Children’s Program ~ “Free-Range Kids”
Toads and frogs... ranch critters and a wild flower meadow... It’s nature's playground at Siwash Lake, where children of all ages are welcome during the second half of June, and throughout July and August.When arranged in advance, guests’ little ones can enjoy our complimentary children’s program while parents are out riding the range or just catching up on some much needed rest and relaxation. Children ages four through twelve can participate in our daily “Free-Range Kids” program, which revolves quite simply around life on a ranch.
The program offers a mixture of fascinating free play and educational content, designed to build self-esteem and open young minds in a journey that will bring them close to nature.
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Our children’s counsellor will carefully watch over guests’ younger ones who will enjoy great freedom and adventure fostered by a secure, safe and friendly wilderness environment. Typical activities include: horse care; animal tracking; wilderness survival training and shelter building; orienteering; arts and crafts; scavenger hunts; nature walks; fort building; and outdoor games, depending on the weather, group dynamics, and the ages of the children involved.
A young child may begin the day by picking (and eating!) strawberries in the ranch vegetable garden, followed by a lesson in horse care and ride around the home meadow. A scavenger hunt or outdoor game like capture the flag might also be on the agenda. After a picnic lunch, he or she might gather natural materials like pine cones, feathers and moss, and then glue them on a horseshoe to make a ranch keepsake. And there are eggs to collect from our free-range chickens, pigs to feed, bunnies to cuddle, butterflies to chase, and a pet cow to play with. One year we raised an orphaned fawn....There is a strong horse component to our children’s program. For younger kids who are interested in learning about horses we offer horse care lessons and include pony rides in the home meadow. Children who demonstrate an ability to safely control their own horse are welcome to ride the trails with their parents. Or they can stay back at the ranch and ride the gymkhana course.
Your hosts have two children - free-range ten and twelve year-old kids who really enjoy sharing the joys of ranch living with guest children. Under the supervision of a children’s wrangler, Marshall and Jessica will help demonstrate gymkhana events to guest children aged seven through twelve, who can experience barrel racing, pole bending, keyhole racing and other gymkhana fun and excitement in the home meadow.For those children who may be uncomfortable around horses, there are plenty of other fun things to discover and learn about. The children’s program is provided between 10:00am and 4:30pm. Due to our wilderness environment, children should remain under the supervision of their parents at all other times.
Guests with babies and toddlers are welcome in the summer months, provided they bring their own nanny along or make advance arrangements for the one-on-one nanny service that’s available at the ranch. In either case, special rates are available.