School Year Programs

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School Year OWL 2025/2026

Outdoor, nature-based programming for school-aged students.

  • scholarship

    OWL Scholarship Fund

    Nature is for everyone, not just those who can afford it. Donate to the OWL Scholarship Fund by adding this to your cart for check out. By contributing, you are helping to improve OWL programs. Just like in nature, our diversity makes us stronger! Thank you!

    Current total (Jan. ‘25): 6 weeks of camp scholarships! Thank you!

    Contribute to the Scholarship Fund

  • Monday Early Release: Fall

    Meet outside near Thoreau School on Monday afternoons. Students attending Thoreau get picked up by OWL, and students from home or other schools can meet us out back. We will eat a healthy snack (provided), play nature games, learn some skills, explore, and be together outside!

    Dates: Monday afternoons, Sept. 8th-Dec. 15th (except Nov. 3 and Dec. 1)

    Timing: 2:00 to 4:50

    Ages: 5-11 or so

    FULL: Please email to be on the waitlist.

    Sign up for Monday afternoons

  • OWL Tuesday through Friday After School at Thoreau (4 days a week)

    Need an after school program that plays outside with your kids? Do you want your children to have more time in nature to unwind after school? OWL is for you! We will pick up your students from Thoreau, give them a healthy snack, and enjoy some outdoor after school time with games, nature skills, and free play.

    K-5th grade, 3:20-5:20

    Register for OWL Tuesdays through Fridays

  • Tuesday and Thursday After School at Thoreau (2 days a week)

    Need an after school program that plays outside with your kids? Do you want your children to have more time in nature to unwind after school? OWL is for you! OWL will pick up your students from Thoreau, give them a healthy snack, and enjoy some outdoor after school time with games, nature skills, and free play, every Tuesday and Thursday there is school.

    K-5th grade, 3:20-5:20

    Register for Tuesdays and Thursdays

  • Wednesday and Friday After School at Thoreau (2 days a week)

    Need an after school program that plays outside with your kids? Do you want your children to have more time in nature to unwind after school? OWL is for you! OWL will pick up your students from Thoreau, give them a healthy snack, and enjoy some outdoor after school time with games, nature skills, and free play, every Wednesday and Friday there is school.

    K-5th grade, 3:20-5:20

    Register for Wednesdays and Fridays

  • No School OWL!

    Sometimes there is no school. On those days, come play and learn outside with OWL!

    Spring 2025 dates: May 2nd is FULL, please email to be on the waitlist.

    Fall 2025 Dates: Oct. 16 and 17th, Nov. 3rd and 4th, and Dec. 1st

    Ages: 5-13 or so

    Sign Up for No School OWL Days

  • OWL Birthday Parties

    OWL can help to make birthday parties stress-free for parents, and extra special for kids! If you want an outdoor birthday party, with games and/or fun nature activities, this is it! You take care of the cake and snacks, while OWL takes the lead to make sure all of the kids are having a good time, especially the birthday kid!

    More about OWL Birthday Parties

  • Girls Rising

    Girls Rising is a coming-of-age group, designed to help young adolescents find their own power and place in the world. The program aims to help students develop a healthy gender identity through play, adventures, inner exploration, art, deepening friendships, and identifying their web of support.

    Ages 9-13 or so

    Sign up for Girls Rising

If you or your OWL student identifies as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color, feel free to use the discount code, BIPOC (all caps) at check out for 10% off your total order. Financial need isn’t necessary to make use of this code.

OWL Programs

We meet at different natural spaces on Madison’s near West side including the Glen, the UW Arboretum, and Wingra Park. Sometimes we venture to Picnic Point, Olin Woods, and more. How do we spend our time together?

We come together.

  • Gratitude, land acknowledgment, and a game

We play fun games.

  • Active games, awareness games, nature-based games

We learn about the natural world.

  • Educational nature lessons, local experts, sit spots, observations and wonder

We learn about ourselves and each other.

  • Improv games, self-reflection, walk and talks

Sometimes we go on adventures.

  • Camping, canoeing, bikerides, edible hikes, canoe trips

We read books, tell stories, and do nature art!

 
This cancellation policy is to ensure the financial stability and resilience of OWL: All cancellations up to 10 days before a program incur a 25% cancellation fee. This means that a 75% refund or 75% family credit can be given if withdrawn more than 10 days of the program start date. Refunds/credit of 50% if 7-10 days of the start date. No refunds or credit offered within 1 week of the start date. If you'd like to give a program a try before committing, just email weslie@outdoorswelearnmadison.com to find out more. If OWL ever needs to cancel an entire program, a full refund or full family credit will be given. If OWL ever needs to cancel one day of a multi-day program due to weather or illness, nothing needs to be done. If OWL needs to cancel more than 1 day of a multi-day program, those who are enrolled will receive either: an OWL credit or a make-up date.