Latest News, Stories + Activities
Join us here for stories from the forest, our latest news and periodic videos, and activities you can do at home.
Overnights and the 5-day Camp Week are Back!
We couldn’t wait another minute to announce the return of our 5-day camp week and the reintroduction of overnight camps at Arnot Forest!
Coyote’s Path Returns!
Are you ready to step on the path of the Coyote?
NEW! Coyotes on the Move
Join us for a new tween and teen program – Navigating and Exploring our local and wild places, three Saturdays this Fall.
Lets Get Crafty
This week was all about crafts. Primitive Pursuits has some crafts that are part of the culture and tradition of camp. Learning to carve, form up clay, stone drill or make cordage are staples of the Primitive Pursuits craft diet.
Warm Blooded in the Woods
It is week eight here at Primitive Pursuits and this week the warm blooded animals come out to play. Mammals are the focus this week and many camps had our furry friends in their minds and hearts during many of the activities this week.
WEEK 7 SENSES
This week in the woods, we heightened our senses!Text by Lydia Brandt It is week seven here at...
We Bugged Out and Hopped like Frogs this Week
It is week six here at Primitive Pursuits and we are bugging out and jumping like frogs. This week the camp looked at our tiny insect and amphibian friends. There were many bug and amphibian activities in the forest this week. Also, lots of tiny creatures were discovered in our journeys across 4H acres.
Campers Venture Far and Wide
This week we left our usual home at 4H acres and most groups relocated to Ellis Hollow for the week. We had two traveling groups this week: the River Scouts and the Wilderness Explorers. Growing Wild, Forest Village, Forest Explorers, Pathfinders, Wildcrafting and Advanced Wildcrafting all explored the new wilds of Ellis Hollow.
Birds of a Feather
It is bird week here at Primitive Pursuits and there were all kinds of bird based activities to connect campers with our winged friends. From nest robber games to a giant water marmot falcon nest and visits from the Phoenix, campers delighted in play and learning centered around birds.
Plants! Plants! Plants! in week three
This week was about plants and camps explored the world of plants in unique ways. Cattails, Goldenrod, Raspberry Leaves, Currants and Hickory Trees were just some of the plants campers got experience with during the week.
Week 2 Shelters
While there are many fine shelters in the forest now, I would have to hand the grand prize for shelter construction to Adventure Academy. They built an incredible Wiki-up similar to a teepee with leaves, pine needles and branches used for the construction. Later in the week, the camp sewed leather pouches and gathered precious items from the forest to fill these pouches around their necks.
Our First Week at Camp Was About the Elements
campers and mentors enjoyed games, crafts and problem solving in the woods. Two elements dictated...
Activities
Tools of Mentoring
Here are some of the tools of mentoring we use when working with young people. You can use them too.
Flaming Bundle Challenge
Fire is a wonderful teacher. This is an activity we often do, even with first-time groups. As you read this activity, identify the core routines participants would be using. What mentoring tools could you use?
Fall Recipes from the Archive
This post originally appeared on the discontinued Primitive Pursuits online ‘Wilderness Mentoring Guild’ on October 23rd, 2007.
Dandelion Harvesting
Check out this video from Sophia about how to harvest dandelions and turn them into delicious and nutritious muffins!
Harvesting Violets
Here’s another fun and informative video from Sophia on harvesting violets and turning them into vinegar, infused honey, and violet sugar! Tune in to learn how.