The after-school programming schedule varies by enrolled school end-times, see below for sample schedule. Grown Outdoors operates in one day a week per age group, six week semester sprints, while also offering drop-in spots for kiddos to try it out! We will complete one hike every day outside, with one activity block built into the afternoon to further encourage connection to the outdoors.

Hiking (1x/week per age group):

• Rock Creek Park
• Great Falls Park
• Theodore Roosevelt Island
• Turkey Run Park

Activities vary by day, age & group interest, all rooted in discovery, problem-solving, and creativity:

• Trail bingo, scavenger hunts, "build-a-story" time while we hike, animal charades and more!
• Arts & crafts including making nature collages, building beetle forts, and mud painting
• Enrichment opportunities to explore the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, U.S. Botanic Garden, and the National Museum of Natural History

Schedule outline below, subject to different pick up times* depending on enrolled school let-out times:

2:45pm* // School pick-up to start

3:15-3:30pm // Arrive at hike of the day!

3:30-5:30pm // Hike + Activity, or Enrichment Activity for the day

5:30 - 6:00pm // Head back to drop-off location

6:00pm // Drop-off & parent pick-off

All ages, from 5 to 14 year olds, are welcome to come out with us on an adventure! We develop our programming by age to ensure the best experience as we can tailor to age appropriate activities, and hiking distances.

Sprouts

• 5-6 year olds
• Hike around 1 mile per day

Saplings

• 7-8 year olds
• Hike around 1-2 miles daily

Buds

• 9-11 year olds
• Hike around 3-4 miles daily

Blossoms

• 12-14 year olds
• Hike around 4-6+ miles daily

These hiking distances are based on industry averages for what these age groups can achieve; every day we hike we keep these distances in mind, with each semester program working towards a goal to accomplish a certain trail, distance or decided measure all together by the end!

This will vary based on the enrolled school, for example, if you are signing up for a program at the Maret School, Grown Outdoors will pick up your registered explorer from Maret, and we will return your registered explorer to Maret for parent pick-up when the program wraps for the day.

Buses will pick-up and drop off explorers from the enrolled schools. They will be accompanied by a counselor on the bus, throughout the entirety of the program, and while transitioning on/off the bus for pick-up and drop-off.

Explorer to counselor ratio is 1 counselor minimum to every 6 explorers.