Common Ground | For Children and Youth

FOR CHILDREN & YOUTH

For children and young people, Common Ground is a place to explore the outdoors, develop environmental understanding, and learn in a way far different than traditional classroom learning. Common Ground provides after-school opportunities, weekend programs, programs during school vacations, and summer ecology camp. Common Ground’s site can also be rented for birthday parties and other events with educational and environmental themes.

After-School Opportunities for Grades K-8

Kids Unplugged! (Grades K-5)

Get your child unplugged and outside, exploring nature, hiking, imagining, growing food, making friends, and having fun! Children have a choice of activities at each weekly meeting. Participants might build forts, hike to Judges Cave, play nature games, learn to identify trees, or enjoy a campfire in the woods. On the farm, feed the animals, learn to hold a chicken, bring in the harvest, and climb compost mountain. Budding artists canchoose to make art with natural and recycled materials and practice illustrating the animals and plants on our campus. Aspiring chefs can make delicious food from the farm – homemade pizza, sorrel muffins, harvest soup, and more! Click here for online registration.

9 week sessions:

Tue,Wed & Thu from 3:30-5:30. Children may attend one, two, or three days per week

Fall Session: Sep 14 – Nov 18

Spring Session: Apr 5 – Jun 9

Program fee: $45 for New Haven Public School students and $150 for all other students (New Haven residency NOT required). Fee is per day of the week for each 9-week seasonal session. Limited financial aid is available to qualified applicants Limited financial aid is available to qualified applicants from any town – please call Rebecca at 203.389.4333 x1213 with questions.

West Rock Rangers (Grades 6-8)

This unique and exciting project-based program will bring together students in grades 6-8 from many different schools to learn and play on the trails of West Rock Park. This year, the Rangers will create a West Rock hiking guide that can be used by local hikers for years to come. Students will hike, map the trails, and keep a personal trail journal – and then share what they learned as they plan, design and publish the guide. They will also add personal touches to the guide through creative writing, art and photography. This active and engaging program is looking for dynamic you people who enjoy learning through experience, solving problems and collaborating with others. At the end of the season, to celebrate our hard work, there will be an overnight camp-out at Common Ground where we will cook out under the stars, share our guide and play games. Students need not be expert hikers, writers or outdoor enthusiasts – only excited to learn with others and have fun in the forest!Click here for online registration.

9 week sessions:

Tue, Wed & Thu from 3:30-5:30. Children may attend only ONE day per week

Fall Session: Sep 14 – Nov 18

Spring Session: Apr 5 – Jun 9

Program fee: $45 per 9-week seasonal session for all students (New Haven residency NOT required). Limited financial aid is available to qualified applicants – please call Rebecca at 203.389.4333 x1213 with questions.

Weekend Programs for Ages 6-12

Farmer’s Helper (Ages 6-10)

Come join in the seasonal jobs on our organic farm! Kids will help bring food and water to the goats, sheep, chickens, ducks, turkeys, and pigs, as well as tend to (and enjoy snacks from!) our children’s garden. Dig potatoes, pull weeds, turn soil, nibble carrots, and go home dirty! Each weekly session includes “chore time” and supervised play time with the animals and in the children’s garden. Children should bring a packed lunch, which may be supplemented with a made-from-scratch taste test from the Farm to Feast Kids Cooking Class. Click here for online registration.

Saturdays from 10:00 - 1:00

Children may attend any number & combination of classes

Fall Dates:

Sep 18, 25; Oct 2, 16, 23, 30

Spring Dates:

Apr 16, 30; May 7, 14; Jun 4, 11

Program fee: $25 per class, all materials included.

Farm to Feast Kids Cooking Class (Ages 8-12)

Kids will try new foods and practice cooking skills as they chop, dice, saute, shred, knead, and stir ingredients harvested right from our organic gardens! Weekly menus will vary with the season, but foods will be kid-friendly, nutritious, and delicious. Class time will be spent harvesting, preparing food, and sharing each week’s dishes as we sit down for lunch together. Families are invited to visit the animals and explore the farm together after class (the farm remains open to the public until 2:00). Click here for online registration.

Saturdays from 10:00 - 1:00

Children may attend any number & combination of classes

Fall Dates:

Sep 18, 25; Oct 2, 16, 23, 30

Spring Dates:

Apr 16, 30; May 7, 14; Jun 4, 11

Program fee: $25 per class, all materials included.

Vacation Programs

Vacation weeks at Common Ground are a choose-your-own-adventure exploration of the farm and forest! Children will have a choice of 4 or more daily activities based on seasonal events.

FEBRUARY is maple syruping season, and we will also cross our fingers for snow! Activities may include winter animal tracking, building snow forts, hiking and sledding, learning about and cooking with maple syrup, and plenty of time with the farm animals. February Vacation dates: Feb 21 - 25, 9:00 - 2:00 daily, extended day available until 4:00

APRIL brings seedlings and baby animals to the farm! Activity choices may include time with the baby Chickens, recycled and nature arts, planting in the garden, building forts in the woods, going on hikes in West Rock, and searching for native wildlife and spring wildflowers. April Vacation dates: Apr 18 - 22, 9:00 - 2:00 daily, extended day available until 4:00

All programs include both indoor and outdoor activities in all weather so it is important to make sure your child is appropriately dressed each day. Shoes must have a closed toe and heel and be good for walking, running, and hiking. Children should also bring their own bagged lunch each day.

Program fee: $35 per day, $15 per day for extended day. Children may be registered for any number and combination of days. Click here for online registration.

Summer Farm and Nature Camps for ages 4-13

Each summer, campers ages 4 – 12 roam the farm and forest at Common Ground, picking radishes, searching for salamanders, learning about local food, making friends, playing games, caring for farm animals, and hiking throughout West Rock Park. Registration begins in March and spaces fill quickly! Visit our camp page for more information.


	For children & youth FOR CHILDREN & YOUTH For children and young people, Common Ground is a place to explore the outdoors, develop environmental understanding, and learn in a way far different than traditional classroom learning. Common Ground provides after-school opportunities, weekend programs, programs during school vacations, and summer ecology camp. Common Ground’s site can also be rented for birthday parties and other events with educational and environmental themes. After-School Opportunities for Grades K-8 Kids Unplugged! (Grades K-5) Get your child unplugged and outside, exploring nature, hiking, imagining, growing food, making friends, and having fun! Children have a choice of activities at each weekly meeting. Participants might build forts, hike to Judges Cave, play nature games, learn to identify trees, or enjoy a campfire in the woods. On the farm, feed the animals, learn to hold a chicken, bring in the harvest, and climb compost mountain. Budding artists canchoose to make art with natural and recycled materials and practice illustrating the animals and plants on our campus. Aspiring chefs can make delicious food from the farm – homemade pizza, sorrel muffins, harvest soup, and more! Click here for online registration. 9 week sessions: Tue,Wed & Thu from 3:30-5:30. Children may attend one, two, or three days per week Fall Session: Sep 14 – Nov 18 Spring Session: Apr 5 – Jun 9 Program fee: $45 for New Haven Public School students and $150 for all other students (New Haven residency NOT required). Fee is per day of the week for each 9-week seasonal session. Limited financial aid is available to qualified applicants Limited financial aid is available to qualified applicants from any town – please call Rebecca at 203.389.4333 x1213 with questions. West Rock Rangers (Grades 6-8) This unique and exciting project-based program will bring together students in grades 6-8 from many different schools to learn and play on the trails of West Rock Park. This year, the Rangers will create a West Rock hiking guide that can be used by local hikers for years to come. Students will hike, map the trails, and keep a personal trail journal – and then share what they learned as they plan, design and publish the guide. They will also add personal touches to the guide through creative writing, art and photography. This active and engaging program is looking for dynamic you people who enjoy learning through experience, solving problems and collaborating with others. At the end of the season, to celebrate our hard work, there will be an overnight camp-out at Common Ground where we will cook out under the stars, share our guide and play games. Students need not be expert hikers, writers or outdoor enthusiasts – only excited to learn with others and have fun in the forest!Click here for online registration. 9 week sessions: Tue, Wed & Thu from 3:30-5:30. Children may attend only ONE day per week Fall Session: Sep 14 – Nov 18 Spring Session: Apr 5 – Jun 9 Program fee: $45 per 9-week seasonal session for all students (New Haven residency NOT required). Limited financial aid is available to qualified applicants – please call Rebecca at 203.389.4333 x1213 with questions. Weekend Programs for Ages 6-12 Farmer’s Helper (Ages 6-10) Come join in the seasonal jobs on our organic farm! Kids will help bring food and water to the goats, sheep, chickens, ducks, turkeys, and pigs, as well as tend to (and enjoy snacks from!) our children’s garden. Dig potatoes, pull weeds, turn soil, nibble carrots, and go home dirty! Each weekly session includes “chore time” and supervised play time with the animals and in the children’s garden. Children should bring a packed lunch, which may be supplemented with a made-from-scratch taste test from the Farm to Feast Kids Cooking Class. Click here for online registration. Saturdays from 10:00 - 1:00 Children may attend any number & combination of classes Fall Dates: Sep 18, 25; Oct 2, 16, 23, 30 Spring Dates: Apr 16, 30; May 7, 14; Jun 4, 11 Program fee: $25 per class, all materials included. Farm to Feast Kids Cooking Class (Ages 8-12) Kids will try new foods and practice cooking skills as they chop, dice, saute, shred, knead, and stir ingredients harvested right from our organic gardens! Weekly menus will vary with the season, but foods will be kid-friendly, nutritious, and delicious. Class time will be spent harvesting, preparing food, and sharing each week’s dishes as we sit down for lunch together. Families are invited to visit the animals and explore the farm together after class (the farm remains open to the public until 2:00). Click here for online registration. Saturdays from 10:00 - 1:00 Children may attend any number & combination of classes Fall Dates: Sep 18, 25; Oct 2, 16, 23, 30 Spring Dates: Apr 16, 30; May 7, 14; Jun 4, 11 Program fee: $25 per class, all materials included. Vacation Programs Vacation weeks at Common Ground are a choose-your-own-adventure exploration of the farm and forest! Children will have a choice of 4 or more daily activities based on seasonal events. FEBRUARY is maple syruping season, and we will also cross our fingers for snow! Activities may include winter animal tracking, building snow forts, hiking and sledding, learning about and cooking with maple syrup, and plenty of time with the farm animals. February Vacation dates: Feb 21 - 25, 9:00 - 2:00 daily, extended day available until 4:00 APRIL brings seedlings and baby animals to the farm! Activity choices may include time with the baby Chickens, recycled and nature arts, planting in the garden, building forts in the woods, going on hikes in West Rock, and searching for native wildlife and spring wildflowers. April Vacation dates: Apr 18 - 22, 9:00 - 2:00 daily, extended day available until 4:00 All programs include both indoor and outdoor activities in all weather so it is important to make sure your child is appropriately dressed each day. Shoes must have a closed toe and heel and be good for walking, running, and hiking. Children should also bring their own bagged lunch each day. Program fee: $35 per day, $15 per day for extended day. Children may be registered for any number and combination of days. Click here for online registration. Summer Farm and Nature Camps for ages 4-13 Each summer, campers ages 4 – 12 roam the farm and forest at Common Ground, picking radishes, searching for salamanders, learning about local food, making friends, playing games, caring for farm animals, and hiking throughout West Rock Park. Registration begins in March and spaces fill quickly! Visit our camp page for more information.