Neighborhood Nature
Registration for the 2025-26 school year (fall, winter, and spring sessions) opens Sunday, June 1, 2025 (Central Time). Please note central time is 10:00PM Saturday, May 31, 2025 (Pacific Standard Time).
Grades K-5 | M, T, W, and/or TH | After school | Max. 12 Participants/Group | Cost varies
Neighborhood Nature is our after school program that connects kids with the outdoors through exploration, play, art, and nature activities. Neighborhood Nature participants:
Learn to love the natural world right around them. Learn how to interact with the environment to enjoy the natural world without making a significant impact on it.
Develop naturalist knowledge. Use all your senses and learn how to identify common local species and connect with trees, plants, bugs, birds, and more. Learn preparedness - you’ll be surprised how wild nature can be!
Build community. Collaborate, handle conflict, and make decisions as a group using a number of Wild Whatcom mottos.
Enjoy free play and exploration. The natural world teaches us things. We want to be open to these teachings - in a safe and meaningful way.
Join us for one or more days a week! We meet rain or shine during the school year at a local park.
Note: Wild Whatcom offers transportation to select outings using small buses and vans. Children riding in a van and under 4'9" must use a booster seat (we provide) to ensure proper shoulder belt fit and to comply with WA State safety laws.
Locations subject to change.
Friend/Sibling Requests
On Wednesdays, Grades K-2 have more than one group per session. To make a friend request or let us know if you prefer siblings to be together or in separate groups, please have all families involved email preferences to schoolprograms@wildwhatcom.org or send one email with all families involved cc’d on the email. Thank you!
scholarships
Scholarship requests are available during registration. Application deadlines and award dates are below.
Fall Season | Applications due August 1. Scholarships awarded August 15.
Winter Season | Applications due December 1. Scholarships awarded December 15.
Spring Season | Applications due March 1. Scholarships awarded March 15.
Already know what you are registering for? Register here.
Fall Season
Decomposition and Seasonal Change
September 8-december 18, 2025 (15 weeks)
Mondays | 3:00-5:00PM | $510
Fairhaven Park
Optional transportation available upon school release at 2:30PM from the following schools or provide your own transportation and meet us at the park!
Happy Valley Elementary - Bus
Lowell Elementary - Bus
Pick-up at Fairhaven Park
Tuesdays | 3:00-5:00PM | $510
Note: No outing Tuesday, November 11, 2025 (Veterans Day)
Fairhaven Park
Optional transportation available upon school release at 2:30PM from the following schools or provide your own transportation and meet us at the park!
Happy Valley Elementary - Bus
Lowell Elementary - Bus
Pick-up at Fairhaven Park
Wednesdays | 3:00-5:00PM | $510
Note: No outing Wednesday, November 26, 2025 (Thanksgiving break)
Cornwall Park (via Rose Garden entrance)
Optional transportation available upon school release at 2:30PM from the following schools or provide your own transportation and meet us at the park!
Birchwood Elementary - Bus
Columbia Elementary - Bus
Sunnyland Elementary - Bus
Parkview Elementary - Walk (with Wild Whatcom Mentors)
Pick-up at Cornwall Park (via Rose Garden entrance)
Thursdays | 1:00-4:00PM | $685
Note: No outing Thursday, November 27, 2025 (Thanksgiving break)
Whatcom Falls Park (via Silver Beach Road Entrance)
Optional transportation available upon school release at 12:20PM from the following school or provide your own transportation and meet us at the park!
Carl Cozier Elementary - Bus
Wade King Elementary - Bus
Pick-up at Whatcom Falls Park (via Silver Beach Road Entrance)
Thursdays | Franklin Academy | Grades K -4 | After School-5:00PM | $510
Note: No outing Thursday, November 27, 2025 (Thanksgiving break)
Cornwall Park (via Victor Street entrance)
Transportation available upon school release.
Franklin Academy - Walk (with Wild Whatcom Mentors)
Pick-up at Cornwall Park (via Victor Street entrance)
Scholarship requests are available during registration.
Winter Season
Winter Adaptations
January 12-April 2, 2026 (12 weeks)
Mondays | 3:00-5:00PM | $410
Note: No outings Monday, January 19, 2026 (MLK Jr Day) or Monday, February 16, 2026 (President's Day).
Fairhaven Park
Optional transportation available upon school release at 2:30PM from the following schools or provide your own transportation and meet us at the park!
Happy Valley Elementary - Bus
Lowell Elementary - Bus
Pick-up at Fairhaven Park
Tuesdays | 3:00-5:00PM | $410
Note: No outing Tuesday, January 27, 2026 (semester break Bellingham Public Schools).
Fairhaven Park
Optional transportation available upon school release at 2:30PM from the following schools or provide your own transportation and meet us at the park!
Happy Valley Elementary - Bus
Lowell Elementary - Bus
Pick-up at Fairhaven Park
Wednesdays | 3:00-5:00PM | $410
Cornwall Park (via Rose Garden entrance)
Optional transportation available upon school release at 2:30PM from the following schools or provide your own transportation and meet us at the park!
Birchwood Elementary - Bus
Columbia Elementary - Bus
Sunnyland Elementary - Bus
Parkview Elementary - Walk (with Wild Whatcom Mentors)
Pick-up at Cornwall Park (via Rose Garden entrance)
Thursdays | 1:00-4:00PM | $605
Note: No outing Thursday, January 22, 2026 (Treaty Day)
Whatcom Falls Park (via Silver Beach Road Entrance)
Optional transportation available upon school release at 12:20PM from the following school or provide your own transportation and meet us at the park!
Carl Cozier Elementary - Bus
Wade King Elementary - Bus
Pick-up at Whatcom Falls Park (via Silver Beach Road Entrance)
Scholarship requests are available during registration.
Spring Season
Native Plants
April 13-June 4, 2026 (8 weeks)
Mondays | 3:00-5:00PM | $335
Note: No outing Monday, May 25, 2026 (Memorial Day)
Taylor Dock/Boulevard Park
Optional transportation available upon school release at 2:30PM from the following schools or provide your own transportation and meet us at the park!
Happy Valley Elementary - Bus
Lowell Elementary - Walk (with Wild Whatcom Mentors)
Pick up at Taylor Dock/Boulevard Park
Tuesdays | 3:00-5:00PM | $335
Taylor Dock/Boulevard Park
Optional transportation available upon school release at 2:30PM from the following schools or provide your own transportation and meet us at the park!
Happy Valley Elementary - Bus
Lowell Elementary - Walk
Pick-up at Taylor Dock/Boulevard Park
Wednesdays | 3:00-5:00PM | $335
Cornwall Park (via Rose Garden entrance)
Optional transportation available upon school release at 2:30PM from the following schools or provide your own transportation and meet us at the park!
Birchwood Elementary - Bus
Columbia Elementary - Bus
Sunnyland Elementary - Bus
Parkview Elementary - Walk (with Wild Whatcom Mentors)
Pick-up at Cornwall Park (via Rose Garden entrance)
Thursdays | 1:00-4:00PM | $525
Whatcom Falls Park (via Silver Beach Road Entrance)
Optional transportation available upon school release at 12:20PM from the following school or provide your own transportation and meet us at the park!
Carl Cozier Elementary - Bus
Wade King Elementary - Bus
Pick-up at Whatcom Falls Park (via Silver Beach Road Entrance)
Scholarship requests are available during registration.
Neighborhood Nature Pack List
Participants should be prepared to safely and comfortably spend several hours outdoors after school. Except in particularly inclement weather (like high winds) we explore outside. Living in the Pacific Northwest means we can start our adventure in the sun and end in the rain. We often end our outings wet, tired, and dirty - but with huge smiles!
Participants should bring:
Appropriate clothes (i.e., rain boots, rain jacket/pants, hat/gloves, and warm layers). See our Essentials of Layering for more information.
Individual hand sanitizer
Snack (no food sharing will be allowed for safety reasons)
Water bottle
Please label items as much as possible (permanent marker and/or masking tape is fine) to avoid participants’ sharing/touching other participants’ materials.
LOANER GEAR
Wild Whatcom has loaner gear available. You do not need to purchase gear to participate in our programs. To request loaner gear, please fill out this form and we will reach out to you. Please let us know at least five (5) days prior to your outing if you need to borrow gear/clothing.
Gear Discounts
Visit Outdoor School Shop and use code: WHATCOM for 15% off your order.