The CCS Summer Bridges program is designed to prevent ‘summer slide’ and is primarily an academic curriculum. But there are things that cannot be studied in the classroom, and summer is an ideal time to introduce outdoor activities that supplement learning. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings, a group of CCS children come to Four Winds Farm to ride, hike, take art lessons, study nature, and to learn about the environment in a hands-on fashion.

The environmental activities help combat nature deficit disorder, which refers to a lack of a relationship to the environment. These children live in an urban environment, and with rare exceptions, they do not have the opportunity to experience the natural world. Our students have seen fawns, frogs and rabbits in the forest, and have visited a nearby beaver dam. They are learning how the dam is built and how the beavers create and then live in their environment. The art activities tie in to all of the experiences, and give them a chance to visually express what they are learning.

The riding program promotes responsibility, discipline and an understanding of direct consequences on outcomes. The horses and pony serve as a great motivation for children to listen to and follow directions. If they don’t ask the horse to ‘walk on’ properly, they don’t get to move. They are also learning to halt and steer, and most are beginning to post in preparation for trotting. They are all building core strength, balance, and muscle tone through a series of exercises done while riding. Its hard work, but they love it!