We are excited to now be offering class in Wayzata starting in 2025! Our Wayzata programs are through partnership with Wayzata Community Education. Most classes take place at their schools and are preschool classes, and elementary and middle school summer camps at this time. Big things to note is outside of an EcoElsa program you are not allowed to go off trail or forage on school district property.
Submit your email at this form to see if you qualify for their scholarship program.
Wayzata Classes Registration Opens February 3rd!
Winter Survival Class: Sunday, February 1st, 1:00 to 4:00 pm ages 6 to 14
Your child will learn skills through fun games and activities that will help them learn what to do in a survival situation. Children will leave knowing the rules of three, how to signal and look for help, shelter engineering, fire science and safety, how to collect and treat water, basic tool making skills, and more! Make sure to dress for the weather, closed-toed shoes and long pants as most of the class will be spent outdoors and off trail.
Snowshoe Family Class: Saturday, February 14th, 9:00 to 11:00 am ages 6 and up
Join an EcoElsa educator to explore the winter landscape of Wayzata Big Woods Preserve and learn how to snowshoe. During this fun, family excursion, you will learn about Minnesota’s winter habitats as well as the history of snowshoeing! This is a great family outing for ages 6 and up, just make sure to dress for the weather as the whole program will be spent outdoors! Snowshoes will be provided, and participants will be instructed on how to use them so you can enjoy snowshoeing throughout the winter.
Ultimate Survival After School Class: Central Middle School, Thursdays, February 19th - March 12th, 4:15 to 5:30 pm Grades 6th-8th
Discover survival skills through fun games and activities. Students will experience a wide variety of outdoor survival skills including the rule of three, how to signal for help, shelter engineering, fire science and safety, treating water, orienteering, and more! At the end of the camp they will get the chance to test out all their skills in a survival scenario and graduate from Survival Camp! The skills will give them courage in a lost/survival situation, equip them for camping and outdoor excursions, as well as build their confidence, self-reliance, teamwork, and problem solving. Make sure to dress for the weather and wear closed-toed shoes and long pants as most of the class will be spent outdoors!
Snow Day STEAM After School Class: Sunset Hill Elementary School, Mondays, February 23rd - March 16th, 3:10 to 4:40 pm Ages 6-12
Join an EcoElsa educator for a three hour “snow day” full of activities that will get your kids outdoors learning, being active, and having fun! Some activities we may do depending on the weather and snow include snowman relay race, build a better snowball launcher, snow fort engineering, snow poetry, snow science discovery, snowflake art, and snow nature art! Many of these activities are fun things your kids will be able to continue to do at home all winter long! Expect to be outside most of time so dress for the weather!
Campfire Cooking Camp: Monday, March 30th, 9:00 to 3:30 pm ages 9 to 15 (No School Day)
Kids will take their fire skills to the next level by not only learning how to make fire and different fire structures but the science of using fire to cook things too! This class will teach all the basics like s’mores and tinfoil packets up to more advanced skills like dutch oven baking and spit roasting over the fire. Your campfire chefs will know how to make full course meals by the end of this class in addition to how to make a fire and manage it safely. Additionally, if your site allows it and there are things in season we may also do some foraging for some of the recipes too! We are working hard to have recipes for all dietary needs that are things kids will enjoy cooking and will be using a lot of raw and unprocessed ingredients and also have vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free options for most of the recipes we make. Please let us know if your child has dietary needs beyond this and we will work with you to make alterations when possible!
Nature Spa Camp: Tuesday, March 31st, 9:00 to 3:30 pm ages 7 to 13 (No School Day)
Join us for this one of a kind hands on class to learn about how ethnobotany, nature, and chemistry combine to create beauty and spa products! This class will cover a variety of topics and skills including how to make essential oils from plants and how to use those oils to make candles, bath bombs, lotions, and other spa products. We also will dive into a variety of other ways to use plants and natural materials for beauty items including drying herbs, lip gloss, mud masks, and more! We look forward to your kids joining us for this nature class that teaches beauty products through chemistry and how the materials are sourced from the natural world!
Ultimate Survival After School Class: Sunset Hill Elementary School, Mondays, April 13th - May 4th, 3:10 to 4:40 pm Ages 6-12
Discover survival skills through fun games and activities. Students will experience a wide variety of outdoor survival skills including the rule of three, how to signal for help, shelter engineering, fire science and safety, treating water, orienteering, and more! At the end of the camp they will get the chance to test out all their skills in a survival scenario and graduate from Survival Camp! The skills will give them courage in a lost/survival situation, equip them for camping and outdoor excursions, as well as build their confidence, self-reliance, teamwork, and problem solving. Make sure to dress for the weather and wear closed-toed shoes and long pants as most of the class will be spent outdoors!
Worms & Mud Preschool Class: Saturday, May 2nd, 9:00 to 11:00 am ages 3 to 6
Get ready to dig in and discover! In this lively class, your little ones will become nature detectives, learning all about the very first signs that spring is near. Through a variety of fun, hands-on activities, kids will get active and creative while exploring the fascinating world of mud and worms!
Please Note: This class is a guaranteed mess! Please make sure your child is dressed for the weather and to get dirty. A full change of clothes is highly recommended for after class.
*Parent participation is required. When enrolling more than one student, enroll the first at the "adult/child pair" price, then enroll each additional child at the "additional child" price.
Sunset Hill Family Lunch Campfire Cooking: Sunday, May 3rd, 1:00 to 4:00 pm ages 5+ with an Adult
Sunset Hill families- join us for the fabulous Lunch Campfire Cooking class! Level up your family's outdoor skills! Learn the science of fire, how to build safe fire structures, and how to cook amazing food over a campfire. We'll start with easy skewers and drinks, then move up to baking. By the end, you'll know how to make full meals safely! We offer recipes for many dietary needs, including vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free options.
Recipe 1 - Campfire beverages
Recipe 2 – Grill Basket French Fries
Recipe 3 – Pie Irons Grilled Cheese
Recipe 4 – Campfire bread
**Adult participation required
Sunset Hill Family Breakfast Campfire Cooking: Saturday, May 30th, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm ages 5+ with an Adult
Sunset Hill families- Join us for this Family Breakfast Campfire class! Level up your family's outdoor skills! Learn the science of fire, how to build safe fire structures, and how to cook amazing food over a campfire. We'll start with easy skewers and drinks, then move up to baking. By the end, you'll know how to make full meals safely! We offer recipes for many dietary needs, including vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free options.
Recipe 1 - Skewers
Recipe 2 - Campfire beverages
Recipe 3 - Tinfoil Packet Hash
Recipe 4 - Dutch Oven Monkey Bread
**Adult participation required