Transported After School Outdoors (TAO) Portland, Oregon
Our Transported After School Outdoors Program (TAO) offers outdoor adventure and learning throughout the year.
After School Outdoors
Kids need to be outdoors everyday, and after school is the perfect time. Our goal is to be outdoors as often as possible while also making accommodations for the weather with engaging indoor activities. Through fall, winter, and spring our expert instructors are their mentors with our activities divided into our Four Guilds.
Rangers Guild Stealth, Archery, and Wilderness Survival
Wilders Guild Wild Plants, Gardening, and Homesteading
Mariners Guild Boating, Bartering, and Fishing
Artisans Guild Blacksmithing, Woodworking, and Role-Playing Games
See below for a list of other possible activities.
Transportation from your school
We pick your child up from school and visit local wildlands and greenspaces. We offer three transportation options.
Option 1 Base Camp 1-5 days a week - Our Base Camp locations pick-up 1-5-days a week from your school and provide the widest range of activities. Learn more about Base Camp pick-ups.
Option 2 Mobile After School Unit 1 day a week - Our Mobile After School Unit comes to and serves just your school one-day-a-week. This is for schools not on our Base Camp schedule. Learn more about Mobile After School Unit pick-ups.
Option 3 Self Transport 1-5 days a week - For students who do not attend one of the schools we pick-up at, we will always accept Self Transproted drop-offs at one of our Base Camps. Learn more about Self Transport options.
Age Groups
Rovers Ages 5-6 We separate ages 5-6 years for their own age appropiate Rovers activities.
Pathfinders Ages 7-13 Activities are a collaboration with instructors and age-appropriate groups naturally occur.
Transported After School Outdoors Program
Available Days and Time
Different days for different schools are available. Contact Us to learn more.
Program Hours School Release - 5:30pm or 6pm (depending on your school release time)
Membership
Class is offered every day Portland Public Schools is in session. It is not offered during holiday and no-school day breaks or last week of the school year.
Membership options ranging from $149-$395 a month.
Trial Day Try a day of class at any school we currently pick up from, no commitment
Monthly Membership Enjoy flexibility by registering by the month.
Yearly Membership Save on tuition and attend Trackers all school year. Yearly students also can attend Trackers "No-School Days" for no additional fees when they sign up for 5-days a week. Winter, Spring, and Summer break camps not included.
Payment Plans Payment plans are available. Contact us
Discounts & Scholarships
Multiple Days Per Week The more cost effective option is the 5-day week program.
Siblings We offer sibling discounts along with scholarship for families in need. Contact us
Register
Ages 5-6 Rovers 1-5 days a week with holiday breaks |
Ages 7-13 Pathfinders 1-5 days a week with holiday breaks |
Transportation from your school
We offer a range of local schools as pick up sites. Every instructor is trained to work with youth and chosen for their high level of safety and competency as drivers. While this is primarily a transported program, parents are also welcome to drop off their children as early as 2:30pm. See below for a list of schools where pick-up is available.
Base Camp
1-5 days a week Our Base Camp locations pick-up 5-days a week. In order to be a BC pick-up school you must be within 15-minutes of a Base Camp and have 6 students per day attend from your school. See below for a list of current schools we pick-up from. We are currently accepting students from schools withing 15-minutes of the following schools.
Base Camp Prime Trackers Scout Pit, 5040 SE Milwaukie Avenue, Portland, Oregon...
• Llewellyn Elementary School 5-days a week
• Richmond Elementary School 5-days a week
• Abernethy Elementary School 5-days a week
• Winterhaven Elementary School 5-days a week
• Glencoe Elementary School 5-days a week
• Buckman Elementary School 5-days a week
• Duniway Elementary School 3-days a week, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Additional Schools If you come from a school that is not listed, we are likely be able to arrange pick-up with 6 or more students per day registered. If you come from a school that is able to arrange transportation through their own bus system, let us know. Learn more about extending pick-up/drop-off options Contact Us
Mobile After School Unit
1-day a week Our Mobile After School Unit comes to and serves just your school one-day-a-week. This is for schools not on our Base Camp schedule. In order to have a Mobile After School Unit pick-up from your school we require 10 students to attend. Currently there is one active Mobile After School Unit in the Portland area available for Monday through Friday options.
Now accepting applications for MAU at your school! The first parents to get 10 students from their school with a year's commitment and help us rent a school classroom at a nominal fee is awarded a day of MAU. Molly, our After School Registrar will work with you to help meet all the requirements. Please contact her for assistance in getting a day of MAU for your school.
Self Transport
1-5 days a week Our Self Transportation option is for schools Trackers does not pick up from. Parents work out mutual carpools. If enough students attend we eventually add that school to the pick-up schedule for our Base Camp or Mobile Afterschool Unit programs.
Potential Guild Activities
Rangers Guild The Rangers Guild are scouts of the forest. Campers train stealth, tracking and wilderness survival skills. If you ever loved the books My Side of the Mountain or Lord of the Rings the Rangers Guild is where you want to be.
Rangers may build a shelter, learn to carve wood, safely make fire with no matches, craft simple bows or train outdoor fitness arts through fun stealth games.
Rangers are also master naturalists, they know the language and sign of all birds, beasts and plants that live in wild.
Wilders Guild Named in honor of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the Wilders Guild offers homesteading activities. Campers could make cheese from farm fresh goats milk to bring home or press apples in the cider press while dancing to fine fiddle music.
You may find a Wilder starting seedlings for planting in family gardens or even working on fiber arts projects.
They make pickles and preserves, help cook nourishing meals, weave baskets, spin, knit, use plant dyes and other natural materials for coloring fabric and sew their own clothing.
Mariners Guild The Mariners Guild trains the skills of the water and sea. Mariners may water ecology to learn about aquatic creatures. They could tie knots and even partake in artistic knot work.
Kids may even get an opportunity to help out building a canoe or other traditional skin on frame boat in the wood shop. Most importantly, the Mariners Guild goes fishing and kayaking! While they may not guarantee a catch, campers always have a good time sitting by the shore and casting. With the Mariners Guild you can always count on them to come home with a safe adventure on the water and a tall tale about the "big one that got away."
Artisans Guild The Artisans Guild encompasses a diverse range of craft and skills. They are storytellers and crafts people. Instructors trained in the dramatic arts teach theater improv games that build confidence, creativity and teamwork.
Artisans also offer incredible craft activities: from safe and successful metal working projects for younger kids to more challenging blacksmithing techniques for older students.
Every week we offer free choice woodworking projects, plus campers have the opportunity to express their own story through painting and other art media.
