Monday Family Program (Fall)

The Out to Play Centre is nestled at Beetbox Farm — an organic, people-centred farm where the first sparks of what is now the Out to Play community were lit.

Easily accessed from downtown Ottawa, Nepean, Barrhaven, and Kanata, Beetbox Farm is surrounded by public land and connected to the Shirley’s Bay trail network. Here, children spend their days immersed in meadows, orchards, forests, and along the shoreline of the Kitchissippi River. The farm experience is woven naturally into each day — children might gather vegetables from the gardens, feed the chickens, or pause to greet the animals.

At the Out to Play Centre, our shelters include spacious canvas wall tents and a cabin. In the colder months, these spaces become warm and welcoming, with woodstoves offering a cosy place to gather.

About the Program
Open to children and their trusted adults, this is the first of two sessions over the Fall and Spring, with each session lasting for eight weeks.

Each day includes storytelling, circle time, a hike out, play with art, large loose parts, science investigations and periods of deep immersive play. Families will be able to connect with each other, and adventure out together with the support of an educator. 

Spring and Fall programming will include mud kitchen play, loose parts in the forest and snacking out on the land. 

This program includes a dry and warm indoor space for changing clothes, diaper changes and storing bags. 

All family program days will follow the pedagogy of the Forest and Nature School approach - child-centred, inquiry-driven, interest-led learning and connecting through play on the land. 

Families will receive a packing list for the days together including back-up clothing, snacks, lunch and water. Families also receive invitations to Out to Play Family Gathering events. Join the Out to Play community!