Outdoor Education
KCS’s experiential learning approach takes students outside the traditional classroom and aims to help students become more comfortable engaging with nature.
Getting away from comfy chairs and those endlessly enticing screens can be a challenge, but it’s so worth it.
The evidence around outdoor education keeps piling up, and it all says that having kids spend time in nature improves everything from their learning to their empathy to their physical health.
KCS has a graduated program of age-appropriate outdoor adventures across the grades. Experiences range from full-day programs from JK through to Grade 4 and overnight trips starting in Grades 5 & 6.Grades 7-12 students attend a 3-5 day overnight residential camp experience, with the option of an overnight camping trip starting in Grade 10 or 11. Students learn to embrace new opportunities and learn about their personal strengths, emotional intelligence, and their potential impact, all while gaining leadership skills through workshops and hands-on training.
Our partners in Outdoor Education outside the city vary by grade and include: ALIVE Outdoors, Camp Arowhon, Norval Outdoor Centre and Onondaga Camp; however, outdoor education is something we do in many of our classes by using outdoor spaces available to us. Some of these include Argonaut Rowing Club, High Park Nature Centre, the Humber River Paddling Centre, Humbertown Park, KCS Jr School Outdoor Classroom, and The Boulevard Club (sailing, tennis).
Seen through both contemporary and Indigenous lenses, the goal of Outdoor Education at KCS is to foster a deeper appreciation for and understanding of the natural world. Excursions include hiking, camping, environmental citizenship, team-building exercises, and hands-on lessons that connect academic subjects to outdoor settings. Students participate in outdoor skill building to enhance problem-solving and critical thinking skills, and promote personal growth, grit, and teamwork.
