Katahdin Cubs After School Program
Katahdin Cubs After School Program is our outdoor, nature-based aftercare hosted at Katahdin Elementary School. The program utilizes the beautiful outdoor spaces behind Katahdin Elementary School to enhance and deepen learning for a group of up to 8 children varying in age between 4 and 7 years old.
The woods, Cougar Path and outdoor classrooms serve as the natural setting for exploration, observation, adventuring, and learning. Children may enroll for three or four days depending on availability, which may change according to enrollment numbers and staffing. Children attend the Katahdin Cubs After School Program from 2:30 - 4:30 This is a free program to children enrolled in Katahdin Elementary School, RSU 89 and transportation is provided.
Katahdin Cubs provides children with the opportunity to learn about the natural world, while also providing daily opportunities for personal growth and development. The elementary school is used as an indoor space in case of extreme weather conditions and for rest time if needed, but most of the time is spent outdoors exploring the natural environment and various elements found in the woods. Teachers use the Reggio philosophy and allow for an emergent curriculum to evolve according to the dynamic of the group and the individual needs/interests of the children.
Children develop self-esteem by participating in activities designed to build skills like problem solving, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. Heavy physical work like climbing, dragging, swinging, etc., is encouraged, to develop core strength. The concept of age appropriate risk-taking is managed and facilitated by the teachers. Children will be encouraged to:
• Make observations and discoveries;
• Satisfy their natural curiosities;
• Hike on trails and climb on logs;
• Appreciate the beauty of nature;
• Build an understanding of themselves, as they relate to others, and to the natural world;
• Experiment;
• Construct their own knowledge through pursuing their own interests, asking questions, and expressing themselves in multiple, complex, and interrelated ways.
Through play, children make meaning out of the world around them. Katahdin Cubs is made possible through the generous support of the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation.
