2021 OVERNIGHT COURSES
Like you, we believe students thrive in an outdoor setting, where experiential learning approaches are considered fundamental to a student’s all-encompassing learning journey. Vancouver Outdoor School, with our dynamic team, is committed to providing exceptional outdoor educational services and activities for schools from September to June.
Overnight School Courses Outside of Vancouver
Whistler Mountain Gourmet COEE
(Community & Outdoor Experiential Education)
Join us for a three-day Whistler-style overnight course at a beautiful ski lodge campus! Whistler Mountain Gourmet has a primary focus on students participating in gourmet cooking and outdoor education, with a unique outdoor experience.
Activities include professional cooking & paddling lessons (weather permitting), outdoor skills activities, hiking, village photo scavenger hunt, evening activities and visiting Lil'Wat Cultural Centre.
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Dates (2 nights/3 days)
April/May/June/September/October 2020.
Ages: Grades 3-12
Rate: $259 - $299 CAD (+GST) per student
Includes Beautiful ski lodge accommodation, transportation from Vancouver, camper 24/7 instruction, meals and supervision, a camp t-shirt, gourmet cooking, outdoor activities and more!
Location: Fireside Lodge (Whistler Campus), Whistler BC
Forest Courses
This is an overnight course for teachers wanting an immersive and rustic forest experience for their students. Students will sleep in tents and truly have a direct learning experience in nature while spending the night under the stars.
Our school-based overnight camps are located in Galiano Island, Porpoise Bay and Halkett Provincial Parks.
Activities include hiking, canoeing, forest foraging, 'Leave No Trace' skills, climate change action planning, forest medicine walks, and wilderness skills.
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Dates: (2 Nights/3 Days)
May/June/September/October 2020
Ages: Grades 3-12
Rate: $259 - 279 CAD (+GST) per student
Includes: Tent accommodation, 24/7 instruction and supervision, a camp t-shirt, food and tons of outdoor activities (such as outdoor skills and climate change education!)
Location: Galiano Island, Golden Ears, Porpoise Bay or Halkett Provincial Parks.
Whistler Grad Retreats
Grade 7 and middle school graduation is a special time for young people as they end another chapter in their school life and start a new one! Our ski lodge campus in Whistler is centrally located, comfortable and comes with all the amenities needed to offer a safe, practical and fun retreat experience.
Activities include participating in a gourmet cooking workshop, Grad Bonkers Relay Race, tons of outdoor activities & team building games, karaoke challenge, Whistler photo scavenger hunt, Grad Final Campfire & Camp Party, Oh-la-la Spa, paddling time and much more!
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Dates (2 nights/3 days)
April/May/June 2020.
Ages: Grade 7
Rate: $349.00 CAD (+GST) per student.
Location: Whistler, BC
Galiano Island Discovery
A three-day up to a week long (you can choose!) environmental and wilderness course for students to explore, discover and play in the ocean and forests of beautiful Galiano Island. Students will sleep in tents, learn about campfire cooking, and partake in specific environmental and climate change education workshops - all while enjoying the serenity of Galiano Island.
Activities include hiking, paddle boarding, bike touring and wilderness STEM & forest medicine.
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Dates: (2 Nights/3 Days or weeklong)
May/June/September/October 2020
Ages: Grades 3-12
Rate: $259 - $279 CAD (+GST) per student
Includes: Ferry fee, tent accommodation, 24/7 instruction and supervision, a camp t-shirt, food, outdoor activities and skill-building.
Location: Galiano Island, BC
Ocean to Mountains Sechelt Inlet
A three-day up to a week long (you can choose) provincial park based course for students to immerse themselves in oceans and mountains! Students will have the option to deepen their learning in two of the following streams: Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing, hiking, learning about edible plants and/or paddling the Sechelt inlet.
Other activities include outdoor games and play, wilderness skills and learning to cook and prepare yummy food!
More Info
Dates (2 nights/3 days or weeklong)
May/June/September 2020
Ages: Grades 3-12
Rate: $259 - 279 CAD (+GST) per student.
Location: Sechelt Inlet, BC (Sunshine Coast).
Attention Teachers:
When students go to outdoor school, they develop a sense of independence, new skills and friends while unplugging from their digital and urban world to connect with nature and simply to have fun. That is to say, students leave the four walls turning places into "forest classrooms" that allow the students to grow integrally.
Outdoor activities are not only a fundamental element for the enjoyment of childhood and teenagehood, but also, they teach youth skills crucial to life such as problem-solving, teamwork and creativity. This gives youth the possibility of developing their psychomotricity naturally, reducing stress and overall well being while improving their health.
Vancouver Outdoor School is a local and nature-based outdoor school for students in grades 3 to 12. Our overnight courses and day program are designed to provide the perfect mix of fostering children’s social-emotional learning, skill-based training, gourmet cooking lessons and immersion in the local beautiful wilderness while following Covid-19 policies. Imagine your students swimming, preparing a fabulous dinner, hiking, exploring, dancing, building, creating, dreaming, laughing and just enjoying the precious moments of being a kid at their favourite outdoor school.
“Childhood means simplicity. Look at the world with the child's eye - it is very beautiful.”
- Kailash Satyarthi
Why Choose Us?
- We are all about building longstanding and meaningful relationships with your students, staff and school community.
- We adjust our field study experience to best suit your students’ learning, in collaboration with their teachers.
- Our staffs are skilled outdoor educators or aspiring teachers. We hire the best and bring our best.
- We have the equipment, staffing and experience to serve up to 30 students at a time while supporting COVID-19 BCCDC Recommendations.
- We are flexible, fun, and 100% experiential.
- We can go anywhere! You pick your schoolyard, local urban park, or a nearby lake or forested area.
- We work within multiple lenses or frameworks of learning. This means that we are NOT a one-dimensional type of education service. We take into account the students’ age, level of interest and comfort, cultural background, and the core competencies that are in place at your institution.