About
WilderSkills is a youth outdoor education program where kids and teens take part in activities such as the Junior Trail Guides Summer Camp, Custom / Private Adventures, and K-12 school programs. The program includes after-school and school-day programs and trips that tie wilderness awareness and primitive living skills to an ecology and science curriculum. Participants may track a fox, navigate by the stars, breathe fire to life, make tools from only natural materials, make a friction fire kit and use it to make a coal and then a fire, and use clay to camouflage themselves.
• Ages: 5–17 years old
Founded in 2013 as a branch of California Survival School, WilderSkills focuses on developing both modern and traditional wilderness living and guiding skills for kids and teens. Programs are organized around three aspects called Ancient Skills, Wild Adventure, and Deep Connection, and cover skills ranging from fire-by-friction and traditional navigation to ancient crafts, tool-making techniques, and blending into the woods. WilderSkills offers year-round wilderness adventures for kids and teens, as well as Custom and Private Adventures that can be tailored for children, private family trips, or one-time community expo days. The program states that consistent, meaningful connection with wild outdoor spaces reduces symptoms of depression, ADHD, bullying, and obesity, and increases self-confidence, cooperation, reasoning and observation skills, and overall fitness.
WilderSkills was founded in 2013 by Dan Baird and Laura Stein. Dan Baird serves as Head Instructor and is described as one of the world’s leading back-country primitive survival experts and guides, a certified Medical Wilderness First Responder, a FEMA/DHS trained National C.E.R.T. Instructor, and a member/trainer of Law Enforcement Search and Rescue teams across California, and he has been featured for his survival expertise by National Geographic, History Channel, Forbes, Good Morning America, and others. Laura Stein is an instructor who has been studying and teaching primitive wilderness survival for more than 15 years, is experienced working with youth and families outdoors, is a Wilderness EMT, and holds degrees in Tourism & Hospitality Management and Environmental Studies from Temple University. Instructor Nicole (Nikki) Sterman previously worked as a licensed primitive skills instructor and back-country guide for the ANASAZI Foundation in the Tonto National Forest, later studied Western Herbalism at the SouthWest Institute of Healing Arts, and now works as an Herbalist in Long Beach, California, while also teaching primitive living skills for WilderSkills Outdoor Adventure programs and California Survival School.
WilderSkills describes itself as California’s #1 outdoor summer camp program for helping youth learn skills that prepare them for a lifetime of rich outdoor experiences. The program’s mission is to help kids and teens connect with the wild and become outdoor adventure capable through developing both modern and traditional wilderness living and guiding skills, and to provide youth with nature connection opportunities and outdoor skills that will last a lifetime. The program states that it helps kids and teens reconnect with the outdoors through wilderness skills and outdoor adventures and encourages balancing modern tech-life overload with nature-based activities that impact mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Parent testimonials describe children making items such as a spoon by burning out an indentation on a tree branch, learning survival techniques, and practicing skills at home. Parents report that their children enjoyed the summer camp, created camp journals, shared skills with family members, and participated in activities such as making a friction fire kit and using clay for camouflage. One parent describes WilderSkills as an extremely well run camp led by adults who believe in what they are teaching and are invested in the kids having a positive experience.
Last updated March 19, 2026.
• Ages: 5–17 years old
Founded in 2013 as a branch of California Survival School, WilderSkills focuses on developing both modern and traditional wilderness living and guiding skills for kids and teens. Programs are organized around three aspects called Ancient Skills, Wild Adventure, and Deep Connection, and cover skills ranging from fire-by-friction and traditional navigation to ancient crafts, tool-making techniques, and blending into the woods. WilderSkills offers year-round wilderness adventures for kids and teens, as well as Custom and Private Adventures that can be tailored for children, private family trips, or one-time community expo days. The program states that consistent, meaningful connection with wild outdoor spaces reduces symptoms of depression, ADHD, bullying, and obesity, and increases self-confidence, cooperation, reasoning and observation skills, and overall fitness.
WilderSkills was founded in 2013 by Dan Baird and Laura Stein. Dan Baird serves as Head Instructor and is described as one of the world’s leading back-country primitive survival experts and guides, a certified Medical Wilderness First Responder, a FEMA/DHS trained National C.E.R.T. Instructor, and a member/trainer of Law Enforcement Search and Rescue teams across California, and he has been featured for his survival expertise by National Geographic, History Channel, Forbes, Good Morning America, and others. Laura Stein is an instructor who has been studying and teaching primitive wilderness survival for more than 15 years, is experienced working with youth and families outdoors, is a Wilderness EMT, and holds degrees in Tourism & Hospitality Management and Environmental Studies from Temple University. Instructor Nicole (Nikki) Sterman previously worked as a licensed primitive skills instructor and back-country guide for the ANASAZI Foundation in the Tonto National Forest, later studied Western Herbalism at the SouthWest Institute of Healing Arts, and now works as an Herbalist in Long Beach, California, while also teaching primitive living skills for WilderSkills Outdoor Adventure programs and California Survival School.
WilderSkills describes itself as California’s #1 outdoor summer camp program for helping youth learn skills that prepare them for a lifetime of rich outdoor experiences. The program’s mission is to help kids and teens connect with the wild and become outdoor adventure capable through developing both modern and traditional wilderness living and guiding skills, and to provide youth with nature connection opportunities and outdoor skills that will last a lifetime. The program states that it helps kids and teens reconnect with the outdoors through wilderness skills and outdoor adventures and encourages balancing modern tech-life overload with nature-based activities that impact mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Parent testimonials describe children making items such as a spoon by burning out an indentation on a tree branch, learning survival techniques, and practicing skills at home. Parents report that their children enjoyed the summer camp, created camp journals, shared skills with family members, and participated in activities such as making a friction fire kit and using clay for camouflage. One parent describes WilderSkills as an extremely well run camp led by adults who believe in what they are teaching and are invested in the kids having a positive experience.
Last updated March 19, 2026.
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