Summer Farm School

Farm School provides four weeks of outdoor exploration for children ages three to twelve years old. We will observe the changes on a farm from spring to summer. Our day starts by visiting the laying hens and feeding them compost or kitchen scraps. Then we walk back to our basecamp in the northeast corner of the farm where the kids do a Sit Spot journal. A fresh produce snack is provided. We offer two vegetables or fruits to taste and compare each morning. 

Farm School spends about two-thirds of their time in free play at basecamp and the other third in hikes around the farm and to the neighboring marsh and woods. Basecamp has a number of open-ended places to play including the mud kitchen, climbing tree, tree forts in the wind break, as well as critter catching in the open field and compost pile. New activities are offered weekly, such as: egg investigation, edible flowers, brewing sun tea, making pickles, observing metamorphosis of insects and frogs, investigating seed dispersal, bird nest design, wild berry picking, thread work, or scavenger hunts.

Farm School is a hybrid of Forest School and Montessori teaching techniques. Both methods encourage personal responsibility, child-led learning, and cooperative conflict resolution. Joyfield gives us a place to learn about the natural world by being immersed in it.

We are offering IJMN programming as part of the 9-12 year old age group again this year! Twice a week this group will have a specialist come and give a hands-on lesson about topics like: local plants, animals, geology, water movement, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, land conservation practices and pollinators, etc. Participants will also choose six hours of volunteer service to be done during farm school time. If they have attended 80% of the classes and done the volunteer hours, they will receive a badge of completion. For more details see the state program overview at: https://www.in.gov/dnr/state-parks/files/sp-imn-jr-overview.pdf 

Program Options:
Open June 3 - June 28
Monday - Friday 8:00 - 12:30
Can register for 2 weeks or 4 weeks
Requirements: Children must be potty-trained.