​Naturalist Mentoring Program



Mentoring in Nature to Inspire Learning
nature, science, stewardship, wilding skills, wild art, social emotional wellness, wild crafting
​and now interactive virtual nature connection!
Come play with us!


9/23; COVID UPDATE:
Ocean Grove Funding is a GO!  OG families can now use their funds to purchase in person classes!
  • We have received our Covid-19 Guideline Protocol approval!  We are so excited to get back out in the wild, in our beloved County parks and beyond
  • A TEAM BEan Eco Learning Pod offerings!  Come find us for 1,2 or 3 day Learning Pod offerings also at A TEAM!    
  • Although we anticipate that our Fall looks a bit different, we are thrilled  that your children, with the guidance from  our amazing mentors, will be out in the wild together this Fall .
  • We believe passionately in our mission to provide epic and safe  nature program experiences to our students though out the year. 
  • NEW BEan Natural Studies Learning Pod!  Using natural history study as our educational spine and with lots of opportunities for play and discovery, we will immerse in subjects like science, math, poetry, art, geography, history and environmental stewardship and more!  BEan provides a secular, multi-age experience in the best classroom ever - the amazing outdoors!
  • Have questions?  Need support?  We are here to help!
  • FALL REGISTRATION IS OPEN!
  • SESSION #2 IS OPEN! LIMITED SPACE DUE TO COVID SMALL LEARNING POD DESIGN! 
  • GRAB YOUR SPOT! REGISTER NOW!
We are so grateful for your trust, your partnership, your patience, and your support. 
Summer Camps ARE now complete!  
We had a successful safe and healthy summer camp season!  We are so grateful to our families, the children and for our amazing staff!

NATURE NUGGET NEWSLETTER... GET YOURS!
View or share your campaign: https://mailchi.mp/beaninnature/stayconnected-bean-virtual-nature-connections-2688057
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Who, What Why, and How?
Your Child will Connect to their wild primal self through survival awareness,
wild skills and
epic nature connection adventures!

We believe children who are mentored to fall in love with science, art, and learning, through child-led, inquiry based ancestral survival skills, amazing wild skills, wild crafts, and nature connection experiences will be the ones who solve our climate crisis and create solutions to our complex human challenges, to foster a healthy planet.  In this way, we mentor through ‘seeing through the Native Eyes’, fostering a love for understanding and connecting to the primal self through nature.  
Children who are mentored to fall in love with the science behind nature, 'to see through the Native Eyes' will be the ones who inspire their own families and friends in their communities; sharing their contagious love of nature connection, their curiosity, their nature knowledge and their dynamic awareness of our native plants, trees, creatures and our waters, and beyond.
we offer...
school programs
home school programs
weekend programs 
after school programs 
summer camps 
birthday parties AND nature parties! 
why we do what we do

Our mission, at BEan In Nature, is to support and care for the earth and her fragile ecology, helping children connect with wonder and amazement to the natural world, growing their innate curiosity and passion for the earth and its flora and fauna.   All while having epic adventures, creating memorable stories to share and sharing our contagious enthusiasm out on the earth.
parents love BEan In Nature!
Picture
Please visit our YELP page and share!  Help us connect more families and kiddos to nature!


My daughter attended monthly Saturday programs year round, and summer camps too, all through her elementary years. I credit Marisa and the wonderful assistants for my daughter's appreciation of nature, her comfort with rustic settings, and her enjoyment in learning about the forest and its creatures. She has solid knife skills, can felt and make salve, and had a great time rambling in the woods. Marisa is great with kids, and made my serious, introverted daughter feel welcome and wanted. I recommend BEan In Nature to anyone who wants to help their child develop a deep, meaningful connection with the natural world.
jen w.


At first I was a little nervous about sending my almost 6 year old to a camp from 9am – 3pm. She had done camps before but not one that lasted almost all day and definitely not one that was completely outside. But after seeing her reaction after the first day, I realized this camp was definitely worth it! She had a wonderful time and loved talking about what she did every day. From the face painting, to archery, to walking through the creek, she spent the week doing such worthwhile things with new friends while spending it outside in nature. I will definitely be looking at this camp for her every summer because it made such a difference in her life and I couldn’t have been happier.
 
Thanks so much Marisa for offering this program to kids!
 ~Rachel


​My two kids, 10 and 12 years old have been part of Bean In Nature for the past 3 years. It is an amazing program. Marisa, Diamond, Jeremy and the other assistants are all wonderful. They are very caring, welcoming and they have created a safe and accepting environment. Kids are free to be within nature, they are free to run, climb and roll in the mud if they wish to do so. But all it's done by keeping them safe. When I pick them up they are always smiling, happy and relaxed. When I ask the kids what do they like about this program, their answer is always: "Everything!" Thank you Marisa, Diamond, Jeremy and the rest of this amazing team!​

Best,
~Mom to 2 amazing children
​
"It gives me such joy to know that so many children in our region are being exposed to the wonders of nature as well as developing social responsibility through Service Learning projects taught by you.  I only wish Liliana could attend more of your classes in the future. Liliana will be leaving CA with an appreciation and love for nature, due in large part, to the experiences she had with you.  She went from being a girl who didn't like to get her hands dirty, to a girl who now picks up bugs, digs in the dirt and loves hiking in the woods!  Thanks for helping to cure her of Nature Deficit Disorder! :). We will miss you very much and hope you will keep up your amazing work of positively impacting children through nature immersion."

Fondly,
~Cathleen, Greg & Liliana Dyck
I am happy with how this virtual nature class works out. I'm worried in the beginning, but you made it fun and interactive. Thank you. Specially when you ask children to go outside during rainy day. Nadia always been an outdoor girl. She can be outside in the backyard for hours by herself. Making stories, talking to the chicken, biking around the backyard etc she just a happy girl.
This class onsite and virtual help her to overcome her shyness and make her more confident to talk to others. 
 Sometimes she comes to me with some fact that she learn from you, like how much water we used every day and how much we need to conserve. 
 We are blessed to be in this community, thank you.
A~Mom to a very happy girl
......
I absolutely love the way Teacher Marisa has been engaging the students on Zoom….

​Sending us anything you think Samuel is wonderful with Google Classroom. The live bird cam was really cool, we want to continue that in our own home and investigations!
 God bless you, thanks for the wonderful work you do.
  • J mom to a busy boy
....
​Thankful for Marisa’s online class meetings, which remind us of all that is available in nature and what we have to look forward to when shelter-in-place orders are eased. The kids have enjoyed seeing friends and teachers, even teachers from past years! The teachers take feedback well and make adjustments each week as they gauge the interests of the students. We have also appreciated additional resources posted to the online classroom, which spark conversations about taking care of nature. 
    -K  (or anonymous)