Serving ages 3.5 – 5.5
Registration for 2022/2023 is closed.
Contact the Nature School’s Director with questions or to be added to a waitlist.
Learn more on our Maple Grove Page.
Are your older kids ready to take on more responsibility for themselves while they stretch their desire for a little more freedom? Are they ready to learn survival skills and heighten their sense of awareness? Do you want them to get off of their screens and have some real-world adventures? Then it’s time to register for the Wilderness Explorers Club.
Youth will engage in one club meeting and one full day adventure each month. The meetings and adventures will take place in natural areas around the county and within a roughly one-hour drive of McMinnville. These excursions will provide participants opportunities to explore and practice using skills and knowledge shared during the previous adventures and club meeting. Meetings will take place at the beginning or end of the full day adventures. During the meetings youth will make decisions about activities or projects they wish to engage in as a group and will be introduced to awareness and wilderness survival skills.
Ages: 11-15 years
Days: September 10, October 1, November 5, December 3
Times: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
The Outdoor Science Explorers Program is a great way for kids to spend some time outside after school, exploring, playing and learning in nature. Kids will engage in activities and games that strengthen their observational skills, build self reliance and social skills, and increase their knowledge of local plants, animals, and ecosystems.
Drop-off begins 15 minutes before listed start time; please pick-up within 15 minutes of listed end time.
Ages: 5-11
These programs have started but it may be possible to still join. Contact us to see if there is space.
Click on the links below to learn more & register:
Get your kids outside to Play, Adventure, and Learn on teacher-in-service days. We will explore parks and natural spaces around Yamhill County. Kids will play games and make observations of the plants and animals we share space with. These camps are scheduled around no school days for certain school districts but are open to all.
Ages: 5-11 years
Time: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Dates:
October 14th at Planet to People outside of Carlton (Statewide Teacher In-Service)
October 27th at Charles Metsker County Park, outside of McMinnville (McMinnville School District Parent/Teacher Conferences)
February 3rd at Miller Woods (Yamhill-Carlton, McMinnville, & Newberg Teacher In-service)
March 16th at Bob & Crystal Riley Park, Newberg (Newberg School District Parent/Teacher Conferences)
Join us for food, fun, and festivities at our inaugural
Fall Festival!
Saturday, September 24th at 5:00 pm
McMinnville Grange Hall – 1700 SW Old Sheridan Highway, McMinnville
Come and enjoy a delightful evening with friends and family. We are excited to share:
Admission is free, but we ask that you register so we know to expect you.
Come explore the Maple Grove Nature Preschool site during this summer camp program for young children and an adult caregiver.
Nature Play is a program for children between 18 months – 3 1/2 years of age and their caregiver. An experienced nature educator will model how to explore the outdoors with young children and allow healthy risk taking. Activities will be guided by the children’s natural curiosity and wonder as they freely play and explore their environment.
Children must have an adult caregiver present with a maximum of two children per adult.
Ages: 0 months – 3 1/2 years + an adult caregiver
NEW! Days | Times: Monday, Wednesday | 10:00am-12:00pm
Days | Times: Tuesday, Thursday | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
The Tue/Thur sessions are full. Please sign-up on our waitlist
Location: Maple Grove Nature School, McMinnville
Spend a day with Outdoor Education Adventure’s as we explore Ewing Young Park in Newberg. Through a new collaboration with Chehalem Parks and Recreation Distict, OEA will be offering two camp days this summer. Campers will spend the day playing games, exploring, and making discoveries with experienced educators/naturalists. We will spend some time exploring the creek as well as the wooded areas and learn about the diversity of plants and animals living in the park while engaging in fun, hands-on activities.
Ages: 5-12 years
Time: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Location: Ewing Young Park, Newberg (near the skate park)
Visit Chehalem Park & Recreation Districts website to learn more about their programs and events: https://www.cprdnewberg.org/
Registration is closed. Both days are full.
Please sign-up for the waitlist. We will notify you if a space becomes available.
Spring Break Adventure Camp is two days of exploring the early spring forest and fields. Yep, it’s generally wet and muddy, but kids have a great time searching for and learning about all of the animals that are returning to the area as well as the plants that are just waking up after a cold winter. We will spend a little time learning about, searching for and collecting some of the edible plants that grow around Miller Woods. As always we will spend time playing games, exploring, and making discoveries.
Ages: 5-11 years
Dates: March 21 & 22, 2022
Time: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Location: Miller Woods Conservation Area
Each day of summer camp is structured to encourage curiosity, creative thinking, and exploration and is filled with a mix of free exploration and guided activities.
Each week of camp has a different theme. While we will plan activities centered around the theme there will still be plenty of time playing games and exploring.
Ages: 4-11 years
Campers are split into three cohorts:
Time:
Full day: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Morning only: 9:00 – Noon (option only available for ages 4-6)
Click on the links below for camp details and to register:
New camp dates added in Newberg. Check them out HERE!
Ages: 12-15
This program is perfect for the young teen who loves the camp experience and wants to share that love with younger kids while gaining some leadership experience. Jr Naturalists will participate in a camp-like training day where they will learn about local ecology, play and lead camp games, and build leadership skills. Their training and mentoring will continue as they help OEA staff run a week of summer camp for kids ages 4-11.
Participants need to submit an application and be available for the training day. Submitting an application is not a guarantee of participation. OEA staff will consider all applications and select participants based on their ability to complete the application process and demonstrate follow-through. Applicants will request the summer camp dates they are interested in on their application.
Application Deadline: June 1, 2022 by 6:00 pm
Training Day: June 22, 2022 | 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Registration Fee: $65.00 (paid upon acceptance to the program to cover training and mentoring)
If your application is accepted you will be invited to register. Invitations to register will go out no later than June 7th. Registering will hold your place at the training day and ensure you a spot at a minimum of one week of summer camp. If space allows, you may be able to attend more than one week of camp for no additional fee.
Tuition assistance is available, and payments for programs may be tax-deductible as childcare. Check with your tax consultant for more information. We invite families to check out our tuition assistance options. For your records, OEA’s EIN is 82-0836935.
Are you looking for an outdoor experience customized to meet the needs of your group? Whether it is an adult group of friends looking to learn a little more about the natural world or a group of kids of any age who want a little guided outdoor time we have naturalist educators ready to create a nature enrichment opportunity for you.
Group sizes are capped at 15 participants plus three chaperones; masks are encouraged. Multiple groups can be accomodated simultaneously.
Contact us to design your nature experience!
© 2022 Outdoor Education Adventures. Outdoor Education Adventures is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization provides educational summer camps, field trip opportunities, spring break programs, family adventures, and outdoor school activities to the McMinnville, Oregon & surrounding Yamhill County areas.
