Calleva

Adventure is not in the guidebooks and beauty is not on the maps

Farm and Forest Cubs

Calleva’s spring, fall, and winter program for our youngest nature explorers combines ‘fun on the farm’ with the ‘Forest School’ philosophy. Originating in Scandinavia in the 1950s, The Forest School movement has become popular across Europe and the US over the past few years. It shares many of the founding beliefs of Calleva.

Our Farm and Forest program is a drop-off program for 3 to 5 olds, designed to let children experience nature through play and foster their excitement in the natural world. Our Farm & Forest Cubs ethos emphasizes social and emotional development, as well as cooperation, teamwork, kindness, compassion and empathy.

2026 – 2027 School Year

  • Mondays and Tuesdays – come for one or both days per week
  • AM only (9am-11:30am) or full day (9am-2pm)
  • 9am-2pm ($90/session) or 9am-11:30am ($45/session)
  • Ages: 3 to 6
  • Ratio: 6 students to 1 staff
  • Calleva Farm: 19120 Martinsburg Road, Dickerson, MD 20842

Full Year Registration

  • September 14 through December 15 AND January 11 through May 11
  • 29 sessions (breaks listed below)
    • Week of Thanksgiving
    • Winter Break (December 21 through January 5)
    • Week of March 8
    • Week of March 29
  • 10% DISCOUNT FOR REGISTERING FULL YEAR AT ONE TIME
  • $130.50 off for ½ day cubs ($1174.50 cost)
  • $261 off for full day cubs ($2349 cost)

Semester Registration

Fall 2026

  • September 14 through December 15
  • 13 sessions – OFF week of Thanksgiving
  • $585 for ½ day cubs (9:00am – 11:30am)
  • $1170 for full day cubs (9:00am – 2:00pm)

Spring 2027

  • January 12 through May 12
  • 16 sessions – OFF weeks of March 8 and March 29
  • $720 for ½ day cubs (9:00am – 11:30am)
  • $1440 for full day cubs (9:00am – 2:00pm)
Please email Nathan@calleva.org with questions or to register!
Typical Session Flow

9 Arrival and welcome at ‘Cubs Cottage’. Gather together to talk about adventures ahead.

9.20 FARM* Simple farm chores such as feeding the animals, collecting eggs, weeding, or picking vegetables in the greenhouse. Visit bunnies, pigs, chickens, cows, or horses.

10 ish FOREST* Short hike into the woods. Brief daily reminder about how we keep ourselves and each other safe.

10.15 Snack time & story or share as a group.

10.30 ish Nature activity, exploration, and open-ended free play in the woods and stream!

11.20 Walk back up through woods to gather belongings and meet parents.

*Farm and Forest sessions are often reversed depending on the interest of children on a particular day. Although we talk about the ‘flow’ of each session, our staff have no fixed agenda for the children to follow. Each morning we offer an optional daily nature project, such as; building elf houses, tree decorating, stone or stick sculptures, senses trail, finding & identifying creatures in streams, bird feeders, and bridge building. However, the children’s play and interests guide their education. Children have a huge capacity for absorbing information and making connections – and in our experience, we have found that the more they are interested in something, the more knowledge they can take in and retain.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: As with every Calleva program, we will be outdoors in all weather.

  • Children should be ready to spend their entire program/day out in the cold, damp Mid-Atlantic winter weather.
  • They MUST arrive dressed for the outdoors, in suitable layers, footwear (waterproof winter boots), winter outerwear, gloves, hats, etc.
  • Our covered but “open-air” barns provide shelter from precipitation but they are NOT heated. We will warm up around outdoor campfires whenever possible.
  • Despite proper clothing and these other “warming” measures, there will be times when groups will need to warm up INDOORS. This means we will utilize a few heated rooms — small alcoves in our barns with electric heating — where we may retreat for some indoor activities.

Refunds, Cancellations & Health Policies