Thank you for sharing your summer with us!
Information about Fall Virtual Programming coming soon!
Summer Session Exploratory descriptions are listed below!
- Summer Session 2 Exploratories will begin on Monday, July 13th.
- Exploratories will meet 2-3 times each week on designated weekdays for four weeks, depending on the exploratory and grade level.
- Exploratories are divided based on the grade that student(s) will be entering in the fall of the 2020-2021 school year: Kindergarten-Second Grade, and Third-Sixth Grade (Please note: some exploratories may be open to 2nd-6th grade students).
- Registration must be completed and submitted online.
Registration for Summer Session is CLOSED
*Please note that these are the exploratories being offered for the Summer Session 2 (July 13 – August 7).
Click the Button Below for a Downloadable Weekly Schedule:
Click To View Your Registration For:
Kindergarten-2nd Grade Exploratories: Summer Session Online
(Click on the Block Tabs Below for Exploratory Information)
Morning Routine! Athletic Workouts – Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays – 10:00am-10:30am (0:30 minute exploratory)
Get up and get moving! Let’s go! In these fun and high-energy active movement sessions, we’ll have a blast together working on a variety of athletic skills. Each morning routine will start with a round of stretches and a warm-up, and then we’ll dive right in to a skills-focused activity that helps to develop one or more of the following: agility, coordination, balance, strength, and speed. This is the perfect opportunity to learn some awesome ways to stay active this summer, and have a great time while doing it!
Please Supply Your Child With:
- Desktop or Laptop Computer, iPad or Tablet with Zoom downloaded
- An open area to move around in – furniture moved to the side (a carpeted floor is preferable)
- A full water bottle
Cost: $95.00 (12 Classes): July 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29, 31 / August 3, 5, 7
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Performing Puppets! – Tuesdays & Thursdays – 10:00am-11:00am
Come join us for games, songs, and puppet fun in this high energy puppet performing class! Together, we will learn how to think creatively, explore our imaginations, and become different characters through the puppets we create with our friends! That’s right, you’ll get to construct your very own puppets out of all kinds of fun materials, and you and your puppets will be the stars of the show! New and classic performing arts games alike will help us tell stories together using our imaginations and feel confident while sharing ideas and creating cool and wacky puppet personalities with you. So, get ready to have fun and get silly together while we learn, grow, and explore the world of Performing Puppets!
*Growing Outdoors will have puppet-making materials kits prepared for participating families! These will be available for pick-up from our Agoura Hills office, or if pick-up is not possible, we will work with you to find the best option for your family
Please Supply Your Child With:
- Desktop or Laptop Computer, iPad or Tablet with Zoom downloaded
- An open area to move around in – furniture moved to the side (a carpeted floor is preferable)
- A hard, flat surface on which to draw and color
- Coloring supplies (colored pencils, colored markers, crayons)
- Kid-friendly scissors
- Glue stick and clear scotch-tape
- A full water bottle
Cost: $85.00 + $10.00 Materials Fee (8 Classes): July 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30 / August 4, 6
Stories Around the World – Tuesdays & Thursdays – 11:15am – 12:15pm
Once upon a time… a group of kids got together to hear some of their favorite classic stories told from the perspectives of different cultures around the world! Cozy up and explore the globe from your living room as you listen to familiar stories as they are told all across the earth, and have fun learning more about these different cultures and lifestyles. We will also be creating our own stories through expressive pictures and characters that tell about our own life experiences! Come join us for a story time you won’t forget!
Please Supply Your Child With:
- Pencil and Eraser
- Coloring Supplies (Colored Pencils, Colored Markers, Crayons)
- Paper
- A hard surface or tabletop to support drawing on paper
- A comfortable seating arrangement
Cost: $85.00 (8 Classes): July 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30 / August 4, 6
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Mindfulness Yoga – Wednesdays & Fridays – 11:15am – 12:15pm
Mindfulness Yoga with Miss Julie is a haven for children who seek some time to relax, breath, and find calmness. In addition to learning a wide variety of age appropriate yoga poses live with their class group on zoom, Miss Julie guides children to learn centering, focusing, listening, and breathing techniques that build self-awareness, confidence, compassion, patience, and inner calm – tools that will last a lifetime. Mindfulness Yoga reduces stress and improves concentration, flexibility, balance, strength, and coordination.
(*This exploratory is available to students entering Kindergarten-3rd Grade)
Please Supply Your Child With:
- Desktop or Laptop Computer, iPad or Tablet with Zoom downloaded
- An open area to move around in – furniture moved to the side (a carpeted floor is preferable, unless using a mat)
- A full water bottle
Cost: $115.00 (8 Classes): July 15, 17, 22, 24, 29, 31 / August 5, 7
Artistic Drawing – Color Exploration! – Mondays & Wednesdays – 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Drawing in color opens up a world of artistic possibilities! In this class, follow along with real-life artist and instructor Harrison to create unique and creative drawings in a full spectrum of color. The only materials necessary are a few sheets of paper, colored pencils, and a pencil sharpener! Let your artistic abilities soar as you learn the tips and tricks of drawing using all of the colors of the rainbow.
Please Supply Your Child With:
- Pencil and Eraser
- Colored Pencils
- Paper
- A hard surface or tabletop to support drawing on paper
- A comfortable seating arrangement
Cost: $85.00 (8 Classes): July 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29 / August 3, 5
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Spanish Fun Club! – Tuesdays & Thursdays – 1:00pm – 2:00pm
¡Hola y bienvenidos! ¿Estás listo para jugar? Hello and welcome! Are you ready to play? Think Spanish class but without learning from textbooks at desks… we’re thinking, discovering, translating, singing, and playing while we learn some basics of this exciting and very useful language! As we explore Spanish culture and Spanish-speaking countries, we will learn about language, art, music, and more! Come join the fun and sign up for Spanish Fun Club!
Please Supply Your Child With:
- Desktop or Laptop Computer, iPad or Tablet with Zoom downloaded
- Pencil and Paper
- Coloring Materials (Colored Pencils, Crayons, Colored Markers)
- Comfortable seating arrangement
Cost: $95.00 (8 Classes): July 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30 / August 4, 6
*Intermediate 2D Game Design with Scratch (2:15pm-3:30pm) (75 minute exploratory) is open to 2nd Grade students to join our 3rd-6th graders – please see the Afternoon Block B tab in the 3rd-6th Grade exploratories below for more information!
3rd-6th Grade Exploratories: Summer Session Online
(Click on the Block Tabs Below for Exploratory Information)
Morning Routine! Athletic Workouts – Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays – 10:35am-11:05am (0:30 minute exploratory)
Get up and get moving! Let’s go! In these fun and high-energy active movement sessions, we’ll have a blast together working on a variety of athletic skills. Each morning routine will start with a round of stretches and a warm-up, and then we’ll dive right in to a skills-focused activity that helps to develop one or more of the following: agility, coordination, balance, strength, and speed. This is the perfect opportunity to learn some awesome ways to stay active this summer, and have a great time while doing it!
Please Supply Your Child With:
- Desktop or Laptop Computer, iPad or Tablet with Zoom downloaded
- An open area to move around in – furniture moved to the side (a carpeted floor is preferable)
- A full water bottle
Cost: $95.00 (12 Classes): July 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29, 31 / August 3, 5, 7
*3rd Grade students may also join Mindfulness Yoga (11:15am-12:15pm) – please see the Morning Block B tab in the Kindergarten-2nd Grade exploratories above!
Science Alliance! – Mondays & Wednesdays – 11:15am-12:15pm
Scientists unite! In this class, we’ll make all sorts of discoveries in the fields of chemistry, physics, and the physical sciences by observing phenomena and performing hands-on science experiments where students are guided, step by step, through experiments that can be done at home! You’ll witness cool chemical reactions, find out what sorts of everyday tools you can use to make scientific discoveries, and much more as we work together to understand some of the mysteries of why things happen here on earth!
Please Supply Your Child With:
- Desktop or Laptop Computer, iPad or Tablet with Zoom downloaded
- Eye-protection: Safety Goggles or Glasses
- Safety gloves (non-latex, such as Nitrile, or Latex) – if reusable, dish cleaning gloves work great!
- Glassware or Plasticware for mixing materials (drinking cups, cereal bowls, or mason jars work great!)
- Liquid Measuring Cup (glass or plastic)
- Teaspoon and Tablespoon measuring spoons
- Comfortable seating arrangement
(*The science experiments in this class will use a variety of different materials. To best prepare your family in advance, during the week prior, we will email out a list for each of the following week’s experiment materials. Our experiments are typically designed with the goal of using commonly available household ingredients!)
Cost: $85.00 (8 Classes): July 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29 / August 3, 5
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Daring the Dungeon! – Tuesdays & Thursdays – 11:15am-12:15pm
Become one of our intrepid storytellers and create a completely unique story of adventure and daring! You and your friends will use a combination of techniques from number of role-playing game systems including Dungeons & Dragons, D6, and Basic Role-playing to create your own characters and enter into stories of dungeons, castles, and wizards. We can follow wherever our imaginations take us, even online! Virtually guided by our experienced instructor, Mr. Noah, students will learn how to imagine a character, how to work with other players to solve problems, and how to share the spotlight to collectively tell an amazing story that is enthralling for all participants. This is an exciting opportunity for kids to act out roles and do creative problem-solving in a fantasy world.
Please Supply Your Child With:
- Desktop or Laptop Computer, iPad or Tablet with Zoom downloaded
- A six-sided die
- Paper and Pencil
- Comfortable seating arrangement
Cost: $120.00 (8 Classes): July 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30 / August 4, 6
3D Paper Art: Expedition Around the Globe! – Mondays & Wednesdays – 1:00pm-2:00pm
In this unique class, we’ll take a trip around the world, using folded-paper to help us explore countries and cities around the globe! As we learn about different cultures and places, our instructor will guide students through cutting, folding, and shaping sheets of paper into some of earth’s greatest and most wonderful landmarks, buildings, and natural features. We’ll dive into history, seeing how ancient civilizations have left their mark on the earth, and also see many modern day features and lifestyles that countries are known for. So hop on board as we fold our way through this 3D paper adventure across the globe!
Please Supply Your Child With:
- Desktop or Laptop Computer, iPad or Tablet with Zoom downloaded
- Paper sheets (printer paper or origami paper sheets)
- Dry Coloring Materials (Colored Pencils, Markers, Crayons – no paints, please!)
- A hard surface or tabletop to support folding and drawing on paper
- A comfortable seating arrangement
Cost: $95.00 (8 Classes): July 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29 / August 3, 5
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Artistic Drawing – Color Exploration! – Tuesdays & Thursdays– 1:00pm-2:00pm
Drawing in color opens up a world of artistic possibilities! In this class, follow along with real-life artist and instructor Harrison to create unique and creative drawings in a full spectrum of color. The only materials necessary are a few sheets of paper, colored pencils, and a pencil sharpener! Let your artistic abilities soar as you learn the tips and tricks of drawing using all of the colors of the rainbow.
Please Supply Your Child With:
- Pencil and Eraser
- Colored Pencils
- Paper
- A hard surface or tabletop to support drawing on paper
- A comfortable seating arrangement
Cost: $85.00 (8 Classes): July 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30 / August 4, 6
Intermediate 2D Game Design with Scratch! – Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays – 2:15pm – 3:30pm (75 minute exploratory)
This class offers a continuation in learning video game design and programming concepts in Scratch for students who have some Scratch, or other block based programming experience! Students will learn to control increasingly sophisticated characters through an environment based on rules of their own creation. Creating their own characters and environments, students will also design more complex levels than in our introductory class. Typical games include customized 2D arcade and side-scrolling games!
Please Supply Your Child With:
- Desktop or Laptop Computer (Chromebook, PC, Mac) – iPads, Tablets, iPhones, or other Smartphones will not work to use Scratch
(*feel free to use any tablet or smartphone device for your Zoom video, as long as a Desktop or Laptop computer is available for Scratch) - Comfortable seating arrangement
Cost: $200.00 (12 classes): July 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29, 31 / August 3, 5, 7
Click To View Your Registration For:
What is Growing Outdoors?
We are a local after-school enrichment program partnered with 5 elementary schools in the Agoura/Oak Park/Thousand Oaks area to provide a variety of quality after-school enrichment programs that focus on the physical, intellectual, and emotional skills of students from Kindergarten through grade five. We do our best to offer a wide variety of class programs, which we call “exploratories,” because we know that each child is different, and it is our goal to find and offer programs that engage your student and make them want to explore more!
Though our exploratories have always taken place on campus and in person during the school year, we are excited to offer Summer Session digital programming for the very first time this summer! We have been hard at work since the end of the school year building curriculum and finding exploratories that translate well to virtual learning, and we hope you find something in our exploratory offerings that sparks your child’s interest!
Will my child be with their school classmates in the Summer Session digital programs?
Summer Session programs are open to all children within the grade-levels being entered into for the 2020-2021 school year that are listed above (Kindergarten – 6th Grade). This includes students from all of our partner schools, and also families who may be joining us for the very first time! We value these opportunities to make new friends and work with new people, and we are excited to support your child’s growth as they strengthen old friendships and build new ones!
Can my Covid-19 School Closure Household Credit be applied to the Summer Session digital programs?
Yes! If your household received credit for any cancelled Spring Trimester 2020 exploratory meetings that we were not able to move online, you may choose to apply your credit to our summer programs, or hold on to it for future school-year programming with Growing Outdoors. Just follow the instructions once you reach the payment option section of your registration, and we will do the rest to ensure that your credit is applied!
Click here to read our March 31st letter to families regarding household credits
Why does the online program use Zoom as the virtual platform?
By using Zoom, Growing Outdoors can set up links that we only make available to registered families at the email address that you have provided to us. Zoom also allows us to control who can enter the exploratory meetings, ensuring that our meetings are safe and only attended by those who have been invited to join us.
What do I do if my child has to miss an exploratory day?
Please call us as early as possible (before 10:00am is preferable!) at (818) 889-8383. The Growing Outdoors adminstrative staff will be creating daily attendance sheets for each exploratory, so it would be helpful to have that information as early as possible.
Why does registration close before the first day of each exploratory?
Growing Outdoors wants to provide the best possible summer enrichment program to your family. Therefore, we need time to prepare our instructors prior to the first day of each exploratory.
Why are the exploratories priced differently?
The price of all of our exploratories is based on number of class meetings, staffing needs, and specialized instructor costs. By basing it on these factors, you can rest assured that you are getting what you pay for!