Firefly Farm and Forest is an outdoor education community rooted in the belief that children thrive when they are given time, trust, and meaningful connection to the land.
Our approach is child-led, experience-based, and grounded in extended time outdoors, where curiosity is honoured and real skills are developed through hands-on exploration. Across the diverse ecosystems of the Firefly land — including ponds, wetlands, gardens, and forest — children are encouraged to explore deeply, take appropriate risks, collaborate with others, and build confidence through authentic, lived experiences.
We are committed to fostering a sense of environmental stewardship, where children not only learn from the land, but begin to understand their role in caring for it. Through observation, play, and participation, they develop a lasting relationship with the natural world rooted in respect, responsibility, and wonder.
Firefly is an inclusive and welcoming space for all children and families. We recognize that every child engages with the world differently, and we strive to meet children where they are by removing unnecessary barriers to outdoor learning whenever possible. In doing so, we support not only academic and environmental learning, but also emotional regulation, resilience, and a deep sense of belonging within the natural world.
Our services
Firefly Farm and Forest offers outdoor education programs for children, families, and schools rooted in experiential, child-led learning. Our services include weekly outdoor programs, seasonal camps, school field trips, and on-site school programming. Across our farm and forest spaces, we provide meaningful opportunities for exploration, skill-building, and connection to the natural world.
Rooted Lyceum **NEW**
Rooted Lyceum is a small, mixed-age learning community where children grow through inquiry, creativity, meaningful work, and connection. Grounded in relationships and guided by curiosity, our days are shaped by conversation, exploration, practical skill-building, and engagement with the world around us.
Registration for September 2026 - June 2027 class opens May 11. Only 13 spaces available.
Firefly Birthday Experiences
Celebrate differently.
Firefly Birthday Experiences are hands-on, land-based celebrations filled with exploration, creativity, and connection to the natural world.
From frog catching and gem hunting to woodworking, campfires, and shelter building, our parties invite children into meaningful outdoor experiences that feel exciting, memorable, and a little wild.
We offer both on-site farm parties and Firefly Pop-Up Parties, bringing the magic of Firefly directly to your backyard or local park!
Designed for families that can't commit to a weekly program (but really want to!), Discovery Club is for children 4+ who thrive in an outdoor environment, and want to dive deep into everything Firefly has to offer. Meets the 4th Tuesday of each month. FULL!
Limited Summer Camp Spaces Still Available
There's still time to join us for an unforgettable summer at Firefly Farm & Forest! While many of our weeks are now full, we have a limited number of spaces remaining in the following camps:
July 6–10 – Best of Firefly (3 spaces)
A little bit of everything! Explore woodworking, rock hounding, campfire cooking, nature apothecary, pond exploration, and more as campers help shape each day's adventure.
August 10–14 – Tracks & Traces (3 spaces)
Become a wildlife detective by following animal tracks, identifying feathers and nests, and uncovering the hidden stories of the forest.
August 17–21 – Survival Skills (2 spaces)
Build shelters, learn knot tying, practice navigation, and develop practical outdoor skills through hands-on exploration.
August 24–28 – Camp Cookout (6 spaces)
Plan a menu, prepare meals, cook over the campfire, build a rocket stove, and finish the week with a guided foraging experience.
August 31–September 4 – Plants, Potions & Pollinators (8 spaces)
Discover native plants, pollinators, herbal creations, and the incredible connections that make our ecosystems thrive.
Camp Details:
- Ages 4–12
- Monday–Friday | 9:30 AM–3:30 PM
- Optional extended care: 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
- $299/week
- 30% sibling discount
- Small groups (never more than a 1:6 ratio)
Don't wait—our remaining spaces are filling quickly!
Field Trips & Parties
School Field Trips
Our school field trips are designed as immersive, land-based learning experiences that extend classroom concepts into real-world environments. Students engage in hands-on exploration across the diverse ecosystems of the Firefly land — including ponds, wetlands, gardens, and forest spaces — supporting curriculum connections, environmental understanding, collaboration, and self-regulation through meaningful time outdoors.
Parties & Celebrations
Firefly parties offer a relaxed, land-based way to celebrate birthdays and special occasions. Children are invited to explore, play, and create across the diverse ecosystems of the Firefly land — from gardens and open fields to wetlands and forest spaces — in a joyful, low-pressure environment that encourages connection and imagination.
NEW!! Trailblazers Summer Programming
Trailblazers
Trailblazers is a low-capacity summer drop-off program for children who thrive in smaller groups and want to explore deeply in nature. Designed as an alternative to traditional summer camp, this program offers space for curiosity, independence, and meaningful connection — without the overwhelm of large group settings.
Children spend their time wandering the forest, tracking animals, collecting natural treasures, building with raw materials, using real tools with guidance, and following curiosity wherever it leads. By returning to the same land week after week, children form strong relationships with both place and peers.
Trailblazers runs on Thursdays throughout the summer (July 9, 16, 23 & August 13, 20, 27) and is intentionally low capacity to support calm, confident exploration.
Contact us
Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions or inquiries. We are here to help!
Location
Firefly Farm and Forest
8th Sideroad Burlington
Ontario, Canada
About us
Firefly Farm and Forest is a place where children can connect with nature, learn from the land, and grow in mind and spirit. Our programs are designed to inspire a love of the outdoors and a sense of stewardship for the environment.