Growing Outdoors at Brookside Elementary

Spring Trimester Registration – Now Open!
(Winter Trimester continues through 2/12)

Spring Trimester Registration Closes February 18th!

Spring Trimester Exploratory descriptions are listed below

Spring Trimester Exploratories will begin on Monday, February 23rd.
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 Spring Trimester (February 23 – May 7).

Click to Register Your Student for:

Spring Trimester After-School Exploratories

Kindergarten Exploratories: Spring Trimester
(Select the tabs below to see all options)

Mindful Mondays Yoga! – 1:20pm – 2:15pm – 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: $220 (7 Classes) Class Dates: February 23; March 9 23; April 6, 13, 20, 27 (No Class: March 2, 16, 30; May 4)

Viridian Art – Treasure Island! – 1:20pm – 2:15pm – Click here to view flier
Join our talented viridian art instructors on campus, after school! We will create several amazing pieces of finished art, including drawing, watercolors, acrylics, mini sculptures, and more.
Cost: $265 (8 Classes) Class Dates: February 24; March 10, 17, 24; April 7, 14, 21, 28 (No class: March 3, 31; May 5)

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!
Cost: $260 (8 Classes) Class Dates: February 26; March 12, 19, 26; April 9, 16, 23, 30 (No class: March 5; April 2; May 7)

1st – 3rd Grade Exploratories: Spring Trimester
(Select the tabs below to see all options)

Mindful Mondays Yoga! – 2:40pm – 3:40pm – 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: $240 (8 Classes) Class Dates: February 23; March 9, 23; April 6, 13, 20, 27; May 4 (No Class: March 2, 16, 30)

~ 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: $280 (8 Classes) Class Dates: February 23; March 9, 23; April 6, 13, 20, 27; May 4 (No Class: March 2, 16, 30)

Viridian Art – Treasure Island! – 2:40pm – 3:40pm – Click here to view flier
Join our talented viridian art instructors on campus, after school! We will create several amazing pieces of finished art, including drawing, watercolors, acrylics, mini sculptures, and more.
Cost: $290 (9 Classes) Class Dates: February 24; March 10, 17, 24; April 7, 14, 21, 28; May 5 (No class: March 3, 31)

Glass Art: Mixed Media! – 1:00pm – 2:00pm
*This exploratory is open to students in 1st-5th Grade
This hands-on kids enrichment program introduces young artists to the exciting world of mixed media art through creative projects using wood, Modelite modeling, fused glass, fiber paper carving, painting, and more. Students will explore a variety of materials and techniques while learning the fundamentals of design and craftsmanship. Each class encourages imagination, creativity, and hands-on learning in a fun and supportive environment.
Cost: $360 (9 Classes) Class Dates: February 25; March 11, 18, 25; April 8, 15, 22, 29; May 6 (No class: March 4; April 1)

*For students enrolled in this exploratory, Growing Outdoors provides a supervised lunch period before the exploratory begins at 1:00.

~or~

Fantastic Gymnastics! – 1:05pm – 2:05pm – Click here to view flier
GroovinKids brings the studio experience right to your child’s school! Our gymnastics program offers a safe and fun environment for your child to learn rolls, bridges, cartwheels, handstands, and more. Our attentive and highly trained coaches know how to challenge and support our students and keep them excited for the next class. Each lesson includes a fun warm up, skill work and circuits, and a gymnastics game and stickers to finish. We hope to see you soon!
Cost: $290 (9 Classes) Class Dates: February 25; March 11, 18, 25; April 8, 15, 22, 29; May 6 (No class: March 4; April 1)

*For students enrolled in this exploratory, Growing Outdoors provides a supervised lunch period before the exploratory begins at 1:05.

Woodworking – Bus Project! – 2:40pm – 3:40pm – Click here to view flier
BEEP BEEP! Hop aboard and get ready to build a bus! In this hands-on exploratory, students will learn basic woodworking skills while safely measuring, sanding, assembling, and decorating their very own wooden bus. Along the way, students will explore simple tools, practice following step-by-step instructions, and use their imagination to add fun details. The class encourages creativity, confidence, and problem-solving in a supportive, positive environment. By the end of the session, each child will proudly bring home a one-of-a-kind wooden bus they built themselves!
Cost: $305 + $30 materials fee (9 Classes) Class Dates: February 26; March 12, 19, 26; April 9, 16, 23, 30; May 7 (No class: March 5; April 2)

~ or ~

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!
Cost: $285 (9 Classes) Class Dates: February 26; March 12, 19, 26; April 9, 16, 23, 30; May 7 (No class: March 5; April 2)

4th – 5th Grade Exploratories: Spring Trimester
(Select the tabs below to see all options)

Sew Fun! – 3:00 pm – 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: $280 (8 Classes) Class Dates: February 23; March 9, 23; April 6, 13, 20, 27; May 4 (No Class: March 2, 16, 30)

GO LEGO: Construction Zone! – 3:00pm – 4:00pm – Click here to view flier
It’s time to grab your hard hats and enter the exciting world of construction with LEGOs. This LEGO STEM class invites student minds to collaborate with others, build and test structures and machines, all while exploring the endless possibilities of LEGO technology and engineering. Come build with us!
Cost: $260 (9 Classes) Class Dates: February 24; March 10, 17, 24; April 7, 14, 21, 28; May 5 (No class: March 3, 31)

Glass Art: Mixed Media! – 1:00pm – 2:20pm
*This exploratory is open to students in 1st-5th Grade
This hands-on kids enrichment program introduces young artists to the exciting world of mixed media art through creative projects using wood, Modelite modeling, fused glass, fiber paper carving, painting, and more. Students will explore a variety of materials and techniques while learning the fundamentals of design and craftsmanship. Each class encourages imagination, creativity, and hands-on learning in a fun and supportive environment.
Cost: $360 (9 Classes) Class Dates: February 25; March 11, 18, 25; April 8, 15, 22, 29; May 6 (No class: March 4; April 1)

*For students enrolled in this exploratory, Growing Outdoors provides a supervised lunch period before the exploratory begins at 1:00.

Woodworking – Bus Project! – 3:00pm – 4:00pm – Click here to view flier
BEEP BEEP! Hop aboard and get ready to build a bus! In this hands-on exploratory, students will learn basic woodworking skills while safely measuring, sanding, assembling, and decorating their very own wooden bus. Along the way, students will explore simple tools, practice following step-by-step instructions, and use their imagination to add fun details. The class encourages creativity, confidence, and problem-solving in a supportive, positive environment. By the end of the session, each child will proudly bring home a one-of-a-kind wooden bus they built themselves!
Cost: $305 + $30 materials fee (9 Classes) Class Dates: February 26; March 12, 19, 26; April 9, 16, 23, 30; May 7 (No class: March 5; April 2)

Click to Register Your Student for:

Spring Trimester After-School Exploratories

Frequently Asked Questions

Why aren’t Transitional Kindergarten (TK) exploratories offered?

Great Question. Because TK class release times are earlier than Kindergarten and are not consistent with the rest of our programming times, we have limited space and staff on campus to supervise and support a TK program at this time. We hope to meet your child next year as they enter Kindergarten!

What happens on Wednesdays after school gets out before the exploratories begin?

Great question! After school gets out on Wednesdays and before our exploratories begin, there is a 25 minute window of time where Growing Outdoors provides lunch supervision on the quad. At 1:05 our staff gathers all of the students enrolled in our programs and gets the afternoon fun started!

What happens if my child participates in Club Oak Park?

At the end of each exploratory, Growing Outdoors staff will walk those children enrolled in Club Oak Park from their exploratory to the appropriate location and transfer their care to the Club Oak Park staff.

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?

Please call us as early as possible (before 11 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. If a child that is expected does not show up for their exploratory, we will first check with the school to confirm that they were in attendance that day, and then we will call the parents to confirm their child’s safety.

Why does registration close before the first day of each exploratory?

Growing Outdoors wants to provide the best possible after school enrichment program. Therefore, we need time to train and prepare our staff, in addition to reviewing each child’s health form, prior to the first day of each exploratory.

Why are the exploratories divided into trimesters?

We feel that students will get the most out of each exploratory when they have consistent time to be with the same students and the same instructors to build a rapport. By making each trimester eight to ten weeks in length, students will have three opportunities during the school year to try different exploratories. Each trimester will offer different class options for the various age groups!

Why are the exploratories priced differently?

The price of all of our exploratories is based on number of class meetings, supply costs, staffing needs, and specialized instructor costs. By basing it on these factors, you can rest assured that you are getting what you pay for!

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.

Is it possible for an exploratory to be cancelled?

Occasionally, Growing Outdoors has to cancel an exploratory because low enrollment numbers make it logistically and financially nonviable. Should this happen to any exploratory for which you have signed up your child, we will contact you to discuss all alternative options (including the option of a full refund for the cancelled exploratory).

Could an individual class meeting be cancelled?

On very rare occasions, an exploratory does not happen quite as we planned! If there is ever an exploratory meeting that needs to be rescheduled, we will notify you in advance, and will still offer optional care for your child during their normal exploratory hour in the form of fun games and activities led by Growing Outdoors staff. Should an instructor be late or unable to make it to an exploratory meeting due to unforeseen circumstances, we will work with the school and vendor to reschedule the “missed” class. Never fear! Growing Outdoors staff will always be there to collect and care for your child and to make sure that they have a great time!

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