After-School Wilderness Survival Program
*COURSE BEGINS APRIL 2026. Registration begins in March...STAY TUNED!
Ages: 7-16 years
Schedule: Tuesdays | 3:30 PM – 6:00 PM
Format: 6-week series
Location: Thompson Regional Park (Home Base)
The 6 week survival series is a focused, skill-based program designed to build outdoor confidence, independence, and safety awareness. Through hands-on instruction and guided challenges, participants learn practical wilderness skills including search & rescue - Hug a Tree Program.
This program emphasizes risk awareness, teamwork, leadership, and personal responsibility within clearly defined boundaries and strong safety protocols. Children are supported by experienced educators as they problem-solve, collaborate, and develop trust in themselves and their environment.
🎯 Who This Program Is Best For
This program is well-suited for children who:
• Enjoy hands-on, active learning
• Are curious about survival skills and outdoor safety
• Benefit from building confidence through real responsibility
• Want to learn how to hike, camp, and explore outdoors safely
💚 What Families Love About This Program
Families appreciate the strong focus on safety awareness, confidence-building, and life skills as children gain confidence through hands-on challenges and teamwork. Many notice their children becoming more capable, responsible, and proud of what they can do outdoors.
💛 What children love about this program
Children love learning skills that feel reel and meaningful — building shelters, working with tools, making fires, and practicing survival strategies. They enjoy working together on challenges, and feeling capable and confident as they master new tools, techniques, and responsibilities outdoors.
🏕 Skills We Focus On
Each session builds practical outdoor knowledge and confidence, including:
• Hug a Tree & STOP (Search and Rescue Skills)
Staying calm, staying put, signalling for help, and making safe decisions if lost
• Outdoor Safety & Animal Awareness
Understanding wildlife safety, boundaries, and respectful awareness in natural spaces
• Shelter Building & Knots
Creating simple shelters and learning essential knots for outdoor use
• Water Awareness & Navigation
Identifying safe water sources, basic filtering concepts, and compass navigation
• Basic First Aid & Emergency Readiness
Responding to minor injuries and understanding when to seek help
• Tool Safety & Primitive Skills
Learning to use tools responsibly with clear safety expectations
• Fire Safety & Camp Skills
Learning the fire triangle, safe fire-building techniques, cooking over a bon fire and celebrating skills through a guided closing challenge.
🛡 Staffing & Supervision
Our programs maintain low staff-to-child ratios to support safety and meaningful relationships.
• Staff-to-child ratio: 1 educator to 7 children
• Maximum group size: 14 participants
• All activities are age-appropriate, closely supervised, and taught with clear safety routines and boundaries.
📣 Communication & Updates
• Public Facebook page for program highlights and announcements
• Private Facebook groups for registered families
• Facebook Messenger for general questions, and group links.
• Text messages for field trip locations and urgent updates
• Email for receipts, forms, and general information
Facebook participation is optional.
* Families will receive the full Family Handbook, including detailed policies, expectations, risk-assessments and safety procedures, upon registration
Frequent Questions
Questions are welcomed & encouraged!
What ages is the Wilderness Survival Program for?
This program is designed for children ages 7–13. Older or younger participants may be considered based on maturity, confidence, and ability to participate safely and independently.
Can my child try a single session?
No. The Wilderness Survival Program is offered as a 6-session series. Skills build week to week, and children need time to develop confidence, trust, and safety awareness as a group.
Do children need to be independent?
Yes. Children must be able to follow safety instructions, stay with the group, and manage their own belongings. This program is best suited for children who are comfortable participating without a parent present.
What if my child has never done a survival program before?
No prior experience is required. Skills are introduced gradually, with clear instruction and support from educators.
What happens in bad weather?
Sessions run in most weather, with activities adapted for safety. Families will be notified if conditions require changes or cancellation.
What will my child receive at the end of the program?
Children receive a certificate of completion recognizing their participation and the skills practiced throughout the course.
How do families stay informed?
Families receive program updates through text messages, emails and a private Facebook group, where photos and highlights are shared.
Have questions or unsure if this program is the right fit? We’re happy to help just reach out.