Youth Educational Programs

What is Dirt Club?

Dirt Club is an after-school program run through a partnership between 400 Trees and the Cape Ann YMCA.  Dirt Club sparks joy, curiosity, and a love of the outdoors through playful, seasonal learning rooted in the natural spaces around each school. Children explore woods, ponds, trails, and fields in safe, welcoming environments where discovery is hands-on and imagination leads the way—through art, science, and unstructured play. By building early relationships with local plants, animals, and landscapes,

Dirt Club nurtures confidence, creativity, and a lasting sense of care for the natural world, giving kids the freedom to learn from nature in every season.

Our Vision

Dirt Club exists to help children rediscover joy, wonder, and belonging in the natural world. Through play, seasonal exploration, and hands-on learning, we connect young people to their local ecology—building empathy, resilience, creativity, and a lifelong relationship with nature.

Our Mission

Dirt Club nurtures confident, curious, and resilient children by providing safe, joyful, place-based outdoor learning experiences that foster a deep connection to nature and inspire the next generation of environmental stewards. As part of the 400 Trees program through Biomimicry New England, Dirt Club is the foundational program on which youth education programming is built.

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