We've sent the registration link to your inbox. Parents will need that to register their child.

You can also send parents and students to THIS LINK for info all about their Outward Bound day!

CLOTHES & SHOES: We will be outdoors all day! Please encourage your students to wear appropriate clothing and athletic shoes (no sandals!). Rain-jackets are provided in case of rainy weather.

STUDENT MEDICATIONS: please monitor that students bring emergency medication with them such as epi pens, inhalers, etc…

WATER BOTTLES (If students have them)

LUNCH! We do not provide lunch, please coordinate lunch to be provided through school or have students bring lunch. If you’re planning to order lunch for delivery, please schedule it to be delivered by 11:30am.

You can send parents and students to THIS LINK for info all about their Outward Bound day!

If you're ordering lunch for your group, please have it delivered by 11:30am 

Baltimore - Based Vendors:
Classic Catering http://www.classiccatering.com/classic-go-menus/
Atwater’s https://www.atwatersfood.com/catering
Jay’s Deli http://www.jaysdeli.com/menu/
Peace of Pizza https://www.peaceapizzacatonsville.com/

Delivery Address:
Outward Bound Office
Leakin Park
1900 Eagle Drive
Baltimore, MD 21207
410-448-1721

Please be ready to receive the lunch delivery at the office!

DC-Based Vendors:

We're still working on discovering our favorite places to order from!

Through both fun and challenging activities, we work to guide groups of students to learning outcomes centered around our educational model, the Domains of Thriving.

Students will spend the day with an Outward Bound Facilitator participating in a series of group activities intentionally designed to meet pre-identified learning goals and develop SEL skills in your students.

Outward Bound staff use guided discussions to draw out learning and help students link learning back to their lives at home, school, and in their communities.

Most groups visiting our Baltimore Campus have the opportunity to climb our high ropes challenge course. We’ve designed our climbing to incorporate the entire group, so students will have the opportunity to be a climber, belayer, peer coach, etc… We ask students to step into their “challenge zone” but never force them to climb something they feel is pushing them too far into their “panic zone”.

Still have questions? Keep scrolling for more info

Nobody thrives when they’re being forced or coerced to do something they don’t want to do.

Even when these ‘things’ are good for you, an approach that gives students the power to choose will always be more successful than feeling pressure to participate because of a threatening external factor such as peers, teachers, or instructors.

You’ll see Outward Bound staff utilizing an educational practice we call “Challenge By Choice”. During physically, emotionally, or socially challenging activities, staff will often share various “levels” of challenges that students can take in that activity.

While we won’t ask students to completely opt-out of the activity, we may offer alternatives for participation. We believe this boosts self-efficacy, motivation, builds perseverance wholistically, and is a trauma-informed approach.

It’s More Than Just Saying ‘No’

Embracing the Challenge by Choice approach is more than simply allowing students to say “No” and pull out of an activity.

Honoring Challenge by Choice allows people to pull back from a challenge that may push them into their Panic Zone, and rather than pull out, invites them to find another role (hopefully within their Stretch Zone) that works for them.

For example, allowing an individual to choose not to be physically carried across the ‘peanut-butter’ pit as part of the Nitro Crossing team-building exercise because they would rather participate in the physically gentler problem-solving process. Or, instead of addressing the whole class, each student is invited to share their response to the teacher’s question with a partner or small group.

Our instructors strive to create an environment in which all students can make appropriate choices, consistent with the goals of the program.

Credit goes to Mark Collard and the Playmeo Team for helping us articulate Challenge by Choice so well.

We’re so excited to have you join your students for a day with Outward Bound! These are a few helpful ways that you can help create a meaningful day for your students!

Be Curious, Engaged, and Enthusiastic!  

If you’re engaged with each activity, following instructions, and being enthusiastic, it helps the students see it as a worthwhile thing to do. If you are disengaged, students get the opposite message.

Help Support and Refocus Students:

To figure out how to support students individually, notice how they show up during learning experiences:

• Withdrawn – invite them into a task/role
• Left out – invite them over to the group
• Acting out – help give a leadership role

Appreciate them if they change their behavior and engage in some way—everyone thrives on knowing that someone notices they are participating. If a student is being consistently disruptive to the learning of the group, take them aside or on a walk to check in.

Help Make Connections:  

Experiential Learning can look and feel different! You can help students make connections to their home/school lives by asking questions and co-investigating instead of telling students what you want them to know.

Participate strategically and mindfully in discussions:   

During whole group discussions, it’s OK to share an interesting question or an idea, but hold back from taking over the discussion, or contributing more than a couple times. Our goal is to help empower students to share their ideas and think together, so it’s important to listen more than speak!