Nature Stay and Play

Come explore, play, and connect with your little one in nature! Our Nature Stay and Play class is a hands-on outdoor experience designed for children 1.5-6 years old. Through guided activities and unstructured exploration, your child will develop early science concepts, fine motor skills, and a love for the natural world — all while building lasting memories with you by their side.

Fall 2025 session: Communication

Each season, we help children to develop one of our 8 core skills kids need to become curious, capable learners who can contribute to their world. This session, we will focus on COMMUNICATION—the symphony of skills kids activate in order to receive communication from others, process that communication, and express back out their ideas. To make it extra joyful, we frame all of our lessons around a fun camp theme.

Each lesson will gently highlight a different aspect of communication. Throughout the series, we'll also attune explorers and grown-ups to how important class rituals help kids strengthen their communication skills. We'll also teach our special "Camping With Our Friends" song to support kids with active listening and non-verbal communication.

Program Details:

  • When: Fridays 10:00am-11:00am for 8 weeks (September 5, 12, 19, 26, October 3, 10, 17, 24)

  • Where: Mayor Carl T. Langford Park, 1808 E Central Blvd, Orlando, FL 32803

  • Who: Recommended age 1.5-6 years old (with a caregiver). This is not a drop-off program.

  • Cost: $189

  • Sibling Discount: 10% off for the second child

Terra Explorers

Terra Explorers is a hands-on, inquiry-based nature education program that connects elementary-aged children to the natural world through exploration, observation, and discovery. This program nurtures curiosity, fosters environmental stewardship, and builds foundational skills in science, ecology, and sustainability.

Each session includes engaging outdoor activities such as:

  • Nature hikes and habitat exploration

  • Wildlife tracking and plant identification

  • Eco-art and nature journaling

  • Hands-on science experiments

  • Free play in our outdoor nature area

We use nationally recognized resources such as the Project WILD and Project Learning Tree curricula to ensure a comprehensive and age-appropriate learning experience.

Upcoming Classes

Wild Skills: Intro to Wilderness Survival Skills

Learn the essential skills of wilderness living! Students will learn how to build a simple shelter, practice safe and age-appropriate fire-starting techniques, and twist plant fibers into strong, useful cordage. Through games, teamwork, and time in nature, kids will build confidence, patience, and respect for the wild—all while having a blast!

  • When: Thursday, September 11th, 2025 9am-12pm

  • Where: UCF Arboretum

  • Who: Ages 6-10

  • Cost: $45

Birds of a Feather: Exploring the World of Birds

Join us as we explore the fascinating world of birds! Using engaging activities from the Flying WILD (part of Project WILD, a program of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies) curriculum, students will discover how birds live, eat, and more. Students will observe birds in their natural habitat, participate in games and crafts and learn what makes birds unique among animals.

Topics for this class include:

  • Bird observation and identification

  • Bird adaptations

  • Bird diet and parenting

  • Protecting birds and their habitats

Let’s take flight and discover how birds connect us to nature and each other!

  • When: Thursday, October 9th, 2025 9am-12pm

  • Where: UCF Arboretum

  • Who: Ages 6-10

  • Cost: $45

Reptile Roundup!

Discover the exciting world of cold-blooded creatures like snakes, lizards, turtles, tuatara, and crocodilians! Through fun facts, games, and hands-on activities, students will discover the key characteristics of reptiles—like scales, egg-laying, and their need for warmth. We will conduct a field investigation using a thermometer to measure temperature to predict the movement of reptiles. By the end of the class, students will be able to identify different types of reptiles, understand how they are different from mammals, birds, and amphibians, and describe some reptile adaptations.

  • When: Thursday, November 13th, 2025 9am-12pm

  • Where: UCF Arboretum

  • Who: Ages 6-10

  • Cost: $45