Quality After School Programming That Connects Kids to Nature
CPAWS Manitoba offers after school programs to help children get outside and appreciate the wonders of nature.
We work with schools in the Winnipeg area to deliver programs designed to get kids excited about being outside and spark an interest in the natural world.
Students spend 90 minutes playing games and learning about Manitoba's animals, plants, climate, trees, soil and more in their school yards.
The six-week program incorporates inquiry and exploration-based learning, stations, group games, and crafts for students to take home.
The program is led by Environmental Educator Carly Gray, a certified teacher who has a decade of experience working with children in schools and as a day camp counsellor and dance instructor.
The CPAWS Manitoba Environmental After School Program was launched in May 2022 at three schools in Winnipeg: Montrose School, Ecole Constable Edward Finney and Windsor School.
Here is some feedback from parents:
"I was hoping to foster a love of nature in my child. This was absolutely achieved!"
"Great program and hopefully it will be available each year! "
"I feel children need to be well rounded. I was excited to see something not sports driven offered."
What their children enjoyed:
"Staying outside in nature, gaming about nature and running on the ground."
"Growing plants and crafts."
"Everything, he loved it."
In the 2022-2023 school year, we led programs at the following schools:
- Shamrock School
- Rockwood School
- Ecole Charleswood School
- Ecole Julie-Riel
- Dawson Trail School
- Ruth Hooker School
- King Edward Community School
- Laidlaw School
- Ecole St. Avila
- Pacific Junction School
Slots are filling up fast for the 2023-24 academic year. Educators can fill in this form to get on the list for booking a program. You may contact Carly Gray at [email protected] for more information about how to can bring the program to your school.
More than 13,000 children and students benfitted from over 750 CPAWS Manitoba outdoor learning workshops and activities from May 2021 to August 2023.
We look forward to helping many more children connect to nature in the years to come.
Connecting Children to Nature
Invite CPAWS to Your School!
A teacher supervisor and access to the playground is all it takes to invite the program to your school. Slots are filling up fast. Book your program before it's too late.
How Does Spending Time Outdoors Improve Our Well-Being?
There is a wide array of evidence that shows spending time in nature improves mental and physical health, boosts immunity, and reduces risk of disease.
Connecting with the natural world has also been shown to improve sleep and augment vitamin D levels. And it boosts endorphin levels and dopamine production, which promotes happiness.
Healthy forests, lakes, and wetlands are also working to protect our physical health even when we’re not out in nature. They clean our air, filter our water, and act as a protective shield against the worsening impacts of climate change.
Safety Protocols
CPAWS Manitoba takes the safety of all program participants seriously.
All CPAWS Manitoba staff members have cleared a criminal record and vulnerable sector background check with the Winnipeg Police Department.
CPAWS policy requires that at least one person leading programming which may involve children must be certified in first aid. This applies to staff or to volunteers.
Supporters
This programming was made possible thanks to the generous support of: The Province of Manitoba’s Building Sustainable Communities Program; The Conservation Trust, a Manitoba Climate and Green Plan Initiative delivered by the Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation; Eco Canada; The Winnipeg Foundation; TD Friends of the Environment Foundation; Telus Friendly Future Foundation.
