Rhode Island Families in Nature is excited to offer educational and fun workshops to schools, community groups, and businesses to promote an awareness of the many benefits of time in nature and to help people of all ages spend more time outdoors exploring natural spaces throughout Rhode Island.
With years of experience in formal and informal education, Jeanine Silversmith uses her diverse skills as an educator as well as a variety of presentation methods to create engaging and lively workshops that meet the needs of the participants.
Each workshop requires 90-120 minutes, and the fee is $75-$150. The fee includes all materials.
Nature’s Toy Box: How to engage young children with nothing but the great outdoors
Think outside the box. The toy box, that is! Believe it or not, children don’t need anything – not even bubbles, sidewalk chalk, or a ball – to have fun and learn while outside. Learn how nature is one giant toy box full of games and activities. The goals of this workshop are to:
- share the many benefits of play in nature on the healthy physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development of children
- explore how natural spaces and materials stimulate a child’s imagination, creativity, and desire and ability to learn
- provide examples of how to use objects found in nature, sensory exploration, and simple games to engage children in healthy, age-appropriate play outside.
Rhode Island Hikes with Tykes: Why, how and where to hike with children of all ages
Rhode Island may be small, but it’s definitely big on natural places for families to explore. And not only is it great fun, but there are amazing benefits as well. Whether you are completely new to the idea of trekking in the great outdoors with your children or an avid hiker who is looking for new places or ways to motivate your young ones, this class is full of tips and tricks to help get your kids on the trails. The goals of this workshop are to:
- share the many benefits of hiking on the healthy physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development of children
- explore ways to plan and successfully carry out age-appropriate hikes while keeping children safe, motivated, and cheerful along the way
- provide examples and descriptions of natural places to explore with children in Rhode Island