Your Generous Giving Supports:

FREE Family Nature Play Classes: Monthly educator guided meet-ups for children and families to connect with each other, meet new friends, as well as explore local parks and greenspaces.
Enrichment materials: Classroom supplies for deeper hands-on experiences learning about local flora and fona and seasonal happenings like salmon migration.
Scholarships: Provide access for a child to attend one of our programs. We offer half day programs 1, 2, and 3 days per week. Provide the opportunity for MORE children to spend time in nature.

CONNECTING WITH NATURE

Barnacles & Bees provides learning opportunities supporting children and families through immersive, hands-on nature-based education. We are excited to expand our FREE community programs and support our growing nature immersion programs for early learners in Kitsap and Mason Counties.

We believe that nature makes children and families happier, healthier, and smarter. Your donation will help provide access to Barnacles & Bees programs for families and children ages 0-10 and help bring childhood back outside!

DID YOU KNOW?

The average American child spends only 8 minutes per day outside
The rise of childhood obesity and developmental disorders are at critical highs
The rise of digital media and gaming are at all-time highs - especially in the wake of COVID

Barnacles & Bees programming is designed to get children and families back outside: to play hard, be curious, build confidence, cultivate friendships, and discover their creative passions.

6x

The average Barnacles & Bees child spends 6x more time outside learning and growing with nature as their guide.

COMMUNITY & BELONGING

The magic of being outdoors has always been a cornerstone of childhood in the Pacific Northwest. If you ask any long-time resident of our region - you will often find that a forest creek a driftwood beach, or a neighborhood woodland is at the center of their memory. A childhood outdoors was freedom and friends and coming home at dinner time.

Unfortunately, for children today, these are not the memories of childhood. In today's culture, untethered access to beaches and forest creeks are being re-routed toward video games and social media. And the rise of childhood ailments like obesity, attention-deficit disorder, depression, and anxiety are leading to a culture of medicated youth. Barnacles & Bees was founded to reconnect children and families in our community to nature, with each other, and to combat what has now been dubbed "Nature-Deficit Disorder."

Our goal is to cultivate leaders and creative thinkers, playful families and connected communities. Learning through observation and immersion in nature is at the heart of our organiztion, our programs, and our values.

MISSION

To build an inclusive learning community that fosters a rich connection with nature, inspires confidence and creativity, and leads to the development of curious leaders, connected to each other and the planet that we share.

We teach that, no matter how small you are, from the tiniest barnacle to the busiest bee, you can have a meaningful and positive impact in your community.

Support Children & Families' Connecting with Nature

By Barnacles & Bees

Support Children & Families' Connecting with Nature

Support local opportunities for children & families' to spend time growing and connecting in nature.