SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE! Click here to apply – no one will be turned away due to lack of funds. We want nature to be available to ALL!
Dec. 3 The Regional Stay Home Order, announced December 3, 2020, will go into effect within 24 hours in regions with less than 15% ICU availability.“Can children attend group activities?” Answer: Yes. Outdoor activities are permitted…Ventura Wild will be requiring masks for all adults and kids ages 6 and up.




Winter 2021 Schedule (8 weeks)
Scroll down for full program descriptions and registration

Scroll down to Register for 2021 Winter Programs!
What Do We Do In Ventura Wild?
All programs cover Sensory Awareness, Traditional Nature Knowledge & Skills, Stewardship and Responsible Recreation practices. Each program is organically crafted by the educators in the field based on the abilities and interests of the group, the season and weather conditions, and the teachable moments that nature presents.
We cultivate a tone of playful curiosity with activities, projects, games, stories and songs…all inpiring nature connection and relationship building. Learning through play, exploration, and discovering our natural environments makes for smarter, healthier and happier children. Every week we explore the wild around our communities and gain awareness, knowledge, self reliance and social skills. Our instructors are skilled naturalists, experienced educators and compassionate mentors, facilitating group and independent activities with joy and care.
Noticing our Programs have changed? We hope you agree that it’s about time!
We are working hard to grow our capacity to offer more variety of programs, diversity of staff, and build a community of Nature Connected families!
Click to Read More


Pandemic Childcare Guidelines at Ventura Wild
UPDATED 12/8/2020
To register for winter programs everyone in your household / cohort needs to:
– Wear masks while in contact with people outside your home.
– Practice social distancing (For the health of our program and our families!)
– Social distance and self quarantine if traveling by plane or other public transportation.
– Social distance / AVOID large numbers of people (extended family gatherings, concerts, bars, restaurants, stores, airports, etc.)
NOTE: We have been a covid-free program so far! Prescreening at home is a CRUCIAL part of our successful continued operation. Don’t bring your child with any symptoms or if anyone in your house has symptoms.
MAKE-UP CLASSES: We can offer make-up classes if WE cancel a class. We would LOVE to offer make-up classes for those of you that responsibly sit out programs, but unfortunately we do not have the staffing funds for extra classes.
If you have the means to support this offering, we could offer a couple make-up classes for all the programs! THANK YOU!!! Please DONATE HERE
Scroll down to See Winter Program Details!
Winter Programs 2021
Ages 2-5
TUESDAY & THURSDAY
Forest Preschool Program (Drop-off)

DAYS: TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS
TIMES: 9:00-12:00 PM
DATES: Jan. 12 – Mar. 2 (8 wks)
LOCATION: Foster Park
LEAD STAFF: Trudy Trudeau
WEDNESDAY
Sprouts Preschool Program (Drop-off)

DAY: WEDNESDAYS
TIME: 9:00-12:00 PM
DATES: Jan. 13 – Mar. 3 (8 wks)
LOCATIONS: Foster Park
LEAD STAFF: Trudy Trudeau
WEDNESDAY
Big Bear Little Bear

DAY: WEDNESDAYS
TIME: 9:30-11:30 AM
DATES: Jan. 13 – Mar. 3 (8 wks)
LOCATIONS: Ventura & Ojai sites
LEAD STAFF: Sara MacCracken
Age 5 and older
TUESDAY
Heron Homeschool Program

DAY: TUESDAYS
TIME: 10:00-1:00PM
DATES: Jan. 12 – Mar. 2 (8 wks)
LOCATIONS: Ventura & Ojai sites
LEAD STAFF: Tessa Womack
TUESDAY
Curious Coyotes After School

DAY: TUESDAYS
TIME: 2:30-5:00 PM
DATES: Jan. 12 – Mar. 2 (8 wks)
LOCATIONS: Ventura sites
LEAD STAFF: Amy Davis
TUESDAY
Niños y Naturaleza

DAY: TUESDAYS
TIME: 3:00-5:30 PM
DATES: Jan. 12 – Mar. 2 (8 wks)
LOCATION: Foster Park
LEAD STAFF: Camila Guzman
TUESDAY
Ojai Adventure Club

DAY: TUESDAYS
TIME: 3:30-5:30 PM
DATES: Jan. 12 – Mar. 2 (8 wks)
LOCATIONS: Ojai sites
LEAD STAFF: Tessa Womack
WEDNESDAY
Junior Naturalist Program

DAY: WEDNESDAYS
TIME: 12:30-3:00
DATES: Jan. 13 – Mar. 3 (8 wks)
LOCATIONS: Ventura sites
LEAD STAFF: Jenny Jacobs
WEDNESDAY
Nature Explorers

DAY: WEDNESDAYS
TIME: 2:00-4:30 PM
DATES: Jan. 13 – Mar. 3 (8 wks)
LOCATIONS: Ojai sites
LEAD STAFF: Camila Guzman
THURSDAY
Hawks Homeschool Program

DAY: THURSDAYS
TIME: 10:00-1:00 PM
DATES: Jan. 14 – Mar. 4 (8 wks)
LOCATIONS: Ventura & Ojai sites
LEAD STAFF: Tessa Womack
THURSDAY
Bobcats After School

DAY: THURSDAYS
TIME: 2:30-5:00 PM
DATES: Jan. 14 – Mar. 4 (8 wks)
LOCATIONS: Ventura sites
LEAD STAFF: Amy Davis
THURSDAY
Ecological Stewardship

DAY: THURSDAYS
TIME: 3:00-5:30 PM
DATES: Jan. 14 – Mar. 4 (8 wks)
LOCATIONS: Ventura & Ojai sites
LEAD STAFF: Erik Nelson
FRIDAY
Garden Explorations

DAY: FRIDAYS
TIME: 10:00-1:00 PM
DATES: Jan. 14 – Mar. 4 (8 wks)
LOCATION: Ojai Demonstration Garden
LEAD STAFF: Camila Guzman