Asheville Weekly Homeschool Programs

 

Fall homeschool kids playing at Forest School

Homeschool Programs Overview

Carefully crafted since 2011, our programs provide a progressive learning journey and comprehensive foundation in deeply relating to the natural world.

Spring 2024 is also now open for registration with the schedule listed below.

Through games, stories, and exploration children learn about: Outdoor safety and awareness, animal tracking, edible and medicinal wild plants, wilderness survival skills, bird language, ancient crafts, ecology, community, self-discovery, storytelling, singing, fire, and much, much more.

What’s new for Spring 2024? We’re helping you fight inflation with a small price decrease. And we’re rotating back in some favorites – crafting & Bramblehurst for the younger age groups.

Finally, we have added a new West Buncombe location (Leicester/Sandy Mush) with a Thursday program!

Why Choose Forest Floor?

We help children have fun, be healthy, and achieve their fullest potential with nature connection mentoring.

 Health benefits of nature connection

  • Learn wilderness skills & traditional crafts
  • Meet new friends and reunite with old ones
  • Unforgettable adventures every day
  • Skilled and caring mentors
  • Exciting wilderness experiences
  • Convenient in-town drop-off & pickup
  • Boost long term cognitive & social development

2024 Spring Homeschool Programs

Registration is Now Open.

Ages 6-8 & 7-11

Child climbing a tree at Asheville day camp in the forest

MONDAY
Ages 7-11

Mountain Mondays

February 26 – May 20, 2024
Registration is now open.
Only 1 spot left.

Experience the forest waking from Winter slumber with our nature connection mentors. We’ll explore, play games, learn skills and connect.

Pinch po9ts and beads made from clay at earthen pottery summer nature camp

TUESDAY
Ages 6-8

Crafty Critters

February 27 – May 21, 2024
Registration is now open.
Only 4 spots left.

Come a craft with us in the forest! We’ll learn to harvest and use natural items to create beautiful and useful items.

Kids at nature program for homeschoolers  examining a turtle

WEDNESDAY
Ages 6-8

Heartwood: Acorns

February 28 – May 22, 2024
Registration is now open.
Only 1 spot left.

Our core nature-connection curriculum offers a progressive learning journey with games, stories, and exploration in the natural world.

Young girl weaving cordage from natural materials at bushcraft program for Asheville forest homeschooling

THURSDAY
Ages 6-8

Bramblehurst School of Bushcraft & Wizardry

February 29 – May 23, 2024
Registration is now open.

Enroll in our outdoor academy and learn to make potions, become invisible, care for the forest and make a magic wand.

Homeschool kids playing at Forest Floor Wilderness Programs class

THURSDAY
Ages 7-11

Otherside Forest Adventures at Otherside Farm

February 29 – May 23, 2024
Registration is now open.

Learning, community, and deep nature connection at our new West Buncombe location in the Leicester / Sandy Mush area.

Kids at nature program for homeschoolers  examining a turtle

FRIDAY
Ages 6-8

Forest Fridays

March 1 – May 24, 2024
Registration is now open.
Full with a waitlist.

Time to turn away from the screens and walk out into the magical forest for a day of guided nature connection with our experienced mentors.

Ages 9-12 & 7-11

Camper learning to make fire at survival skills summer day camp in forest

MONDAY
Ages 7-11

Mountain Mondays

February 26 – May 20, 2024
Registration is now open.
Only 1 spot left.

Fauna and flora shake off their winter slumber as the forest turns green and the days grow longer. We explore our core curriculum in a flexible format.

Middle school boy holding up play figures made at Wild Crafters program using sticks and walnut drupes

TUESDAY
Ages 9-12

Wild Crafters

February 27 – May 21, 2024
Registration is now open.
Full with a waitlist.

We utilize natural materials and learn a bunch of crafting skills while playing games and connecting with nature & community.

Homeschool students cooperating on a project in the forest cutting a log during nature connection program

WEDNESDAY
Ages 9-12

Heartwood: Saplings

February 28 – May 22, 2024
Registration is now open.
Full with a waitlist.

Our core nature-connection curriculum offers a progressive learning journey with games, stories, and exploration in the natural world.

Children sitting on boulders in the forest carving sticks with knives at Asheville forest school for bushcraft

THURSDAY
Ages 9-12

Bramblehurst School of Bushcraft & Wizardry

February 29 – May 23, 2024
Registration is now open.

Enroll in our outdoor academy and learn to make potions, become invisible, care  for the forest and make a magic wand.

Homeschool kids enjoying the outdoors at forest school in Leicester NC forest

THURSDAY
Ages 7-11

Otherside Forest Adventures at Otherside Farm

February 29 – May 23, 2024
Registration is now open.

Learning, community, and deep nature connection at our new West Buncombe location in the Leicester / Sandy Mush area.

Teenage campers dressed in camouflauge for Shadow Scouts summer camp

FRIDAY
Ages 9-12

Forest Fridays

March 1 – May 24, 2024
Registration is now open.
Full with a waitlist.

Time to turn away from the screens and walk out into the magical forest for a day of guided nature connection with our experienced mentors.

Ages 11-14 & 12-16

Homeschool blacksmithing student with variety of objects made in class

TUESDAY
Ages 12-16

Blacksmithing – All Levels

February 27 – May 21, 2024
Registration is now open.

Create useful tools by heating metal in the forge and shaping it on the anvil. Students will come home with beautiful and useful handmade items created using many techniques.

Kids with tribal face paints at forest school program for homeschool children

WEDNESDAY
Ages 11-14

Heartwood: Oaks

February 28 – May 22, 2024
Registration is now open.

Our core nature-connection curriculum, Oaks provides an opportunity for long-time students to continue challenging themselves in a group of peers who share their ability & passion.

Blacksmithing project under way with glowing curled metal on anvil

FRIDAY
Ages 12-16

Blacksmithing – All Levels

March 1 – May 24, 2024
Registration is now open.

Create useful tools by heating metal in the forge and shaping it on the anvil. Students will come home with beautiful and useful handmade items created using many techniques.

In-town Location

We are no longer at the Asheville School in West Asheville.

Our new location since 2020 is Haw Creek Commons, in Asheville off Tunnel Road.

Haw Creek Commons is a community co-work and activity center where Forest Floor has a presence. See the location on Google Maps.

 

 Drop-Off & Pick-Up

All programs may drop-off and pick-up at Haw Creek Commons for onsite programming or van transportation to Shope Creek. Address: 315 Old Haw Creek Road.

Parents may also drop-off and pick-up at Shope Creek Wilderness for all programs except Blacksmithing and Oaks. Address: 472 Shope Creek Road.

Scholarship Information

Overview

We offer limited partial scholarships to individuals who otherwise could not afford our programs. 

Donate

If you are a family with means, please consider donating to our scholarship fund. Donations of a 1/4, 1/2, or FULL scholarship can be made during the standard registration process. For more substantial donations please contact us to discuss details.

Apply

Limited partial scholarships are available. Scholarship funds are generated exclusively from generosity of donations toward the scholarship fund. Scholarships are limited to the sum of these funds and are awarded based on equitable distribution. Full scholarships will be considered for families in great need, but most scholarship applicants should expect to pay at least half of tuition.

To apply for a scholarship FIRST please register for the program/camp, choose the payment plan option, and only pay a $100 deposit at time of registration.

AFTER RESERVING A SPOT, please follow the link below to fill out the application.

If your scholarship request can't be approved or isn't the amount of discount that you need, we will provide a full refund of the deposit.

 

COVID Safety Policies
Homeschool 2023-2024

Our COVID-19 safety policy is based primarily on pre-screening and monitoring.  It is our current position that the single largest preventative factor at our programs is the fact that we are open-air and outdoors.

Pre-Screening and Monitoring

  • Any child arriving in the morning with signs or symptoms of COVID-19 will not be permitted to attend programs that day.  If during the program day a child displays signs or symptoms of illness they will be separated from other students and parents contacted to pick them up.

  • All staff will be self-monitoring for symptoms of COVID-19.  If they develop symptoms, they will notify their supervisor and stay home.  Any staff person who develops symptoms of illness during the work day will be separated from students and other staff and sent home ASAP.

Masks:

  • As of Fall 2022, we will no longer require masks to be worn on our shuttle vans transporting students
  • Children and staff will not be required to wear masks, but will be fully supported if they choose to do so.

We will do our best to fully support any child or staff who self-selects for more restrictive social distancing or mask wearing than the policies outlined above.