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Forest Adventures

Doing Hard Things Together: Resilience, Teamwork, and New Skills at Teen Forest Friday One of our favorite things about our Teen Forest Friday program is watching a group of strangers become a team. Summer sessions are a little different than our fall and winter semesters. Instead of spending twelve weeks together, our summer groups only have four. That means we have less time to build the friendships and trust that naturally develop over a longer season, so we intentionally

New Friends, Tiny Discoveries, and Growing Confidence: A Day at Forest Friday Some days at Forest School are full of big adventures. Others are filled with quieter moments that remind us just how much children grow when they're given the freedom to explore, create, and solve problems together. This week was one of those days. We began our morning in our opening circle, welcoming several new faces and reviewing our Forest School agreements. Whether it's your first day or your

Building Bridges, Learning New Skills, and Celebrating Growth After two weeks of challenging hikes and pushing ourselves to new limits, this week's Teen Forest School had a different rhythm. Instead of focusing on covering miles, we slowed down, settled into our favorite spot along the river, and gave everyone the opportunity to finish the projects they had been working on throughout the month. One of the things we love most about our teen program is how quickly new students

Fresh Mountain Air, New Trails, and Nature's Hidden Surprises at Utah's Forest School After several days of smoky skies, we were grateful to wake up to clear mountain air for this week's Forest Friday. The fresh air made it feel like the perfect opportunity for a little extra adventure. With a group made up mostly of energetic boys, we decided to challenge ourselves by taking a steeper trail than we usually hike. Right from the trailhead, we climbed up a ridge that rewarded u

Fort making at Forest School; practicing our knot tying skills we learned today in a fun way! There’s something special about giving kids a few simple tools, a patch of forest, and the freedom to create. This week at Forest Friday, the day naturally unfolded into one adventure after another as the kids built forts, learned new outdoor skills, explored the creek, and filled the forest with imaginative stories and laughter. We kicked off the morning with a quick game of soccer

Kids explored creek crossings, learned knife safety, built water filters, made bull roarers, and discovered nature through hands-on outdoor learning.

Parent resources Continue the Learning at Home One of our favorite parts of forest school is seeing how a simple observation outdoors can spark hours—or even days—of curiosity. Here are a few things you can ask your child about from this week's adventure. Questions to Ask Your Child About Fire Building What are the three things every fire needs? What was the hardest part about using a ferro rod? Why do you think we practice making fire safely? How many tries did it take befor

The Hardest Day Ever (In the Best Way) 2.7 mi Friday's teen class may have been the hardest day we've ever done physically, but it was also one of the most rewarding. We started the day the way we often do—playing together as a larger mixed-age group before splitting into our classes. This time it was freeze tag, which is always a fun way to get everyone moving and laughing before the day's adventure begins. Once we gathered our teen group, we went over the safety rules and i

Parent Resources Topics We Explored Fire science and fire safety Ferro Rod Friction fire demonstration (bow drill): Watercolor nature journaling Plant and insect observation Fort building Whittling Cooperative play New Vocabulary Tinder Ferro rod Bow drill Friction fire Entomologist Aphid Questions to Ask Your Child What are the three things a fire needs? What was harder: using a ferro rod or a bow drill? What did the entomologists teach us about ants and aphids? What plant d

Parent Resources Topics We Explored Team building and community games Juniper tree identification and uses Primitive fire starting with a bow drill Watercolor nature journaling Long-term bushcraft projects Western racer snakes Questions to Ask Your Teen What was your favorite variation of the name game with the tarp? What did you learn about juniper trees? What did Mr. Kyle eat? What project did you choose for the month? How did your group solve the log challenge? What was th

Parent Resources for continued learning this week: A New Term! The first day with our new summer group at forest school brought together a great mix of returning students and new faces, all eager to dive into outdoor learning and play. The day unfolded with a blend of child led learning and guided activities that sparked creativity, teamwork, and resilience. From discovering a natural bush fort to exploring fire starting with ferro rods, the children experienced a rich variet

May 28/29; Forest School; ages 5-11; SkyRiver Outdoor Schools Parent resources for continued learning: Today we learned a lot about caterpillars and the butterfly life cycle and birds! Here are some resources we used, that you can use at home to continue learning throughout the week: https://utahlake.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Birds_of_Utah_Lake-June-2012.complete.pdf https://nhmu.utah.edu/sites/default/files/files/2025-01/Backyard%20Birding.pdf https://nhmu.utah.edu/citi

May 21-22; Ages 5-11; SkyRiver Forest School; Provo Canyon, Utah What a fantastic day we had with this group. Every week we get to know these kids a little better, and every week we're reminded how creative, kind, and joyful they are. Today was filled with imaginative play, meaningful learning, laughter, and plenty of opportunities for the kids to simply enjoy being kids outdoors. SkyRiver Forest school kids learning and playing in the Utah Forest The Best Soccer Game Around

Friday, May 22 Distance: 3.7 miles round trip Elevation Gain/Loss: 697 feet up, 697 feet down There is something truly special about stepping off the beaten path and exploring a new trail with curious teens. On Friday, May 22, our teen group set out on a 3.7-mile round trip hike with an elevation gain and loss of 697 feet. This was not just another routine outdoor school day; it was an adventure filled with discovery, questions, and moments that reminded us why nature offers