This year the Vashon Wilderness Program is offering truly wondrous summer camps. If you are on the island, have connections to our island (Vashon, WA), or want an excuse to pass a week (or more!) on our beautiful, relaxing island, do check out the camp descriptions and see which ones may be a fit for your kids or for the special child in your life. We even have a camp this year for…

One way to celebrate our connection with nature and to create and celebrate our own connection to each other is by way of music. We always sing in our programs with the Vashon Wilderness Program. Today, though, was a "Community & Ecology" day in our summer camp for 4-6 year olds. At one point along the trail, we picked up sticks, tapping them together. We sang "The Earth Is Our Mother" and other songs as we wandered along,…

Just spent a magical day in the woods with kids (ages 4-6 for this week's camp)  in our Vashon Wilderness Program summer camp. In our "Sit Spot" time, we gave the kids 4 minutes to touch into their hearts, and find a place where a secret treasure meant only for them was waiting. So sweet to see them wander off into the field, find a special place, and discover something special just for them. Some of the kids drew what they found. Others merely placed it into their "mind's…

Woke up before dawn on our island in the Puget Sound to find our farm blazing white . Snow had fallen! We don't get much snow -- some years not any -- so seeing even the two inches or so dusting the Doug firs and the landscape is quite exciting. While the schools chose to have a late start day, we in the Vashon Wilderness Program chose tohave full-on fun. Gathering in circle in the meadow, the kids were high with rolling huge mud-balls of snow and making trails. Even so, a lovely quality of…