This winter almost 4,000 Kindergarten to Grade 3 students throughout the Columbia Basin went into their wild schoolyards to experience the magic of winter ecology.
Now in its eighth year, Wildsight’s Winter Wonder Program connects students with the joys, secrets and marvels of our Kootenay winters. During a half-day field trip, they explore winter wildlife, snow science and weather — all concepts contained in the BC education curriculum.
“Across Canada, kids are spending less and less time outside, creating what some refer to as a ‘nature deficit,’” says Monica Nissen, Wildsight’s Education in the Wild Program Manager. “Winter Wonder gets them out there, connecting them with the winter ecology in their own backyards.
“Our team of professional outdoor educators really bring the curriculum to life for students.”
Winter Wonder educators come dressed up as imaginative characters like Frosty Flake or Captain Powder and lead the class through a range of hands-on activities, both inside and outside the classroom.
“Research shows that outdoor play during the winter actually builds the immune system, stimulates the imagination and promotes problem solving,” she said in a statement.
Wildsight gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Columbia Basin Trust, Fortis BC, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, the North Face Explore Fund and the BC Gaming Commission.
