Forest Village Thursdays 10 am - 2 pm
Spring 2025 - March 6 through June 5 (No class March 27)

On Thursdays we welcome children ages 5-12 to play in the beautiful forests and fields of Nature and Nurture Seed Farm to play, and build community with each other and nature.
Campers practice outdoor skills and develop their interests supported by experienced outdoor educators and naturalists. Forest Village is designed to support children in nurturing friendships, self awareness, self determination and community in connection with nature.
Children collaborate to plan their days. Activities include shelter/village/camp building, fire skills, safety, comfort, wayfinding, animal spying, tracks and signs, storytelling, local flora/fauna, weather forecasting, plant paints and dyes, nature crafts, foraging, cooking, wood carving, games, gratitude practices, peace and community skills . Childrens' interests drive the offerings.
Together we consider and experiment with big questions such as:
Where does water go when it boils? Wood go when it burns?
How do squirrels remember how to find the nuts they bury?
How do trees grow? Mushrooms? People?
What is the history of this land? What will it be like 1000 years from now? How does a prism make a rainbow?
How do birds survive the winter? Beetles? Humans?
How can we build a bird nest?
How do mosquitos and people depend on each other?
How do we protect ourselves from mosquitoes and ticks?
How high can we pile these rocks?
If we could be any kind of amphibian for just one day and night- what would we be? What would we do? How do we build the strongest shelter? The wobbliest shelter? How do squirrels decide where to build a nest?
What do we receive from nature? What does nature receive from us?
How do we feel?
Details
Class meets at Nature and Nurture Seed Farm in Dexter, MI on Thursdays from 10 am until 2 pm. In challenging weather we may meet at UM Natural History Museum.
$702 (check) $723 (Paypal) is the cost for the series. Payment and health/liability forms are required for enrollment (see payment and refund policies).
Campers practice outdoor skills and develop their interests supported by experienced outdoor educators and naturalists. Forest Village is designed to support children in nurturing friendships, self awareness, self determination and community in connection with nature.
Children collaborate to plan their days. Activities include shelter/village/camp building, fire skills, safety, comfort, wayfinding, animal spying, tracks and signs, storytelling, local flora/fauna, weather forecasting, plant paints and dyes, nature crafts, foraging, cooking, wood carving, games, gratitude practices, peace and community skills . Childrens' interests drive the offerings.
Together we consider and experiment with big questions such as:
Where does water go when it boils? Wood go when it burns?
How do squirrels remember how to find the nuts they bury?
How do trees grow? Mushrooms? People?
What is the history of this land? What will it be like 1000 years from now? How does a prism make a rainbow?
How do birds survive the winter? Beetles? Humans?
How can we build a bird nest?
How do mosquitos and people depend on each other?
How do we protect ourselves from mosquitoes and ticks?
How high can we pile these rocks?
If we could be any kind of amphibian for just one day and night- what would we be? What would we do? How do we build the strongest shelter? The wobbliest shelter? How do squirrels decide where to build a nest?
What do we receive from nature? What does nature receive from us?
How do we feel?
Details
Class meets at Nature and Nurture Seed Farm in Dexter, MI on Thursdays from 10 am until 2 pm. In challenging weather we may meet at UM Natural History Museum.
$702 (check) $723 (Paypal) is the cost for the series. Payment and health/liability forms are required for enrollment (see payment and refund policies).

Lead Instructor
Syndallas Baughman grew up on the water and in the forests of Michigan and Florida and earned a B.S. in Biology at University of Michigan and M.S. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Irvine. Along the way she’s camped and studied plants and pollinators in the Siskiyous in S.W. Oregon, swamps, forests and fields of Michigan, Kauai, coastal and desert California, and the California Sierra Nevada. She taught at El Cerrito Preschool Cooperative, learning from wise and loving mentors to step back and follow and support kids’ ideas. At Wildcat Community Free School she followed kids through creeks and forests, set up experiments, supervised the use of power tools, knives and fire, facilitated democratic decision making and mediated a lot of arguments about Pokemon Card trades. She’s planted native gardens with preschoolers to high school students, and camps all over the U.S.A. with her two now adult sons. She holds her secondary teaching certificate in biology and recently spent a service year with Americorps working in adult literacy and English learning with Washtenaw Literacy. Syndallas is a certified Michigan Naturalist. The beautiful wild world is the place Syndallas wants to be! She loves sharing nature connection with people and other living things and you!
Syndallas Baughman grew up on the water and in the forests of Michigan and Florida and earned a B.S. in Biology at University of Michigan and M.S. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Irvine. Along the way she’s camped and studied plants and pollinators in the Siskiyous in S.W. Oregon, swamps, forests and fields of Michigan, Kauai, coastal and desert California, and the California Sierra Nevada. She taught at El Cerrito Preschool Cooperative, learning from wise and loving mentors to step back and follow and support kids’ ideas. At Wildcat Community Free School she followed kids through creeks and forests, set up experiments, supervised the use of power tools, knives and fire, facilitated democratic decision making and mediated a lot of arguments about Pokemon Card trades. She’s planted native gardens with preschoolers to high school students, and camps all over the U.S.A. with her two now adult sons. She holds her secondary teaching certificate in biology and recently spent a service year with Americorps working in adult literacy and English learning with Washtenaw Literacy. Syndallas is a certified Michigan Naturalist. The beautiful wild world is the place Syndallas wants to be! She loves sharing nature connection with people and other living things and you!

Lead Instructor
Sacha Dansky
Sacha is passionate about the natural world and education. While living in San Diego for the past 15 years, she designed elementary science curriculum for Olivewood Gardens & Learning Center. She was also a Naturalist/Field Guide for Mission Trails Regional Park, San Diego Audobon Society and other environmental and conservation organizations. She spent many happy hours with children exploring ecological reserves in and around San Diego. Sacha enjoys traveling, camping and exploring with her husband and two young kids. Having recently returned to Michigan, she is excited to continue sharing her love of the outdoors! Sacha is a certified Michigan Naturalist .
Jordan Wyant
Jordan comes to the Nature Learning Community with years of experience living and learning with young people outdoors. He has led conservation work projects for the Student Conservation Association in Detroit, the San Francisco Bay Area, Yosemite and North Cascades National Parks. Jordan has an M.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of Oregon as well as an M.A. in Educational Studies from the University of Michigan. He is excited to learn alongside all the members of the Forest Village, and he hopes to foster a mindful and caring approach to relating with the natural world.
Sacha Dansky
Sacha is passionate about the natural world and education. While living in San Diego for the past 15 years, she designed elementary science curriculum for Olivewood Gardens & Learning Center. She was also a Naturalist/Field Guide for Mission Trails Regional Park, San Diego Audobon Society and other environmental and conservation organizations. She spent many happy hours with children exploring ecological reserves in and around San Diego. Sacha enjoys traveling, camping and exploring with her husband and two young kids. Having recently returned to Michigan, she is excited to continue sharing her love of the outdoors! Sacha is a certified Michigan Naturalist .
Jordan Wyant
Jordan comes to the Nature Learning Community with years of experience living and learning with young people outdoors. He has led conservation work projects for the Student Conservation Association in Detroit, the San Francisco Bay Area, Yosemite and North Cascades National Parks. Jordan has an M.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of Oregon as well as an M.A. in Educational Studies from the University of Michigan. He is excited to learn alongside all the members of the Forest Village, and he hopes to foster a mindful and caring approach to relating with the natural world.