Growing Outdoors at Brookside Elementary
Winter Trimester Registration ENDS in:
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Winter Trimester Registration Closes November 27th
Winter Trimester Exploratory descriptions are listed below
- Winter Trimester Exploratories will begin on Monday, December 1st.
- Exploratories will meet 7-9 times, depending on the day of the week and the grade level.
- Exploratories take place Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday each week.
- Exploratories are divided into three age groups: Kindergarten, First-Third Grade, and Fourth-Fifth Grade.
- There is an additional $25 “Facility Use Fee” per exploratory. This helps Growing Outdoors pay for the “rent” that OPUSD charges to run our program on campus.
- Registration must be completed and submitted online.
- Any late registrations are at the discretion of the Growing Outdoors Director based on enrollment and staffing. All late registrations will be charged an additional fee of $25 per exploratory.
*Please note that these are the exploratories being offered for the Winter Trimester (December 1 – February 12).
Click to Register Your Student for:
Kindergarten Exploratories: Winter Trimester
(Select the tabs below to see all options)
GO Art! – 1:20pm – 2:15pm – Click here to view flier
Join us as we explore the colorful universe of art techniques, mediums, & history! Students will dabble in watercolors, pastels, charcoal and more while engaging with their inner artist and utilizing challenging techniques including perspectives, blending, and proportions. This exploratory will focus on the many disciplines of the practice of art, such as patience with the process, working independently, sharing art experiences, and encouraging art and creation in others.
Cost: $180 (7 Classes) Class Dates: December 1, 8, 15; January 5, 12, 26; February 2 (No Class: December 22, 29; January 19; February 9)
GO LEGO Sports! – 1:20pm – 2:15pm – Click here to view flier
Mini figures unite! It’s time to join the wonderful world of Mini figures, LEGO® bricks, and engineering. Our LEGO® STEM class is the perfect place for young minds to explore, create, and discover the endless possibilities of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Cost: $235 (8 Classes) Class Dates: December 2, 9, 16; January 6, 13, 20, 27; February 3 (No Class: December 23, 30; February 10)
GO Chess! – 1:20pm – 2:15pm
Our exploratory classes help a child become more creative, discover patterns, calculation, critical thinking, and strategy through the game of chess! All skill levels are welcome! Come explore the majesty of learning this nearly 1,500-year-old game! Go home and show off your skills to your family… you might just be able to beat them soon!
Cost: $260 (8 Classes) Class Dates: December 4, 11, 18; January 8, 15, 22, 29; February 5 (No Class: December 25; January 1; February 12)
1st – 3rd Grade Exploratories: Winter Trimester
(Select the tabs below to see all options)
Glass Art Fusion! – 2:40pm – 4:00pm
Growing Outdoors and Fire Glass Studio are proud to offer a unique art enrichment program! In this class, participants will discover the amazing world of fused glass and mixed media. Each student will create beautiful projects such as candle holders, holiday ornaments, small dishes, suncatchers, and much more. Come learn how to cut, shape, and form glass to make amazing artworks out of glass and other media too!
Cost: $290 + $30 materials fee (8 Classes) Class Dates: December 1, 8, 15; January 5, 12, 26; February 2, 9 (No Class: December 22, 29; January 19)
GO LEGO Sports! – 2:40pm – 3:40pm – Click here to view flier
Mini figures unite! It’s time to join the wonderful world of Mini figures, LEGO® bricks, and engineering. Our LEGO® STEM class is the perfect place for young minds to explore, create, and discover the endless possibilities of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Cost: $260 (9 Classes) Class Dates: December 2, 9, 16; January 6, 13, 20, 27; February 3, 10 (No Class: December 23, 30)
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Woodworking – Log Cabin! – 2:40pm – 3:40pm – Click here to view flier
Grab your safety goggles, saws, and imagination for this exciting woodworking adventure! In this hands-on class, kids will learn real woodworking skills while building their very own model log cabin from start to finish. Students will measure, saw, sand, and assemble wooden pieces to create a cabin they can proudly take home. Along the way, they’ll learn about tools, teamwork, and creative problem-solving—all in a fun, encouraging environment. With plenty of time to design and decorate their cabins, every child will finish the session with a one-of-a-kind creation and a new appreciation for the art of building!
Cost: $285 + $50 materials fee (9 Classes) Class Dates: December 2, 9, 16; January 6, 13, 20, 27; February 3, 10 (No Class: December 23, 30)
Coding & Game Design! – 1:00pm – 2:20pm
*This exploratory is open to students in 1st-5th Grade
*This is an 80 minute exploratory!*
Instead of burning out on repetitive coding puzzles, Lando coding students design multiple mini-games each class—blending creativity and fun while mastering sequencing, variables, conditionals, and events. From maze racers to platformers, every class has challenges that adapt to each child’s pace and skill level. After class, parents get links to creations so kids can show off or keep building at home.
Cost: $320 (9 Classes) Class Dates: December 3, 10, 17; January 7, 14, 21, 28; February 4, 11 (No Class: December 24, 31)
*For students enrolled in this exploratory, Growing Outdoors provides a supervised lunch period before the exploratory begins at 1:00.
~or~
Wellness Wednesday Yoga! – 1:05pm – 2:05pm – Click here to view flier
Yoga encourages movement, creativity, and playfulness. Through music, books, and age-appropriate games, yoga poses will be taught to help develop focus, concentration, self-regulation, and confidence. Yoga improves children’s physical and mental well-being.
“Just like a flower needs sunlight to bloom, our minds need mindfulness to shine brightly” -Thich Nhat Hanh
Cost: $265 (9 Classes) Class Dates: December 3, 10, 17; January 7, 14, 21, 28; February 4, 11 (No Class: December 24, 31)
*For students enrolled in this exploratory, Growing Outdoors provides a supervised lunch period before the exploratory begins at 1:05.
GO Chess! – 2:40pm – 3:40pm
Our exploratory classes help a child become more creative, discover patterns, calculation, critical thinking, and strategy through the game of chess! All skill levels are welcome! Come explore the majesty of learning this nearly 1,500-year-old game! Go home and show off your skills to your family… you might just be able to beat them soon!
Cost: $285 (9 Classes) Class Dates: December 4, 11, 18; January 8, 15, 22, 29; February 5, 12 (No Class: December 25; January 1)
~ or ~
Sew Fun! – 2:40pm – 3:40pm – Click here to view flier
Ripped a hole in your favorite backpack? A button popped off your coat? Not to worry! Growing Outdoors is here to guide students in developing the incredibly helpful life skills of sewing! Not only can sewing help solve the issue of rips and tears from everyday life, it can also inspire creativity, boost problem-solving and fine-motor skill coordination, and – our favorite part – IT’S FUN! Together we will explore hand-sewing, sewing machines (provided), and everything in between. We hope to sew together soon!
Cost: $305 (9 Classes) Class Dates: December 4, 11, 18; January 8, 15, 22, 29; February 5, 12 (No Class: December 25; January 1)
4th – 5th Grade Exploratories: Winter Trimester
(Select the tabs below to see all options)
Glass Art Fusion! – 3:00 pm – 4:00pm
Growing Outdoors and Fire Glass Studio are proud to offer a unique art enrichment program! In this class, participants will discover the amazing world of fused glass and mixed media. Each student will create beautiful projects such as candle holders, holiday ornaments, small dishes, suncatchers, and much more. Come learn how to cut, shape, and form glass to make amazing artworks out of glass and other media too!
Cost: $290 + $30 materials fee (8 Classes) Class Dates: December 1, 8, 15; January 5, 12, 26; February 2, 9 (No Class: December 22, 29; January 19)
Woodworking – Log Cabin! – 3:00pm – 4:00pm – Click here to view flier
Grab your safety goggles, saws, and imagination for this exciting woodworking adventure! In this hands-on class, kids will learn real woodworking skills while building their very own model log cabin from start to finish. Students will measure, saw, sand, and assemble wooden pieces to create a cabin they can proudly take home. Along the way, they’ll learn about tools, teamwork, and creative problem-solving—all in a fun, encouraging environment. With plenty of time to design and decorate their cabins, every child will finish the session with a one-of-a-kind creation and a new appreciation for the art of building!
Cost: $285 + $50 materials fee (9 Classes) Class Dates: December 2, 9, 16; January 6, 13, 20, 27; February 3, 10 (No Class: December 23, 30)
Coding & Game Design! – 1:00pm – 2:20pm
*This exploratory is open to students in 1st-5th Grade
*This is an 80 minute exploratory!*
Instead of burning out on repetitive coding puzzles, Lando coding students design multiple mini-games each class—blending creativity and fun while mastering sequencing, variables, conditionals, and events. From maze racers to platformers, every class has challenges that adapt to each child’s pace and skill level. After class, parents get links to creations so kids can show off or keep building at home.
Cost: $320 (9 Classes) Class Dates: December 3, 10, 17; January 7, 14, 21, 28; February 4, 11 (No Class: December 24, 31)
*For students enrolled in this exploratory, Growing Outdoors provides a supervised lunch period before the exploratory begins at 1:00.
Sew Fun! – 3:00pm – 4:00pm – Click here to view flier
Ripped a hole in your favorite backpack? A button popped off your coat? Not to worry! Growing Outdoors is here to guide students in developing the incredibly helpful life skills of sewing! Not only can sewing help solve the issue of rips and tears from everyday life, it can also inspire creativity, boost problem-solving and fine-motor skill coordination, and – our favorite part – IT’S FUN! Together we will explore hand-sewing, sewing machines (provided), and everything in between. We hope to sew together soon!
Cost: $305 (9 Classes) Class Dates: December 4, 11, 18; January 8, 15, 22, 29; February 5, 12 (No Class: December 25; January 1)
Click to Register Your Student for:
Why aren’t Transitional Kindergarten (TK) exploratories offered?
What happens on Wednesdays after school gets out before the exploratories begin?
What happens if my child participates in Club Oak Park?
What is the additional "Facility Use" fee in my registration?
OPUSD charges Growing Outdoors “rent” to provide our programming to Brookside families. These fees are set by the OPUSD school board.
Growing Outdoors has separated this expense from our tuition to help you better understand what your payment is going towards!
What do I do if my child has to miss an exploratory day?
Why does registration close before the first day of each exploratory?
Why are the exploratories divided into trimesters?
Why are the exploratories priced differently?
What does my exploratory tuition pay for?
There are many factors that affect Growing Outdoors exploratory prices! These might include:
- We have a Site Coordinator on campus from before the first program begins until the last child is picked up!
- There is a Growing Outdoors Exploratory Leader in each class! Our trained staff person is there to focus on the students’ well-being, while the Vendor or Program Specialist will handle the instruction of the activity.
- We are dedicated to offering the highest quality after-school programs to our families! Each exploratory has a Vendor or Program Specialist who provides specialized and exciting instruction. To make this possible, each has a fee of their own which makes up the bulk of our exploratory pricing.