Reconnect with Nature with the ones who know best: our children
Monday - Thursday. 9:30am to 11:30am. Fall, Winter, & Spring
Please fully read the “How do I register?” section below before registering, as options have changed for this year!
Oaks is a popular program! So: we ask that families register for one (1) day only to give as many opportunities to participate as possible.
Register ONE family member to start, and then add all family members who will/may join you throughout the year using the link provided in your confirmation email. This helps us know important information about each participant (allergies, emergency contact information, photo waivers etc..). We require that each participant purchase an Annual Membership ($35) prior to registering. This fee helps us recover costs such as insurance and other administrative costs to support this nonprofit organization.
If you have a current membership, we will send a notification when it has expired to renew it for the following year. This timing may not coincide with registration for this year’s program. You can view membership status’ for your family on your account by selecting ‘Membership Cards’.
Oaks & Acorns is a Sliding Scale program, with a suggested contribution of $10.00 for each session your family attends — slide down if you need, and slide up to support others to participate in this O&A community, who otherwise might not be able to! You can select your level of contribution at checkout using one of the Sliding Scale Codes below:
Choose what’s right for you
We believe that every family’s circumstances are unique and complex. We encourage you to consider your family's current economic resources, the number of family members you plan to bring along, how frequently you expect to come out in a season, the access you’d like others to have, and the future you'd like to see for this program -- and contribute the amount that makes deep sense to you.
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New for this year, we are offering 2 ways to participate, to suit your family’s needs:
Option 1) Seasonal Registration
This means registering for a whole season upfront (or all three seasons at once – Fall, Winter and Spring). This ensures your spot every week on the day of your choice, and is great for families who know they will come out more often than not.
Each day of the week (Mon-Thurs) will launch with spots for 30 families to pre-register for the whole season of weekly sessions, for a total of 120 spots per season.
We ask that families pre-register for only one weekly program, in order to allow as many families as possible to participate.
Option 2) Drop-In RegistrationThis is for families who are not ready to commit to a whole season, or who need more flexibility in their week. Perfect for families who want to be a part of the Oaks & Acorns community, but anticipate coming only from time to time. This option enables you to sign up for any day of the week (space permitting) starting one week before the activity date, right up to the moment we gather.
We hope this option will enable more families to get a taste of this community favourite at least occasionally. (No more 2-year waitlists!)Drop-In spots will be available for a minimum of 5 families per Oaks & Acorns date, for a total of 20 spots per week. Drop-In registration opens one week ahead of each session date.
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Similar to previous years: ALL Oaks & Acorns participants (both kiddos and the grownups accompanying them) must have an Annual Membership purchased in their name (click here to get yours), which is good for one year from the date of purchase.
New for this year: Session fees will be paid per family by one main Account Holder – meaning Dad can bring kiddo the first week, Mom the second, and Mom, Dad and Grandma can all come the week after that – all under the same Seasonal Registration.Step 1: Purchase an Annual Membership for all anticipated participants.
Step 2: Register one family member (your main “Account Holder”) for your desired Oaks & Acorns day of the week. Here is where you will select your sliding scale fee for the season (Fall, Winter or Spring) using one of the codes below.
Step 3: Upon confirmation of your payment, you will receive a link to register the rest of your family at no additional cost. This helps our staff know who to expect on site over the course of each season!
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Similar to previous years: ALL Oaks & Acorns participants (both kiddos and the grownups accompanying them) must have an Annual Membership purchased in their name (click here to get yours now), which is good for one year from the date of purchase.
New for this year: Drop-In fees will be paid per family by one main Account Holder:Step 1: Purchase an Annual Membership for all participants who will be attending.
Step 2: Beginning one week prior to your desired session date, register one family member (the “Account Holder”) for the activity. Here is where you will select your sliding scale fee for the individual session date using one of the codes below.
Step 3: Upon confirmation of your payment, you will receive a link to register the rest of your family at no additional cost. This helps our staff know who to expect on site over the course of each season! (This step only needs to be completed once per season, or if a new family member is attending for the first time.)
Simple and rich outdoor immersion for young families
step into wonder with your child, and other families.
Animal tracking, nature craft, stewardship projects, feeding chickadees, visiting the river, timeless wanders and slow pace mini-adventures, shelter building, getting to know the plants, games that teach and stretch awareness, story and song always,
Facilitated Parent discussions about things that matter these days.
pathways in education, community building and expanding our capacity for positive change, parenting stories, art of questioning and other mentoring techniques, decolonization, reconciliation, cultural repair, mutual aid and community repair, community service, rites of passage and child development, stewardship.
A culture for kids to be a part of.
Showing kids from a very young age that it’s good to gather together in community, around the fire, sharing ideas, singing songs. Oaks and Acorns gives an excellent opportunity to normalize nature connection and the values, feelings, behaviours, emotional states, and ways of being that go with it.
A nature connected kid is a gift to the world.
This program and your decision to be a part of it represents an important investment in change, towards health, repair, possibility. We can’t know what challenges await our children, but we feel confident that being nature connected is the place to start.. Thanks for being a part of it.
"My son has been attending the Oaks and Acorns program and it has been an exceptional experience for him. In addition to spending meaningful time outdoors, he has delighted in creative activities like making shakers, drumming and enjoying story time. Last week, we explored tracking animal footprints, a skill he now eagerly practices in the woods near our home. The program coordinators are incredibly kind and foster an environment where children can truly be themselves—whether participating in activities or freely exploring nature with their guardian. This program is a treasure for children who thrive in and connect with the natural world."
- Angel, Guelph Outdoor School Parent