Sisters of the Forest and Mama Bear Circle
The Program
Sisters of the Forest is a year-long journey of nature-based communal learning and exploration for children ages 8-11 (older participants possible, please talk to us about it!) who identify as girls. It is designed to facilitate wandering and exploration of inner and outer landscapes, and to deepen our connection to ourselves, each other, and the land within the container of a community.
The core routines of this program include:
- Gathering in circles
- Sharing observations, reflections, and gratitude
- Adventuring in and around the woods, meadows, and bodies of water
- Solo sit spots
- Journaling
- Fire building
- Singing
- Crafting
- Cooking
- …and other wilderness skills!
Our activities also include a wide variety of team-building games, which require girls to flex their decision-making muscles, voice their ideas, and cultivate a plethora of leadership capacities, including awareness and sensory acuteness, self-care and care of others, quiet mind and patience, cooperation, empathy and embracing differences, puzzle solving, detecting patterns and tracking changes, and healthy assertiveness.
This structure provides an environment where girls are able to express their full selves, share their gifts and be appreciated by a group of peers, mentors, and mothers who help them develop healthy, long standing, and continually growing relationships with one another.
The Mama Bear Circle is a gathering of mothers, aunties, and grandmothers that meets from 4pm-6pm on the same day, near the drop off/pick up spot for the sister’s program. We share in the connection with the land, enjoy each other’s company, and welcome the young women and their stories back from their adventures.
Herstory: Sisters of the Forest (previously known as Women of the Forest) began in 2003. Our graduates are all over the world doing wonderful things and many of them have kept in touch with friends that they made in this program. (and will be guest mentors during the program, throughout the year!) Many alumni have written Testimonials found at the bottom of this page.
Julie and LIz are so excited to continue this Earth Arts Girls Program this year!
Mentors
Lead Mentors will be Julie Nichols Kulik and Liz Jesch. Click here to learn more about Liz and Julie.
Julie’s daughter Gillian(a Women of the Forest Graduate) and her wife Christina will be joining us again this session as mentors!
Location
We will mostly be meeting in at Earth Art’s home base at Frosty Hollow in Slaterville Springs, approximately 20 minutes East of Ithaca, NY. Detailed directions will be provided upon registration. We may occasionally meet at other locations.
2023-2024 Dates
The following Saturdays, 12pm-6pm (unless otherwise noted):
- September 16
- October 7 (3-9 pm ‘into the night’ session)
- November 4
- December 2
- January 13
- February 3
- No March session
- April 6
- May 11
- June 8 (4-10 ‘into the night’ session)
Program Fee
The package: 9 sessions
Early Bird price (before Aug 15): $500
Registrations postmarked after August 15: $550-$650 sliding scale)
Note: this program is heavily staffed to best meet the diverse needs of the girls, please support us financially as much as you are able!)
The Mama Bear program: Free if daughter is in program, otherwise $25/session.
Payment plans available, just ask.
Sign up with a sibling or a friend and each qualifies for 10% discount.
Payments made to paypal, julieinthewoods@gmail.com (friend/family) is ideal, or send check to:
Earth Arts, PO Box 596, Ithaca, NY 14851
Please go to the Registration Tab of the Earth Arts website and fill out the Registration Forms.