Wilderness HomeSkills (Homeschool)
Are you looking for a forest-based homeschool enrichment program in Skagit County, Washington that nurtures your child’s love for nature while teaching essential outdoor skills?
Rainwalk Rewild’s Wilderness HomeSkills program offers a hands-on, nature-immersive education for homeschool families seeking more than just an extracurricular—this is an invitation into curiosity, resilience, and a deeper relationship with the land.
What is Wilderness HomeSkills?
Wilderness HomeSkills is a forest homeschool enrichment program in Mount Vernon, Washington for children ages 5–13. Rooted in the principles of forest school and wilderness education, this year-round program offers hands-on learning in a forest classroom where students explore the natural world while developing practical outdoor skills, social-emotional resilience, and a deep connection to place.
Each session blends age-appropriate survival skills, sensory nature awareness, primitive handcrafts, and ecological understanding through experiential, play or project-based learning. Children build confidence and competence while learning how to make fire, build shelters, use tools safely, identify local plants and wildlife, and create ancestral handcrafts. Through mentorship, individual challenges, and group exploration, students grow not only in their knowledge of the land—but also in their relationship to self, community, and the more-than-human world.
Whether your child is new to nature or already a budding naturalist, Wilderness HomeSkills invites them to learn, grow, and thrive outdoors.
Ready to Register?
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Fall 2025 Wilderness Homeskills
Weekly Forest Homeschool Enrichment Sessions for Youth and young teens ages (9-14 Years old)
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This particular HomeSkills program is designed for school age children and tweens to young teens as of the Fall semester in 2025. If your child is on the cusp (8 or 15) and is a perfect fit for this program, Contact Us.
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Our Youth Programs are located at Tyee Arts & Education Center, an 80-acre private property just outside of Mount Vernon.
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Tuesday Wilderness HomeSkills
Tuesdays, 10 AM - 4 PM
September 2 - November 18Each program day includes 4 hours of instruction and guided project time, one hour of constructive breaks, and thirty minutes for interactive pickup and drop off.
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We prioritize safety and true mentorship at Rainwalk Rewild. Therefore, we intentionally keep our class sizes low to maintain a safe learning environment and a deeper level of connection between students.
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Our top 3 values for all of our programs is safety, respect, and true mentorship. If you would like to learn more about our Values and Expectations, please visit the link.
Tuesdays
Program Deposit*: $200 to secure your spot
Program Registration Cost**:
$899 for 12 weeks September 2 - November 18, 2025.
Open Enrollment Begins Soon
Early enrollment is open for returning families.
*The deposit is deducted from final payment.
**Payment plans are available. If finances are a limitation and you feel called to join us, please Contact Us to discuss Sliding Scale Pricing.
Our Wilderness HomeSkills program is carefully designed to cover various aspects of wilderness living, including archery, primitive hunting techniques, carving, fire-making methods, shelter building, foraging, and navigation skills. Through engaging science-based lessons, epic challenges, and cumulative projects, your child will develop problem-solving abilities, enhance their creativity, and build resilience while learning the basics of primitive skills.
Learning Objectives for Youth
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Learn core earth skills such as archery, shelter-building, fire-making, and tool use through hands-on practice and seasonal challenges.
Build competency with knife safety, carving, and natural material gathering for long-term projects like spoons, baskets, or simple tools.
Explore friction fire and other traditional survival techniques as skills and readiness grow.
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Deepen plant, tree, and mushroom identification through immersive fieldwork and seasonal foraging.
Study animal tracking, bird language, and ecological interdependence to read the landscape like a living story.
Cultivate a reciprocal relationship with local ecosystems through stewardship practices and ethical harvesting.
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Engage in long-term projects that require patience, precision, and creativity using natural and traditional materials.
Practice primitive technologies such as cordage, weaving, hide work, and stone tools in alignment with seasonal opportunities.
Explore the origins and cultural significance of the skills we learn, fostering cross-cultural respect and curiosity.
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Strengthen communication, collaboration, and peer relationships through group challenges, games, and nature-based play.
Participate in regular council circles that support emotional expression, personal reflection, and healthy group dynamics.
Build leadership and mentoring skills by supporting peers, initiating projects, and taking responsibility in the group.
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Align with the turning of the seasons through nature-based rituals, storytelling, and celebratory traditions.
Explore personal meaning and belonging through solo wander time, journaling, and invitations to listen inward.
Connect with myth, metaphor, and the deeper stories of the land to cultivate a soulful relationship with place and self.
New!
Early Childhood Forest School
Weekly Forest Homeschool Enrichment Sessions for Kindergarten - 2nd Graders (5-8 Years old)
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This particular HomeSkills program is designed for early childhood and school-age children as of the Fall semester in 2025. If your child is on the cusp (9-10) and is a perfect fit for this program, Contact Us.
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Our Youth Programs are located at Tyee Arts & Education Center, an 80-acre private property just outside of Mount Vernon.
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Wednesday Wilderness HomeSkills
Tuesdays, 9 AM - 12 PM
September 3 - November 20Each program day includes 4 hours of instruction and guided project time, one hour of constructive breaks, and thirty minutes for interactive pickup and drop off.
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We prioritize safety and true mentorship at Rainwalk Rewild. Therefore, we intentionally keep our class sizes low to maintain a safe learning environment and a deeper level of connection between students.
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Our top 3 values for all of our programs is safety, respect, and true mentorship. If you would like to learn more about our Values and Expectations, please visit the link.
Wednesdays
Program Deposit*: $200 to secure your spot
Program Registration Cost**:
$499 for 12 weeks September 3 - November 20, 2025.
*The deposit is deducted from final payment.
**Payment plans are available. If finances are a limitation and you feel called to join us, please Contact Us to discuss Sliding Scale Pricing.
Our Half-Day Wilderness HomeSkills sessions for Kindergarten–2nd graders foster curiosity, confidence, and connection through playful, hands-on exploration. Children develop nature awareness and foundational wilderness skills through sensory games, storytelling, and collaborative activities like shelter building and nature crafts. With a focus on rhythm, community, and seasonal rituals, we support social-emotional growth and early ecological literacy—nurturing a sense of belonging in the forest and planting seeds of stewardship that can grow for years to come.
Learning Objectives for Early Childhood
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Strengthen observation skills by noticing patterns, colors, textures, and sounds in the natural world.
Practice tuning into the senses through sensory scavenger hunts, animal tracking, and blindfolded games.
Begin to identify local trees, plants, and wildlife through guided exploration and games.
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Learn basic shelter-building concepts by helping construct simple natural structures (like lean-tos or debris huts).
Practice gentle interaction with tools and beginner knife carving techniques (depending on dexterity and responsibility).
Be introduced to the concept of fire and fire safety through hands-on group practice.
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Develop gross motor skills through movement games inspired by animals, weather, and survival scenarios.
Learn to move silently and mindfully on the land.
Practice coordination through age-appropriate handcrafts using natural materials.
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Build confidence and teamwork through cooperative wilderness games and group projects.
Practice respectful communication and conflict resolution in a peer community setting.
Cultivate a sense of belonging and gratitude through daily opening and closing circles.
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Develop empathy for living beings through stories, games, and role-playing nature relationships.
Begin to understand ecological roles (e.g., pollinators, decomposers, water cycle) through interactive activities.
Practice Leave No Trace principles in simple ways—like packing out what we pack in, respecting plants, and following trails.
Why Choose Rainwalk Rewild?
We believe that the natural world holds invaluable wisdom and lessons that can shape the lives of young adventurers. Our weekly sessions offer a unique opportunity for parents to empower their children with essential primitive technology and wilderness living skills. Through a hands-on approach, our program encourages children to actively engage with the natural environment, fostering their resilience and problem-solving abilities. With a focus on interactive projects and challenges, we provide an immersive and dynamic learning experience, where kids can discover the beauty and intricacies of nature firsthand.
Core Curriculum
At Rainwalk Rewild, we believe in the power of immersing students in a nature-based curriculum that fosters a deep connection with the natural world. Our program encompasses a wide array of skills and knowledge, allowing students to explore the wonders of the outdoors. Through these diverse experiences, students gain a profound appreciation for the natural world and develop skills that will serve them throughout their lives.
From fire-making, shelter-building, and archery to botanical studies, wildcraft, and nature connection our curriculum offers a comprehensive education for young minds.
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Students learn how to safely start a campfire in the PNW by ancestral and modern methods. They will explore natural tinders, craft a bow drill kit, and master their fire structure to create warmth in any condition.
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The plant and fungal kingdoms have so much to teach young students. Understanding morphological features of trees, plants, and mushrooms allows students to better navigate, survive, and - ultimately - thrive in any outdoor environment.
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By practicing stealth and archery in the forest, students demonstrate teamwork, expand wilderness awareness, and enhance hand-eye-coordination skills.
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Our program teaches students how to recognize different animals in the forest by their unique tracks and sign. Wildlife ecology deepens the understanding of a forest ecosystem for students while working on memorization and attention to detail.
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Practicing bushcraft survival skills just might save your child’s life! Our students build confidence in tricky situations by honing their skills with knots, water purification, navigation, and shelter-building.
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Eating is the basis of survival - but plants have more to share more than that! Students learn how to cultivate, identify, and use the top edible and medicinal plants of our region by season.
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Your child applies the skills they learned throughout our program make custom creations from wood, stone, and bone.
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Council is a way of sharing by gathering in a circle of community members. This practice allows students to listen deeply and be heard by peers and mentors.
Students learn the art of making fire, understanding the intricate workings of plant life, identifying and studying fungi, mastering the art of blending into their surroundings, tracking and interpreting animal movements, constructing sturdy shelters, preparing delicious meals with ingredients sourced from the wild, harnessing the power of herbs, acquiring wilderness survival skills, and engaging in their community of friends and fellow students of the earth.
We prioritize safety, respect, quality education, and true mentorship at Rainwalk Rewild. Learn more by reading our Program Values and Expectations.
Register Now to secure your spot!
Don't let your child miss out on this incredible opportunity to immerse themselves in wilderness living and primitive technology. Enroll them in Rainwalk Rewild's Wilderness HomeSkills program and watch as they unleash their creativity and gain practical skills that will last a lifetime. By paying the deposit, you are securing a place for your child until the program begins.
Here's how the registration** process works:
Click “Register Now” and fill out the pre-registration form. This will add the deposit to your cart (one is required for each individual child per program). Then you can check out to complete your payment.
After the initial deposit payment, you'll receive additional program registration forms and liability waivers to complete for each child. Complete these forms and return them to us promptly.
A tuition payment link will be sent 14-30 days before the program begins. Tuition must be paid in full before the start of the program. *If you need payment assistance in the form of scholarships or payment plans, please describe your needs during registration or Contact Us.
Enjoy discounts for siblings and for referring friends and family:
Sibling discount: 10% off for the first sibling (2 children enrolled) and 20% off for each additional sibling (3+ children enrolled).
Referral bonuses: You and your referral each receive a $20 discount on your purchase.
If the cost of our programs hinders your ability to join us, we do offer Sliding Scale Pricing for most of our programs. Please Contact Us directly for more information.
**Please visit our Policies page for refund and program policy information.