YOUTH PROGRAMS

St. Louis is uniquely positioned at the confluence of the two largest moving bodies of water on this side of the planet. Over centuries, these Great Rivers, the Mississippi and Missouri, have served as the focal point for unparalleled historical and cultural phenomena. Big Muddy Adventures loves being a partner to you, giving your students the opportunity of a lifetime with our outdoor learning and adventure opportunities. Most children are spending less time outside than they ever have and are missing the importance of understanding the interconnectedness we have with our natural environment. 


As a remedy, we offer a wide range of hands on activities designed for K-12 students of all abilities. From day trips to overnights, we collaborate with teachers to design and implement programming to enhance what is happening in the classroom, and that aligns with school curriculum, and grade-level/course-level expectations. Our experiential learning activities fall under several major themes: social studies/history, math, science, conservation, and team building/leadership skills. 

POTENTIAL TRIPS

Multi Day Expedition

  • Combine all three GGR Program offerings through a Multi Day Adventure Trip.  Experience the total immersion effect of a multi day canoe camping trip.  Full logistical planning, basic equipment and expert guiding are offered in an all inclusive design.

Team Building and River Stewardship Trips

  • A "Trash Bash by Canoe" Trip provides the best opportunity to develop team building activities with the principles of Public Service through River Stewardship.  BMA leads day trips to islands and river banks to remove trash and explore nature.

Intro to Great Rivers Paddling

  • Hands-on safety, skills and confidence building workshops including on land and on water paddle training in the protected waters environment of St. Louis North Riverfront Park and Riverlands Ellis Bay in West Alton.

Great Rivers Experiential Learning Trips

  1. A field trip like no other!  Experiential learning via a unique full day paddling field trip. Focused on a real world understanding about the interconnectedness of nature and our lives. Science, Math, Social Studies, Art activities expertly designed and delivered by canoe on our Great Rivers.

TESTIMONIALS

“Our school has completed 4 overnight paddling trips with Big Muddy Adventures and it is always one of the most rewarding and meaningful experiences that our students have throughout the year (and our school offers a LOT of awesome opportunities for students). We find the authentic and seemingly unpredictable challenges that the trip provides to be foundational in building strong peer-peer and peer-staff bonds within our school community; in fact, the hardest trip that we experienced - lots of heat, and then lots of rain - is the one that students always look back on when recounting stories with the fondest and proudest memories of accomplishment. Our students determine many aspects of our program, including what we will do for the fall trip, and they have always selected a multi-day overnight with Big Muddy Adventures.”

  • Melissa Urspruch, Co-Head of School, Academy of Thought & Industry St. Louis (December, 2019)

“Paddling down the Mississippi River from North Riverfront Park to Mosenthein Island to the Arch was an outdoor experience our students will never forget! Big Muddy Adventures provided us with a safe, team-building opportunity that allowed our students to connect with nature in new ways. Coordination of the trip was easy and efficient due to timely and thorough communication. We hope to take another trip with Big Muddy Adventures again soon!”

  • Susan Zareh, 6th Grade Classroom Teacher, Forsyth School (December, 2020)