Davis Forest School

08/28/2026

Almost 100 of us villaged together for 4 days and 3 nights last week at our second annual Family Camp, and are still basking in the afterglow of such a beautiful community gathering.

We are grateful to the wonderful facilitators who shared their passions and craft with us, and many of us learned new skills that we’ll carry with us long after camp has ended.

Special thanks to Sycamore Sycamore for creating such incredible nourishment for us during Family Camp. He went to numerous local farms to source the ingredients for our fully organic meals, and mentored so many of us in the kitchen. Sycamore, you’ve sparked a newfound love and joy for food, especially in our teen interns, who all wanted to be in the kitchen with you.

Thank you to Kevin Kevin Hawkins for being the lead instructor, facilities person, teen intern coordinator, fire tender, family care person, and so much more. He held every job possible to make this camp run, and cared for our community in countless ways throughout the weekend.

And finally, thank you to every family who came and villaged with us. Thank you for showing up, pitching in, sharing meals, learning alongside one another, watching out for each other’s children, and helping create the kind of community we hope for at Davis Forest School.

Until next year, Family Camp. ✨🔥

08/25/2026

A little natural camouflage for you! 🌿

08/13/2026

We are so proud to be part of a thriving network of nonprofits in the greater Yolo County and Sacramento region! DFS was selected to participate in Sacramento Venture Philanthropy's Fast Pitch program, and hope to take the stage later in fall to share the story of our work! We look forward to expanding more access across the region, and connecting more children with nature and the land.

Meet the 2026 SVP Fast Pitch Cohort!

This year, 16 nonprofits from across the Sacramento region are stepping into the Fast Pitch program to strengthen their stories, expand their networks, and build momentum for the work they're leading in our community.

Over the next several months, they'll work alongside coaches, mentors, and fellow changemakers as they prepare for the Fast Pitch Showcase. It all begins at our Kickoff Party on August 26th!

Make sure you save the date for our 2026 Fast Pitch Showcase!

📅 Monday, November 9th

📍Crest Theatre - 1013 K St, Sacramento, CA 95814

08/11/2026

This autumn we are very excited to kick off our newest offering for 11-14 year olds, Swallowtail Young Naturalists. 🦋

Serving as a bridge between our Homeschool Days program and Dragonfly Teen Naturalists, Swallowtail is a supportive container for pre-teens & young teens to continue to deepen their relationship with the natural world. Through gentle mentorship in wilderness skills & outdoor competency, naturalist studies & ecological observation, journaling & more, Swallowtails are challenged to grow both in practical skills & in confidence, resilience, and community.

Enrollment is open now for our inaugural season this Fall:

🌞 Tuesdays, 9 am - 2 pm
🍁 September - December
🐸 William B. Pond in Sacramento

We look forward to welcoming our first group of Swallowtail Young Naturalists! Visit our website for more information & to register.

08/04/2026

🍂 Fall is one of the most magical times to be outside. As the air cools, leaves and acorns carpet the trails, and salmon make their remarkable journey upstream. The landscape reminds us to slow down, pay attention, and embrace change & transformation. At Davis Forest School, we believe these seasonal rhythms are some of our greatest teachers. Through 100% outdoors exploration, free play, gentle mentoring, and meaningful experiences in local wild spaces, children cultivate curiosity, confidence, resilience, and a lifelong connection to the natural world.

🌙 Fall registration for Davis Forest School is now open! From September through December, we’re excited to offer a variety of programs for a range of ages across Sacramento, Folsom Lake, Orangevale/Folsom, Lincoln/Rocklin, and Davis.

⬆️ Swipe to see our fall programs and locations. Learn more and register through the link in our bio. We look forward to another autumn exploring & connecting together outdoors. 🧡

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08/01/2026

We are very excited to share about Coyotitos, our new Spanish-immersion forest kindergarten program. 🐾

Like our regular Little Coyotes forest kinder program, Coyotitos is all outdoors, play-based, and year-round, rain or shine! 🌦️

Rather than setting aside time to “teach Spanish,” our bilingual mentors weave it naturally throughout the day as children explore, create, and imagine in nature. It’s a research-backed approach that honors the way young children learn best: through playful and meaningful experiences.

Whether your family already speaks Spanish, you hope to raise a bilingual child, or you simply want to expose your child to another language, Coyotitos looks forward to welcoming & embarking on this language journey with your little one!

Coyotitos begins this Fall! 🍂

🌿 Tuesdays & Thursdays�📍 William B. Pond, Sacramento

Registration is now open! Visit our website to learn more.

07/23/2026

✨ A midsummer check-in. ✨

Somehow, we are already halfway through our summer season.

Nine locations. Countless muddy feet. Crayfish. Cicadas. Plant dyeing and pounding. Creek explorations. Lake floats. River walks.

We hope these days are part of the stories our children tell one day. ❤️

(Thank you to Naomi, Lacey, Stephanie, Allison, Lindsay, JuliAnn, Alana, Vanessa, Jenna, Meghan, and Isadora for the pics!)

07/21/2026

We are incredibly excited to announce that registration is now open for our fourth year of Dragonfly Teen Naturalists, our annual 9-month long mentorship program for teens between the ages of 13-17.

📍 Davis, CA
🗓️ Twice monthly on Saturdays (2–7 PM)
🍂 September 2026 – May 2027 🌼

This program was created to provide teens with meaningful challenges, opportunities for deep connection with their peers & the natural world, and space to discover more about themselves along the way. 

Over the past three years, we’ve witnessed the magic that unfolds when teens are given a community that celebrates them for who they are while encouraging who they’re becoming. We’ve watched each cohort grow as confident leaders, curious naturalists, and deeply compassionate, loyal friends. And every year they leave us feeling more hopeful about the future, having witnessed the passion and the capability of these young people. 

We look forward to the journey ahead with both new & returning teens! 

Visit our website to learn more & to register. 🦋

07/16/2026

Can you guess what this is?

It’s not a mushroom. Not an egg sac. Not jelly. 👀

This is a bryozoan — a colony of thousands of tiny animals working together to filter and clean freshwater.

Zoom in and you’ll see little star-shaped individuals living side by side. It’s one of those magical discoveries that reminds us how much there is to notice when we slow down in nature.

We carefully lifted these colonies for a brief look before gently returning it to the water where we found it. Bryozoans are harmless to people, but they’re delicate, so if you come across one, observe it gently and leave it where it belongs.

Nature is full of surprises. ✨

Thank you Lindsay and Allison for sharing these pics! ❤️