FALL 2023

Our Fall 2023 session begins on September 18th, and runs for 12 weeks, ending on December 11th (with Thanksgiving week off). We have two exciting new developments: our Dragonfly Teen Naturalists program, and new Homeschool and Parent/Child sessions in Sacramento as well as Davis! See below for details.

Putah Creek Nature Days

Putah Creek Nature Days is a once-a-week 3-hour drop-off program in the afternoons, characterized by a thoughtful blend of child-led exploration with elements of naturalist studies, nature connection routines, earth skills, and imaginative play. We have programs available for 4 to 12 year olds, with different age groupings to choose from. For our older children, we focus more on skill building. We meet at various locations along the Putah Creek Riparian Reserve and the South Fork Preserve in Davis (for more about this location, please see our News & Updates section).

This fall, your afternoon options are:

After school Tuesdays (ages 4-8) from 2 to 5 pm; 9/19/23 – 12/12/23
After school Wednesdays (younger group, ages 4-8) from 2 to 5 pm; 9/20/23 – 12/13/23
- Two sessions, one at the South Fork Preserve and one at the Putah Creek Riparian Reserve
After school Wednesdays (older group, ages 7-12) from 2 to 5 pm; 9/20/23 – 12/13/23
After school Thursdays (ages 7-12) from 3 to 6 pm; 9/21/23 – 12/14/23

Putah Creek & Sacramento Homeschool Days

Putah Creek & Sacramento Homeschool Days is a once-a-week 5-hour drop-off program for our homeschooling community, and follows the daily rhythm of our afternoon classes, with extra time for exploring, learning and playing. This fall we are so excited to offer TWO additional Homeschool days in Sacramento, one of which will be a Spanish immersion program! The Sacramento sessions will take place around the William B. Pond area on the American River.

This fall, your daytime options are:

Putah Creek (Davis) Homeschool Mondays (ages 4-12) from 10 am to 3 pm; 9/18/23 – 12/11/23
Sacramento Homeschool Tuesdays, Spanish immersion (ages 4-12) from 10 am to 3 pm; 9/19/23 – 12/12/23
Sacramento Homeschool Thursdays (ages 4-12) from 10 am to 3 pm; 9/21/23 – 12/14/23
Putah Creek (Davis) Homeschool Fridays (ages 4-12) from 10 am to 3 pm; 9/22/23 – 12/15/23

We are vendors with the Sequoia Grove Family of Charter Schools and the Cottonwood School, and we are in the process of getting set up with Heritage Peak and South Sutter. If you plan to use homeschool charter funds to cover your tuition, please still register through the registration link. In the course description you will find a code that will allow you to check out without paying upfront. Once you have done this, please contact us with your information; we will also reach out to follow up if we haven’t heard from you.

Each session has experienced adult facilitators at a ratio of 4 children to one adult for our younger groups, and 6 children to one adult for our older groups. All facilitators are CPR and First Aid certified.

Covid safety protocols. Davis Forest School follows the most current guidance published by the Yolo County Public Health Department, and we will let families know what these protocols are as we get closer to the start of each session.

For our afternoon classes, tuition is $550. Our homeschool class is a significantly longer program, and tuition is $750. This includes a $10 supply fee to help cover the cost of activity supplies, safety equipment, and better tools. We offer a sibling discount if you are registering more than one child in the same family.

Daily Rhythm for our drop-off programs

Welcome
Gathering circle: land acknowledgement, name game, agreements and safety guidelines
Hike to basecamp
Small groups at basecamp, seasonal activities, free imaginative play, nature crafts, child-led adventures (skill building activities for older groups)
Storytelling/sharing and quiet time
Hand washing and expression of gratitude
Snack break (or lunch for Homeschool program), provided by parents/caregivers, and book time
Hike back to gathering area
Closing circle
Kids released to parents/caregivers

Parent/Child Mornings

This facilitated nature exploration for parents with babies/children ages 0-5 will return to Putah Creek, AND we are expanding into Sacramento! Tuition is $370 per family (please only register one child, even if you plan to bring more than one!). The Sacramento session will be held at the William B. Pond area on the American River.

This fall, your options are:

Sacramento Parent/Child Mondays (0-5 with a parent) from 9 am – noon; 9/18/23 – 12/11/23
Putah Creek (Davis) Parent/Child Wednesdays (0-5 with a parent) from 9 am – noon; 9/20/23 – 12/13/23
Putah Creek (Davis) Parent/Child Thursdays (0-5 with a parent) from 9 am – noon; 9/21/23 – 12/14/23

Dragonfly Teen Naturalists

This fall we are so excited to pilot a brand new teen program, Dragonfly Teen Naturalists, for ages 13-17.

This program will support teens as they navigate the journey from childhood to adulthood, and provide space for them to envision where they are going during this time of transition. Our hope for the teens in Dragonfly Teen Naturalists is for them to establish a strong connection to nature and to cultivate a sense of resilience, confidence, and passion for this phase in their lives. We will meet at the Putah Creek Riparian Reserve (Davis) once a month from September through May, and culminate with an overnight camping trip approximately an hour’s drive from Davis.

Activities will include:

naturalist and earth living skills
nature connection routines
mindfulness practices
team building
small group sharing circles
nature journaling with prompts
music
cooking over the fire
games
hiking and exploring
swimming and rafting
animal tracking

This program will be held on the 3rd Saturday of each month, from 3-7 pm. The dates are 9/16/23, 10/21/23, 11/18/23, 12/16/23, 1/20/24, 2/17/24, 3/16/24, 4/20/24, and 5/18-5/19/24 for the overnight trip. Tuition is $615 per person.

Cancelation & Refunds

If your plans change and you need to cancel, full refunds (minus a $25 per registrant admin fee) will be issued until end of day Sunday, September 10th, one week before our session beings. We cannot offer refunds after that date.

Reparations & Tuition Assistance

We have a few opportunities to offer tuition assistance for families with financial need (please contact us in advance!), and we offer a discounted reparations rate to Black and Indigenous families regardless of financial need. You will find the reparations code in the session description on the registration site.

Davis Forest School is growing our programing, so please check back for information about our upcoming sessions, or simply subscribe to our email list (below) to get updates in your inbox! We keep your email address strictly for Davis Forest School purposes, and the email load is very light.