SoulLight Sprouts
Nature-Based Playgroup for ages 7-11
Give your kid the gift of freedom
& exploration, in nature.
Program Overview
SoulLight Sprouts gathers kids (ages 7-11) in an intimate, outdoor group setting to play, explore, and connect with self and community - in support of their holistic well being.
Give your child the gift of friendship and belonging in a close-knit group of mentors and peers to be seen, supported, and celebrated for exactly who they are!
“As a parent, sometimes a worry pops up when my kid is at school. But when they are at SoulLight playgroup I rarely — if ever— have a worry pop up! I am sure this comes from not only my intuitive knowing that they are in good hands, but also from the dozens of pickups where I find them sporting a big smile and sharing they're feeling good!”
-Clarissa, SoulLight Playgroup Parent
Who is this for?
This program is great for kids who:
Have a sensitive nervous system, or struggle with anxiety, shyness, screen addiction, and/or boredom.
Want to form and strengthen connections with peers in a small supportive group setting.
Enjoy spending time outdoors and are excited to explore, play, forage, climb, and learn in nature.
Are not in therapy but want support, or are in therapy and want to apply what they’re learning in a group setting!
This group is NOT a good fit for kids who:
Strongly dislike (or don’t have the self-regulation skills) to participate in group conversations & activities.
Adamantly refuse to go outdoors or spend time in nature. OR struggle to follow safety rules and could not be outdoors in a safe way.
Have been diagnosed with a severe mental illness or display anti-social tendencies that preclude their participation in a group setting.
Are too busy with other extracurriculars to make the commitment show up consistently.
Program Benefits
Parents of youth enrolled in SoulLight nature-based mentorship programs consistently report their kids returning home from sessions more grounded and in better moods.
Some parents have described SoulLight programs as “life saving.”
Over the course of the school year, participation in a Soul|Light program helps kids feel more happy and socially confident, and less anxious, depressed, or isolated on their screens.
After spending time in their Soul|Light group, you may notice your kid:
Returns home from sessions smiling, excited, and/or more grounded.
Uses new communication skills to express their feelings and needs!
Recognizes plants, animals, and fungi in their backyard or schoolyard.
Asks to go hiking or to spend more time in nature…
Seems more confident, comfortable in their skin, and engaged with life!
Societal/Community Benefits:
Besides helping kids feel good, there are many societal benefits to raising children who care about nature. While many kids experience anxiety & grief related to climate change and ecological collapse, SoulLight offers concrete skills and inspiration to take action for planetary healing and to protect our watershed, food-shed, and wildlife habitat, all in community!
We protect what we love… when the land thrives, we thrive!
How it works
Group Dates & Times
Group meets Mondays after school, from 3:45-6pm.
No sessions during winter, spring break, or holidays.
Group Location(s)
Playgroup has several East Bay program locations in local parks and gardens, with occasional field trips to new places. Locations are easily accessible from participant home schools and neighborhoods.
Group Size & Mentors
Groups are small, consisting of 4-7 kids of similar age plus an adult and teen mentor, allowing for lots of individual attention and care.
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Sample Schedule
3:45pm Drop-Off*
4pm Nature Walk & Check-Ins
4:30pm Free Time & Exploration
4:45pm SEL Learning & Nature Activities
5:30pm Solo-Sit Spot (Mindfulness) & Herbal Tea
5:45pm Closing Circle & Gratitude Shares
6pm Pick-Up & Goodbye!
*Carpooling available
Program Highlights
SoulLight groups provide a safe and supportive container for young people to socialize, express their feelings, and have fun learning & spending time in nature.
Guest educators visit monthly to share skills like mycology, herbal medicine, arts and crafts, music and performing arts, embodied movement, gender play, and more!
SoulLight offers a laid-back, socially rewarding & somatically engaging setting for youth to practice social emotional learning (SEL), including mindfulness and tools for nervous system regulation.
Our curriculum is emergent and play-based, custom curated to meet the unique learning style and interests of each kid in the group.
What about Parents & Caregivers?
SoulLight parents and caregivers are encouraged to connect with one another for carpooling, community, and shared child-care.
Parent support circles meet for occasional potlucks to build community and engage with themes arising in the youth group!
Parents are allocated free 20-min check-ins with Sammy, with further coaching and support available at a sliding scale rate of $150/hr - $225/hr.
Core Values & Competencies
SoulLight’s child-based pedagogy blends social emotional learning (SEL) with place-based learning (ecology, biology, & wild skills) to meet students where they’re at.
SoulLight Values & Competencies
Care & Belonging
Confidence & Self-Worth
Empathy & Compassionate Listening
Vulnerability & Self-Expression
Mindfulness & Social Awareness
Healthy Boundaries & Non-Violent Communication
Creativity & Vision
Purpose & Pride
Celebration & Gratitude
Intimacy & Kinship (with Nature)
Earth Care & Ecosystem Advocacy
SoulLight’s Commitment to Kids:
You will feel seen, heard, & included. ✓
You will receive loving, positive regard. ✓
You will be encouraged to share your feelings & needs. ✓
You will experience a sense of freedom & sovereignty. ✓
You will learn to trust your instincts & intuition. ✓
You will be supported to explore your passions. ✓
You will learn to set boundaries that support your well-being. ✓
You will be celebrated for what sets you apart. ✓
You will know that you belong in nature, and in our community…
Program Fees
All Soul|Light programs are offered on an equity pricing, sliding scale basis, with no kid turned away for lack of funds.
Cost is for full school year, ~ 30 sessions + two free 20-min parent support calls.
Full Year Program Fee: $4,250
Partial Scholarship: $2,750 - $4,150
Abundant Scholarship: $1,850 - $2,750
Additional Scholarship: email samantha.kanofsky@gmail.com to inquire. Payment plans may be available upon request.
About your Mentor: Meet Sammy!
Sammy Kanofsky is a Bay-Area born nature lover and guide, with a passion for ecological care and youth empowerment that has been alive in her for over three decades. She is known for her warm and inclusive facilitation style and for her love of mentoring young people to feel proud of who they are, meltdowns and all!
Sammy brings over 20 years of experience working with youth in experiential education, community building, leadership development, and communication coaching with training in conflict mediation, mindfulness meditation, yoga, reiki, and motivational interviewing. She holds a BA in Environmental Analysis from Pomona College, a Certificate in Conflict Resolution from the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, and a Certificate in Ecopsychology from the Holos Institute. She has also completed a wide variety of continuing education trainings & coursework in other healing disciplines.
As a young person, Sammy struggled with anxiety and panic until she found her way to the forest, where her nervous system was able to truly relax. She takes pride in having learned how to truly love and listen to her self, the land, and other living beings. She created Soul|Light to draw from her overflowing cup and invite others to find joy, peace, and belonging in nature.
Sammy is committed to supporting the unique gifts and sensitivities in each kid, and helping kids to feel seen, cared for, and appreciated exactly as they are. Through facilitating groups in a playful and caring way, kids begin to feel confident expressing their feelings and needs, while learning to listen with care and empathy to their peers. As this small-group intimacy and trust emerges, SoulLight kids find themselves experiencing a profound sense of belonging and acceptance, thus creating the emotional safety they need to thrive.
What Parents & Participants are Saying…
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“I can’t begin to express how happy I am my daughter was a part of this program! I was brought to tears multiple times hearing her say things like, ‘I look forward to my days!’ and ‘I’m so happy!’ I see her light shining in a way I hadn't for a long time."
- Amber, SoulLight Parent
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"Sammy is an amazing mentor who has an amazing network of guest educators who teach things that young people are fascinated to learn and won't learn at school: like how to find food and medicine that might be right under your feet..."
- Taj, SoulLight Parent
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"My daughter has blossomed through Soul|Light’s programs. She’s learned how to articulate her feelings in a more open and productive way, and it has been wonderful watching her fall in love with nature, giving her an outlet for healing and curiosity about the world around her.”
- Michelle, SoulLight Parent
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"Sammy is a great listener and a great help. She's helped us create a community where we can truly be open about anything."
- Sophie, SoulLight Student
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“It's really fun out in the wild. We have snacks and caves and trees and tea! Sammy is funny and nice and cool and lets us explore."
- Clara, SoulLight Student
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"I love Sammy. Whenever I'm with her, I feel safe."
- Rickie, SoulLight Student
