Click here to see Covid Plan

How to Register:

Send us an email: info@wildcraftplay.com or fill out the form HERE

Pay by etransfer, identify an easy password, or Paypal HERE

Print the Registration form and drop off at our Head Quarters.

WHAT is Wild Craft Play anyway?  

Wild Craft Play is an imaginary world where children go on quests, find and manage gold coins, build villages, save the world from impending doom, and sleigh a monster or two.  Questers are guided to engage in youth-crafted creative story, hike in gumboots, climb trees, build shelters, make fires, role-play and shadow-story at the Fallen Alders Hall for those particularly cold days, with play outside as desired. Snow day plans of quest continuation included.  Outdoor and higher-risk activities (such as fire-making, wood-carving and swordplay) are first directed by high-skilled program guides and wilderness first-aiders who support the development of child-led risk assessment and leadership.

One of the best parts of Wild Craft Play is what happens after we witness a young person who has struggled or been frustrated. We generally sit in a place of empathy, not solving their problem, just saying things like “Oh!” and “Really, I wonder why?”  Then, something inspires them, like watching a light bulb come alive. And you should see the look of wonderment on their face! This is why we do what we do.  Wild Craft Play was crafted from the shoulders of giants, adapting, testing and experimenting with different pedagogies and techniques that engage youth.  From that, The Hummingbird Approach was born.  Developed by Jamie Black through a rigorous exploration during a Masters Thesis for 5 years from 2013, Jamie scratched the surface of wells of knowledge and practices that are still being uncovered today.  You might recognize John Dewey and his Learn by Doing theories, Game Theory both Gamification as well as shifting to Gameful Design by McGonigal.  Jerome Bruner introduces aspects of Guided Discovery Learning, and Michael White introduces Narrative Therapy. These among many others are stones on the path of Wild Craft Play. We have no intention of re-inventing a wheel, we are building a vessel on the wheels that truly work for facilitating arts and play in Nature.

For neurotypical youth, Wild Craft Play is the type of leadership adventure needed to regenerate the resilience they were born with.  Take Dungeons and Dragons for example.  There is a Dungeon Master that sets the scene, enacts aspects of the game, and determines the fate of the players. Take the central market place of all videogames, think of all of the resources and things players use to access their wears, barter and trade.  Then you have the quests. To be honest it’s a bit of a crap shoot at first, trial and error to see what hits home for those youth, but each quest gets you closer to satisfying adventures that leave them hungry for more. Oh, and the best part is, you can fill the adventure with all sorts of learning outcomes, Writing, Reading Math, Social Studies, Science, Phys Health Ed. And get this, they do these things because they have an internal motivation, not because they are forced to.  Imagine a world where youth love to learn.

For example, one of the activities in Wild Craft Play is called the Travelling Trade Post, where we usually play for about an hour. I bring my wears to sell, and the youth ponder over what to spend their gold on. I hire a merchant, an accountant and a security guard to tend to my business. Others get inspired and build their own business, buying, selling, hand-crafting.  I set a bunch of items in a hand-made wooden travelling tote and label items with mystical names like “Metallic Skin” for Duct Tape, and “Spider Sinew” for floss.  I boast about my wares and told them they must pay me in gold. Once they find the gold, the game ensues, sometimes lasting 4 hours, not wanting to quit.  “Jamie, can we play this all winter?” they would say.

“How did you do it? It’s like the best of all 3 worlds! Friends, Nature AND Video games all in one!” ~ anonymous participant of Masters research.

Wild Craft Play encompasses the best of the three worlds that children are most engaged in, Friends, time in Nature and the gameful aspects of Video Games. Replace technology with Nature, practice coping skills, group decision making, leadership, how to follow, and voila we have wildly crafted role-play.

“I just loved watching every single child totally engaged in whatever it is they were interested in. The total embodiment of child-lead play in a game that provides very minimal direction and very maximum setting.” Jarrett Krentzel founder of Hand-In-Hand Nature Education

At Wild Craft Play, we start with a sense of health and work our way to serenity and abundance.

Through Live-Action Role-Play we start with a sense of self, then connect in unity. Following the Earth Charter, we expand our capacity to become in-service to community, then reaching beyond our region, the sky isn’t even the limit from here.
Hone your character, craft your story, become part of a greater story through imagination AND real-life.
Visit our Facebook Page for more on what’s happening.

If you have played video games like Minecraft or World of Warcraft, or played Dungeons and Dragons or know what Live Action Role Play is then imagining yourself playing it in real-life with real people doing real things for an imaginary reason, or a real reason. It’s all up to you!!

For Homeschoolers:

this program meets new BC curriculum guidelines and links assessment tools to apply program discoveries.

Make haste, there isn’t much space!

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About Wild Craft Play Winter Programs:

In the winter, it gets colder, so we have booked Fallen Alders hall to host covid-safe Shadow Play. Youth use the inspiration of Nature, animals and people to engage in a production that is filled with ridiculous creations, curating something that is educational, with and for the Earth.

We will “Open the Doors” to new members who might want to join and dive into the darkness on October 1.

Winter Wonderland, Swords and Shadow Play

Shadow puppetry, choreography and silliness behind a big white screen Hand-crafted arts on an overhead projector Digital Video production using computer technology, video editing and digital projection Crafting an original story, with and for the Earth.

• Originally crafted music and rhythm Prop manipulation – circus props and other
• Learning the ins and outs of how to create a production ie. Budgets, Promotion, Tech and Dress Rehearsals, Cue-to-Cue, Ticket Sales etc.
• When inspired, we will be going outside to capture footage, get inspired, and play games on the Earth, so weather-appropriate outdoor gear is still required.
• See our 2021 production story about #movemountainslikeme hereI have produced 5 Wild Craft Play ‘sCool Community productions over the past 10 years, all focusing on solutions for the Earth.
• WildFire was an incredible production with a group of 9 musicians, 5 youth and 4 community performers hosted at the outdoor amphitheater at Errington War Memorial HallSecrets of the Bonefire, a Halloween event with 5 singer/musicians, 3 fire-spinners and a bonfire at the Errington War Memorial Hall Amphitheatre
• #movemountainslikeme is our most recent endeavor with musicians from across Canada, real footage from the base of Little Mountain, producing an educational video for youth ages 8-14.With over 10 years experience as a producer, director, performer, and everything in-between, with extensive training in professional dance production and performance with Crimson Coast Dance Society and the Errington War Memorial Hall for the past 7 years, I have come to understand the magic that is ignited in the creative process, ESPECIALLY, when we create it together. Join us this winter at the Fallen Alders Community HallEarth Stories Shadow Play

Dates & Fees TBA:

• If you only want to be a part of the creation and NOT the performance, you can register just for this part.

Shadow Play Winter Program #2: Prepare to Perform:

*Stay tuned for Spring & Summer programming

CLICK HERE to speak with Jamie Black founder and facilitator.

Interested in running this yourself? Take our Wild Craft Play Guides Training in Wild Craft Play OR more general Outdoor Education Workshops.

This is a unique platform designed to elicit imagination through creative play.

Wild Craft Play was built from the shoulders of giants.  World of Warcraft, Minecraft, Survivor, Dungeons and Dragons, Wild Craft, Vesta Entertainment, Rich Dad Poor Dad, Royal Roads University, Vancouver Island University, Excellence Seminars International, John Dewey, Steve VanMatre, Questing… the list goes on. The children take this world to a whole new level depending on their skills and abilities. They engage in an economy of barter, trade, hand-crafting, entrepreneurship, community, connection, all on the playing field of Nature.

Every Wild Craft Play Adventure Includes:

EARTH

• Earth Connection: deepening our understanding of the land, who tends it and our role as an Earth Ambassador;
• Cultural Awareness: reaching global partnership with communities of different origin stories, traditions, and mentors.  The trees are our allies and teachers.  Together we continue to expand our awareness of the traditional Indigenous practices so that we can nurture as Nature does and share connections for all living beings (seen and unseen);
• Equity: accepting everyone for who they are and their unique offerings.  This is a learning ground for the practice of acceptance. We honour  each other and empower youth to engage in peaceful, mindful action during our adventurous play.  Here is the perfect playing ground for developing skills for cooperation and leadership, especially at this ripe and impressionable age.

SELF

• Physical Awareness: engaging outdoors allows the body the space to move, explore and thrive freely.  As children participate in the wide open space, opportunity is active;
• Imaginative Play: building connection from the imagination of children. CLICK HERE to learn about this program’s origin stories!
• Emotional Intelligence: calling children to explore their emotional self fosters their ability to feel safe and explore how to model this behaviour for their peers.  When facing a difficult situation, we guide youth to find Peace in their Hearts, adopt Coping Mechanisms, Practice Reconciliation and Accept Others;
• Mental Stimulation: offering both right brain and left brain stimulation, from calculations, analysis of circumstances, problem solving, creative thinking, artistic design and Entrepreneurship;
• Non-Denominational Spirituality: connecting nature as an opportunity to make a “spiritual connection” with the land, and the inner and outer self.In Wild Craft Play, we integrate practices that allow children to connect with their natural spirituality.  Whether one believes in unicorns and faeries, or believes in God or Goddesses: all beings are welcome.

COMMUNITY

• Village Building: inspiring youth to build their own “village” by engaging in community politics, decision making and imagining practices that will serve the whole.  This connection happens naturally, allowing youth to guide this discovery through creative inquiry learning;
• Responsibility: supporting the youth to assume their chosen roles and actions within the region’s community happenings.  When the group has modeled a level of understanding, support, found peace in their heart through collaboration, cooperation, clarity and focus, we “level up to ACT 2!” which essentially means the program transitions from being self-focused to community focused. This is when community projects, networking and entrepreneurship truly thrives. Here youth learn the world of inquiry, research, planning, budgeting, marketing, and engaging in the community from an ecologically, culturally and economically sound way.

THE HUMMINGBIRD WAY

• Guided Discovery Learning: facilitating a Guided Discovery Learning approach that has been practiced and proven to engage children for over 18 years.  Following the practices of John Dewey and Jerome Bruner (early 1900 philosophers), Jamie Black calls it: “The Hummingbird Approach”.  Learn more about Jamie’s MA research HERE.

POSSIBLE ACTIVITIES

• Basic and Affordable program activities include: Quests, village building, storytelling, hikes, sword play, hand-crafting skills, music making and story production. The Game is a familiar 1 day adventure that lasts about 4 hours. It’s like Capture the Flag, but way more epic.  
• Advanced Activities Include: Forest Bathing (in forests and by bodies of water), Archery, Wilderness Survival Skills, Mountain Biking, Caving, Kayaking, Trekking, Indoor Rock Climbing, Cross Country Skiing, Snow-Showing and Snow shelter building, Adventure Questing and beyond.
• Experiential Learning: relying on group cohesion, we dive into experiential activities that can be as simple as time in a forested area, to leveling up to more adventurous activities
• Connecting with Nature: is an integral teaching tool within all of our programs through Coyote’s Guide to Connecting with Nature by John Young, following the 8 shields model at www.8shields.com
• All programs involve outdoor adventures, it is just a matter of what the group is ready for.
• Wilderness Survival Exploration why not learn some of the basics in wilderness survival, open up the first aid kids, pretend we have broken limbs, make a wilderness stretcher, youth love this!

Did we tickle your curiosity muscle? If so, inquire here: