Monday, December 30: FREE Nature Playdate,10 AM - 1 PM
FREE, all ages welcome, children must attend with and be supervised by an adult.
No dogs please.
Join us anytime from 10 AM - 1 PM for nature play and a campfire.
Campus play spaces will be open for kid-led play and adventure, including:
- farm animal visits (apple slices and lettuce provided for you to feed them, your fresh fruits or veggies also welcome. No bread or other foods please.)
- mud kitchen and sandbox
- fort building and nature play in Forest Village
- children's garden exploration
- field and blacktop games (hula hoops, chalk, balls available)
Registration is open now for the WINTER SEEDLINGS CLASS for infants through preK with a caregiver!
Join us for weekly explorations in nature, including music and movement, stories, and hands-on fun on the farm and in the forest.
Seedlings Class is for young children with a caregiver. Each week starts with a short, open-ended play period while all of our friends are arriving. After that we will enjoy winter stories, songs, and nature activities on the farm or in the forest!
Children who are not yet walking are welcome, however the activities are most fully enjoyed by toddlers through preschoolers who can do some independent exploration.
We meet outside, rain or shine, and will only cancel and offer a make-up session if severe weather that is not safe to travel in is expected. Please come dressed with clothes and shoes for outdoor adventures (which may be muddy or wet!).
Winter 2025 class schedule:
- Fridays, 9:30 – 10:30 AM: January 10, 17, 24, 31 and February 7, 14, 21, 28 (8 weeks)
$145
- Participants are welcome to arrive anytime from 9 - 9:30 to enjoy saying good morning to the farm animals and playing in the sandbox and mud kitchen. Class activities will start on the farmhouse patio at 9:30 AM!
These enrollments are non-refundable.
These classes are limited to registered participants and their caregivers. Older siblings whose school may be cancelled/closed on your child’s class day are not eligible to attend with you.
Register online HERE!
A few winter and spring spaces available now in the KIDS UNPLUGGED after school program!
Play in nature after school!
Kids Unplugged gets children playing outside in nature after school. We will have campfires, care for farm animals, build forts, cook with food from the farm, hike, play games, and make friends.
Space currently available on MONDAYS, THURSDAYS and/or FRIDAYS!
Program fee: $365 to attend one day per week from January through end of May. Payment plan available. Children may be registered for one or two days per week. Limited spaces to attend additional days per week may be available, please inquire if you need more than two days per week.
We meet for the whole school year, so our adventures include the fall harvest on the farm, winter snow play and snow shoeing, making maple syrup, and welcoming spring with mud, baby farm animals, and tadpoles in the wetland!
If a bus is not available from your child's school you may drop off your child anytime from 3:15 - 3:45 PM.
Bus Transportation routes are anticipated to be available from:
- Edgewood
- Davis
- Elm City Montessori
- Fair Haven School
- Mauro Sheridan
- St Thomas
- Cold Spring
- Foote
- Wintergreen
- Nathan Hale
- John C Daniels
- Troup School
We are grateful for support from NHPS Transportation in providing these routes and Common Ground does not schedule or pay for these bus services. Routes are NOT available from all schools but we will explore additional bus route possibilities upon parent request.
Pick-up for all children is 5:20 - 5:30 PM and bus transportation home is not available.
More information and online registration HERE!
Join our NatureYear Forest School (one day per week) for winter and spring!
A few NatureYear spots remain!
One full day each week of outdoor leaning in a small, consistent group of friends, led by our wonderful teacher naturalists. All the program information and link to online application is HERE!
There are currently one or two openings in each of the following groups:
- Mondays (full day) for ages 6 - 12
- Mondays (half day) for ages 4 - 12
- Tuesdays (full day) for ages 5 - 6
- Thursdays (full day) for ages 10 - 14+
- Fridays (full day) for ages 5 - 8
Applications are accepted anytime and we will make enrollment offers if we have space available!
Winter School Vacation Day Programs!
Common Ground will be open for programs on many days when schools are closed.
Program hours are 8:30 - 3:00 and morning care/after care are not available unless your child is already enrolled in the Kids Unplugged after school program on the same day.
**We do NOT follow any one district's calendar for offering these days. Please check your school's calendar to see what dates you may need, we see a lot of calendar mistakes and last minute changes when families sign up for these dates and then realize their school is actually open. Vacation day programs are NOT refundable.**
Common Ground will be open for a day of vacation day fun on the dates below:
- Monday, January 6
- Monday, January 20 (waitlist only)
- February break dates coming soon!
These days are for children in grades K - 6. Activities are offered in mixed age groups and children will be able to choose between a variety of activities including time with the farm animals, outdoor play, cooking, and other farm and forest fun.
Children should bring a lunch and come dressed for the weather - we will be enjoying winter in nature!
The enrollment fee is $65 per child and online registration is open HERE!
Book a Birthday Party: winter dates available!
See the information HERE, including a link to reserve your party online!