Distance
1 Miles
Elevation Gain
100 Feet
Difficulty
Easy
Cost Per Person
$0
Camp Overview
*Members Only Course: Becoming a member grants you access to all NEW Glacier Institute Field Courses for free, and gives you 50% off all legacy Glacier Institute Field Courses. Thank you for supporting outdoor education!
August 3, 2025: Join us for a heartwarming and insightful course at Big Creek, where adults and their young children can learn to connect with nature in a way that fosters curiosity, wonder, and imagination. Drawing inspiration from Rachel Carson’s The Sense of Wonder, this class will guide parents and caregivers in nurturing children’s innate love of the natural world.
Seeds of Wonder: Inspiring Young Explorers in Nature
Hike Overview Continued
*Members Only Course: Becoming a member grants you access to all NEW Glacier Institute Field Courses for free, and gives you 50% off all legacy Glacier Institute Field Courses. Thank you for supporting outdoor education!
August 3 at 9 a.m.
Instructors: Alex Baysinger and Zowie Caouette
Join us for a heartwarming and insightful course at Big Creek, where adults and their young children can learn to connect with nature in a way that fosters curiosity, wonder, and imagination. Drawing inspiration from Rachel Carson’s The Sense of Wonder, this class will guide parents and caregivers in nurturing children’s innate love of the natural world. Through a series of hands-on activities, we’ll encourage children to explore freely, allowing them to engage with their surroundings at their own pace and in their own way. Adults will learn how to cultivate an environment that lets children follow their curiosity, rather than imposing structured activities, and how to embrace the joy of exploration alongside their young ones. Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, or caregiver, this class will deepen your understanding of how to inspire and support children’s natural sense of wonder while spending quality time outdoors. The recommended age range for kiddos on this course is 3 to 6 years old. All children are required to have an accompanied adult.
Meeting Place: Big Creek Youth Campus
Itinerary: (subject to change due to trail closures, weather and blooming seasons) We will meet at Big Creek, our youth campus, at 9 a.m. Through the course, children will do various activities along with their caregivers. This course will end by 12 p.m. and not be cancelled due to weather.
Food: Please bring water and any snacks for the day.
Equipment: Please wear comfortable hiking shoes, bring a bag to put water, snacks, extra layers, and sunscreen.
Physical Requirements: Easy. You will hike/walk no more than 1 mile with less than 100 feet of
elevation gain.
Recommended Reading:
● The Sense of Wonder by Rachel Carson
● Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv
● The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative by Florence Williams
● How to Raise Healthy and Happy Children in the Outdoors by Nina and Tim MacGougan
What to Expect On Your Seeds of Wonder Nature Course
We will meet at Big Creek, our youth campus, at 9 a.m. Through the course, children will do various activities along with their caregivers. This course will end by 12 p.m. and not be cancelled due to weather.
Drawing inspiration from Rachel Carson’s The Sense of Wonder, this class will guide parents and caregivers in nurturing children’s innate love of the natural world. Through a series of hands-on activities, we’ll encourage children to explore freely, allowing them to engage with their surroundings at their own pace and in their own way. Adults will learn how to cultivate an environment that lets children follow their curiosity, rather than imposing structured activities, and how to embrace the joy of exploration alongside their young ones.
Camp Details
Meeting Place: Big Creek Youth Campus
Itinerary: (subject to change due to trail closures, weather and blooming seasons) We will meet at Big Creek, our youth campus, at 9 a.m. Through the course, children will do various activities along with their caregivers. This course will end by 12 p.m. and not be cancelled due to weather.
Food: Please bring water and any snacks for the day.
Equipment: Please wear comfortable hiking shoes, bring a bag to put water, snacks, extra layers, and sunscreen.
Physical Requirements: Easy. You will hike/walk no more than 1 mile with less than 100 feet of
elevation gain.
What to Bring
- Comfortable Hiking Shoes
- 1-2 liter Water Bottle
- Backpack
- Sleeping bag
- Hat
- Sunscreen
- Camera (optional)
- Binoculars (optional)
- Field Notebook with pencils