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Our Village School offers weekly outdoor 1 or 2 day programming for children ages 6+ on Mondays through Thursdays in mixed-age cohorts:
Explorers (6-9 years)
Adventurers (10-12 years)
Trailblazers (13+ years)
Each week, children rotate through classes within their cohort. Explorers have a dedicated anchor teacher and explore four classes daily—two in the morning, followed by lunch/free play, then two more in the afternoon. Trailblazers follow a different format (details [HERE]).
To experience all classes offered, enroll in both Tuesday & Thursday or both Monday & Wednesday.
Our Explorers and Adventurers program take place at YMCA Day Camp Streefland (Lakeville) in spring & fall—a 64+ acre wooded wonderland—and at Camp Sacajawea (Apple Valley) in winter.
“A true love of learning happens as you hike along wooded trails with friends, plant a garden together and share in the wonder of exploration. Play and discovery are center stage and it's a delight to watch the learning unfold just as it should.”
Explorer and Adventurer Details at a Glance
Upcoming Explorer and Adventurer Semesters
Fall 2025 Semester
YMCA Day Camp Streefland
9/8 – 11/20 (11 wks)
$775 1-day/wk attendance
$1550 2-days/wk attendance
Winter 2026 Semester
Camp Sacajawea Retreat Center
2/10 – 3/10 (5 wks)
$355 (Tuesdays only)
Spring 2025 Semester
YMCA Day Camp Streefland
3/24 – *5/30 (10 wks)
$710 1-day/wk attendance
$1420 2-days/wk attendance
*In observance of Memorial Day, programming originally scheduled for 5/26 (M) will happen on Friday 5/30.
Explorer + Adventurer Classes
Unleash your inner artist! Each lesson highlights a famous artist and focuses on key techniques like line, shape, form, value, and color, guiding students to create their own masterpieces.
Guide: Rita Ryan
Day Offered: Wed/Thurs
“Every child is an artist.” -Pablo Picasso
More than just making delicious food, this class builds essential life skills! Students cook like chefs—measuring, seasoning, selecting ingredients, balancing flavors, and perfecting presentation.
Guide: Sarah Lang
Day Offered: Mon/Tues
“No one is born a great cook, one learns by doing.” -Julia Childs
A time to spark curiosity and creativity! From finger-knitting to mosaics to building catapults, students explore hands-on projects that bring out the maker in us all.
Guide: Brittany Simpson
Day Offered: Mon/Tues
“We are born makers. We move what we’re learning from our heads to our hearts through our hands.”
-Brene Brown
A journey of exploration and wonder! Through imaginative play, sensory experiences, and hands-on activities, children deepen their connection to nature while fostering curiosity, creativity, and growth.
Guides: Maria Stalsberg (Th) & Liz Markel (W)
Days Offered: Wed/Thurs
“Give children a chance to love the earth before we ask them to save it.” -David Sobel
Let’s get curious in the lab with our Scientists! Always hands-on and always focused on discovery, our Guides help us answer questions about the world around us…What makes a boat float? Why do leaves change colors? and SO much more!
Guides: Megan Henning (Th) & Jennifer Demetriades (M)
Day Offered: Mon/Thurs
“Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton asked why.” –Bernard Baruch
Here’s a chance for kids to exercise their dramatic talents and jumpstart their imaginations. Drama Lab uses improvisation, short scenes, monologues, character development and more. Your child will burst with laughter as they improve social skills, listen, problem solve and focus – all while making friends along the way!
Guides: Aaron Strawn (T), Bridget Benson (W) & Amy Strawn (Th)
Days Offered: T/W/Thurs
“Imagination is your mind’s playground.” -Vince Gowmon
Music brings so much joy into the world. Our Explorers are encouraged to unleash that joy and share their music into the world through the use of songs, instruments and movement. In the spring semester, we are focused on lyrics and group ensembles as we prepare for a spring concert for a local senior community.
Guide: Jessica Sieh
Days Offered: Tues/Wed
“As long as we live, there is never enough singing.” -Martin Luther
This is time devoted to getting our wiggles out, stretching our bodies and re-centering. Our movement hour includes youth fitness activities such as yoga, obstacle courses, field games, etc.
Guide: Kayla Ragborg
Days Offered: T/W/Thurs
“Movement is the song of the body” -Vanda Scaravelli
“And at the end of the day, your feet should be dirty, your hair messy and your eyes sparkling.” -Shanti
Learn by doing! This is a hands-on time to explore woodworking and carpentry skills such as measuring, marking, sawing, drilling etc. A space for the Adventurer aged maker to make!
Guides: Dave Stalsberg (T) & Zach Secrist (W)
Day Offered: Tues & Wed
“Give the pupils something to do, not something to learn . . . learning naturally results.” -John Dewey
We are empowering our kidtrepreneurs who have big dreams with the skills to bring those dreams into reality. Our cohorts will work together learning the basics of running a business and eventually bring a final product to the end-of-semester market at Our Village School.
Guide: Maria Stalsberg
Day Offered: Thurs
“Anytime is a good time to start a company.” -Ron Conway
This is dedicated time to work on arguably one of the most important life skills…teamwork! Our Explorers will practice how to best work together in a group, communicate effectively and problem solve while working through various challenge course initiatives, activities and puzzles.
Guide: Sarah Kjellsen
Day Offered: Mon
“If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” -Henry Ford
Time to connect through teamwork and collaboration all in The Great Outdoors. In Connect, the cohort will practice important life skills such as leadership, perseverance, positive mindset and much more through an exploration of outdoor skills.
Guide: Erin Steinhibel
Day Offered: Tues/Wed
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” -Hellen Keller
Schedules by Day
Monday
Makerspace
Science
Lunch / Free Play
Cooking
Team
Tuesday
Music
Makerspace
Lunch / Free Play
Cooking
Movement
Wednesday
Drama
Music
Lunch / Free Play
Forest Play
Movement
Thursday
Forest Play
Drama
Lunch / Free Play
Art
Science
Tuesday
Drama
Cooking
Lunch / Free Play
Connect
Shop
Wednesday
Shop
Movement
Lunch / Free Play
Connect
Art
Thursday
Art
Science
Lunch / Free Play
Movement
Kids Inc.
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