Ventura Wild rekindles a deep sense of belonging and connection to wild places by nurturing awareness, knowledge, skills and stewardship in the natural world.
The Ventura Wild’s mission is to inspire wonder,
self-reliance & joy in children and adults through wilderness experiences in our local wild places.
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“VW has consistently been his favorite activity over the last 3 years. He looks forward to it every week, always comes home with an interesting story or nature item and teaches all of us at home something.”
Age 7, Ventura Explorers
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“My child talks more to me about the positive experiences at Coyote school than she does about anything in her week. She loves all things nature and she has nothing but glowing things to say about the mentors.”
Age 6, Coyote Homeschool
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“I was REALLY impressed with the entire program and all the naturalists. WOW! Worth every penny for sure! Can’t wait for both my kids to do it.”
Age 7, Ventura Wild Summer Camp
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“They have a blast and they learn about the land, including the historically native uses. They are constantly repeating things they’ve learned.”
Siblings Ages 7 & 9, Ojai After School
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“All in all – this program is a FIVE plus!! THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH for being kind, patient, and open with our children.”
Age 5, Coyote Homeschool
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“Teachers and staff were great as always. I tell everyone this is the best kids activity!”
Age 8, Ventura Wild Summer Camp
ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS
Our programs are designed to connect children to nature and instill a deep sense of belonging, by nurturing awareness, knowledge, skills and stewardship in the natural world.
All of our programs maintain a 4:1 child to mentor ratio. Our mentors are highly experienced naturalists and educators passionate about supporting your child’s nature connection journey in a safe and compassionate learning environment.
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Students discover the challenge and inspiration of learning from life through awareness, investigation and play. Longer programs allow for deeper exploration, discovery and opportunity for projects and focused skills. We accept Charter Funds!
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A chance to engage with friends in natural settings, balance screen and classroom time with sensory, physical and metal wellness time: sitting by a creek, walking through the trees, noticing the wind, sun and water soothes the soul.
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Children growing into some independence will enjoy this opportunity to explore, play and connect in natural settings. Our programs focus on whole body natural learning rhythms that allow children to discover themselves, each other and the planet.
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We invite children to explore, learn and play outside with us in Spanish! Every week we explore wild places around our communities and gain awareness, knowledge, self reliance and social skills. Our bilingual instructors are skilled naturalists, educators and mentors.
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Is your child ready to practice more intermediate nature-based skills? This program is best suited for children who have experience in nature and are capable of more focused skills and adventurous hiking.
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Week-long day camps, each day visiting different wild places to explore and learn about our local ecosystems. Usually involving beaches or swimming holes, and always a fun opportunity to be with friends and deepen the programs we offer during the rest of the year.
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This is an opportunity for your child to step into the transition from childhood to adolescence feeling empowered and supported, exploring friendships, family, self and the world together.
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We partner with schools to offer environmental education programs for their students. Programs include school field trips and extended learning opportunities that are in line with classroom goals.
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Ventura Wild and Children’s Therapy Network (CTN) are in partnership to provide a program focused on group therapy in nature. Led by a Ventura Wild educator and licensed CTN therapist, children participating gain sensory, communication, motor and cognitive development.
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Our education team provides family events, workshops and guided hikes through Ventura Land Trust’s public events. Come join us for tide pooling, birding, night hikes and so much more!
Ventura Wild would love to hear from you!
Email: venturawild@venturalandtrust.org
Phone: 805-643-8044 x 4
Mailing Address: Ventura Wild, P.O. Box 1284, Ventura, CA 93002
MAKE A DONATION TODAY!
Help us bring more children into outdoor learning and be stewards in our community
Your kind donation will help us provide more scholarships, offer bilingual programs, hire and train staff, raise funds for transportation and so much more.
