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Outdoor Classroom

for homeschooling families

NOTE: Both Wednesday and Thursday sessions for the spring 2024 semester of the Outdoor Classroom are full.

Families can get on a waiting list by completing the registration form below. Although registrations for the entire semester are closed, parents can register their children for up to three individual sessions after the first week, Feb. 28 & 29. The class schedule will be completed and posted in January 2024.

Every year more parents choose to school their children at home. It can be a daunting task.

That's where the Outdoor Classroom comes in.

Homeschooling families generally have little difficulty covering the core subjects (reading, math, language arts), but sometimes they can use a little help with other parts of the curriculum (science, history, geography and fine arts).

Camp Trinity introduced the Outdoor Classroom in fall 2020 to assist homeschooling families with disciplines outside the core curriculum. The Outdoor Classroom has included sessions on wildlife flora and fauna, history, wilderness survival, physical and cultural geography, mountain music, sculpture, drawing, photography, archeology, botany, engineering, and orienteering. Classes are taught by Camp Trinity staff and guest presenters.

Guest speakers have included Petit Jean State Park interpreters, Arkansas Game & Fish Commission officers, University of Arkansas Extension agents, zookeepers, cowboys, master gardeners, law enforcement officers, helicopter pilots, firefighters, EMTs, historians, professional musicians and artists, zoologists and exotic animal keepers, as well as an archeologist and a veterinarian.

Because of the large number of early registrations for the fall 2022 semester, Camp Trinity added a second option. Courses are now taught not only on Thursday but on Wednesday as well.

Families can choose when to participate and pay just for the classes they attend or they can sign up for the entire 10-week semester at a steep discount (prices below). Those who sign up for the semester are not required to attend every session but can attend only the classes of most interest.

The sessions are for school-aged children (6-18). Depending on the subject, participants may be divided into groups by age.

The fall schedule dates are below, with details to be added later. Classes are subject to change as scheduling conflicts arise for guest speakers:

Feb. 28/29: TBD

March 6/7: TBD

March 13/14: TBD

March 20/21: TBD

March 27/28: TBD

April 3/4: TBD

April 10/11: TBD

April 17/18: TBD

April 24/25: TBD

May 1/2: TBD

SESSION PREPARATION

Homeschooling families as well as students from school classrooms attending will need to bring their own lunches and water bottles. Children should wear sturdy shoes and clothes they can get dirty. They may also need raincoats, binoculars, flashlights, gloves or compasses, depending on the session and weather. Families may also need to bring facemarks for use off-site.

FEES

The cost for a single session is $35 for the first child from each family, $15 for each additional child from the same family.

The cost for the entire semester is $175 for the first child from each family (half price), $75 for each additional child from the same family (half price).

No one will be turned away because of finances. Financial assistance is available to any who need it. To request financial aid simply email the camp office: director@lutherancamp.org

STAY A LITTLE LONGER

Families are invited to stay overnight in cabins, tents or RVs and enjoy other activities at Camp Trinity: canoeing, fishing, archery, disc golf, softball or kickball, gaga ball, basketball, sand volleyball, ping pong, foosball, cornhole, horseshoes, campfires and board games. Lodging fees are modest. Check out the Facilities page under the ABOUT pull-down menu at the top of the page for options and pricing for lodging.