Hike & Heal's Resource Hub
Helpful Links for Youth & Adults
Grab & Go Handouts
Thank you to friends & previous instructors to Camp Beginnings:
Mary Michaud, MPP, Sarah Delany, MS, OTR-L, and Megan Barrow, MS, OTR-L
Thank you to friends & previous instructors to Camp Beginnings:
Mary Michaud, MPP, Sarah Delany, MS, OTR-L, and Megan Barrow, MS, OTR-L
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A Visual Snapshot of Camp Beginnings
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Thank you to the Channel3000 news team for the footage!
Local News Coverage from "Time for Kids: Time to Talk Video Series" was used for the promo video.
Local News Coverage from "Time for Kids: Time to Talk Video Series" was used for the promo video.
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Camp Beginnings
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parent + camper testimonials
All the programming I have done with Ms. Mo has helped me develop leadership skills that carry into school and real life. I am counting the days until Hike and Heal summer programs begin, and am so grateful for all of the friendships and memories I have from past programs.
-Camper from 2017 to present | Mentor from 2018-present
Our twelve-year-old daughter came home after camp and said, "Ms. Mo is the first person IN MY LIFE to have gotten my name right on the first try." Ms. Mo truly sees the small humans who come to her - who they are, who they can be, and how to offer them a center of peace, power, and connection. It was one of our family's luckiest days when we found Mindful Beginnings, and it continues to be one of our biggest blessings that Ms. Mo has created a space into which our daughter can grow into her truest self. In our house, she is referred to as "the magical Ms. Mo."
There may be labels at school, but not here. Ms. Mo creates an inclusive, warm space in which all children thrive in community with each other and with caring adults. She offers tools for regulation...for growth...for thriving.
-Parent of a 13 year old
My daughter has struggled with anxiety since she was a preschooler. That is one reason we were drawn to the Hike and Heal programming several years ago. Joining the Hike and Heal community while in elementary school has forever changed her. Next year she will start high school and she will do so with confidence and strong leadership skills. Her time as a camper and then as a camp mentor have been invaluable. She glows and holds her chin up high each time she steps foot into the Hike and Heal spaces. Thank you Moira and the Hike and Heal team!
--Parent of a 13 year old
We can't thank you enough for such a richly wonderful week for Liam and Rumi and their fellow campers. On Monday morning when we dropped them off, and after 2 weeks of no school, things were very bumpy at home. But over the week, we have witnessed both kiddos connecting with the most peaceful, joyful, emotionally aware versions of themselves. Your camp has been a gift for our whole family.
--Parent of two 7 year olds
Part of the joy of winter, for our family, is in starting to think about our summer rhythms and routines. For Shiras, she was very clear that the one thing she wanted to do this summer was return to Camp Begin. I was glad to hear this choice, because I know Camp Begin provided her with strong social-emotional learning and practice that carried over into her life at home and school.
--Parent of a 10 year old
I just wanted to write a quick note to tell you how much Lilly enjoyed her weeks with you and your team. Also, Andrea and I HUGELY appreciate the daily summary and write up. No other Summer Camps do that, so it was a really nice touch. In any case, we are looking forward to next year already.
--Parent of a 6 year old
summer camp themes
Use the quick link buttons below to learn more about what sessions your child may attend. The dates advertised were for 2021 and will stay up to give people an idea of what is normally offered.
Camp Beginnings will be taking the year 2022 off.
Ms. Mo and her wife are expecting child #2 in May! They will be focusing on their growing family for the next 12 months.
Subscribe here to get notified when dates and registration are announced for 2023.
Ms. Mo and her wife are expecting child #2 in May! They will be focusing on their growing family for the next 12 months.
Subscribe here to get notified when dates and registration are announced for 2023.
Jedi Beginnings, Ages 4-9
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Session 1: June 28 - July 2 | 4-6 yr olds
Session 2: July 12 - 23 | 6-9 yr olds (sold out!) Session 3: July 26 - 30 | 4-6 yr olds Register for 3 weeks total to receive $100 off for the best value!
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Camp Description
Each session uses Star Wars to motivate 4K - 3rd graders to 'move up in the ranks,' mastering Yoga & mindfulness skills just like Yoda. Sensory exploration at nearby parks in the great outdoors will serve as a critical connection point between mindfulness and outdoor play. We try to be outside as long as possible - even in rain! This camp blends fun, adventure, movement, high quality education and self-expression all into one, well-rounded experience. These weeks are a must for parents looking to help their 4-9 year olds become more self-aware, able to express/understand emotions. Watch out though.... they may start reminding you to take Jedi Breaths! Good thing deep breathing is a health benefit for all of us!
Each session uses Star Wars to motivate 4K - 3rd graders to 'move up in the ranks,' mastering Yoga & mindfulness skills just like Yoda. Sensory exploration at nearby parks in the great outdoors will serve as a critical connection point between mindfulness and outdoor play. We try to be outside as long as possible - even in rain! This camp blends fun, adventure, movement, high quality education and self-expression all into one, well-rounded experience. These weeks are a must for parents looking to help their 4-9 year olds become more self-aware, able to express/understand emotions. Watch out though.... they may start reminding you to take Jedi Breaths! Good thing deep breathing is a health benefit for all of us!
Mindful Beginnings, Ages 9-14
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2021 Dates:
If your child is diagnosed with special needs, has an IEP through school or you have received a care plan from a therapist, please share it with us. It is important we have all of the information regarding your child's needs prior to camp for optimal care, and to ensure we can support their needs. This camp is a great fit for LGBTQ+ individuals! We strive to make this a welcoming experience for all 9-14 year olds! It is important parents & guardians know that this is not a 'deficit-focused' camp for therapy. Just the opposite, it is a curriculum-based program where campers are taught strategies for a more successful life. We are not doctors or therapists and will not be prescribing treatment. Simply put, it is two weeks dedicated to highlighting camper's personal strengths and talents in non-academic areas of learning. Free time is strategically built into each day to provide campers with opportunities for growth in social-emotional learning and interpersonal skills. |
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Camp Beginnings 2021 Instructors
Teachers, Mentors, Nature Lovers, Artists Mindfulness Practitioners, Yoga Instructors & SO MUCH MORE
Nicole Bieno
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Stefanie Muller
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Samantha Folger
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Moira Farrell
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what sets us apart
we breathe together every morning to find solutions
We begin and end each day with gratitude. At camps we build community by learning new breathing skills and practicing playful yoga to help focus the mind and calm the body. In every youth program we share answers to a social-emotional prompt for connection and then spend time learning about what it means to be a leader through problem solving games. Children will feel stronger, supported, more confident and creative after each community circle. We help provide strategies to deal with life's common struggles, while giving the child encouragement and recognition for their strengths.
small teacher to student ratio for quality education
Being a part of a large group can be anxiety producing. For many, it is overstimulating, which can lead to poor decision-making and behavior problems. Hike and Heal Beginnings programs are small on purpose. Big numbers impact the quality of instruction. Our teaching team cares deeply about your child's education and sees the benefits in quality teaching. Small learning pods will be used so that we can target the whole child and meet individual needs.
We begin and end each day with gratitude. At camps we build community by learning new breathing skills and practicing playful yoga to help focus the mind and calm the body. In every youth program we share answers to a social-emotional prompt for connection and then spend time learning about what it means to be a leader through problem solving games. Children will feel stronger, supported, more confident and creative after each community circle. We help provide strategies to deal with life's common struggles, while giving the child encouragement and recognition for their strengths.
small teacher to student ratio for quality education
Being a part of a large group can be anxiety producing. For many, it is overstimulating, which can lead to poor decision-making and behavior problems. Hike and Heal Beginnings programs are small on purpose. Big numbers impact the quality of instruction. Our teaching team cares deeply about your child's education and sees the benefits in quality teaching. Small learning pods will be used so that we can target the whole child and meet individual needs.
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intentional curriculum to help campers love who they are
We have developmentally designed Hike and Heal Beginnings so teaching is scaffolded, building on top of itself for advanced learning. Each week targets a specific age group, with opportunities for older campers from previous years to register as a peer mentor. Every program has three main learning components: nature, mindfulness and leadership. There's room for free play, creative expression in art and music, time to explore & wander, as well as opportunities to grow through facilitated fun. We want kids to LOVE WHO THEY ARE and be confident in their unique abilities. Questions we hope campers & mentors can answer post program: How can a deeper connection to nature ignite our passions? How can mindfulness through yoga, sensory awareness and emotional learning equip us to handle the ups and downs of life? What aspects of leadership do we currently practice, and which ones do we need to add to our toolkit? Hike & Heal Beginnings is for everyone, and we believe all children can benefit!
We utilize the 8 Shields Mentoring Model, developed by Jon Young. This is a globally known teaching model to help develop deep nature connection using the 8 Attributes: love and forgiveness, quiet mind/presence/creativity, inner happiness, vitality, a commitment to paying it forward, empathy/respect for nature, being truly helpful, as well as full aliveness. We use this model to develop the full summer program, each week and each day which then drives our teaching and learning.
For more information on the 8 Shields Model, go to http://8shields.org/
We have developmentally designed Hike and Heal Beginnings so teaching is scaffolded, building on top of itself for advanced learning. Each week targets a specific age group, with opportunities for older campers from previous years to register as a peer mentor. Every program has three main learning components: nature, mindfulness and leadership. There's room for free play, creative expression in art and music, time to explore & wander, as well as opportunities to grow through facilitated fun. We want kids to LOVE WHO THEY ARE and be confident in their unique abilities. Questions we hope campers & mentors can answer post program: How can a deeper connection to nature ignite our passions? How can mindfulness through yoga, sensory awareness and emotional learning equip us to handle the ups and downs of life? What aspects of leadership do we currently practice, and which ones do we need to add to our toolkit? Hike & Heal Beginnings is for everyone, and we believe all children can benefit!
We utilize the 8 Shields Mentoring Model, developed by Jon Young. This is a globally known teaching model to help develop deep nature connection using the 8 Attributes: love and forgiveness, quiet mind/presence/creativity, inner happiness, vitality, a commitment to paying it forward, empathy/respect for nature, being truly helpful, as well as full aliveness. We use this model to develop the full summer program, each week and each day which then drives our teaching and learning.
For more information on the 8 Shields Model, go to http://8shields.org/
Contact Moira to Volunteer or Inquire for Employment
Youth Instructors are certified educators in schools or clinical settings, and most, if not all, double as certified yoga teachers!
summer camp & covid-19
The Hike & Heal instructor team will be following all CDC guidelines including:
A Note to Families from the Owner:
If numbers continue to decline and risk is much lower during the time of camp, there will be opportunities to de-mask outdoors with 6ft distancing. By all means, I want your children to benefit from the heath enhancing fresh air that the Mother Nature provides whenever possible. That is why the majority of our time together at camp will be spent outside as weather permits. I will be sending out a pre-camp info packet related to Covid-19, as well as a survey to see where families are at with comfortability to de-masking outdoors.
Knowing that the transmission rate is low between children, and from children to adults is great news! Pods will consist of 10 campers, 2 mentors & 1 lead instructor. At a maximum, 13 individuals will be exposed to one another, with only one of those people being an adult. It’s important to note that those numbers are lower than most school class sizes, and that all of the adults guiding children at Hike and Heal Wellness are certified teaching professionals in public schools (how many camps can say that?!).
I will be using the knowledge gained from teaching in-person at Midvale Elementary during quarter 3 and 4 to create a safe, successful & memory-filled summer at Camp Beginnings. If you have any further questions about the Covid-19 risk mitigation plan at Camp Beginnings, please email me at info@hikeandheal.com.
Let's stay safe & have fun together!
Kind Regards,
Moira Farrell
Founder / Owner / Lead Teacher
Hike and Heal Wellness
- Regular & routine hand washing with soap & water when indoors & hand sanitizer when outdoors
- Avoiding crowds - we will be staying in small learning pods with no more than 13 people
- Social distancing 6 feet a part
- Mask wearing indoors and outdoors
- Siblings will pod together, and if you register with a family that already plays together, we will try our best to keep your kids together too. Please reach out if that's you!
A Note to Families from the Owner:
If numbers continue to decline and risk is much lower during the time of camp, there will be opportunities to de-mask outdoors with 6ft distancing. By all means, I want your children to benefit from the heath enhancing fresh air that the Mother Nature provides whenever possible. That is why the majority of our time together at camp will be spent outside as weather permits. I will be sending out a pre-camp info packet related to Covid-19, as well as a survey to see where families are at with comfortability to de-masking outdoors.
Knowing that the transmission rate is low between children, and from children to adults is great news! Pods will consist of 10 campers, 2 mentors & 1 lead instructor. At a maximum, 13 individuals will be exposed to one another, with only one of those people being an adult. It’s important to note that those numbers are lower than most school class sizes, and that all of the adults guiding children at Hike and Heal Wellness are certified teaching professionals in public schools (how many camps can say that?!).
I will be using the knowledge gained from teaching in-person at Midvale Elementary during quarter 3 and 4 to create a safe, successful & memory-filled summer at Camp Beginnings. If you have any further questions about the Covid-19 risk mitigation plan at Camp Beginnings, please email me at info@hikeandheal.com.
Let's stay safe & have fun together!
Kind Regards,
Moira Farrell
Founder / Owner / Lead Teacher
Hike and Heal Wellness
the research
The Children & Nature Network
The Children & Nature Network
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Studies find that youth benefit from learning mindfulness in terms of improved cognitive outcomes, social-emotional skills, and well being. In turn, such benefits may lead to long-term improvements in life. For example, social skills in kindergarten predict improved education, employment, crime, substance abuse and mental health outcomes in adulthood.
-from Mindful Schools Organization
Research shows that children’s social, psychological, academic and physical health is positively impacted when they have daily contact with nature. Positive impacts include the following: 1) supporting creativity & problem solving, 2) enhancing cognitive abilities, 3) improving academic performance, 4) reducing symptoms of ADD/ADHD 5) increasing physical activity, 6) improving nutrition, 7) improving eyesight, 8) improving social relations, 9) improving self-discipline & 10) reducing stress
-from NC State University's College of Design
-from Mindful Schools Organization
Research shows that children’s social, psychological, academic and physical health is positively impacted when they have daily contact with nature. Positive impacts include the following: 1) supporting creativity & problem solving, 2) enhancing cognitive abilities, 3) improving academic performance, 4) reducing symptoms of ADD/ADHD 5) increasing physical activity, 6) improving nutrition, 7) improving eyesight, 8) improving social relations, 9) improving self-discipline & 10) reducing stress
-from NC State University's College of Design
