Growing Outdoors at Brookside Elementary
Fall Exploratories Start Tuesday, September 5th!
Fall Trimester Registration is Now Closed!
Fall Trimester Exploratory descriptions are listed below
- Fall Trimester Exploratories will begin on Tuesday, September 5th.
- Exploratories will meet 5-10 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.
- Registration must be completed and submitted online.
- If you have credit left over from the school closures in March 2020, it will applied automatically when you check out.
*Please note that these are the exploratories being offered for the Fall Trimester (September 5 – November 16).
Click to View Your Registration for:
(Select the tabs below to see all options)
Adventures in Watercolor! – 1:20pm – 2:15pm – Click here to view flier
Here’s where you learn how to draw and paint! In this class, students learn the basics of painting pictures – from shadows, shapes, and colors to portraits, landscapes, and comics. Kids will end this program with new skills, greater confidence, and visual and creative thinking skills that will last a lifetime. All levels of experience are welcome! The class is taught by local painter Steven Cruz who will guide beginning students through fun fresh projects and happily help more advanced artists to develop the skills for their own picture ideas. All materials are included. Students will have paintings to take home every week.
Cost: $150 (5 Classes) Class Dates: September 11, 18; October 9, 16; November 13 (No Class: September 4, 25; October 2, 23, 30; November 6)
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Yoga: Mindfulness Mondays! – 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: $135 (5 Classes) Class Dates: September 11, 18; October 9, 16; November 13 (No Class: September 4, 25; October 2, 23, 30; November 6)
Music! Jammin’ with Jamie! – 1:20pm – 2:15pm – Click here to view flier
Join Jammin’ with Jamie for a fun, lively, upbeat musical experience! We will sing, dance, and play musical games, exploring skills like pitch-matching, rhythm, and active listening. Students will have a chance to respond to, perform, and create music they love. They will leave with a greater understanding of rhythm, melody, and harmony, and enhanced numery, literary, and emotional skills. Let’s rock!
Cost: $220 (8 Classes) Class Dates: September 5, 12, 19, 26; October 10, 17, 24; November 14 (No Class: October 3, 31; November 7)
Hip Hop Dance! – 1:20pm – 2:15pm – Click here to view flier
Are you ready to ROCK! Learn the basic techniques of dance and how to move to the beat. We promote a healthy lifestyle through fun, physical activity that encourages self-expression through music and movement. This is a performance-based class, designed to help students gain confidence and self-esteem. We teach age-appropriate dance routines to pop music and classics from the past!
Cost: $265 (9 Classes) Class Dates: September 7, 14, 21, 28; October 12, 19, 26; November 9, 16 (No Class: October 5; November 2)
(Select the tabs below to see all options)
Adventures in Watercolor! – 2:40pm – 3:40pm – Click here to view flier
Here’s where you learn how to draw and paint! In this class, students learn the basics of painting pictures – from shadows, shapes, and colors to portraits, landscapes, and comics. Kids will end this program with new skills, greater confidence, and visual and creative thinking skills that will last a lifetime. All levels of experience are welcome! The class is taught by local painter Miles Lewis who will guide beginning students through fun fresh projects and happily help more advanced artists to develop the skills for their own picture ideas. All materials are included. Students will have paintings to take home every week.
Cost: $175 (6 Classes) Class Dates: September 11, 18; October 2, 9, 16; November 13 (No Class: September 4, 25; October 23, 30; November 6)
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Yoga: Mindfulness Mondays! – 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: $155 (6 Classes) Class Dates: September 11, 18; October 2, 9, 16; November 13 (No Class: September 4, 25; October 23, 30; November 6)
Sports and Sun! – 2:40pm – 3:40pm – Click here to view flier
Our class will take your child away from the screens and into the sun. Participants will exercise and have fun while learning fundamentl skills of each game, social skills, teamwork, and sportsmanship.
Cost: $240 (9 Classes) Class Dates: September 5, 12, 19, 26; October 3, 10, 17, 24; November 14 (No Class: October 31; November 7)
KinFlow! – 1:05pm – 2:05pm – Click here to view flier
*This exploratory is open to students in 1st-5th Grade
KinFlow is a new and engaging mindful team sport that fuses fitness and mindfulness into an immersive sporting experience for all ages, genders, and skill levels alike. As both a sport and learning tool, it is inclusive in nature, promoting healthy competition, mental/physical fitness, and teamwork! For more info on the field disc sport, please visit www.kinflow.com
Cost: $305 (10 Classes) Class Dates: September 6, 13, 20, 27; October 4, 11, 18, 25; November 8, 15 (No Class: November 1)
*For students enrolled in this exploratory, Growing Outdoors provides a supervised lunch period before the exploratory begins at 1:05.
~or~
Glass Art Fusion! – 1:05pm – 2:05pm – Click here for a neat video about Fireglass Studio!
*This exploratory is open to students in 1st-5th Grade
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: $310 + $20 materials fee (10 Classes) Class Dates: September 6, 13, 20, 27; October 4, 11, 18, 25; November 8, 15 (No Class: November 1)
*For students enrolled in this exploratory, Growing Outdoors provides a supervised lunch period before the exploratory begins at 1:05.
Readers’/Writers’ Workspace – 2:05pm – 3:00pm
Also known as “Homework Club”, Readers’/Writers’ Workspace provides a structured and quiet area for students to go to after their exploratory and tackle their schoolwork before heading home. With a small staff to student ratio, we’re there to help keep students on task and focused so they can use their time wisely! If students need assistance in any particular area of study, be it writing, math, spelling, social studies, or general organizational skills, we can assist and coach! Parents are encouraged to communicate any specific areas of focus to our site coordinator so that we can help each student be most successful. *Students should come prepared with a book to read each week.
(On Wednesdays, add Readers’/Writers’ Workspace after Kinflow or Glass Art Fusion!)
Cost: $120 (55 minutes – 10 classes) Class Dates: September 6, 13, 20, 27; October 4, 11, 18, 25; November 8, 15 (No Class: November 1)
All aboard the Growing Outdoors Express!!! This fall, we’re building our own train to transport us to new places around the world. Trains are possibly the greatest mode of travel of all time, allowing us to discover different areas easily, transport supplies, and expand civilization! Our trained instructors will teach you how to cut, glue, sand, and more to be able to complete the project using the skills you learn. At the end of the session, you will add your own touches to your train, so it stands out wherever it travels to!
Cost: $290 + $45 materials fee (10 Classes) Class Dates: September 7, 14, 21, 28; October 5, 12, 19, 26; November 9, 16 (No Class: November 2)
~ or ~
Hip Hop Dance! – 2:40pm – 3:40pm – Click here to view flier
Are you ready to ROCK! Learn the basic techniques of dance and how to move to the beat. We promote a healthy lifestyle through fun, physical activity that encourages self-expression through music and movement. This is a performance-based class, designed to help students gain confidence and self-esteem. We teach age-appropriate dance routines to pop music and classics from the past!
Cost: $290 (10 Classes) Class Dates: September 7, 14, 21, 28; October 5, 12, 19, 26; November 9, 16 (No Class: November 2)
(Select the tabs below to see all options)

Here’s where you learn how to draw and paint! In this class, students learn the basics of painting pictures – from shadows, shapes, and colors to portraits, landscapes, and comics. Kids will end this program with new skills, greater confidence, and visual and creative thinking skills that will last a lifetime. All levels of experience are welcome! The class is taught by local painter Miles Lewis who will guide beginning students through fun fresh projects and happily help more advanced artists to develop the skills for their own picture ideas. All materials are included. Students will have paintings to take home every week.
Cost: $175 (6 Classes) Class Dates: September 11, 18; October 2, 9, 16; November 13 (No Class: September 4, 25; October 23, 30; November 6)

Welcome to the wondrous witty wordy world of SCRABBLE! Scrabble is a game of clever words and cunning strategy. Join us as we grow our vocabulary, enhance our strategic skill, and explore the Scrabble board and all its opportunities for mind-stretching one triple word score tile at a time.
Cost: $210 (9 Classes) Class Dates: September 5, 12, 19, 26; October 3, 10, 17, 24; November 14 (No Class: October 31; November 7)
KinFlow! – 1:05pm – 2:05pm – Click here to view flier
*This exploratory is open to students in 1st-5th Grade
KinFlow is a new and engaging mindful team sport that fuses fitness and mindfulness into an immersive sporting experience for all ages, genders, and skill levels alike. As both a sport and learning tool, it is inclusive in nature, promoting healthy competition, mental/physical fitness, and teamwork! For more info on the field disc sport, please visit www.kinflow.com
Cost: $305 (10 Classes) Class Dates: September 6, 13, 20, 27; October 4, 11, 18, 25; November 8, 15 (No Class: November 1)
*For students enrolled in this exploratory, Growing Outdoors provides a supervised lunch period before the exploratory begins at 1:10.
~or~
Glass Art Fusion! – 1:05pm – 2:05pm – Click here for a neat video about Fireglass Studio!
*This exploratory is open to students in 1st-5th Grade
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: $310 + $20 materials fee (10 Classes) Class Dates: September 6, 13, 20, 27; October 4, 11, 18, 25; November 8, 15 (No Class: November 1)
*For students enrolled in this exploratory, Growing Outdoors provides a supervised lunch period before the exploratory begins at 1:10.
Readers’/Writers’ Workspace – 2:05pm – 3:00pm
Also known as “Homework Club”, Readers’/Writers’ Workspace provides a structured and quiet area for students to go to after their exploratory and tackle their schoolwork before heading home. With a small staff to student ratio, we’re there to help keep students on task and focused so they can use their time wisely! If students need assistance in any particular area of study, be it writing, math, spelling, social studies, or general organizational skills, we can assist and coach! Parents are encouraged to communicate any specific areas of focus to our site coordinator so that we can help each student be most successful. *Students should come prepared with a book to read each week.
(On Wednesdays, add Readers’/Writers’ Workspace after Kinflow or Glass Art Fusion!)
Cost: $120 (55 minutes – 10 classes) Class Dates: September 6, 13, 20, 27; October 4, 11, 18, 25; November 8, 15 (No Class: November 1)
All aboard the Growing Outdoors Express!!! This fall, we’re building our own train to transport us to new places around the world. Trains are possibly the greatest mode of travel of all time, allowing us to discover different areas easily, transport supplies, and expand civilization! Our trained instructors will teach you how to cut, glue, sand, and more to be able to complete the project using the skills you learn. At the end of the session, you will add your own touches to your train, so it stands out wherever it travels to!
Cost: $290 + $45 materials fee (10 Classes) Class Dates: September 7, 14, 21, 28; October 5, 12, 19, 26; November 9, 16 (No Class: November 2)
Click to View Your Registration For:
What happened to the credit I received when schools closed in March 2020?
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 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?
- 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.
- Each school district requires use rental fees for all indoor and outdoor exploratory locations. These fees go directly back to your school district!