The School of Magic
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10 kid limit for this camp Our policy for small class sizes.
A school to learn the wizardry of nature
Your invitations to the Trackers School of Magic should be arriving any day. It tells you where to go, what to bring and when you leave.*
At your arrival, the magic Sorting Otter sings his song to create our camp groups. You learn which guild you will join for the week. Your first task is to find your favorite tree, learn all about it and make your magic wand from its wood. Next you make your flying broom out of scotch broom and your robe out of ancient cloth.
Much of our wizards studies take place in the enchanted woods of Oaks Bottom and include the following electives...
Weather Divination Through cloud patterns and the language of the birds, you learn all about the tell tale signs of the weather. You learn what trees are saying about the storm a brewing or when the bugs tell the sun will come out from behind the clouds.
Ancient Runes Older wizards step back through time and into Portland's history with a visit the Shanghai Tunnels (ages 8-10), find the ancient surveyor's stone that draws the ley lines for the city and visit other old time wonders of our Willamette Valley.
Observations of Non-Wizards People without magic use their time strangely enough to us wizard folk. It pays to pay some attention to them. Our older wizards (ages 6-10) will practice what we call "urban tracking", carefully watching and learning what drives these strange and muddled creatures.
Potions and Compounds This is the safe science of brilliant flashes of light through a few simple compounds. This is the eerily glowing rock that seems to draw power from nowhere, it is where we make our dyes to color everything and this is the jar of ectoplasmic goo and slime.
Herbalogy What plants heal what sickness? What plants are good to eat? We learn the answers to these question and more through the study of herbalogy.
Transfiguration Crawling on all four like a raccoon is not only fun but it keeps us in shape. When you get down at a raccoon's level, when you see what it sees, hear what it hears and smells in the same why it does, you empathize with the wild land around you, and truly become a master tracker
Cryptozoology There are strange creatures about. Learn their legends and lore and how in many of the ancient stories, they are truly protectors of the forest.
Camouflage and Invisibility How do big deer and fat bears disappear in the woods? How are weasels there one moment and gone the next. Learn their secrets of stealth and evasion. Become a master of invisibility.
*for a mailed parchment invitation you must register a minimum of 1 month before camp begins
Please read every word on this page together with your child. Especially "A Good Fit?"
Register for The School of Magic
| Add to cart |
Ages 4-5
$150
Session 1 July 12-16, 2010 Morning 8:30am-12:00pm 5040 SE Milwaukie Avenue, Portland, Oregon Map It |
| Add to cart |
Ages 4-5
$150
Get aftercare until 5:30pm Session 1 July 12-16, 2010 Afternoon 12:00pm-3:30pm 5040 SE Milwaukie Avenue, Portland, Oregon Map It |
| Add to cart |
Ages 6-7
$285
Get aftercare until 5:30pm Session 1 July 12-16, 2010 8:30am-3:30pm 5040 SE Milwaukie Avenue, Portland, Oregon Map It |
Ages 8-10
$285
Get aftercare until 5:30pm Session 1 July 12-16, 2010 8:30pm-3:30pm 5040 SE Milwaukie Avenue, Portland, Oregon Map It |
| Full Contact Us for the waitlist |
Ages 4-5
$150
Session 2 August 16-20, 2010 8:30am-12:00pm 5040 SE Milwaukie Avenue, Portland, Oregon Map It |
| Full Contact Us for the waitlist |
Ages 4-5
$150
Get aftercare until 5:30pm Session 2 August 16-20, 2010 12:00pm-3:30pm 5040 SE Milwaukie Avenue, Portland, Oregon Map It |
| Add to cart |
Ages 6-7
$285
Get aftercare until 5:30pm Session 2 August 16-20, 2010 8:30am-3:30pm 5040 SE Milwaukie Avenue, Portland, Oregon Map It |
| Full Contact Us for the waitlist |
Ages 8-10
$285
Get aftercare until 5:30pm Session 2 August 16-20, 2010 8:30am-3:30pm 5040 SE Milwaukie Avenue, Portland, Oregon Map It |
Payment Plans
For families who need it, we can offer flexible payment plans. Contact Molly to learn more. A non-refundable deposit is always required to reserve your space.
Ages 4-5 The School of Magic includes
• base camp at the Scout Pit
• get a real invitation (confirmation letter) on parchment delivered in your mail
• find your group with the help of the magic Sorting Otter
• learn about Weather Divination, never need a weather report again
• visit our version of Ancient Runes
• make slime!
• hear ancient legends of incredible and mythic creatures
• go on wizards quests in Oaks Bottom
• learn about wild teas and plants in a safe way
• practice SHIFT for animal forms and stealth games
• play at animal forms and learn about animal ecology
Ages 6-7 The School of Magic includes
• mobile camp around Portland Greenspaces
• get a real invitation (confirmation letter) on parchment delivered in your mail*
• find your group with the help of the magic Sorting Otter
• learn about Weather Divination, never need a weather report again
• visit Ancient Runes around Portland
• make safe slime, produce brilliant flashes of light and learn why certain rocks glow
• collect wild plants and herbs for food and healing
• hear ancient legends of incredible and mythic creatures
• study Non-Wizards and their habits through Urban Tracking adventures
• go on wizards quests in Oaks Bottom and local greenspaces
• practice SHIFT for animal forms and stealth games
• play at animal forms and learn about animal ecology
Ages 8-10 The School of Magic includes
• mobile camp around Portland Greenspaces
• get a real invitation (confirmation letter) on parchment delivered in your mail*
• find your group with the help of the magic Sorting Otter
• learn about Weather Divination, never need a weather report again
• visit Ancient Runes around Portland, including the Shanghai Tunnels
• make safe slime, produce brilliant flashes of light and learn why certain rocks glow
• collect wild plants and herbs for food and healing
• hear ancient legends of incredible and mythic creatures
• study Non-Wizards and their habits through Urban Tracking adventures
• go on wizards quests in Oaks Bottom and local greenspaces
• practice SHIFT for animal forms and stealth games
• play at animal forms and learn about animal ecology
A Good Fit?
Before you register PLEASE READ the critical information below to help you decide if your program is the right match for you or you child. TrackersNW invests in families and students dedicated to maturity and accountability as a team. The experience of your child is heightened as these filters insure a safe, supportive and competent collaboration with both our instructors and all other team members (including students).
This program is a good fit for the child and parent who...
• trust one another
• are interested in and empathetic to the natural world
• crave a different way of experiencing and seeing both natural and modern world
• want to have fun
• possess a sense of adventure
• make intelligent choices
• display competent autonomy when needed
• can make and keep clear agreements concerning safety
• can help insure the safety of their peers and collaborators
• works diligently toward adult accountability, consequences and responsibility
• will come dressed appropriately to stay warm, dry and healthy
• is okay with being muddy, cold and wet at times
• can be a real kid
• shares well with others
This program is NOT a good fit for children who...
• are not interested in nature & scout awareness
• are not empathetic for the natural world
• are being forced to come to camp
• cannot display competent autonomy when needed
• cannot make and keep clear agreements and choices concerning safety
• is kept inside all the time so may be uncomfortable
• will not dress appropriately to stay warm, dry and healthy
• is not okay with being muddy, cold and wet at times
• has trouble working with others and respecting the needs of other participants
Please note that if your child is positively working on behavior, we are willing to work with them and you with clear agreements

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