
— Nicolette Sowder