Join us for this 4-day camp to learn many of the ancestral skills and practices people have used for thousands of years. Enjoy the beauty of Big Oak Canyon while engaging in fun activities like animal tracking, shelter building, bird language and cordage making, caring for the Earth and harvesting her abundance with gratitude.
Big Oak is a 39-acre property located on shared ancestral lands of the Juañeno Band of Mission Indians Acjachemen Nation and neighboring Tongva/Gabrieleño and Payómkawichum/Luiseño tribes in Silverado Canyon.
Each day will be filled with activities that build a connection to the natural world and to each other. If you are a kid who likes crafts, outdoor games and getting deep into nature, this camp is for you.
SHELTER – June 18
Learn one of the most important wilderness survival skills- building shelter out of what you find in nature.
TRACKING – June 19
See the world through the eyes of the animals by reading their stories, tracks, and signs on the land. Get a hands on experience exploring wild animal skins and nature artifacts.
NATURAL FIBERS – June 20
Learn about natural fibers such as yucca and wool. Practice making cordage by hand and spinning wool using a wooden spindle.
BIRD LANGUAGE – June 21
Listen to the birds. What are they trying to tell us? We will expand our sensory awareness and learn how the more-than-human world can help us navigate the land.
Camp Details
Who: Children ages 8-14
When: June 18, 19, 20, & 21, 9:00-2:00 pm
Where: Big Oak Canyon (Silverado Canyon)
Price: $320 (4 days)
Siblings who are within the age range of class (8-14 years old) must be registered as a regular participant. Siblings outside the age range of class (ages 2-7 or older than 14) are called ACORNS. We invite ACORNS to attend with their parents. There is a $30 fee per day for siblings ages 2-7 years old or older than 14. There is no additional charge for children younger than 2 years old. Payment for ACORNS must be received at least one week prior to the date of class.
What to bring
- Nature Journal and pencil
- Nutritious snacks and a healthy lunch
- Hat and sunscreen
- Water in a reusable water bottle
- Field Guides and binoculars (optional)
Scholarships Available
Earthroots is committed to creating nature connection opportunities for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) participants and families in need.
Meet the Instructors
Raz Allen
Throughout her life, Raz has been a girl scout, Marine and an advocate/fundraiser for outdoor/natural causes. She is a Reiki Master/Teacher/Intuitive, Certified Massage Therapist, and avid tree hugger! Some call her MacGyver, because she will always find a way to make things work!
Raz lived in California, for the first time, as a young person, where she found out how wonderful the outdoors could be. Her family frequently visited many natural places, including Sequoia every six months, local beaches and road trips into the once vast open space of Orange County. She always loved to learn on nature walks, play outside and especially climb trees/ walls of her Tustin neighborhood.
Macy Pilkington
Macy Pilkington is all about empowering children to trust themselves, to trust each other, and to trust that the world is beautiful and safe. This southern California native grew up in the shadow of Saddleback Mountain. As soon as she could drive, the canyons became her sanctuary. Her search for nature led her to spend countless nights under the stars in Holy Jim Canyon, hiking the trails around Blackstar, and admiring the rural charm of Modjeska and Silverado canyons.
Deepening her skills in youth education, outreach, and empowerment on a permaculture farm in Hawaii, Macy had the opportunity to become focused on her personal objective of finding new and inventive ways to help steward our beautiful planet. At Earthroots Macy is excited to use her experience and love of nature to inspire families to relax into the world around them, to deepen their skills of observation, and to never stop asking questions. She believes that the best way to heal our planet is to empower children with love and nurturing for themselves and the ground beneath their feet.