Asheville Weekly Homeschool Programs

 

Fall homeschool kids playing at Forest School

Homeschool Programs Overview

Carefully crafted since 2011, our programs provide a progressive learning journey and comprehensive foundation in deeply relating to the natural world.

Jump to programs for ages 6-8, 9-12, and 10-16.  Fall 2023 programs are well under way and closed for registration. We’ll announce our Winter & Spring 2024 sessions soon.

Through games, stories, and exploration children learn about: Outdoor safety and awareness, animal tracking, edible and medicinal wild plants, wilderness survival skills, bird language, ancient crafts, ecology, community, self-discovery, storytelling, singing, fire, and much, much more.

What’s new for Fall 2023? We’re sticking with the shifted age brackets we implemented in Spring. And we’re rotating back in some of most popular programs – Nature’s Kitchen, Archer’s Arena, and Secrets of the Jedi.

Why Choose Forest Floor?

We help children have fun, be healthy, and achieve their fullest potential with nature connection mentoring.

 Health benefits of nature connection

  • Learn wilderness skills & traditional crafts
  • Meet new friends and reunite with old ones
  • Unforgettable adventures every day
  • Skilled and caring mentors
  • Exciting wilderness experiences
  • Convenient in-town drop-off & pickup
  • Boost long term cognitive & social development

2023 Fall Homeschool Programs

Registration is Now Closed.
Spring & Winter 2024 Schedules Coming Soon.

Ages 6-8

Child climbing a tree at Asheville day camp in the forest

MONDAY
Ages 6-8

Mountain Mondays

September 11 – December 11, 2023
Registration is now closed.

Experience the slow fade of the summer heat and watch the forest change colors with our nature connection mentors. We’ll explore, play games, learn skills and connect.

Summer camper learns Jedi skills at Asheville area nature camp

TUESDAY
Ages 6-8

Secrets of the Jedi: Wild Younglings

September 5 – December 12, 2023
Registration is now closed.

Deepen connection to nature and grow attuned to its life force, while honing the physical skills of survival.

Kids at nature program for homeschoolers  examining a turtle

WEDNESDAY
Ages 6-8

Heartwood: Acorns

September 6 – December 13
Registration is now closed.

Our core nature-connection curriculum offers a progressive learning journey with games, stories, and exploration in the natural world.

A handmade basket made at teen summer camp for handmade craft

THURSDAY
Ages 6-8

Nature’s Kitchen: Fire Craft & Cooking

September 7 – December 14, 2023
Registration is now closed.

Hunt down wild edibles and learn which are safe to eat. Also includes: fire building, teamwork, water purification, and crafting delicious meals.

Kids at nature program for homeschoolers  examining a turtle

FRIDAY
Ages 6-8

Forest Fridays

September 8 – December 15, 2023
Registration is now closed.

Time to turn away from the screens and walk out into the magical forest for a day of guided nature connection with our experienced mentors.

Ages 9-12

Camper learning to make fire at survival skills summer day camp in forest

MONDAY
Ages 9-12

Mountain Mondays

September 11 – December 11, 2023
Registration is now closed.

Bathe in the colors of the turning leaves and soak up the sun before the days shorten. We explore our core curriculum in a flexible format.

Jedi training at forest-based homeschool program children holding poses on rock formations

TUESDAY
Ages 9-12

Secrets of the Jedi: Young Padowans

September 5 – December 12, 2023
Registration is now closed.

Deepen connection to nature and grow attuned to its life force, while honing the physical skills of survival.

Homeschool students cooperating on a project in the forest cutting a log during nature connection program

WEDNESDAY
Ages 9-12

Heartwood: Saplings

September 6 – December 13, 2023
Registration is now closed.

Our core nature-connection curriculum offers a progressive learning journey with games, stories, and exploration in the natural world.

Summer campers playing archery games posing with bows on top of big boulder near Asheville

THURSDAY
Ages 9-12

Archer’s Arena: Forest Protectors

September 7 – December 14, 2023
Registration is now closed.

Play epicly fun games with foam-tipped arrows, learning about archery with some additional foraging, crafts, camouflage and more.

Teenage campers dressed in camouflauge for Shadow Scouts summer camp

FRIDAY
Ages 9-12

Forest Fridays

September 8 – December 15, 2023
Registration is now closed.

Time to turn away from the screens and walk out into the magical forest for a day of guided nature connection with our experienced mentors.

Ages 10-14 & 12-16

Homeschool blacksmithing student with variety of objects made in class

TUESDAY
Ages 12-16

Intermediate Blacksmithing

September 5 – December 12
Registration is now closed.

Students build on their foundational knowledge and take their Blacksmithing skills to the next level with more advanced smithing techniques. Prerequite applies.

Kids with tribal face paints at forest school program for homeschool children

WEDNESDAY
Ages 10-14, by invitation

Heartwood: Oaks

September 6 – December 13, 2023
Registration is now closed.

Our core nature-connection curriculum, Oaks provides an opportunity for long-time students to continue challenging themselves in a group of peers who share their ability & passion.

Blacksmithing project under way with glowing curled metal on anvil

THURSDAY
Ages 12-16

Blacksmithing Fundamentals

September 7 – December 14, 2023
Registration is now closed.

Create useful tools by heating metal in the forge and shaping it on the anvil. Students will come home with beautiful and useful handmade items created using many techniques.

Female student looking into Blacksmith's forge at workpiece during independent study session

THURSDAY
Ages 12-16

Blacksmithing Independent Study

September 7 – December 14, 2023
Registration is now closed.

Create useful tools by heating metal in the forge and shaping it on the anvil. Students will come home with beautiful and useful handmade items created using many techniques.

Newsletter Signup

Get updated when camp seasons open for registration, grab early bird discounts and gifts, and receive nature-connection info useful for parents.

In-town Location

We are no longer at the Asheville School in West Asheville.

Our new location since 2020 is Haw Creek Commons, in Asheville off Tunnel Road.

Haw Creek Commons is a community co-work and activity center where Forest Floor has a presence. See the location on Google Maps.

 

 Drop-Off & Pick-Up

All programs may drop-off and pick-up at Haw Creek Commons for onsite programming or van transportation to Shope Creek. Address: 315 Old Haw Creek Road.

Parents may also drop-off and pick-up at Shope Creek Wilderness for all programs except Blacksmithing and Oaks. Address: 472 Shope Creek Road.

Scholarship Information

Overview

We offer limited partial scholarships to individuals who otherwise could not afford our programs. We prioritize scholarships for people of color and single parents with financial needs. We understand that people of color experience more financial and institutional barriers to participation, and wish to help counteract that by offering scholarships.

Donate

If you are a family with means, please consider donating to our scholarship fund. Donations of a 1/4, 1/2, or FULL scholarship can be made during the standard registration process. For more substantial donations please contact us to discuss details.

Apply

Limited partial scholarships are available. Scholarship funds are generated exclusively from generosity of donations toward the scholarship fund. Scholarships are limited to the sum of these funds and are awarded based on equitable distribution. Full scholarships will be considered for families in great need, but most scholarship applicants should expect to pay at least half of tuition.

To apply for a scholarship FIRST please register for the program/camp, choose the payment plan option, and only pay a $100 deposit at time of registration.

AFTER RESERVING A SPOT, please follow the link below to fill out the application.

If your scholarship request can't be approved or isn't the amount of discount that you need, we will provide a full refund of the deposit.

 

COVID Safety Policies
Homeschool 2023-2024

Our COVID-19 safety policy is based primarily on pre-screening and monitoring.  It is our current position that the single largest preventative factor at our programs is the fact that we are open-air and outdoors.

Pre-Screening and Monitoring

  • Any child arriving in the morning with signs or symptoms of COVID-19 will not be permitted to attend programs that day.  If during the program day a child displays signs or symptoms of illness they will be separated from other students and parents contacted to pick them up.

  • All staff will be self-monitoring for symptoms of COVID-19.  If they develop symptoms, they will notify their supervisor and stay home.  Any staff person who develops symptoms of illness during the work day will be separated from students and other staff and sent home ASAP.

Masks:

  • As of Fall 2022, we will no longer require masks to be worn on our shuttle vans transporting students
  • Children and staff will not be required to wear masks, but will be fully supported if they choose to do so.

We will do our best to fully support any child or staff who self-selects for more restrictive social distancing or mask wearing than the policies outlined above.