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The Boys & Girls Club of Brattleboro operates their Kids Club Program in partnership with Brattleboro’s Retreat Farm, using their campus less than a mile west of Brattleboro’s downtown district. The Kids Club Program is open to serving young people from towns across Windham County.
Kids Club is a licensed afterschool program that engages groups of up to 20 kindergarten through fifth graders in outdoor education. BGCB operates the program outdoors for 36 weeks out of the year, shifting activities to align with changing seasons. A sampling of Kids Club activities includes nature walks, gardening, animal care, fire skills, snow fort/fairy house building, plant identification, local history, crafting with nature objects, and kinesthetic games. A well-ventilated barn is provided during inclement weather.
The program was established in response to the community needs for access to outdoor space and structured activities that facilitate learning, play, and relationship building among youth. Nature-based programming allows youth to put down their phones and interact with one another through group learning and team building. We know that using nature as the venue is especially helpful for young people whose learning styles differ from what is offered in traditional classroom environments. Given the proven connection between time in nature and decreased stress hormones, the Kids Club Program provides an accessible pathway for improving mental health among youth.
Here is one week’s description that went out in a recent Club newsletter: “Fitting in our February theme of awareness, the theme for our special break camp was our “five” senses in nature. Monday’s sight day had kids enjoy the field with a guest expert wildlife tracker, Camouflage in the woods, and a Hiyao Miyazaki visual epic. Tuesday’s smell day had us discussing our favorite foods to smell cooking and searching the forest for black birch and lemon thyme. Wednesday’s sound activities featured special musical presentations from Josh & Audrey and kids playing Shaliq’s drum, before Fantasia filled our ears. Thursday’s touch day was filled with tactile games and tag and a texture scavenger hunt. Finally, Friday was full of tasty (and not-so-tasty) treats in a game of Beanboozled, along with sledding, and Willy Wonka.”
Kids Club receives referrals from other local social service agencies. The Boys and Girls Club of Brattleboro helps eligible families access the registration subsidy that is available for those facing economic hardship.