Life in the Forest
See the
Magic in Action
An outdoor after school adventure in the forest, where creativity, curiosity, and collaboration come alive.
Our Mission
Forest Explorers is an outdoor, after-school, nature-based play group that aims to build a connection to nature. Our mission is to provide an incredible afterschool experience in nature for neighborhood kids aged 6–10. We do this by engaging in games and sensory play that focus on communication, imagination, creativity, and resilience.
We're outdoors in the Roger Tillbury Memorial Park forest regardless of the weather, unless dangerous or very rainy. Even then, our indoor activities use art and collected nature to achieve our mission. We get messy, figure things out, and have a lot of fun.
Our time together not only reinforces the majesty and mystery of nature, but it also lays the foundations for collaboration, individual exploration, and artistic expression of all kinds.
"Our family was incredibly impressed with the Forest Explorer’s program. My daughter looked forward to it all week. It’s a joy to see kids engaging with nature in fun and creative ways. We loved that the program is research-based, meticulously organized, safe, and loads of fun. My daughter’s favorite activities were the Bee Training Lab and Science Week. Not only that, pick-up from school was so convenient! We can’t wait for summer camp!"— Payton Heilman, Forest Explorers Parent
What We Do
Using spices, herbs, and natural ingredients found on our walks, kids craft their own "magical" potions while learning real basics of science and natural chemistry.
We create beautiful temporary artworks in gorgeous outdoor locations — land art, nature mandalas, watercolors, and more, inspired by the world around us.
Kids design and build cozy homes for their bug friends using sticks, bark, leaves, and other natural materials — learning about ecosystems along the way.
Hands-on, curiosity-driven science learning rooted in what we find in nature — plants, insects, weather, soil, and the living systems all around us.
Using natural materials, kids collaborate to build forts, sculptures, bridges, and structures — developing engineering intuition and teamwork skills.
Old-fashioned and powerful learning games designed to deepen observation skills, environmental awareness, and a lifelong love of the outdoors.
We gather at Cedar Mill Elementary and walk together to our 10-acre forest playground just south of Cornell Road — a magical space for exploration of all kinds.
The Details
Mary picks up your explorer directly from the Cedar Mill Elementary school office, walks them to our house for a quick snack, and then heads into Roger Tilbury Park through our backyard.
We run two weekly 6-week sessions during the school year. The first begins in March; the second in mid-April. Parents can register for one or both. Pickup is at 5pm.
A full week of forest adventures awaits! Summer camp runs daily for one week, 9am–2pm. Parents drop off and pick up their children.
Our program carries full liability insurance covering all time spent at our home and in the park — so you can relax while your explorer has the adventure of a lifetime.
Life in the Forest
Your Guide
Founder & Facilitator
Mary holds a Master's degree in Environmental Policy from USC, where she developed a deep passion for connecting children with the natural world in meaningful ways.
She spent seven years at TreePeople, teaching outdoor education to children from schools all over the Los Angeles metro area — cultivating hands-on, nature-based learning experiences that leave a lasting impression.
During the pandemic, Mary created and facilitated an outdoor "Tinkergarden" program, a nine-week program for pre-schoolers and their parents to spend time together outside, exploring and playing together.
Mary also runs Lakebound, a business that connects people across the United States to their favorite hometown lakes.
What Parents Say
This isn't just a VERY useful opportunity for parents who need extra time in the afternoons, but it's also an incredible program for my daughter, who's learned all kinds of amazing things about art, nature, and play.
My son absolutely loved his time at Forest Explorers! He looked forward to going every single week and was so excited to share everything he learned and created. I loved that the program combined art and nature in such a fun, engaging, and educational way. Mary is truly the best — so kind, passionate, and wonderful with the kids. You can really see how much care and effort goes into the program. I cannot wait to sign my son up for the next summer program and I 100% recommend to any parent looking for a unique and enriching experience for their child!
Investment
Get Started
Reach out to Mary to discuss enrollment, check availability, or ask any questions about the program. We'd love to welcome your child to our forest family.