WOLF Kids

“My kiddo seems to have developed a unique relationship with each mentor, and my sense is that each mentor also supports the emergence of something unique within them. This is what I love about the extended community ("home away from home") feeling here. This is akin to the kind of village atmosphere that feels so important to us…

You all remind us to come back to ourselves, and our connection to each other, as well as the more-than-human world. Your commitment to future generations is palpable and the way you all LIVE this work...well, that's palpable too. Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts.”

“My favourite moment of the whole year, as a parent, was hearing the children sing “we’ll be known by the company we keep” around a fire the night of the first overnight. The fire was blazing, the stars were sparking, the eyes of the kids, parents, mentors and apprentices sparkling-and I took in the moment of belonging to such an incredible community that I will hold dear to my heart forever more.

Our daughter went from depressed and anxious about being in “a cage” in private school, to waking up excited to attend Wolf without fail. By far it was our best schooling experience. She felt so free, seen and alive at school this year. The roses came back to her cheeks.”

“For the last three years, my son has attended the WOLF program. It has, unequivocally, been the most fulfilling, growth-enhancing journey for him, with many ripples that have impacted our whole family. What started with a natural love for being and playing outside, has deepened into identifying bird calls & edible plants, spending the night in a hand-built shelter of collected wood and debris, creating a coal to start the community fire with a bow drill (which is essentially sticks and rope!)

It has been incredible to watch him grow and refine these ancient skills, though I am equally taken with how he has grown as a person. His confidence and communication, his engagement with his community, his focus, wit and emotional intelligence have all grown under the nurturance and care of this program. Part of the bedrock of WOLF rests in the relationships that are built between the kids and mentors.”

“The WOLF program came at a time in my daughter’s life where she needed connection more than anything. She had had some negative experience in the traditional school system and the pain of that ran deep enough that she did not want to return. WOLF offered a way to connect with likeminded children that were both her peers and younger than her. This gave her an opportunity to create deep connections and also to inspire younger children. In a world where social media competes for every minute of a child’s life, WOLF offers an alternative that allows for children to connect with nature and with themselves in ways that are both life giving and life sustaining. I cannot recommend this program highly enough.”

“We chose the WOLF Kids program for our daughter because we believe that a nature-based culture is an essential part of living a more sustainable lifestyle, and WOLF Kids builds a solid foundation for that culture.

Our daughter gained more confidence, independence, and a deeper connection to the plants and animals around her. She also developed some valuable friendships with the other kids in the program, and brought many songs, stories, and games home for our family to enjoy.

I highly recommend the WOLF Kids program for every child.”

“When I first came to WOLF my hope was to learn to survive in the wild. Little did I know that over the next three years I would learn so much more. When I came to Wolf I was greeted as if I was family, I was welcomed with open arms and excitement. I learned how to love the earth in a deeper way than I thought possible. I learned to work in a team better than I ever had before. I was able to play, dance, and sing! Even in difficult times the mentors were there to help me, protect me, and guide me through whatever was going on.

I found peace in nature and felt loved and accepted by the people around me. I learned how to build fires in the rain, build shelters, make art out of nature, read bird song, track animals and more. I made friends and got to meet people with the same interests. ”

“I love the way the mentors teach us at WOLF; they include a whole whack of interesting things into one activity and you can learn so much from it. There are so many things that I have enjoyed doing, like building fires (without matches), building shelters, journalling, listening to stories, exploring the land. I love that it is all connected to Nature and is really fun to do.

One of my highlights through all the years I’ve been in WOLF is all the singing we do; it’s one thing I always look forward to on WOLF days. I am also really impressed with the strong community that is built through the program; all my friends and mentors are like family to me!

I really love being at WOLF. When I am around the people there, I feel comfortable expressing my true self, not being judged be anyone, and also knowing that the group is like me: liking to be outside, being able to goof around and be fun to be with, but also learning a lot of things; that is really special for me.”

“Kids that are educated outside in nature are healthier, happier, and better prepared for the 21st century. What impresses me about the WOLF Kids is that they are so excited about learning. They are curious, and they are so alive. What parent wouldn’t want that for their children? Kids have been educated in the natural world for millennia. It’s only been in the last 200 years that we have stuck them in airless classrooms with no natural stimulus. This was a bad experiment, and it’s time we got back to our human root. I wish I had gone to WOLF.”

“I have watched many kids in the Wolf Kids Program, and have been bowled over by the maturation of their abilities, and especially the growth in their self-esteem. These kids have taken on incredible challenges, both physical and educational, and have learned how almost limitless their abilities are when matched with determination, knowledge, and a healthy respect for nature. I wish I was still young enough to go to Wolf Kids myself.”