Important Information for Urban Ecology Classes

About the Grow site:

  • All of GROW's programs at the garden lab are entirely outdoors. It is important that students arrive prepared to engage in nature and cope with varying weather conditions. We recommend dressing in layers for early spring and fall, and dressing in light weight breathable fabrics during hot summer months.

  • Middle TN is home to an abundance of insects including ticks, chiggers, and mosquitoes. Please be sure to take appropriate precautions to protect your child from these pests. It is advisable that children wear closed-toed shoes to the garden lab to protect their feet from sharps, stinging insects, or snakes that may be hidden in grass or leaf litter inside the forest. These simple steps help to ensure your child is comfortable while at GROW and able to focus on the joy of learning in nature. 

  • The GROW project site is entirely outdoors, with no access to running water or electricity. This means that we do not have access to indoor shelter in inclement weather. In the event that a scheduled program must be cancelled, we do not conduct a ‘make-up’ class. This is, in-part, due to the fact that our project site is frequently in use by other groups (such as corporate volunteers, public school field trips, other classes) on subsequent days of the week.

  • We maintain a Port-a-Potty at the project site during the programming season for use by our students. The nearest public bathroom facility is located on the other side of Two Rivers Park near “Wave Country” and the skate park.

for parents:

  • Registration fee reserves your child's place in the class for the entire season. Each class stands alone so your child will not be "behind" if they must miss a class. 

  • Children ages 3-5 will require a parent or other guardian to attend class with them, while students ages 6 and up will have a drop-off style program. We hope that by age 6 most students will achieve the independence and confidence in nature necessary to attend class on their own but we recognize that all children develop at varying paces.

    • A note for caregivers staying with little learners: Your engaged presence during program time is essential to helping your child develop confidence, build a sense of community, and ultimately become an independent learner within the larger GROW community. We ask that you stay with your child at all times and participate in the activities at hand along with your student. Our team encourages you to give your child as much freedom as he/she can handle while remaining near enough to assist, encourage, or comfort them as needed.

  • GROW seeks to protect the privacy and safety of all learners within our community. Please be mindful with regards to taking videos or photographs during programming time.

  • Please be sure your child always brings a small, peanut-free, healthy snack and a reusable water bottle to GROW. We will provide a water bottle refill station at the garden.  Having a backpack to put these items in will make hiking much more enjoyable for your child.

  • Once your registration is complete, you will receive additional information regarding the class schedule, drop off and pick up procedures, and more.