We believe nature education should be hands-on, exploratory, engaging, and memorable. Bring your student to come play and learn with us for a themed homeschool program! We recommend that parents/guardians drop off their student at the program so they can experience independent learning, but parents/guardians are welcome to walk our trails or wait in the building.

Each session will run twice a day! They will be split by age groups, (5-8 or 9-12), and both AM and PM sessions will be the same class.

AM Session from 10:00-11:30 am   

PM Session from 1:00-2:30 pm

$10 for members, $15 for general admission

To ensure the health and safety of your student, we ask that you fill out this profile for each of your registered students and submit it to  liz@wildrootsnaturecenter.org

Essential Skills for Program Attendees

We want programs at Wild Roots Nature Center to be safe and fun for everyone, including your participant, other participants, and our team of leaders! To best prepare your child for their time at Wild Roots Nature Center at Severson Dells Forest Preserve, we recommend that they are equipped with the skills listed below. It’s a great idea to practice some of these skills before programs to make sure they are ready! 

We are open to talking with families about potential accommodations and do our best to include participants with various support needs. Thorough and proactive communication will help us assess if our team can provide your child with the support they need, or if your child would be better served at programs with one of our local partners.

If your family is looking for resources to prepare your child for some of these essential skills for programs (and school) readiness, one great place to look would be Alignment Rockford’s Illinois Basics Program.

Self-Care Skills

Participants must be able to independently:

• Drink water and recognize when thirsty
• Use the bathroom and wash hands.
• Communicate needs to leaders.
• Deliver their own medications or treatments if needed.

Activity-Based Skills

Participants must be able to independently:

• Walk on even and uneven surfaces.
• Spend time in outdoor environments with stimuli like natural sounds, contact with plants and other natural features, and varied light conditions.
• Do activities in a variety of weather conditions, including heat, humidity, sun, cold, rain, and snow. 
• Use program materials appropriately.

Social & Behavioral Skills

Participants must be able to independently:

• Separate from caregiver without causing program distraction 
• Keep hands to self and use appropriate touch in game and play settings.
• Use kind language towards other participants and leaders.
• Follow Wild Roots guidelines of being kind to self, others, and nature.
• Follow verbal directions in English.
• Follow a structured schedule.
• Share and take turns.
• Self-manage frustrations or emotional outbursts.
• Stay with the group, not identified as a “runner.”

Interested in Bringing your Homeschool Group to the Nature Center? Contact Us Below.