Basic Adult Education Programs
Botanical Printing (1-2 hours)
Art programs held in our straw bale art studio encourage guests to connect with the world around them
weaving creativity, science, and cultural history to create memorable and customized pieces of art. In
Botanical Printing, guests can make prints of leaves, flowers, or ferns using IslandWood’s printing
presses on high quality cardstock to create customized notecards, memory book pages, and more.
Pairs great with: Naturalist-led Hike
Fish Printing (Gyotaku) (1-1.5 hours)
Art programs held in our straw bale art studio encourage guests to connect with the world around them
weaving art, science, and cultural history to create memorable and customized pieces of art. In Fish
Printing, your instructor will guide you through the traditional Japanese art form called Gyotaku, as you
create your own print of a fish on paper or muslin fabric. Guests have a choice of using a real or rubber
fish during the project. Your team can choose to designate someone to collect the finished pieces on
fabric and take home the squares to make into a quilt. An example of a finished quilt in this style can be
found in the entryway of Ichthyology Inn.
Naturalist-Led Hikes (1.5-3 hours)
Our staff naturalists will lead your group throughout the campus focusing on exploration and discovery
of our local ecosystems. Themes for hikes might include flora and fauna, natural history, birding, or
marine biology. Hikes and topics can be customized based on interest of participants and hands-on
learning and exploration are always included! Our hikes can happen at all hours at IslandWood, from
quiet early morning bird watches to the enchanting hours of dusk. Pairs great with: Docent-led Trail
Hike “Canopy Tower” or Campfire
Nighthike (1-2 hours)
Owls, coyotes and even nocturnal flying squirrels are all wonderful possibilities as you and your group
explore our wooded trails at night led by our fearless naturalist guides. Learn how our local wildlife
adapt to and use the darkness to their advantage for survival. We have five species of owls on site and
our naturalists know some of their favorite hangouts and habits. Bring your sense of adventure! Pairs
great with: Campfire
Campfire (1-2 hours)
The best days at IslandWood often end with time to kick back and enjoy the soothing warmth of an
evening around the fire. At our covered Friendship Circle, education staff will entertain your group with
local stories, songs and skits where you’ll be encouraged to join in or share your talents too! Top off the
night with some s’mores for a magical and memorable evening together. Pairs great with: Nighthike
Relationships through Rhythm (1 hour)
Get your group together and let’s drum! Our musical staff will guide you to learn more about your team
and interpersonal relationships all through the art of drumming. Participants will learn basic hand
drumming and rhythm techniques on authentic West African djembe drums. If you’re a beginner or
feeling shy, no worries! This unique team-building element has the power to invigorate the rhythm of
your work together. Pairs great with: Teams Program or Campfire
Yoga (1-2hours)
Breathe easy and start off your retreat mornings at IslandWood with a yoga session. Whether your goal
is to energize or relax, we’ve contracted with top-notch certified yoga instructors who can customize
your session to rejuvenate you and your team. Pairs great with: Naturalist-led Hike or Sustainable
Cuisine
Sustainable Cuisine (1-2 hours)
Eat and explore full circle with our popular Sustainable Cuisine program. Taste your way through our
100% organic garden using all your senses. Turn theory into practice with our talented culinary team,
and harvest ingredients for a sustainable snack that you will prepare together. Cooking sessions may
be held in our garden, using our wood-fired cob oven (weather permitting), or in the Dining
Hall. IslandWood chefs are passionate and up to speed on the local food scene and will share details
about what’s fresh and seasonal during your visit. Our garden educators will be there to assist your
group in the harvest of your appetizer, a tour of our productive composting systems, an interactive
scavenger hunt, or a stop by the apiary to visit the beehives and sample some fresh island honey. Pairs
great with: Yoga or Naturalist-led Hike
Docent-led Programs (1-2 hours)
Our docents complete an 8-week training course to supplement their knowledge of IslandWood as
demonstrated in these programs:

Sustainable Design – a tour of the sustainable architecture features of our LEED Gold certified
campus, with a focus on either the buildings that teach or other features like our cisterns,
waste-water treatment facility, and technologies

Art Walk – view and learn about the many art installations and displays thoughtfully placed
throughout our campus

Solo Walk – a leisurely and reflective walk in the woods where guests follow a mixture of
inspiring quotations and questions that will engage all your senses

Garden Explorations – enjoy a guided walk tasting your way through our organic garden and
greenhouse
Trail Walks, themes include:
Bird Habitat – sneak a peek at IslandWood’s variety of bird habitat featuring the Bird Blind on our
Cattail Marsh, and Bog Treehouse.
Canopy Tower – explore the many layers of the forest as you visit IslandWood’s Suspension Bridge and
climb our Canopy Tower.
Forest Hike– Discover the ecology of a Pacific Northwest forest in any season as you trek our favorite
trails.
Field Structure Stories – learn about our many “outdoor classrooms” including the Suspension Bridge,
two treehouses and the Floating Classroom on Mac’s Pond.
Adult Education Programs – Dive Deeper
The following programs require a three hour place in your agenda. You won’t regret
making time for one of the most engaging
Adventure Racing: Geocaching at its best!
Using the latest GPS technology as your guide, your group will embark on a high-tech scavenger hunt
on our 255-acre campus. During this active and challenging exercise, teams will quickly learn how to
move from location to location interpreting clues and sharing strategies along the way. At each
waypoint participants will have to complete a group challenge in order to get to the next clue. Cache
boxes are hidden at points of interest throughout campus making this program an excellent way to
explore most of our beautiful wooded trails and get some exercise to boot. Make it a race between
your teams – or not, you’ll have fun no matter what!
Teams Programs
Enhance your skills of problem solving and communication between co-workers in a group setting. Our
staff uses innovative educational modules and the natural environment to engage participants at levels
beyond what is possible in a typical work environment. Participants are introduced to built and ground
elements on and off our low ropes course tucked into a beautiful wooded setting. Your group will work
through challenges and tasks designed to engage participants in reflection, self-discovery, participatory
role styles, and above all – teamwork!
Nighthike and Friendship Circle
Owls, coyotes, and nocturnal flying squirrels are all wonderful possibilities as you and your group
explore our wooded trails at night led by our fearless naturalists. Learn how our local wildlife adapt to
and use the dark to their advantage. We have five species of owls on site and our naturalists know just
where to look. Afterwards, make your way over to our Friendship Circle where you’ll have hot cocoa,
s’mores, and interactive entertainment next to a toasty bonfire. A perfect way to end your retreat with
togetherness, a sense of adventure, and fun!
Naturalist-Led Hike and Blakely Harbor History
Walk our wooded trails with one of our expert guides and explore the natural history of our forest, and
how humans have changed its landscape. We’ll focus on exploration and discovery of our local
ecosystems unraveling nature’s mysteries along the way. Hikes and topics can be customized based on
interest of participants, and hands-on learning and exploration are always included! We’ll make our
way down to Blakely Harbor where IslandWood’s freshwater streams feed the estuary. Your guides will
share tales about mill history and the small city that once stood on the sleepy shores of Bainbridge
Island. We’ll beach comb for natural and cultural artifacts before heading back to campus.
Sustainable Cuisine and Wild Edibles Walk
Take a walk on the wild side of edible leaves, fruits and roots. Our naturalists will take your group on a
hike in our forest with a sensory experience of common and nutritious botanicals. You’ll learn to
accurately identify edible and tasty berries, leaves, and even needles from native conifers. We’ll make
our way back to the garden for a tasting tour of our 100% organic kitchen garden. You’ll turn theory
into practice with our talented culinary team, and harvest ingredients for a sustainable snack that you
will prepare together. Cooking sessions may be held in our garden, using our wood-fired cob oven
(weather permitting), or in the Dining Hall. IslandWood chefs are passionate and up to speed on the
local food scene and will share details about what’s fresh and seasonal during your visit. Our garden
educators will be there to assist your group in the harvest of your appetizer, a tour of our productive
composting systems, an interactive scavenger hunt, or a stop by our apiary to observe beehives and
sample some fresh island honey.
Naturalist-Led Canopy Climb
Journey into a ravine ecosystem and wind your way through the mysterious Lower Loop trail peppered
with maidenhair ferns and wooden foot bridges. Themes for hikes might include flora and fauna,
natural history, birding, or marine biology. Your hike will be customized based on interest of
participants, and hands-on learning and exploration are always included! After traversing a Suspension
Bridge we’ll ascend the Canopy Tower for a bird’s eye view of the landscape and Mt. Rainier.
Sensory Immersion and Solo Hike
A reflective and meaningful way to begin or end a day’s work. Meander the Marsh Loop trail with a
naturalist guide, and discover a wetland growing up and changing before your very eyes. This hike is
tailored to highlight wild and wonderful textures, smells, sounds and sights of nature. Challenge
yourself to go sightless as you familiarize yourself with the forest around you and identify plants using
touch alone. Hone your listening skills and quiet your mind (and your “to-do” list) by tuning into the
music of the wild birds above you or the rustle of cattails in the marsh. Your guide will lead participants
to cozy nooks full of ancient snags where you may want to journal, sketch, or just relax. During this
gentle and reflective walk in the woods, your group will follow a mixture of inspiring quotations and
questions on notecards placed on the trail. Each card will guide you in thoughtful and experiential
practices bringing fresh perspectives and rich conversation to rejuvenate the group for the rest of your
time together.
Team Development & Meeting Facilitation
Take team building to the next level to create the foundation for a long-term high performance
team. Team development sessions explore responsibility, trust, communication, and alignment and
provide teams with the tools to effectively grow and improve in these areas. Facilitator, Maketa
Wilborn will collaborate with you to create customized, highly efficient and engaging meetings whatever your content focus. If you think your group would benefit from this specialized offering,
please contact your IslandWood Conference Coordinator for pricing and more details.