My son is nearing completion of his first year of Forest Preschool through Primitive Pursuits. I can't say enough good things about this program! I rave about it to anyone who asks about it (and even those who don't ask!). The teachers are amazing. Think upbeat, fun, nurturing, encouraging...I trust them with my child in the woods, and around open fires, so you know they must be great! Britton makes every child feel like they are brightening her day just by arriving, and Zach is always child-friendly, laid-back, and even-keel. They are great at facilitating social emotional skills, building confidence, and teaching kids in the way they learn best--through movement and hands-on experience. My son had previously attended another more traditional preschool program the previous year and while I thought it was nice, he often cried when being dropped off and when people would ask if he liked school, he would say "no." I just thought that he didn't like groups or didn't like being away from home. He was also a generally shy and sometimes fearful child during this year. The transformation in him since attending Forest Preschool is astounding. His confidence has increased and he has blossomed in ways I had never anticipated. He is always eager to go to Primitive Pursuits, and reluctant to leave. He can teach me about all sorts of plants and animals. He WILL NOT stay indoors now and loves to be outside building, exploring, and observing. He is more social and at times even takes on a leadership role. His motor skills are also noticeably improved, and he can now climb, carry, pull, push, build, and navigate, while also doing so safely and with great bodily awareness. I am so glad that we are blessed to have such an amazing program here in Ithaca. I hope that this idea keeps growing and spreading and that eventually all children get a chance to experience outdoor education! read more

Primitive Pursuits is an amazing organization. The program gets people of all ages out into the woods to learn nature awareness, primitive skills, and mostly to learn about themselves and grow their confidence. We will save what we love and Primitive Pursuits teaches people to love the natural world. Primitive Pursuits meets children where they are and helps them grow. My son was part of Primitive Pursuits his entire childhood and he grew from being a kid who needed a one-to-one to participate to becoming the one-to-one for a very special little guy. The confidence, love of the natural world, ability to be himself, and grow his skills as a teacher/mentor, story-teller, and friend he gained from Primitive Pursuits has shaped his entire life and future career. The instructors are knowledgeable, skillful, and they care about each individual who participates from the 3 year olds to the 103 year olds. It's a wonderful program and anyone is lucky to become part of Primitive Pursuits. read more

After 14 years of my kids being involved with Primitive Pursuits every summer, it's time to write a review. I actually can't say enough to convey my deep appreciation of these people and their curriculum. For real. My daughter was a camper for 9 years before becoming a counselor-in-training and then a counselor and my son is at the age where he is a counselor-in-training after 9 years of being a camper. Having never spent a day in the life of a primitive pursuits camper, I can't speak from experience. But, as a mother of children who have, I can say that my kids have always come back from their days at camp so full of a solid sense of joy, vibrant aliveness from complete immersion in deeply alive nature, and happy tiredness from using their bodies and minds and curiosity with teachers who are the real deal. What more could a parent want? Thank you wonderful PP people. read more

Primitive Pursuits is a mainstay of my kids' childhood. They have been going to Primitive Pursuits, both the homeschool program and the summer camps, since they were each 5 years old (they are now 11 and 8), and I anticipate them continuing until they leave for college. It is so fun to see them come home and immediately begin to practice what they've just learned: foraging wild edibles, making homemade face paint from mud they've dug up, weaving with cattails, etc. They are exercising their growing bodies and truly stretching their wilderness skills. I happen to think that the PP staff are among the very best educators in all of Ithaca. My kids would follow them to the ends of the earth. And as a side benefit, I learn from my kids, who teach me all the things I never got a chance to learn when I was a kid. read more

My daughter attended Forest Preschool from ages three to five and now attends the Primitive Pursuits homeschool program. I can't emphasize enough how beneficial this has been for her. She has learned so much about nature (she can identify more trees than I can) and has developed various cool skills (basket weaving and archery for example), but more importantly I have seen her grow in confidence as she has spent time in the program. Additionally, the emphasis on community has helped her development of social skills as well. Too many kids spend too many hours staring at screens. Primitive Pursuits helps them connect with nature in a way that will benefit them for the rest of their lives. Highly recommended! read more

Both of my children have been fortunate enough to experience Primitive Pursuits. They've attended after school programs, schools out days, and my older son has gone on several teen weekend campouts. They have loved each and every opportunity to explore nature, learn new skills, and discover strengths they didn't know they had. Each event has been thoughtfully planned and every single star member has always been informative, welcoming and enthusiastic about sharing the outdoors with others. I'm grateful that my children (and so many other children in our community) have had these amazing experiences. read more

Both of our kids adore Primitive Pursuits. It's really fun to be out on a hike with your ten-year-old and have them tell you about an edible invasive plant, or to watch them treat their younger sibling's bee sting with a plantain poultice before you've even had a chance to react. The confidence and mud-covered joy my kids bring home from the woods is awesome. And when we go camping, they are rarely whiny or bored because they have a million games and tricks they've learned with many different Primitive Pursuits counsellors/educators. I highly recommend both after school programs and summer camp. read more

Our 12 year old son attended Primitive Pursuits Overnight Camp at Arnot Forest this summer. As a first time sleep-away camper, he struggled with homesickness. I I am impressed at the support he received from the staff and the level of communication the staff maintained with us throughout the two weeks. The staff demonstrated flexibility and a perfect balance of patience and encouragement. When your son says: "Jesse is like family to me now", you just know it went more than well! Our son developed substantial knowledge and confidence through this experience. The Primitive Pursuits team is a gem! read more

Primitive Pursuits has been an important part of my children's upbringing here in Ithaca. They haven't been in any other program that such consistently excellent counselors. It is amazing the joy and energy for creating things in the natural world that my kids come out of the program. Often when we get home they want to continue doing exactly what they were doing at camp or in after school. It has surprised me the knowledge and maturity that they display when we go on family hikes together, which it is much easier to do if they've been in Primitive Pursuits lately. read more

We've participated in PP for both my teenage son and my toddler daughter. I love how empowering the program is for kids, I love seeing my kids engaging with nature, testing their limits, getting off screens, getting dirty and having fun! They also learn about herbs and how to build shelters and campfires and other clever things. The counselors are wonderful. They are respectful, they see the kids as competent and capable, and they let them have the freedom not found in most programs. We love all the counselors. But our very favorite is Britton. read more

My eight-year-old son has attended several school vacation camps at Primitive Pursuits. These camps are a great way for kids to get outdoors and burn off energy, while at the same time learning about nature. My son comes home tired and happy. Some of the things he's done at the camp include hiking through the woods, outdoor games, campfires, searching for plants, and wood carving and crafts. My son has asthma and food allergies, and the staff has done a great job working with us to keep him safe. read more

Primitive Pursuits is the one program that both of my kids clamor for during school breaks and during the summer (and they've tried most of the programs in town!0. They have an extremely good time and have been going for years. The outdoor experience, ability to be confident in their abilities and the marvelous games that the dedicated staffers set up for the kids are really top notch; we have nothing but good things to say and consider ourselves lucky to have such a program available in our area. read more

My children have been going to Primitive Pursuits programs for years. Picture your child happy, tired and dirty and humming songs they learned while tramping through the woods. They also learn skills that help them mature in a productive way. My daughter said "Mom, you don't have to worry. If anything happens we can survive in the woods now." How cool is that for a young girl to say? She knows she can take care of herself and others, and wants to! Thanks Primitive Pursuits! read more

I attended this camp from when I was 6 until about 16 when I became a Counselor in Training. This past summer I worked as a staff member. I can't say enough good things. The staff are enthusiastic, caring and dedicated. The locations are beautiful and the culture at the camp is magical. If you are looking for a place for your kids to really sink into being outside + learning to respect the forest while having an absolute blast...this is the place. read more

My son join the Primitive pursuit after school program. He enjoy the time that have adventure in nature land, one day ,he told me a wild grass can be used for salad. That's amazing! He really like to play outside and discover the nature world. I have registered the Summer camp for my son. Wish him have a good experience of the summer! The staffs are nice . Highly recommended! read more

My daughter has been doing the after school (once a week) Primitive Pursuits program for several years now. It has been a great experience for her. This is a rare and genuine outdoor program. All of the counselors / leaders / teachers have been great. I feel very lucky that our community has such a great program. read more

my children have participated in the home school programs for years. the instructors are wonderful and my children learn more than i could ever imagine. they teach me things about the outdoors that i never knew. I have seen my kids gain confidence, make friends, and really get excited about nature. we love it read more

My son attended the Forest Preschool program for two years and loves it. The teachers are very nice and engaged, the children have plenty of free time to play. All that outdoors play has done wonders for my son physical development. My daughter attends the homeschool program and loves it. read more

I did the Wilderness Skills Basics Course for adults this past Spring and had a great experience. If you are interested in reconnecting with yourself and our natural landscape...or just want to get to know our local bioregion better, I highly recommend it! read more