Vilda FAMILY & Adult Programs
Vilda is not just for kids. Nature connection is great for all ages. The skills we teach are useful and fun. Knowing basic earth skills such as fire making, wild foods and shelter building creates a sense of belonging and confidence.
Our programs also build community and friendships with others who enjoy learning about our natural environment. Unlike more academic courses, our programs are active, hands on and place-based. Many of these programs are family friendly, just check the age limit for the one you are interested in. Come learn and play with us!
Available Family & Adult Programs
Wild Edibles of Spring
When: 10am-12pm, Sun, Mar 16, 2025
Location: Marinwood
Who: All Ages / Children under 13 with Adult
Tuition: $30
Join Vilda's Executive Director and author of "The Bay Area Forager" and "The Sierra Forager" for a spring wild edibles class. This two hour leisurely walk will point out edible plants that are in season and cover safety and concepts of foraging. The walk is suitable for all ages, but geared for adults. Please leave pets at home.
Introduction to the Nurtured Heart Approach™
When: 6pm-7:30pm, Thurs, March 27, 2025
Location: Virtual (Zoom)
Who: Adults (anyone ages 18 and up)
Tuition: Free / Donations Welcome
Is there a child in your life who challenges you?
Are you tired of being the "bad cop"?
Do you want to have more joy and ease as a parent or educator?
The Nurtured Heart Approach™ (NHA) can help.
Join Vilda executive director and certified Nurtured Heart Approach trainer, Mia Andler, as she introduces the approach that Vilda uses for group management and building kids confidence. Since we have started using this technique we have found we can meet more of a variety of kids needs and see great results in our programs.
The Nurtured Heart Approach is more than just a parenting or educator behavior management strategy. It is a philosophy for creating healthy relationships with the people in your life. Originally created by Howard Glasser in 1992, NHA is being successfully implemented through families, classrooms, foster care, health care professionals, social workers and criminal justice organizations that are seeking successful, early intervention techniques.
The Nurtured Heart Approach consists of a set of strategies that assists children in further developing their self-regulation and has been found effective with children of all ages. It focuses on transforming the way children perceive themselves, their caregivers and the world around them. Children learn to understand that they will receive endless amounts of praise, energy, recognition and reward through the positive behavior they display and this supports children to build a positive portfolio of themselves.
This is a free introductory talk for the benefit of our community. We welcome donations to our scholarship fund.
*Please complete one registration for each participant
ARCHERY BASICS
When: 1pm-3pm, Sun, Mar 30, 2025
Location: Stafford Lake, Novato
Who: All Ages / Children under 13 with Adult
Tuition: $50
Come learn the basics of archery from safety to form in a fun, outdoor environment. Our certified instructors will help you develop your skills and confidence on the range. This basic class is appropriate for beginners as well as those who haven't picked up the bow in a while.
*Please complete one registration for each participant
Basics of Basketry: Pine Needle Baskets
When: 1pm-4pm, Sat, May 10, 2025
Location: Lagunitas School
Who: Adults / Teenagers Welcome With an Adult
Tuition: $50
Make your own pine needle basket or perhaps a gift for Mother's Day. Whether you have done some weaving before or are a first timer, this is an easy way to get into basketry. Pine needles are an abundant and sustainable material to use for weaving and the baskets, though simple, look beautiful. The class will be long enough for most people to complete a palm sized basket that could then be continued at home into a big basket if desired. All materials for the small basket will be provided. Younger teens are welcome with an adult, older teens can come by themselves.
*Please complete one registration for each participant
Animal Tracking Basics
When: 10am-12pm, Sun, Oct 26, 2025
Location: Fairfax (Open space 10 minutes from downtown)
Who: All Ages / Children welcome with Adult (but this class is geared for adults)
Tuition: $35
Come learn how to see more animals by discovering their tracks and sign. We will learn to identify common tracks and how to find places where animals might be more active. This class is suitable for anyone who enjoys seeing local wildlife. Children are welcome with an adult but the class is mostly geared for adults. Please leave pets at home.
We will learn about:
Common tracks and sign in the oak woodlands
How to notice tracks and sign
What questions to ask while tracking
How to move in the forest in a way that allows us to see more
Local wildlife
*Please complete one registration for each participant
Fall Bounty: Edible Acorns, Bay Nuts and More
When: 10am-1pm, Sun, Nov 2, 2025
Location: Marinwood
Who: All Ages / Children under 13 with Adult
Tuition: $35
Fall is the time to gather Acorns, bay nuts, madrone berries and more. We will look for these treasures on a hike and learn to identify them and the trees that bear them.
This class will include:
Learning to identify trees and nuts
When, where and how to gather each?
Processing acorns
Cooking with acorns and bay nuts
Children are welcome to come to this class with their parents, but it will not be geared for children.
*Please complete one registration for each participant
Wilderness Survival
When: 10am-12:30pm, Sun, Dec 7, 2025
Location: Fairfax (Open space 10 minutes from downtown)
Who: Adults / Teenagers welcome with adult
Tuition: $50
Have you ever wondered if you could survive out in the wilderness if need be? Come learn the basic concepts and priorities of how to subsist in the wild. We will cover how to make a simple shelter, find water on the landscape and other survival basics.
*Please complete one registration for each participant
MUSHROOM WALK
When: 10am-12:30pm, Sun, Jan 4, 2026
Location: Fairfax (Open space 10 minutes from downtown)
Who: All Ages / Children welcome with Adult (but this class is geared for adults)
Tuition: $35
Come learn about local mushrooms with us on a Sunday stroll. We will cover:
Hazards of mushrooms
What a mushroom is
Identification of common types
Local common edible mushrooms and where you might find them
Bonus: amazing mushroom facts!
*Please complete one registration for each participant
Intro to Natural dye techniques
When: 1pm-4pm, Sun, Mar 1, 2026
Location: Marinwood
Who: Adults / Kids 9 and Up with Adult (but this class is geared for adults)
Tuition: $60
Come learn how to use plants to create color. This introductory class will cover basic natural dye techniques and common local plants to use. Participants will get to use a rust leaf printing to create their own beautiful silk scarf.
*Please complete one registration for each participant
