Inchworms - Toddler & Pre-K Desert School Programs

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We are offering Inchworms in North Phoenix for the 2024-2025 school year. 

All classes will take place in North Phoenix at Paradise Valley Park.

ECO Inchworms is for children in Preschool grade (approximate ages 1-5 yrs old). Inchworms is child directed and will included things like playing with loose parts, exploring textures, investigating nature, listening to a story, creating nature art, and taking a short nature walk.

This program is not drop off.

There are only 12 openings for this program!

Full year payment option: $300 for the year / Sibling discount $280 ($20 sibling discount applied)*

½ semester payment option: $160 Fall, $180 Spring / Sibling discount $150 Fall, $170 Spring  

*You save $40 if you choose to pay for the year.

You can view the calendar here.

The North Phoenix program will meet every other week at the Barrier Free Nature Trail on Thursdays from 10:00 am-11:30 am for 17 weeks. 

Thursday dates 8/29, 9/12, 9/26, 10/10, 10/24, 11/21, 12/12, 1/9, 1/23, 2/6, 2/20, 3/6, 3/20, 4/3, 4/17, 5/1, 5/15

Each class will follow a similar format:

10:00 am - Greeting - children greet one another and the land. Review basic rules of safety and kindness.
10:05 am - Exploratory Play & Guided Activity (as needed) - children are encouraged to orient themselves to and explore the natural space, which includes thoughtfully curated materials, exploration tools, etc.
10:30 am - Snack and Story
10:40 am - Field Exploration - children take a hike to further explore our place Environmental literacy skills are built while identifying species and learning about wildlife habitats. Children will have opportunities to climb trees, explore textures, play games, and engage in scientific inquiry through spontaneous and planned activities.
11:10 am - Craft/Art Project - children create nature process art
11:25 am - Good Byes - children say their goodbyes, reflect on what we learned, and share gratitude not only for our time together, but the land that nourished us. 

11:30 am - Class Ends

We want to get back to the traditional "forest" philosophy, so classes will not have set themes, though we will have a rough schedule for the day. We will instead let the desert be our guide and lead us on holistic learning journeys. We will learn through play and exploration in the natural environment. As we do so children will learn about themselves, their peers, and the changing world in which they live. The learning that will take place in desert school will be an ongoing process that develops naturally. We will adapt the sessions in order to suit the interests, motivations and attitude of each unique child, and how it impacts the group dynamic as a whole.

Kathy will be the ECO Steward for the N. Phoenix Program. You can learn more about her here. 

Please visit our FAQs page which should answer any questions you may have. If you don't see your question answered please send us an email.

FULL - please complete the waitlist 

Please complete the registration form and waiver and submit your payment using the button below or an alternative option. Class registration is not guaranteed until your registration form, waiver, and payment are received (we will allow time for ESA payments to clear and guarantee your spot if you are using ESA).

If you need an invoice for ESA please select that on the payment screen and we will email you the invoice within 48 hrs.

If you would like to pay a different way we accept the following:
Venmo @ecoexplorers
Zelle 678-457-0802
Cash App $ecoexplorers