This program is for 6-12 years old. For 4-5 years old see our Rovers Outdoor School.
Join Your Trackers Team!
You join a Trackers Team of four to eight fellow homeschoolers sharing in epic adventures while learning skills. Together your Team…
- Work with a Trackers Guide mentoring you and your team in real Trackers Skills.
- Train to be self-directed, empowered to craft your journey together as Trackers.
- Contribute to the greater community, helping younger Trackers, your families, and our elders.
- Forge a cohort of friends who are thoughtful and Truly Helpful to each other.
At Trackers Homeschool, kids make friends while sharing adventures with a Team of like-minded peers. This premier outdoor education program helps youth develop awareness, fortitude, and competency. With dedication and hard work, our Homeschool experience leads to life-long learning and love of nature.
Learn Trackers Skills
Our program is divided into three seasonal terms featuring our Four Trackers Guild. While each season features specific guilds, we include experiences from other Guilds each term.
Fall Term (9 weeks) features our Rangers Guild. The focus is on essential outdoor skills like archery, wilderness survival, and wilderness safety. Learn to build shelters, light fire with no matches, and forage for seasonal wild plants. Train in games of forest stealth while developing the foundations of tracking and nature awareness.rest while developing the foundations of tracking and nature awareness.
Winter Term (6 weeks) features our Artisans Guild. During these cooler months, spend part of your time in our ceramics and woodworking studios. Older Trackers (age 9-11) also learn blacksmithing. Delve into earth arts: basket weaving, leatherwork, woodcarving and more. Embark on epic adventures of immersive role-playing adventures rooted in the natural world.
Spring Term (9 weeks) features our Wilders & Mariners Guilds. Travel to the farm to care for animals, plant gardens, and forage for wild plants. Explore our local waterways, fishing, boating, and developing water safety skills. Outdoor cooking is a key component of this season, as we prepare and cook the foods we forage over the campfire.
As a Tracker you follow the trails of deer, elk, fox, and bobcats to discover their mysteries. You also learn to decode bird language, using forest songs and calls to help find other wildlife.
Explore the Program
Fall to Spring, 1 day a week, 5 seasonal gatherings
This program is made up of weekly Adventure Days where your team explores and trains in the outdoors. Plus, our optional Seasonal Family Gatherings. Schedule options below!
Adventure Days 24 total - Choose Wednesday or Thursday (8:15 AM - 3:30 PM)
During Adventure Days we journey to the wilderness to train in skills with our Trackers Team. See below for the schedule. Adventure Days include:
- Ranger days include tracking, stealth, archery, and wilderness survival.
- Wilder days include meeting farm animals, plus harvesting and foraging wild foods.
- Mariner days include fishing, foraging, boating, rock climbing, and outdoor cooking.
- Artisan days include making folk arts and crafts and storytelling.
Seasonal Gatherings 5 total - Weekday evenings or Weekends during the day
During Seasonal Gatherings our Teams help to plan and organize a community gathering for their families with food, fun, and connection. These events are optional for families to attend and include:
- Tracktoberfest Welcome the autumnal harvest with festivities, food, and music.
- Track-or-Treat Trick-or-treat on a fun and mysterious tracking trail through the Trackers Lodge.
- Holiday Party Herald the arrival of winter with food and friends at our Holiday Party.
- Garden Party Help plant our gardens for summer and fall in Sandy, Oregon.
- Graduation Wrap our year together with a community potluck and BBQ.
Locations SE or W Portland
Parents can choose to register at one of two drop-off locations: SE Portland (Wednesdays) or W Portland (Thursdays). Due to group size limits, we do not allow switching between locations or days.
Trackers Homeschool Membership
Register and receive a full Trackers Homeschool Membership for your full year (Sept - August). This includes:
- 24 Adventure Days, 5 Seasonal Family Gatherings
- A Trackers T-Shirt, Trackers Woodcarving Guide & monthly Trackers Journal.
- 50% off the Trackers Archery Range for immediate family members (free during Seasonal Gatherings).
Tuition
Tuition includes all adventure days, meetups and seasonal gatherings. Reserve your place with a $530 non-refundable deposit, then pay the remaining tuition in 8 monthly payments of $220 (total $2,285). Your first payment is due August 31.
Returning Student Discount Apprentices returning from a previous program year (within Fall to Spring) receive a 15% discount. Use your discount code (emailed) or contact us at hello@trackersearth.com to receive one.
Need Financial Help? We offer Opportunity & Merit Scholarships of 5% - 15% off. Up to a $342 discount off the full tuition. It's quick and easy to apply.
Please note, scholarships and multiple discounts cannot be combined.