Outdoor School Program

Group of kids

Sunship Earth

Sunship Earth is an earth education program that was developed by The Institute for Earth Education in 1979. It was one of the first comprehensive programs that focused on educating people about the natural systems of life on earth. Kamp Kiwanis Calgary is pleased to offer Sunship Earth (SSE) as a spring and fall program. This is probably the strongest and most comprehensive environmental learning program for grade 5-6 students currently offered anywhere. This program focuses on understanding ecological principles and changing lifestyle behaviours, and articulates extremely well with the Alberta Learning Grade 5 and 6 Program of Studies.

Regular Outdoor School

Kamp Kiwanis offers the ever popular and flexible regular outdoor school program for those who are looking for this type of high quality environmental education. Regular outdoor school is offered to grades 4-9 during Sping, Fall and Winter.

Activities may include:

  • Orienteering
  • Earth education activities from Sunship Earth or environmental day trip programs
  • Shelter building
  • Animal Game
  • Journaling and sketching
  • Wetland studies
  • Earthwalks
  • Trees and forest studies
  • Half day hikes
  • Cooperative games or iniative tasks
  • Cross country skiing and snow shoeing (available seasonally)
  • Canoeing (available seasonally)

Kamp Kiwanis offers instructional programs for cross country skiing during January & February. In January 2007, Kamp Kiwanis partnered with Cross Country Canada, Foothills Nordic Ski Club, Banded Peak School, Bragg Creek, and Ralph McColl School, Airdrie, to host Beckie Scott, Olympic Champion, as part of a cross country ski tournament day that followed instructional programs with both schools. 237 students participated in the day. We were thrilled at the great success of this venture and the positive experiences gained by all involved. Instruction was provided by certified and experienced coaches from Kamp Kiwanis and Foothills Nordic Ski Club of Calgary. Snowshoes are also available. Kamp Kiwanis holds snow very well, with an average of 100 ski days each year.

  • 15 minutes from the west city limits of Calgary, students can ski on 6km of trails in the foothills, surrounded by an old growth boreal forest on modern ski equipment.
  • Your students will receive a high quality lesson delivered by qualified instructors who are passionate about cross country skiing.
  • Our equipment room includes 85 sets of skis, boots and poles in a variety of sizes.
  • Warm, clean camp buildings are available for lunch and storage.
  • 25 sets of snowshoes are also available.

Our trails are well sheltered from the warm chinook winds and direct sunlight and so even when there is no snow in Calgary there is often skiable conditions at Kamp Kiwanis.