East Bay Outdoor School

Student Information

We can’t wait to see you at the YMCA East Bay Outdoor School at Camp Arroyo. We know that you'll have a great time while you are here and we hope that you're getting excited about your visit. We have a lot of great activities in store for you so get ready for fun!!

If you're curious about what your days might be like while at Outdoor School, check out our sample daily schedule.  As you'll see, it's jam-packed with all sorts of activities. 

Throughout the each day at Outdoor School, you'll be going on lessons outside with some of your classmates in groups called Adventure Groups (or AGs, for short).  These AGs are led by our amazing instructors we call Naturalists.  If you're wondering what some of your Adventure Group lessons might be, check out these descriptions of our lessons.

After your lessons, you'll sometimes have a chance for some Recreation Time.  During this time, you get to choose between doing outside games and sports or indoor arts and crafts and board games.  There will be an Outdoor School staff person around to make sure you have a good time, but you get to organize your own activities during this time.  Some examples of Rec Time activities kids have chosen in the past include soccer, frisbee, lanyards, paper airplanes, watercolors, and giant Jenga.  If you are coming in May, June, September, or October, you may have a chance to swim; the rest of the year, it is too cold to go swimming (sorry!).

Each night, you'll be joining in our evening programs.  This is a chance to do fun activities as the sun goes down or even after.  Sometimes we lead night walks, perform skits (short, fun plays), and sing songs.  And sometimes we even do some surprise activities.  Curious?  You'll just have to come along and see what happens!

At the end of each day, you'll head to your comfortable cabins with friends from your Cabin Group.  You've probably never been in a cabin as nice as ours.  Each cabin has its own bathroom, heat and air-conditioning, and comfortable mattresses.  Each morning, you'll help clean up your cabin and have a chance to earn some cabin awards when you come to mealtime.

You also might be wondering what you might be eating while you're at Outdoor School.  We have all sorts of delicious food each day.  Some food our wonderful kitchen staff have made in the past include: spaghetti with meatballs, tacos, chicken fingers, burgers, pancakes, waffles, sandwiches, and so much more than we can list here!  If you can't eat certain items, don't worry!  We always have a few things to pick from.

There a few things that your teacher and family can do to help you get ready.  Please have your parents read the information on the Parent/Guardian Information page. Click here to check out the packing list to make sure you have everything you need on your trip.  Other than that, all you have to do is bring a bottle of water, a big appetite and a sense of adventure!!!