since 2017
NATURE KIDS CONNECT
Homeschool Nature Co-Op in Utah
- WHO SHOULD JOIN -
You should join if you are an outdoor and nature loving homeschool family who live in Utah with at least one child who is 8 years-old.
You should also join if you are a family who is a little timid around nature but would like to disconnect with technology and make time to be outside more.
Through consistent regular attendance, families who return to this group year after year develop the ability to enjoy being outside no matter the weather. Because we often push ourselves outside of our comfort zones, we have in our seven years of operation done some really fun outdoor activities as a group: rock climbing, hiking trails of various skill levels, camping, roasting a pig, making tincture, making fire by friction in the snow, sliding down sand dunes, cliff jumping into a lake, catch garter snakes, geode hunting, backpacking, carving a spoon and eating with it, seeing a bald eagle up close and porcupines in trees, eat exotic delicacies from other counties, run a for-profit summer camp etc.
Let's face it, one downside to homeschooling older children is that many of their peers return to the school system. This often leaves our children with less and less friends who homeschool. At an age when social connections outside the family matter a lot, this constant fluctuation in friendships can be very jarring. This is the reason why we at Nature Kids Connect dedicate our efforts in creating a tight-knit community for families who are determined to homeschool through high school resulting in a co-op that is unlike any other.
Through regular attendance and doing activities that push our comfort zones, our children at Nature Kids Connect often make deep meaningful in-person friendships and get together outside of class to hang out. Some members have gotten together and form other interest groups such as robotics and qualified and competed at the state competition. Another benefit to requiring consistent attendance of the parents is that the adults become great friends who make time to get together outside of class and even vacation together.
If what we do sounds like something you would want to be a part of, scroll down to register and join us!
Click on the video for a quick overview about how we will run NKC this year.
OVERVIEW OF NKC 24/25
For a more detailed explanation - watch this Facebook video.
THINGS WE'VE DONE
- OUR PHILOSOPHY -
We are an educational group dedicated to connection.
We are connecting to nature, to the weather, to friends, to family, to new people.
We are a group that takes on challenges that push our comfort zones a little past where we like to be.
We play group games, we work with our hands, we explore new areas, we observe the world around us, and utilize nature to help us accomplish all of these things.
- TESTIMONIALS -
I love being a part of NKC. I've learned so much about nature. I now see more animals and notice more things about nature in every day life. My kids notice things as well. They are learning so much. It's been a lot of fun. We've built so many friendships. I love this group!
Our family loves attending NKC every week. We have loved the challenges the children had to overcome, whether it is the cold, rainy or hot weather, or the challenges they had during their lessons. They have learned to be more observant of their surroundings and more engaged with learning new things. Also, we love the connections we have made with the wonderful families that attend. We always look forward to Friday!
- OUR OFFERINGS -
These are our flagship programs.
You must enroll in at least ONE of these programs to be a part of our Nature Kids Connect community.
OWLS
Location
Provo/Orem Area
Who Can Enroll in this Class
- Families must have at least one child aged 8+.
- Enrollment limit of about 60 people (kids/adults).
Structure
- Weekly meetups on Fridays.
Tuition
- Family fee of $100/family/year
- $40/child age 5+ by 5/17/25
($15 if joining NKC in the second semester)
COYOTES
Location
Salt Lake County Area
Who Can Enroll in this Class
- Families must have at least one child aged 8+.
- Parent of the child must attend either the Coyotes with the child or the Teen Class with older siblings. If the parent is attending the Teen Class with older siblings, arrangements must be made with another parent attending the Coyotes Class to be the guardian of the child.
Structure
- Weekly meetups on Fridays from 10:30am to 2:30pm. There will be a mixture of Family Planned Activity Days, Hiking Days, and Combined Days with the Teens.
- For Family Planned Activity Days, Coyotes will have a monthly park rotation between wild parks in Salt Lake County where they'll play group games and participate in activities planned by the families in the group.
- Each family will have the opportunity to lead a core routine and an activity several times throughout the year. This cooperative style of learning will be organized under the direction of the Coyote Leaders.
- For Hiking/Wander Weeks, Coyotes will participate in a hike/wander in the same vicinity as the Teen Class.
- For Combined Days with the Teens, the Coyotes will experience various field trips that the entire family can enjoy such as going to Antelope Island, Sledding, Orienteering, Day Camping, Snowshoeing, and even an Epic Outdoor Scavenger Hunt.
Tuition
- Family fee of $100/family/year
($125 when joining after 9/6/24)
- $40/child age 4 to 10 by 5/16/25
($25 if joining NKC in the second semester)
TEEN CLASS
Location
Salt Lake County
Who Can Enroll in this Class
- Must be at least 11 years-old.
- Parents of the teen must attend either the Coyotes with younger siblings or the Teen Class with the teen.
- If the parent will be staying with younger siblings in the Coyote group, arrangements must be made ahead of time with another parent who will be attending the Teen Class to be the supervising guardian of the child who will be dropped off.
Structure
- The Teen Class will meet 31 times on Fridays at various trails or wild parks in Salt Lake County, Utah.
- There will be 15 Hiking Days, 8 Adventure Days, and 8 Combined Days with the Coyotes.
- For Hiking Days, the teen will be hiking at various trails in Salt Lake County, Utah. They will be able to see some really amazing scenery Salt Lake County has to offer in the company of friends.
- For Combined Days with the Coyotes, the teens will experience various field trips that the entire family can enjoy such as going to Antelope Island, Sledding, Orienteering, Day Camping, Snowshoeing, and even an Epic Outdoor Scavenger Hunt.
- For Adventure Days, the teens will be doing a Sunrise Hike at Mount Timpanogos, Dutch Oven Cooking with Skits, Winter Night Hike, Ice-Fishing, Going to a Hot Spring, River Rafting, Wild Flower Walk, and an Epic Grand Canyon Rim Hike.
Tuition
- Family fee of $100/family/year
($125 when joining after 9/6/24)
- $100/student age 11+ by 9/28/24 (regardless of when you join)
*Those who are moving up from Coyotes may do so the week of their birthday when they turn 11 after paying the $60 difference.
TEEN CLASS DROP-OFF OPTION
Location
Salt Lake County
Who Can Enroll in this Class
- This option of for families whose parent cannot attend Nature Kids Connect with the Coyotes or the Teen Class and is only dropping off the teenager.
- Must at least be in 7th grade.
- Only 9 out of 10 spots available.
Structure
- The Teen Class will meet 31 times on Fridays at various trails or wild parks in Salt Lake County, Utah.
- There will be 15 Hiking Days, 8 Adventure Days, and 8 Combined Days with the Coyotes.
- For Hiking Days, the teens will be hiking at various trails in Salt Lake County, Utah. They will be able to see some really amazing scenery Salt Lake County has to offer in the company of friends.
- For Combined Days with the Coyotes, the teens will experience various field trips such as going to Antelope Island, Sledding, Orienteering, Day Camping, Snowshoeing, and even an Epic Outdoor Scavenger Hunt.
- For Adventure Days, the teens will be doing a Sunrise Hike at Mount Timpanogos, Dutch Oven Cooking with Skits, Winter Night Hike, Ice-Fishing, Going to a Hot Spring, River Rafting, Wild Flower Walk, and an Epic Grand Canyon Rim Hike.
Tuition
- Family fee of $100/family/year
($125 when joining after 9/6/24)
- $600/year/student in 7th grade or up whose parent isn't attending NKC
($350 if joining NKC in the second semester)
FAMILY CAMPOUTS
Your family fee covers the cost of two family campouts. One in the Fall and one in the Summer.
Click on the video to see what kind of things we do at camp.
- OPTIONAL ADD-ONS -
You must be enrolled in one of our flagship program above before you can join any of the following optional programs.
LEADERSHIP CLASS
Location
Online
Who Can Enroll in this Class
- Must be enrolled in the Teen Class or the Teen Class Drop-Off Class.
- Must be at least 11 years-old.
- Must make it a priority to be at the online meeting every week there's class.
Structure
- Weekly meetups on Thursdays from 1pm to 2pm.
- First class is 8/22/24.
- The students will meet to decide with the help of adult mentors on the year’s theme and the activities they will do on Fridays.
- These emerging leaders will then execute the plans at the Teen Class.
- They will also help plan the Fall Campout as well as the Family Campout at the end of the year.
- Fundraising will be a part of this class. The funds raised will be used to pay for adventures that require funds beyond the $100 tuition for the Teen Class.
Tuition
- $25/year/student aged 11+ by 9/28/24.
(regardless of when you join)
ENTREPRENEURSHIP CLASS
Location
Lehi/Draper
Who Can Enroll in this Class
- Must be enrolled in the Teen Class or the Teen Class Drop-Off Class.
- Must be at least 12 years-old.
- Must make it a priority to be at the in person meeting every week there's class.
- Must fill out the Waitlist and have an interview with an Entrepreneurship Class Mentor to gauge readiness.
Structure
- Weekly meetups on Mondays from 1:30pm to 2:30pm.
- First class is 8/19/24.
- Students will meet to run the business side of Nature Kids Connect, for instance:
- Buy campsites
- Keep track of expenses
- Send Email Announcements
- Send Group Me Announcements
- Reimburse funds used
- Update Social Media pages (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Youtube)
- Update Website
- Update Members Only pages
- Create registration forms
- Create sign up forms
- Create waitlists
- Research using AI
- Connect with professionals
Tuition
- $300/year/student aged 12+ by 9/28/24.
(regardless of when you join)
- WE ARE APPROVED VENDORS -
We're approved vendors for the following institutions.
OPEN ED
(FORMERLY MY TECH HIGH)
LEADERSHIP ACADEMY OF UTAH
HARMONY EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS -
ARE WE CONSIDERED A DROP OFF IF WE HAVE KIDS IN COYOTES BUT ARE NOT ATTENDING THE TEEN GROUP OR IF YOU ONLY HAVE A TEEN WHO'S 7TH GRADE OR ORDER AND NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE COYOTES?
If you have children enrolled in both Coyotes and the Teen Class and you're attending with your children in the Coyotes or Teen Class yourself, that is NOT considered drop off. Drop off is for parents not attending Nature Kids Connect at all (Coyotes or Teen Class) and is only an option for students who are in 7th grade and up aged children.
If you only have children enrolled in the Coyotes, you must attend with them. There is not a drop off option for kids in 6th grade and under or those who only have children that are Coyotes aged (0 to 10) even if they are academically advanced and are doing 7th grade or higher level course work.
DO WE PAY A $100/FAMILY FEE FOR COYOTES PLUS A $100/FAMILY FEE FOR THE TEEN CLASS IF WE'RE SIGNING UP FOR BOTH?
No. You only pay $100/family/year one time, even if you have children in both the Coyotes and the Teen Class.
Nature Kids Connect is a non-discriminatory organization. We do not tolerate discrimination of any kind, whether it be someone’s race, religion, sexual-orientation, political beliefs, or homeschool philosophy.