What is the Program?
The Tree Urchins program gets preschoolers out into nature, exploring the trails and open spaces of Marin County. By interacting with the dynamic habitats all around us, our excursions promote novel forms of learning. Natural sites become as familiar as classrooms, yet with seasonal ebbs and flows the classroom is always revealing new wonders that spark and engage the natural curiosity of young children.
The rhythm of the day can feel different in the woods, or at creekside, and the trails are the perfect playground to promote the big body movement our kiddos need. Adventuring as a group helps children build resilience and trust while having so much fun, they barely notice the challenge!
Families can sign up on their own, or we also partner with preschools directly to get groups of children out. Space is limited, so reach out soon in order to reserve a spot!Where do we go?
Depending on weather, tides, traffic and more we rotate our excursions between a number of sites:
Coastal sites: San Quentin Beach and Blackie’s Pasture.
Open spaces: Ring Mountain, Baltimore Canyon, Cascade Canyon, Roy’s Redwoods, Alto Bowl, Sorich Park, Phoenix Lake, and Sky Ranch.
How does it work?
Who leads the program?
Seasoned outdoor educator Dylan Turner serves as the dedicated leader planning and heading up all excursions with one other co-teacher. Dylan has been a preschool teacher for nearly 15 years. He earned his stripes at the dynamic Pacific Primary School in San Francisco, and up until last year was running Marin Primary and Middle School's highly acclaimed Tree School program. Check out his teacher bio for more details, or feel free to contact him directly at dylan@treeurchins.com