Each year we create a team of phenomenal nature educators– each with his/her own inspirational life experiences and primitive and naturalist skills to share. Nature Educators undergo a background check and training on keeping children safe in the outdoors either with our program and/or with NOLS Wilderness First Aid Training and/or Red Cross CPR training outside our program. Our small camp sizes (max size of 20) and nature educator to camper ratios (1:9), as well as as our nature educator being assisted by 1-2 Teen Assistants for support.   All to assure that each child is well cared for, that safety is priority always and that each child is always safe in our outdoor program. Parent pick up designees must be on registration forms or on sign in page and each summer camp child is signed in and out each day.

2022-23 Mask and COVID-19 Guidelines

• As we continue to plan and design our programs,  we will continue to work closely with our park hosts, local and state public health authorities with their recommended health guidelines. 

  1. Your children and their safety, as well as their social emotional wellness, are of the utmost importance to us. 

  • We are an outdoor program and Santa Clara County  Guidelines do not require face coverings for outside offerings.

  • We do suggest face covering when NOT in safe physical distance, for all students and teachers who are not otherwise exempt,

  • OR as families see fit for their child to partake in outdoor, open space programs.

  • and We follow SC Public Health COVID-19 Decision Tree

Summer 2024 Cancellation and Refunds

BEan In Nature cancellation policies are based on our investment in staff, course planning, as well as food and equipment purchases before your course. We cannot recover our expenses if you cancel. Nevertheless, we understand that we are in unprecedented times.

Cancellation Policy: If you cancel prior to April 15, 2024, you will receive a full refund of your payment to the original payment method, less a $100 processing fee for each session cancelled.

If you cancel fourteen (14) business days prior to your camp start date, you may receive a camp account credit for each session purchased, less a $125 fee for each session cancelled, usable for any BEan offering through August 31, 2025. All cancellation requests must be sent to beaninnature@gmail.com; subject IMP CX

• No credit or refunds will be provided if you cancel within fourteen (14) days of your camp start date.

• We will issue a credit for the remaining camp cost, if you need to cancel for an extenuating circumstance after April 15. 

  CHANGE FEE: There is no penalty or fee to change camps until April 15. After April 15, there will be a $35 change fee for the 2024 season.  Contact beaninnature@gmail.com subject: CHANGE PLEASE

• Year Program Day Cancellation Inclement Weather Policy:

• BEan In Nature programs hold class during most all weather.  There are occasions, although rare, when dangerous weather or other environmental conditions out of our control, force us to cancel our program in the interests of student and staff safety.  During these rare situations, we take every safety precaution to hold program when possible by finding safety in other alternatives such as site relocation.

  1. Typically early AM notification on the day of class, to allow for maximum analysis on the safety of the weather, air or other for us to be outside.

  2. Due to these events being out of our control, we cannot offer refunds for cancelled days *Although, when the calendar allows, we do our very best to offer families, an INCLEMENT WEATHER MAKE UP DAY during the program year. If needed for a 2nd MAKE UP DAY we will offer our ZOOM WILD EARTH CLASS for the students that day when we are inside!

  3. Some examples when a program may be cancelled or cut short include:

  4. Wind advisory: when wind forecasts are predicting sustained winds around 35-40 mph, or gusts around 45-50 mph.  Often wind is site specific and the decision to cancel program will be decided in the field on the day of program.

  5. Heavy Rain causing flooding or road closures and site access due to slides.

  6. Air Quality:  Air Quality Index above 100 as determined by airnow.gov

  7. Lightning:  Lightning is also site specific and will often be determined on the day of program in the field.

  8. Forest Fires:  The location of the fire, smoke, and emergency services alerts will determine program status.

  9. Earthquakes or other natural disasters.  Hard to predict most of these.

  10. If a program is cancelled due to low enrollment, tuition and deposits will be fully refundable or transferable.

BEan In Nature cancellation policies are based on our investment in staff, course planning, as well as food and equipment purchases before your course. We cannot recover our expenses if you cancel. Short-notice cancellations often prevent others from attending.  Nevertheless, we understand that extra ordinary circumstances do occur.  Please reach out so that we may assist you.

If you need to cancel a registration because you are directly impacted by illness or tragic event (even after class begins) we will not charge any cancellation service fees, less a $100 processing fee,  and you will receive your the remainder purchase price as a transferable credit for any future BEan program, valid until the end of September 2025.

Year Program Cancellation and Refunds

If you need to cancel a registration after your child's program has been in session for 2 weeks, BEan In Nature will hold a  1 month of payment as a cancellation service fee per child so that we might have time to try to fill the open spot in the program .

If we cancel a class, we will either:

1. Give you full credit for a later BEan program good now through September 2023.  (Accepting a credit rather than a refund allows us to continue providing these critical services and programs); 

or

2. Give you a full refund minus nominal non-refundable deposit: Reach out to us via email at beaninnature@gmail.com and we will provide a full refund. Put “REFUND” in the subject line, and please know that it may take up to two weeks for finalization of refund, but we will get back to each and every one of you.

Program Day Inclement Weather Cancellation Policy:

• BEan In Nature programs hold class during most all weather.  There are occasions, although rare, when dangerous weather or other environmental conditions out of our control, force us to cancel our program in the interests of student and staff safety.  During these rare situations, we take every safety precaution to hold program when possible by finding safety in other alternatives such as site relocation.

• Typically early AM notification on the day of class, to allow for maximum analysis on the safety of the weather, air or other for us to be outside.

• Due to these events being out of our control, we cannot offer refunds for cancelled days *Although, when the calendar allows, we do our very best to offer families, an INCLEMENT WEATHER MAKE UP DAY during the program year. If needed for a 2nd MAKE UP DAY we will offer our ZOOM WILD EARTH CLASS for the students that day when we are inside!

• Some examples when a program may be cancelled or cut short include:

• Wind advisory: when wind forecasts are predicting sustained winds around 35-40 mph, or gusts around 45-50 mph.  Often wind is site specific and the decision to cancel program will be decided in the field on the day of program.

• Heavy Rain causing flooding or road closures and site access due to slides.

• Air Quality:  Air Quality Index above 100 as determined by airnow.gov

• Lightning:  Lightning is also site specific and will often be determined on the day of program in the field.

• Forest Fires:  The location of the fire, smoke, and emergency services alerts will determine program status.

• Earthquakes or other natural disasters.  Hard to predict most of these.

• If a program is cancelled due to low enrollment, tuition and deposits will be fully refundable or transferable.

BEan community building is key to our program; thus, parents of children in all program groups will agree, to volunteer, to come support their child's program simple duties for partial time. email us! beaninnature@gmail.com

• Parent may opt in, or buy out volunteer time. Please understand, parents are supportive co- teachers, and the BEan Lead NatureLed educators and kids need the supportive co-parent teacher’s full participation. Parents with siblings may bring him/her. However in the older classes, if the child/sibling is a distraction, support parents are asked to redirect the sibling by removing him/her from the circle or activity so enrolled children can practice listening, speaking, and following directions with a minimal amount of distraction. We welcome sibling of same age, in class or generally same age, to join on parent-help days.

• Outside of parent-volunteer days, parents are only asked to accompany their child(ren) to class if that the child needs extra support in order to have a safe and satisfying experience.

• Each program day has different needs for volunteers, so your volunteer time may be time other than coming onsite for a day in nature. We are very flexible, we only ask what you can give and appreciate your time! …more info here as we build this new program FOR FALL 2023.

ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A PARENT TO SPEAR HEAD THIS FOR US!

A primary focus of BEan in Nature program is on immersive programs supporting social-emotional development and community building through connections to our earth and each other. With parent support and volunteer help we can have monthly service learning field trips support and shape children’s ideas that they have the ability to make change, and teach them how to be that change, by participating in ongoing Bay Area Environmental Service Learning programs. Students discover new worlds and build leadership skills in programs such as Save the Bay and The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, to name a couple of the great programs available to us.

There will be no Field trip registration fees for currently enrolled families.  email us if you would like to help us create Field Trips for Fall 2023 programs!

Spring Schedule: BEan All Programs & A Team Homeschool -All Nature Led Outdoor programs

• First week of Spring Semester Monday, Jan 18th

• Winter Break February 19 to February 23

• TNT WEEKEND begins Feb, March, April and May with a TNT backpacking trip June or July

• Spring Break April  1st to April 5th

• FAMILY SPRING CAMP OUT April 11-14th

• Last Day of Class Thursday, May 2nd

• Inclement Weather Make up Week May 6-10th if needed from year of Fire, Heat or Inclement weather make up

• SUMMER BEGINS

  • TNT (TW/TEEN) WEEKENDS SUMMER SERIES STARTS JUNE JULY AUGUST

  • BEan @ A TEAM HOMESCHOOL Start JUNE -San Jose @ A TEAM HOMESCHOOL

    Summer WEEK LONG PROGRAMS @ MORGAN HILL, CUPERTINO, WOODSIDE PARKS

    Fall FAM Camp out August/September

    Fall Semester Programs return in late August

A Team All Performance Day and Craft Fair -Saturday, May 4th

……………………………..

NatureLed Outdoor

Stevens Creek County Park, Cupertino

Wednesdays; 10-3; Fledglings 10-12

Fledglings 3-5; 5-8. 5 and 9-12 

TNT Program

1x a month weekends Fall… Spring begins Feb

A Team BEan Eco Sci Investigations and Nature Sci Outdoor Games

San Jose Campus Schedule Spring 2024 

Tuesdays, Wednesdays

Morgan Hill Campus Schedule Spring 2024 

Mondays

See above CX Policies

As the news continues to evolve, we all will keep making the best decisions we can for our families and our staff.

Here are our current 2023 Covid Guidelines

2023 Mask and Covid Guidelines

We are an outdoor program, Santa Clara County Park Guidelines do not require face coverings for outside offerings.

We do suggest face covering when NOT in safe physical distance, for all students who are not otherwise exempt,

And as families see fit for their child to partake in our outdoor open space programs.

As we continue to plan and design our programs,  we will continue to work closely with our park hosts, local and state public health authorities with their recommended health guidelines. Your children and their safety are utmost important to us. 

On private property we will have porta potties used with cleaning protocol as guided.

Hand washing stations will be open in an ample number of areas at private and county land bases, as well as, easy access to safe healthy hand sanitizers.

Snack and Lunch time will be in physical distance and snacks and lunches will be guided to not be shared.

At county parks, there is use of their bathroom facilities.

We will send out our Parent & Camper Handbook the week before your scheduled camp session with any updated protocols.

If you are a parent of a younger or an older child you might be asking, how will my child be served best in the age span offered?

Our camps are ran with 2 adult mentors, an adult seasoned instructor and a seasoned superb teen assistant.  The Groups, Fledglings, youngers and olders, are woven together for morning circle and games, after this, your campers launch off for the day to spend time with their own age group often working side by side in activities or in tandem, but more developmentally aligned with your child's own age group.​ If our camp is quite small, teaching to the smaller group, is supported with a seasoned instructor and a seasoned teen assistant.

Lunch and snacks Pack enough for a full and active day. BEan In Nature is a peanut-free camp; please do not pack peanut products.

Water bottle We recommend a water bottle that is at least 12 oz. While many parks have water fountains, our activities often take us down trails or into areas where fountains are not readily available.

A sweater or jacket While we live in a mild climate, the weather can change rapidly. Wool and synthetics are advised since they do not absorb moisture the same way cotton does. Our programs typically go outside every day, rain or shine. Please pack rain gear if the weather predicts rain (water-proof jacket, pants, and boots).

Layers / change of clothes Having an extra long sleeve shirt, a warm hat, and a pair of pants can make the difference between a happy kid and a not-so-happy one when the weather changes. At the end of the day, expect kids that might be wet, muddy, and/or covered in poison oak. You may wish to bring a change of clothes for the ride home.

Long pants Long pants help provide protection from thorns and poison oak.

Sturdy, but worn in closed toe shoes Comfort is key, but we suggest something that is water resistant with a little ankle support.

Sunscreen / hat Sunburns are possible, even on cloudy days! Please pack some form of sun protection.

Carving knife (depending on camp and will be announced in your welcome letter) Campers are welcome to bring their own knives, although we have loaner knives available for any carving activities. Knives should be non-serrated with a fixed or locking blade. Note that we may or may not engage in carving activities depending on the camp theme and group needs. This is at the sole discretion of the instructor. If you have any questions about choosing a knife, please feel free to ask us. We like Opinel for the younger students and Swedish Mora knives for the Older students.

Yes! Often, people don't understand true risk in many activities because they lack experience. Our policies look at every potential risk and lateral contingency. Ironically, what we do has a lower statistical risk than youth martial arts, dance, sports or gymnastics, yet we feel we focus more on mitigating our hazards than many organizations in those fields.

Each year we create a team of phenomenal nature educators– each with his/her own inspirational life experiences and ancestral skills and naturalist skills to share. When out on the land, working with raw materials and the rugged terrain, we Nature Led instructors know there is risk for involved. At BEan we have been trained to mitigate the risks for ourselves and especially for our students. 

Safety is primary in our BEan program.  We train for Wilderness Safety, CPR and First Aid regularly. We want to assure you, that each child is well cared for, that safety is priority always and that each child is always safe in our outdoor program. 

Again, as we continue to plan and design our programs,  we will continue to work closely with our park hosts, local and state public health authorities with their recommended health guidelines. Your children and their safety are utmost important to us. 

We do seasonal safety trainings.  Instructors, as well as our TEEN assistants, working near emergency services are required to be up to date on first-aid and CPR certifications, including Epi-Pen. If operating in an area more than 40 minutes from emergency services, we require a Wilderness First Aid certification.

Furthermore, we review our safety policies in full, at each training event. But we don't stop there. It's one thing to have policies in place, it's another thing to have a staff that fully understands and assumes responsibility for those policies. We engage all staff in an ongoing dialogue as to "why" these policies exist. They contribute their own thoughts and methods to consistently review and improve them.

We are happy to incorporate this as we grow.  Contact us!

Not yet offering, but please let us know if you want it for the future!

We strive to look at each camp design separately to allow for creativity in all we do with the children  and what we choose to teach. Each educator that teaches the  children, creates their own project ideas and supplies are needed differently for each camp. Camps or private classes are also held to the same calculations to support the educators creative design and to support materials cost and teacher fees. We will always strive to stay in the comparable cost range of other great outdoor programs.

If my child is just going into 3rd grade should I put him in the morning 3-6th class or the afternoon 1-3rd class?

It is best to keep your child in the 1-3rd grade class until they have had 1 year of nature or have turned 9 after the fall.

Experiential learning is the process whereby students “learn by doing” and 'hands on' and by reflecting on their experience. WE also call this inquiry based teaching, "coyote mentoring", where the student asks a question and we come to the explore the question and the object in discovery, through a series of thoughtful and inquisitive question about that object and/or question. WE use this style of teaching accented with “Coyote Mentoring”. Native communities do not send their children to traditional schools to acquire nature education. Instead, they surrounded their young ones with a mentoring within their communities. Jon Young, author of The Coyote mentoring guide, often calls this education system an “Invisible School.” Invisible Schools used everyone in the village and all the elements of the landscape to draw out their student’s curiosity and inspire hands on learning.

Each teacher brings their own personal unique nature education style and mentoring techniques create an Invisible School that combines the best of native wisdom and creative modalities to engage and activate the children’s passion and connection to nature.  Children are naturally connected to nature, they are naturally inspired to engage and be part of their natural world. Using universal children’s interests and passions to engage them in practicing Core Routines of Nature Awareness, mentors improvise with Storytelling, the Art of Questioning, and a boundless bundle of nature games, activities, and challenges. Our “Coyote Mentoring” tools inspire children to connect deeply with nature and send them home with a sparkle in the eye.

Of course, a strong guiding principle behind BEan is that we provide quality “dirt-time” experiences that allow learning about nature to happen by interacting with it. This process allows students to build positive relationships with the earth, and to gain confidence and competence that will serve as a foundation for their own realization that they are not separate from the natural world and their actions can make a positive difference.

We have 2 program groups often.  We weave all groups together in our morning community time and then we separate.  This may vary in the summer months, and we may offer only similar age groups at 1 time, depending on the size of the group in total.

YES! Tweens and Teens Next Level Programs

10-3 Wednesdays Stevens Creek Palo Alto; Next Level 12+

9:30-3:30

1x a month weekends See TNT programs

Fridays at Foothills Park, Palo Alto

10:00-2:00

Fridays Felton Tween/Teen; 930-230 pm

Teen Leadership For the Summers

The protocol for inclement weather is we go out and use tarps, work on our knot skills and work on our primitive fire skills. We had a great time last year with all the rain and only had 1 day of intense weather per semester, on rainy days less mild we use tarps and teach knots, for shelter. See our Inclement weather info on our CX Policy in resources here

We do have families coming from San Jose.  At this time our enrollment is just revving up. We can most certainly reach out to families for carpooling as the registration grows.

Families are welcome to stay and enjoy a day in nature at the park, however the primary focus of the teachers and parent volunteers will be on facilitating the richest possible experience for enrolled children.

• The first day is the best day to check out the program, see if he likes it and decide from there.

• Parents are welcome to stay for the first hour or so, for our "trickle in" activities and join the class for morning circle!

• You are welcome to stay near by in the park, in case you think that your child will want to go home or need you during the day.

• In hopes that after 3 classes, your is okay on his/her own. As the class is not designed to have parents stay with us for the whole day.

• BEan IN NATURE always wants to offer the most gentle way to acclimate your child into our program, as well as, we strive to aim to meet your learner where they are at socially and emotionally.

Parents and siblings of children are invited to join group activities at the beginning of the class in our opening Thanksgiving Circle. 

Currently we do not have parents regularly volunteering in our program. See our info on Fall 2022… parent volunteers…  Although we strongly feel community building is key to our program; thus, parents of children in all groups are asked if they are able at times, to volunteer or come support their child's program. During this time, you will be a co- teacher of the group and the teachers and kids will want your full attention and participation. If you have a younger, you may bring him/her, if the a sibling is distracting to the group process, parents are asked to redirect the sibling by removing him/her from the circle or activity so that enrolled children can practice listening, speaking and following directions with a minimal amount of distractions. The exception to this is the Younger Group (1-3) where siblings are welcome to join on parent help days. 

Outside of scheduled parent help days, we will only ask parents to accompany their children to class if we see that the child needs extra support in order to have a safe and satisfying experience..

If you have a younger, you may bring him/her.    If the sibling is distracting to the group process, parents are asked to redirect the sibling by removing him/her from the circle or activity so that enrolled children can practice listening, speaking and following directions with a minimal amount of distractions. The exception to this is the Younger Group (1-3) where siblings are welcome to join on parent help days. Parents of children in the Younger Group often spend the day with their children beyond their required parent help days. You are welcome to do this since it is a great opportunity to observe how your child interacts with other children, teachers and the natural world. Outside of scheduled parent help days, we will only ask parents to accompany their children to class if we see that the child needs extra support in order to have a safe and satisfying experience.

Yes...contact us!  We love to share work and offer discounts where and when we can!

Sometimes it takes time for the child to be without their parent and more time is needed for the child to feel safe and comfortable in group activities.  We understand and will do our very best to support this process, and bring flow and cohesion to our group of students so each child benefits and feels comfortable and engaged.  A comfortable 2-3 week acclimation time can be given in these circumstances.

If the teacher determines that the child is unable to participate in the group safely or appropriately, parents will be expected to stay with children who are not ready or able to follow basic safety guidelines or who are not yet willing to participate in group activities. Teachers will determine whether children are able to participate in the group safely and appropriately without parent accompaniment.

Any child who is having trouble participating safely and effectively in BEan in Nature will need to have their parent participate in class with them until the child is able to function smoothly on their own. The BEan in Nature teachers and parents care deeply about inclusivity. We will do our best to support a successful and satisfying experience for any child who wants to participate. That said, in rare cases, we may be unable to accommodate a student or family, at which point the teacher and the parent would mutually decide to end the student’s participation in the Native Naturalist program.

We do know there will be conflicts and difficulties at times.  This is bound to occur. As Nature-led earth educators we are committed to supporting and to guiding each student through positive, cooperative, safe, social-emotional growth and development, learning positive conflict resolution to support and form positive relationships. Each day we learn together, how to care for each other,  how to care for the land, and how to care for our village ‘our program friends’, wild and human, all the while, learning and supporting positive, cooperative healthy exchanges and interactions. 

Please reach out to us and help us know more about your child, so that we might better understand if our program is a good fit and how we can support you and your learner, if so.

We do our very best to support all children, in all ways in our outdoor learning environment, that being said there are times when we need a supportive caregiver to join the student's day, to allow for maximum success for the child and for the group learning each day and/or week.  

We are in an outdoor field setting each day, with no obvious boundaries to our classrooms, for reasons of safety and supportive flow for the group as a whole, the children must be able to participate safely in a group environment.  It is always our goal to support children to engage and learn, right where they are at,  to be comfortable and successful each day. There are times when children may need more support than we can offer.  

A good way to know if your child might need more support, is if they have been in an outdoor camp environment and had a positive experience?  Do they need extra support in their school outdoor learning time and/or indoor learning time?  Do they interact with others safely and cohesively, or do they need more support in group class settings?  Do they enjoy the outdoors and want to be in an outdoor environmental setting?  Are they fearful of certain outdoor learning? These are all good questions to review as parents and discuss with us. Please let us know if you have more questions!

The BEan in Nature teachers and parents care deeply about inclusivity. We will do our best to support a successful and satisfying experience for any child who wants to participate. That said, in rare cases, we may be unable to accommodate a student or family, at which point the teacher and the parent would mutually decide to end the student’s participation in the BEan IN. NATURE program.

Dyslexia: Although we do a small amount of reading, writing and at BEan in Nature, it is always applied and embedded in context and there is plenty of adult support for children who need it. We can easily accommodate children with dyslexia and many other learning challenges. That said, some learning challenges are much more difficult for us to accommodate given our context.

Auditory Processing Challenges: Because we are in an outdoor field setting, with no obvious boundaries to our classrooms (i.e. walls), for reasons of safety and efficient flow of the group the children need to be able to clearly and quickly respond to verbal direction from the teachers and parent helpers. Children with auditory processing challenges may not be able to participate safely and effectively in BEan in Nature. If your child has auditory processing challenges, but you still think that BEan in Nature would be a good program for them, then let’s talk.  

Sensory Integration Challenges: Since we are outside, naturally, there is a lot of sensory input. We’ll be experiencing a variety of hot, cold, wet, dry, wind, raingear (crinkly clothes), and sights and sounds that may be unfamiliar to kids who don’t spend a lot of time in the woods. Children with sensory integration challenges may be so overwhelmed with stimulation that they find it hard to focus on class themes and activities. If your child has auditory processing or sensory integration challenges, but you still think that BEan in Nature would be a good program for them, then let’s talk.  

General Challenges: Any child who is having trouble participating safely and effectively in BEan in Nature will need to have their parent participate in class with them until the child is able to function smoothly on their own. The BEan in Nature teachers and parents care deeply about inclusivity. We will do our best to support a successful and satisfying experience for any child who wants to participate. That said, in rare cases, we may be unable to accommodate a student or family, at which point the teacher and the parent would mutually decide to end the student’s participation in the BEan IN NATURE program.

Parent Handbook 2023-24

Summer Parent Handbook 2024

Price Sheet Ocean Grove

Covid Guidelines

Referral Rewards and Summer Early Bird Deposit

2023-24 Calendar

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