Go Outside After School!
After School
Weekdays after school
3:30 to 5 PM
(We will be offering early release and day programs for some non-public school days.)
$25 per day
Location: The forest at 79 Beech Hill Road, Freeport and occasional trips to other local places with advanced notice
Transportation: 15 passenger van will pick up Pownal students at school (3:15 PM) and Freeport students at the intersection of Beech Hill Road and Durham Road (3:35 PM)
Class size: up to 16 children with 2 teachers

Program Description
What to bring

Sample Activities

September
harvest crab apples to make apple sauce on an outdoor campfire
Dissect sunflowers and eat them or feed the animals
Build a geodesic dome from wood found in the forest- knot tying and tool safety
Whittle your own walking stick
October
Leaf art- stringing, pressing, dyeing, crayon rubbing, pigment experiments, mandalas
Pumpkin dissections and Fall garden harvest
Edible plants of Maine forests and fields
Create a spooky trail walk

November
Animal tracking with head lamps
Flashlight tag and campfire songs/snacks
Drum and flute circle/make your own instruments from natural things
Night walks with headlamps and light/dark/glow experiments

December
Animal tracking- identify foot prints, scat, nests, etc.
Map and compass games
Hanging in hammocks forest bathing
Constellation mapping with stories and ice globe lanterns
January
Ice sculpting- colored ice garland, sun catchers and animal treats
Sledding and snow fort building
Life size maze building
Owl calling- creep into the woods and attract owls using recordings
February
Rope bridge building- knot tying
Whittle your own magic wand or forest creature
Snow painting and tree art
Hibernation experiments and den building with snow
March
Whittle a bow and arrow
Make charcoal drawing pencils in the campfire
Build a camp chair, bench or swing
Create a bug hotel
April
Build a mud kitchen and create potions with nature
Spring bird watching and identification with binoculars and bird songs/calls
Build a volcano and make an animal track cast
Annual bunny hunt and eggsperiments

May
Water/mud play in streams and puddles
Pond and vernal pool scooping with nets and microscope
Garden prep and planting
Building and flying kites

June
Caterpillar hunt and butterfly release
Ladybug metamorphosis- raise larvae and release as adults
Winslow Park and Cousin’s Island beach visits to study live horseshoe crabs