Williams Lake Forest School

Giving children space to learn and interact with nature.

Kids following leading along forest path at Williams Lake camp

kids looking at a wilderness tracks worksheet to identify animal tracks in the snow, with snowy forest in the background

Every kid should be able to experience and enjoy the great outdoors.

Through our Forest School program, children will learn and have fun with their peers while exploring nature.

What your child will be doing at Forest School:

Hands-on learning, done mostly outdoors
Exploring a variety of nature-based and environmental topics
Socializing and interacting with outdoor-loving peers

Weekly nature-inspired activities

Connected to the BC curriculum

Designed for the home learning community, but open to any child looking to experience the outdoors. Sessions feature daily themes and engaging activities designed to encourage students’ interests.

Tree and plant ID
Animal habitats
Archaeology
Storytelling
Foraging
Crafting

a young girl holding a gigantic pinecone in her arms in a wild and immersive classroom

While engaging in outdoor activities, our facilitators will also help your child work on important life skills.

What they’ll learn:

Listening
Teamwork
Sharing
Problem-solving

Sessions are all fully supervised so you have peace of mind when dropping your child off for the day.

Let’s begin

Choose your child’s age:

Ages 3-5
Ages 5-12

Ages 3-5

Little Forest School

Nurture your child’s relationship with nature and pique their interest in the environment with our Little Forest School sessions. The combination of child-led, interactive educational elements with fun and games will foster socialization, communication, problem-solving, and observational skills. This year we are pleased to offer two groups: WEDNESDAY MORNING (3hrs) or WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON (2.5hrs). The afternoon is especially designed for children who are excited about learning outdoors and thrive in a slightly more compact program.

* All children must be fully potty trained to attend Forest School. Child must be 3 years of age by the start of the term for which they are registered.

DATES: Wednesday Mornings

Term 1: September 10 – December 17, 2025

Term 2: January 14 – May 6, 2026 (no program March 18 & 25)

TIME: 9:00am-12:00pm

COST: Term 1: $570 | Term 2: $570 | Both: $1,140

GROUP SIZE: Minimum of 10 participants required

DATES: *NEW* Wednesday Afternoons

Term 1: September 10 – December 17, 2025

Term 2: January 14 – May 6, 2026 (no program March 18 & 25)

TIME: 1:00pm-3:30pm

COST: Term 1: $480 | Term 2: $480 | Both: $960

GROUP SIZE: Minimum of 8 participants required

Ages 5-12

Forest School

Our Forest School program encourages your child’s appreciation of nature. These lessons lay the foundation for kids to develop into secure, at-ease, and environmentally-conscious adults. This year we are pleased to offer two groups, TUESDAYS and/or THURSDAYS.

DATES: *NEW* Tuesdays

Term 1: September 9 – December 16, 2025 (no program Sept 30 and Nov 11)

Term 2: January 13 – May 5, 2026 (no program March 17 and 24)

TIME: 10:00am-3:00pm

COST: Term 1: $546 +gst | Term 2: $630 +gst | Both: $1,176 +gst

GROUP SIZE: Minimum of 14 participants required

DATES: Thursdays

Term 1: September 11 – December 18, 2025

Term 2: January 15 – May 7, 2026 (no program March 19 and 26)

TIME: 10:00am-3:00pm

COST: Term 1: $630 +gst | Term 2: $630 +gst | Both: $1,260 +gst

GROUP SIZE: Minimum of 14 participants required

What parents and teachers are saying about Forest School:

“I am the grandmother of a 10 year old child on the autism spectrum and attend the Thursday Wild and Immersive 10-13 group as his interventionist. This is the first program that he has felt at ease in and showed signs of acceptance and success. Kjersten and Julie are the kindest and most adaptable leaders. They are attentive to the needs of all the children and it is evident that the children are comfortable and engaged in the environment. I stand back and observe my grandson’s interactions with the other children and intervene if he is having a problem. I’ve also observed how happy the children are in the program and how the leaders interact and intervene when necessary. I wish there was something like this when I was a child.”

“Such a great programs for families looking to get their children connected with nature, and increasing their appreciation of the world around them. The programs are fun and interactive, and the staff are all knowledgeable and excited to be with the kids. We love the nature walks they put on during the holidays!”

“A wonderful program of day camps and week long camps for kids (and parents) looking for an outdoor education experience and whole lot of fun in the forest! Lots of smiles! Highly Recommend.”

“I have sent my son here for two years in a row (summer camps and March break camp) and then my daughter this year as well. It’s worth the drive – the kids come home exhausted and happy. They are active, learning about the outdoors and doing fun things like building forts/shelters, capture the flag games, learning about animals in the wild and water safety. I almost hate to recommend the camp because the registration will fill up more quickly than it already does!”

“My son has been going to Wild and Immersive programs for 3 years now and we love it!! The educators and environment is exactly what EVERY child needs! My son loves the variety of activities, learning about our environment and is excited to go to each of his classes/camps! I cannot say enough about how much we love and appreciate programs like this!”