Our Program
Idlewild's program takes a personal, interest-based, and research-informed approach to learning.
8:50 - 9:00
Student Drop-Off
Check-in
9:00 - 9:30
Nature Block I
Teamwork
Leadership
Emotional & Character Development
Nature-Based Mindfulness
Environmental Grounding
9:30 - 10:00
Philosophy & Discussion
Socratic Discussion
Ethics
Critical thinking
Logic
Epistemology
10:00 - 11:00
Core Academics I
Creative writing
Analytical writing
Grammar, editing, & proofreading
Language arts & storytelling
1:1 meetings
11:00 - 11:20
Nature Block II
Environmental education
Ecology & biology (student-led)
Field guide books
Immersive nature experiences
11:20 - 12:30
Core Academics II
Arithmetic fluency & speed
Mathematics
Critical thinking
1:1 Tutoring
12:30 - 1:00
Lunch
Group lunch
1:00 - 1:30
Nature Block III
Freedom in nature
Outdoor group games
Unstructured outdoor play
1:30 - 2:15
Core Academics III
Lived explorations & life skills
Science concept
Civics, history, & geography
Arts & crafts
Financial & entrepreneurial literacy
Responsible tech fluency
2:15 - 3:15
Passion Projects
cooking
photography
design
media production
fashion
event planning
coding
engineering
3:15 - 3:30
Close Out Day
Clean & restore Idlewild
Individual responsibilities
Student pick-up
8:50 - 9:00 | Student Drop-Off
Check-in
9:00 - 9:30 | Nature Block I
Teamwork
Leadership
Emotional & Character Development
Nature-Based Mindfulness
Environmental Grounding
9:30 - 10:00 | Philosophy
Socratic Discussion
Ethics
Critical thinking
Logic
Epistemology
10:00 - 11:00 | Core Academics I
Creative writing
Analytical writing
Grammar, editing, & proofreading
Language arts & storytelling
1:1 meetings
11:00 - 11:20 | Nature Block II
Environmental education
Ecology & biology (student-led)
Field guide books
Immersive nature experiences
11:20 - 12:30 | Core Academics II
Arithmetic fluency & speed
Mathematics
Critical thinking
1:1 Tutoring
12:30 - 1:00 | Lunch
Group lunch
1:00 - 1:30 | Nature Block III
Freedom in nature
Outdoor group games
Unstructured outdoor play
1:30 - 2:15 | Core Academics III
Lived explorations & life skills
Science concept
Civics, history, & geography
Arts & crafts
Financial & entrepreneurial literacy
Responsible tech fluency
2:15 - 3:15 | Passion Projects
cooking
photography
design
media production
fashion
event planning
coding
engineering
3:15 - 3:30 | Close Out Day
Clean & restore Idlewild
Individual responsibilities
Student pick-up
Academic Calendar
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Declaration of Freedom
Idlewild is a politically nonpartisan and religiously nonsectarian community that teaches students how to think—not what to think—through honest inquiry, intellectual freedom, and respectful engagement with differing perspectives.
Institutional neutrality does not mean indifference to truth, character, or conduct. Students will learn to distinguish evidence from assertion, argument from rhetoric, knowledge from confidence, and honest disagreement from manipulation or contempt.