Your Next Adventure!
Your Next Adventure!
Outdoor Education & Experiences
Year-Round. SEL & NGSS-aligned. New location in Big Bear Valley!
Experience the transformative power of nature! At our year-round Big Bear Valley retreat center, students spark curiosity and a love for learning through immersive, hands-on adventures. Our outdoor education programs engage all senses, strengthen social-emotional skills, and build confidence as students become environmental stewards, foster resilience, and create lasting connections — all while having unforgettable fun!
NGSS: Our NGSS aligned programs informed by Project Learning Tree, integrate seamlessly into school curriculum, enhancing education.
SEL: Evidence-based SEL strategies rooted in the CASEL framework, meaningfully applied to align with student needs, fostering social and emotional growth.
EcoWarriors
Grades 5-12
3 days/2 nights
- A youth leadership retreat empowering students to tackle real-world environmental challenges through hands-on science, civic engagement, and collaborative problem-solving.
- Learn more about EcoWarriors here.
Sleepaway Camp
Grades 2-12
6 days/5 nights
- A transformative immersive nature experience that combines classic camp fun with personal growth.
- Campers build confidence, resilience, create lasting friendships and a deeper connection with themselves and the world around them.
- Available during summer and school breaks.
- Learn more about Camp Woodcraft here.
Family Camp
All Ages
3 days/2 nights
- An inclusive outdoor experience that brings families together through nature-based activities fostering stronger bonds and lasting memories in a supportive community.
- Inclusion specialists available on-site for participants who require additional supports.
- Activities available for any skill level and ability.
Excursions and Field Trips
Grades K-12
- Nature excursions take students beyond their local neighborhoods to explore outdoor environments, from local and state parks, to beaches and mountain hiking trails in the forest.
- Trips are led by experienced and trained Woodcraft outdoor education staff, ensuring a safe and enriching experience.
- Water, snacks and transportation included.
- Book for weekends or consecutive day trips to enhance school breaks and student engagement.
Leadership & Mentoring
- Program Manager Academy
- Site Coordinator Academy
Behavior Engagement& Team Building
- Restorative Practices Behavior Engagement
- Creating a Trauma-Informed Care Environment
Social-Emotional Learning
- Creating an Inclusive Environment
- Creating a Trauma-Informed Care Environment
- Building Character through Healthy
- Sports Competition
- Supporting Youth Mental Health
- Integrating CASEL into Expanded
Program Development
- Foundations of Project-Based Learning (PBL)
- Recruitment Strategies that Work!
- Meaningful Youth-Led Programs
- Continuous Quality Improvement (CQi)
- Outdoor Ethics in Expanded Learning
Planning Activities for Specific Populations
- Creating a Truly Inclusive Environment
Academic Alignment
- Understanding and Adapting to Youth Styles of Learning
- Literacy Games
Communication with Stakeholders
- Creating Strong Communication with Adult Stakeholders
- Building Relationships through Positive Coaching
- Partnering with Parents of Special Needs Youth
- Best Practices in Family Engagement
- Creating Continual Feedback
Child Development & Age-Appropriate Play
- Best Practices for Early Learners: STEAM (TK-3)
- Activity Planning for Elementary Students
FAQs
What is expanded learning?
Expanded learning refers to all before-school, after-school, summer, or intersession programs that may happen on or off a school campus and is often referred to as out-of-school time (OST) enrichment, or extracurriculars. (https://expandla.org/). All Woodcraft Rangers programs take place on site at schools throughout LA County.
What kind of expanded learning models does Woodcraft Rangers operate?
Woodcraft provides 3 partnership models: a comprehensive model which provide full scale enrichment services and grant management, a complementary model that can provide additional specialty services to layer on top of existing programs, or a collaborative model that works alongside existing programs to increase service capacity.
What are intersessional programs?
Intersessional programs refer to services and activities run during periods where schools are closed, such as the winter, spring, or summer breaks.
What is the “Woodcraft Way”?
The Woodcraft Way speaks to a whole-child development philosophy rooted in the values of access, inclusion, and equity. Established by our founder, Ernest Thompson Seton, the Woodcraft Way focuses on developing a young person’s mind, body, spirit, and sense of service, and believing that every child is innately good, deserves the opportunity to realize their full potential, and should be an active participant in defining their own path.
What is “sampling”?
Sampling refers to an intentional process of providing youth the opportunity to engage in a variety of different activities throughout the course of a year. Woodcraft programming operates in 6-week cycles which offer different activities for youth to select.
What grades does Woodcraft serve?
Woodcraft serves youth in TK-12th grades.
Where are Camp Woodcraft programs held?
Camp Woodcraft programs are held in Mountain Center, CA in the San Jacinto Mountains. Some Camp Woodcraft programs are also offered in Big Bear, CA.
What is Woodcraft’s track record on fiscal responsibility and compliance?
Woodcraft has an impeccable history of fiscal responsibility and compliance. Woodcraft has never had an audit finding in annual financial audits including single federal audits. Woodcraft also conducts audits beyond legal requirements and has a required practice of regular rotation of partners.
Woodcraft is also led by experienced financial leadership, including a CFO who has been with the agency for 15 years. Our current auditor is Windes, a highly reputable and sophisticated firm and the WR Board of Directors elects scrutiny above industry standards to ensure the highest level of transparency and accountability. Moreover, Woodcraft has healthy cash reserves and reliable fundraising that ensures sustainability.
Does Woodcraft have experience managing state and federal grants?
Woodcraft has 40 years of experience managing state and federal grants with an impeccable record of compliance. Woodcraft has experience managing grants from ASES, 21st Century, E-LOP, DDS, and CNRA.
How does Woodcraft manage risk for partners?
Woodcraft understands how important mitigating risk is to protect young people in our care and our partners. Operationally, Woodcraft has tight operational controls and robust safety protocol and Woodcraft’s impressive staffing strategy ensures all sites are always in ratio to prevent incidents and respond quickly. Furthermore, Woodcraft has an impeccable record of grant compliance, and Woodcraft has not had any legal claims in the last 5 years and WR current financial leadership has led the agency to more than a decade of clean audits with no findings.
Does Woodcraft handle its own staffing?
Yes. Woodcrafts internal HR and Learning & Development departments manage all levels of staffing from recruitment to onboarding and training.