Summer weeks
Six summer weeks in the park
Mornings only, for ages 3 to 5. Each week has a theme, and you can book as many as you like.
- Late June
Week 1: Mud and puddles
Mud kitchens, boots and a long puddle line.
A first week for new and returning children: mud pies, puddle stomping and a look for tracks along the creek bank, with an adult at every stop.
- Ages 3 to 5
- 8:30 am to 12:30 pm
- The yurt and the trail
- Early July
Week 2: Moss and mushrooms
Hand lenses, bark rubbings and a fungus hunt.
Children crouch low to find moss, mushrooms and the small creatures under logs. We look, draw and name what we find, and we never taste it.
- Ages 3 to 5
- 8:30 am to 12:30 pm
- The yurt and the trail
- Mid July
Week 3: Water week
Basins, bark boats and a bucket line.
Water play stays in shallow basins and tubs with an adult at each one. Children build boats from bark and leaves and test them.
- Ages 3 to 5
- 8:30 am to 12:30 pm
- The yurt and the trail
Waitlist - Late July
Week 4: Birds and bugs
Cardboard-tube binoculars and a bug hotel.
We sit still at the meadow edge to watch and listen, then build a bug hotel from sticks and bark for the corner of the yard.
- Ages 3 to 5
- 8:30 am to 12:30 pm
- The yurt and the trail
- Early August
Week 5: Dens and shelters
Stick dens, tarps and a story inside.
A few children at a time build a den big enough to sit in. When it is done, we read in it.
- Ages 3 to 5
- 8:30 am to 12:30 pm
- The yurt and the trail
Full - Mid August
Week 6: Stories under the trees
Tall tales, shadow puppets and a goodbye circle.
A slow last week of stories in the shade, shadow puppets on a sheet and a circle to close out the summer.
- Ages 3 to 5
- 8:30 am to 12:30 pm
- The yurt and the trail
Sample sessions.
Weeks and hours can change; our tour page has the latest.
Questions
Questions about summer
What ages and hours do you have?
Larch is for children from age 3 until they start kindergarten, in two groups by age. Mornings run 8:30 am to 12:30 pm on three or five days, and long days run to 2:30 pm on Tuesday and Thursday.
How is a place held, and how does the waitlist work?
A signed enrollment agreement and a deposit hold a place, and the deposit goes toward the first month's tuition. When a group is full we keep a waitlist by group and schedule, and offers go out in the order families joined.
Do children need to be toilet trained?
Children who start at Larch are toilet learning and can ask for help. We don't have a changing area in the yurt. Accidents happen, we handle them calmly, and spare clothes stay at the yurt. Tell us where your child is at the tour.
Hold a summer week
Tell us which weeks you are thinking about, and we will tell you what is open.