a life where your kids are confident, happy, & healthy from spending more time outside.
where they look at trees instead of screens & they gain an understanding of our worldly rhythms.
a place where kids of all ages can be themselves & gather to learn & encourage each other without the pressure of schedules & tests!
What is Barefoot University?
Our communities meet each week for forest school activities and nature exploration that align with our yearly Rhythm. Our weekly activities teach nature-based sciences and outdoor skills. Our focus may be nature, but activities expand to cover art, citizenship, local history, math, science, life skills, physical education, critical thinking, and more! Our communities also do field trips and community service projects throughout the year that often align with our activity themes.
Leaders help facilitate the meet-ups, but parents are their child‘s teachers! It’s important for parents to know what the activity is beforehand in case your children need additional instructions or you want to take the activity deeper.
If you’re looking for a group that makes everyone sit in a circle and learn a lesson, BU may not be for you. We encourage participation, but we also encourage free play and exploration!
Willa and Linden was nominated for Barefooter of the month by their leaders. They said, "These two sisters have been with our Barefoot community for the last three years and have been eager participants from the beginning. When challenged with the weekly activity, they consistently work through every part, learning and drawing in others to learn too. Activities that let their creativity flow are particularly enjoyable for us to see as their leaders, as they are both amazing artists. Both Willa and Linden are kind, hardworking, creative, and compassionate, particularly towards their Barefoot friends. They are welcoming to everyone and are an essential part of our Barefoot community.
We believe these sisters deserve the Barefoot of the Month Award, not only for the way they participate in our weekly meetings but also because they regularly and selflessly serve in our community service projects. From joining a “Savage Cabbage Bash” to save our native wildflowers, to helping put labels on honey bottles for a family run apiary, to working alongside elderly residents at a nursing home to make Christmas wreaths, and as well putting so much care into making activity boxes for patients at our local children’s hospital. They even volunteered at the Barefoot Warehouse to help with filling supply boxes for our BU groups last summer.
We would love for these young ladies to be highlighted to the broader Barefoot community, as they most certainly have shined within our own."
We couldn't be more excited to have Willa and Linden as our Barefooters of the Month! They sound like amazing Barefooters!