Program Description: (Formerly known as our Home School Programs)

The P.I.N.E. Project offers nature based programs that provide long-term mentoring experiences for children and youth in their home environment. These programs are almost entirely spent outside, only using indoor space for the most inclement weather, or for specific projects. There’s no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing!
A growing body of research is emphatically stating that children are happier, healthier, and developmentally superior (they learn better, quicker, retain more, and are more relaxed) when they spend consistent time in nature. And everyone knows the the most formative years are the first ones. We’ve seen the strongest, most resilient children develop when consistently exposed to nature and strong mentoring from a young age.

We integrate parents and siblings into the experience, with opening and closing circles, storytelling, and celebrations at important times of the year for our participants.

Oaks and Acorns (Parent and Child, age 0-3)

Our Oaks and Acorns program is brand new,  designed to help parents learn more about creating meaningful experiences in nature, and a strong culture of nature connection around children. In this program, parents develop their mentoring skills, learn about the natural world, share celebrations of childrens growth, and connect with a growing community steeped in nature connection. Parents get to learn about how we do what we do. (see testimonials). This program uses the Coyote’s Guide to Connecting with Nature as a resource for parents to take home (it’s included with the class, a $35 value!). We work through it’s chapters together to bring alive the amazing content of our favourite resource.

Rate: $220/season plus HST, paid in two installments, one at registration, one on the first day of the program.
Spring: Click to pay for registration and scroll to the top to see your cart contents and check out.

  Opening Spring 2012!

Content includes:

• Storytelling and songs
• An introduction to what is known as “cultural mentoring”
• Learning how to create more nature connection in your home and day to day life
• Adventures, wandering, and tracking wildlife (following animals to learn about their lives!)
• Wild edibles, medicinals, and hazard plants (identification and uses)
• Stewardship and taking care of the land
• Nature based crafting and an introduction to various wilderness skills
• And so much more!

 

Coyote Pups (Ages 4-7) 

Our Coyote Pups are the best adventurers there are! This class is full to the brim with storytelling, tracking local wildlife, and finding the coolest goings on in the forest every week! We build the best forts and shelters, pretend to be the sneakiest animals out there, and howl at the birds when they catch us unaware! Arts, singing, drama, naturalist skills, survival skills, and community building with parents and younger siblings are all vital aspects of this program. We create a small culture steeped in nature connection. This is not a class to be missed!

Rate: $300/season plus HST, paid in two installments, one at registration, one on the first day of the program.

Winter: Registration opens Dec. 9th to the general public. (Click on the session you’d like, and scroll to the top to see your cart contents and check out.)

Tuesday morning session: Jan. 10 – March 6, 9am-12pm

 

Tuesday afternoon session: Jan. 10 – March 6, 1pm-4pm

 

Content includes:

• Storytelling and songs
• An introduction to what is known as “cultural mentoring”
• Learning how to create more nature connection in your home and day to day life
• Adventures, wandering, and tracking wildlife (following animals to learn about their lives!)
• Wild edibles, medicinals, and hazard plants (identification and uses)
• Stewardship and taking care of the land
• Nature based crafting and an introduction to various wilderness skills
• And so much more!

Fiery Foxes (Ages 7-10)

The foxes are a next step program to our Coyote Pups. In this class, we begin to really start using our skills to collect, create and learn through skill building! Where the Coyote Pups are adventurers and wanderers, the Foxes are builders and creators! We will be having plenty of adventures and wandering in nature to see what we find, however we’ll also be working on projects and using our hands to create with nature! It is suggested, though not mandatory that participants have been involved in some other form of p.i.n.e. programming to join this program.

Rate: $325/season, paid in two installments, one at registration, one on the first day of the program.

Winter: Registration opens Dec. 9th to the general public. (Click below and scroll to the top to see your cart contents and check out.)

Tuesday session: Jan. 10 – March 6, 9am-1pm

 

Program includes:

• Fire by friction
• Working with tools and knives
• Stewardship and invasive species removal
• Working with wood, stone, bone and fibres
• Making food and medicines from natural materials
• Journaling, reading assignments, research and home projects
• Much more!

Forms:

All participants must download and fill out  registration forms before they begin classes. Download the forms in pdf format by clicking on the link, and mail them (or drop them off) to us at The P.I.N.E. Project, 64 Clendenan Ave., Toronto, ON M6P 2W5.

Registration Policy:

All registrations are refundable save for a $25 non-refundable registration fee, previous to three weeks before program start. Any registrations or cancellations within three weeks of program commencement are final and non-refundable. All program spots require a full program payment on the first day of program, unless otherwise specified by the p.i.n.e. project.

More Info:

Programs provide outdoor and environmental experiences inspiring a connection to and knowledge of local natural spaces.  Programs use Art of Mentoring techniques (referred to by best selling author Richard Louv as “Good Medicine for Nature Deficit Disorder) proven highly effective locally, and at wilderness schools throughout the U.S.A. Some of these include pioneering home school programs at Wilderness Awareness School in Washington State, and The Oyase Community School run by the Vermont Wilderness School.

Experiences with guest instructors and other skilled members of the community are integrated throughout, though most of the experience will be with P.I.N.E. Executive Director, Andrew McMartin. For more information on Andrew and his background, see his profile here.

Programs are best suited for participation throughout the full session, but joining mid season is welcomed, so long as there is space!

Testimonials – A Parent email chain after the Fall Season:

As this Yankee heads toward Thanksgiving on Thursday, I just wanted to say how grateful we are to have found you and your wonderful work.  (I’d have said all this this morning, but the tears would have started, the 4-6 year olds wouldn’t have understood and, well, you know how that goes…)
At dinner this eve, Sophie said that she was feeling sad that Pine class was over. She then said that next week, she was going to wake up early, get her outdoor clothes on, eat her breakfast, and then she knew I would tell her that there was no Pine class, but that she wanted to go to High Park anyway.
Monday nights have been exciting for her as she has gone to the Land of Nod in anticipation of Tuesday.  And, Tuesdays have been the highlight of her week.  You and Pine class are a familiar member of our dinner conversations these last 8 weeks.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.
You’re making an impression and have become an important part of my little one’s life.  I’m sure you know how precious that is.
See you in January.
Jennifer Eisberg

Amen!  Jennifer, I was nodding the whole way through your e-mail.
Maggie and I both had a few tears as we talked about what the program has meant to her and all the things she will miss – and  yes, bum sliding did come up!
We truly feel blessed to have found such a wonderful group of  friends, big and  small, and look forward to many more memories in seasons to come.
Andrew, you and “Forrest Class” as we say, have been the highlight of our week as well.  In Waldorf terms, you have engaged the heads, hands and hearts of our little ones, and that is the sign of a great teacher!
We are so grateful for your passion, wisdom and love of life.
Thanks again.
Until January,
Devon Neate

A similar scenario went down last night in our home too.
Dash is insisting on holding his own PINE class at High Park next week.  He has invited his Dad and a family friend to have adventures.  
For the past two years I have been holding off on classes and searching for a meaningful situation and am very pleased to have found it!  What Dash gets out of the classes is not easy to put in an email; confidence, respect for his surroundings, respect for  fellow classmates  and joy for being outside.  
I also want to thank you for including siblings.  Gray feels a part of the group without having to do the leaving Mama thing that would not work for him now!
Looking forward to the New Year with our wonderful group!
Brooke Scott

Community School Program Topics include:

• Ecology
• Sustainable living
• Wildlife and nature studies
• Native plant gardening
• Primitive shelter construction
• Friction fire and Survival Skills
• Indigenous craft making
• Quiet movement and wildlife observation
• Journaling, Mapping and Naturalist Studies
• Collection and processing wild edibles
• Camouflage and hiding games
• Basketry, animal tracking, winter shelters!
• Many more, depending upon the season.