Muddy Sneakers

For Parents

Our aim is to ensure that school children in our mountains develop a lifelong love of nature as a woven-in part of their standard course of study.

You can easily reference the diverse kinds of Muddy Sneaker subjects offered as part of your child’s field experiences by viewing our curriculum. We sincerely hope you will add to these explorations by listening to your child’s stories and enthusiasms and by extending discovery to your own backyard and your own neighborhood. Moreover, we warmly invite you to join us on a Muddy Sneaker day as an in-field volunteer!

Cradle of Forestry

If you’re interested in ways you can get your child and your family outdoors and learning more, the Cradle of Forestry in America has a great “Nature-Oriented Parenting Newsletter.”  Click the Cradle link to read published issues and get ideas on encouraging your child to connect more with his or her natural surroundings.

We hope you’ll join us in the field on a Muddy Sneakers day!  Here’s some information that might be helpful to you:

What to Bring on a Muddy Sneakers Learning Expedition

Please note: Students will share a Muddy Sneakers backpack with a partner. The packs are small, so it helps to have one student empty his or her backpack to help carry what will not fit in the Muddy Sneakers backpack. The Muddy Sneakers pack contains two compasses, a magnifying glass, sitting pads, maps, and other supplies relevant to the topic students are studying on any given day.

Every Muddy Sneaker student, teacher, parent, and chaperone should bring:

  • A lunch, preferably without lots of packaging since you’ll have to carry your garbage
  • Two bottles of water
  • A rain poncho or waterproof rain jacket
  • A warm jacket/sweatshirt, no matter the weather
  • Comfortable walking shoes
  • A “Field Journal Kit” – consisting of a small notebook and pen or pencil in a ziplock baggie. This Field Kit should come into the field each time a student goes on a Muddy Sneakers Learning Expedition.
  • A smile and eagerness to be outdoors all day!

Please do not bring:

  • Cell phone, iPods, or anything electronic
  • Flip flops
  • Fishing gear
  • Dogs or other pets
  • Soda
  • Gum

Suggestions from Muddy Sneakers field instructors:

Wearing clothes that dry quickly (not cotton clothing) often makes being outdoors more fun. Wind pants or synthetic “running/warm-up pants” are great.

Only bring what’s on the list of things to bring; carrying extra stuff throughout the day will make your pack heavier.