Schools and Youth Groups
YMCA Cedar Glen Outdoor Centre is located on 263 acres of breath taking countryside. Only 40 minutes from downtown Toronto, it is the perfect backdrop for groups to experience the outdoors! Whether you are looking for teambuilding, leadership development or some outdoor fun, we offer year-round outdoor programs. Programs are scheduled in advance and our team will work closely with you to create a customized schedule that meets the needs of your group. All our programs are delivered by a highly trained group of experienced and enthusiastic Outdoor Education staff, dedicated to making a positive experience for each participant. Some of our programs may be impacted as we help contain the spread of COVID-19. Please contact us to find out about availability.
Day & Overnight Trips
We are ready and excited to host your group for a day or overnight visit! Typically, a Day Trip runs from 9:00am until 4:00pm with all meals included but we can be flexible depending what works for your schedule. If you are looking to stay a little bit longer but are not quite ready for an overnight, we have an extended day option with a departure time of 9:00pm. An Overnight Trip is a great way to escape the city, have fun and create a lasting bond amongst your group. Whether you are looking for a quick 24hr trip or a week-long visit with plenty of outdoor programming, our team will work with you to plan a memorable experience again, with all meals included.
Trip Information
The following is information that might be helpful when considering a trip to our site:
Prior to confirming your dates at Cedar Glen, you will be asked to complete our Program Request Form. This provides you the opportunity to let us know more about your group, the goals of your visit and to select activities that you are interested in. This information will be used to create a tentative schedule that will be sent to you for review in advance for your trip. All outdoor programming, including swimming during the summer months, must be requested and booked in advance.
We are happy to offer a full schedule of day and evening programming or we can work with you to plan a schedule that includes your own programming and partial programming with YMCA Cedar Glen staff. For more information on our programs, click here.
Day Visit
9:00am | Arrival & Community Meeting |
9:15am | Program 1 |
10:45am | Program 2 |
12:30pm | Lunch |
1:15pm | Program 3 |
2:30pm | Program 4 |
4:00pm | Departure |
Overnight Visit
| Day One | |
9:00am | Arrival & Community Meeting |
9:15am | Program 1 |
10:45am | Program 2 |
12:30pm | Lunch |
1:15pm | Program 3 |
2:30pm | Program 4 |
4:30pm | Free Time & Move into Rooms |
5:30pm | Dinner |
6:15pm | Evening Program & Campfire |
8:45pm | Program Ends & CG Staff Depart |
Day Two | |
8:00am | Breakfast |
9:15am | Program 1 |
10:45am | Program 2 |
12:30pm | Lunch |
1:15pm | Program 3 |
2:30pm | Program 4 |
4:00pm | Departure |
We ask that participants come dressed for the weather and in a light rain we often continue with outdoor programming. In the event of a thunderstorm or severe weather, we have indoor meeting spaces or shelters that we can move into while the storm passes.
Our staff are always prepared with rainy day plans and indoor activities to keep participants engaged and learning.
Many programs can be adapted in order to accommodate varying participant needs with the goal of creating an inclusive experience.
For participants with mobility limitations, we can assist them by using an all-terrain vehicle to move them between activity areas. Please contact us to discuss any specific needs your participants may have.
The leadership provided by teachers and chaperones is one of the most important factors for a successful visit. Although YMCA Cedar Glen staff will be responsible for providing all program, your participants are accustomed to looking to you for guidance and support. As such, we encourage teachers and chaperones to take an active role in program, providing a positive role model for participants as they challenge themselves to try new things. Being part of the experience will also assist in transferring ideas and lessons learnt by participants back to “everyday life” outside of Cedar Glen.
We don’t have a mandatory ratio of chaperones to youth, however, for programming we will be dividing into smaller groups of approximately 15 participants per group. As we strongly encourage you to bring 1 adult for each group, we offer a discount of 1 free adult for every 10 youth/students!
Upon arriving to YMCA Cedar Glen, we ask that you check-in with us in our office, which is located just inside our Main Lodge. You will be greeted by a Cedar Glen staff member that will help get you checked in, confirm any last minute details, provide you with all necessary information and complete any outstanding paperwork. We will then direct you/your group over to your meeting space or a spot where you can store your bags for the day and you can get started with our program/your own session.
Arrival and departure times are flexible to meet your schedule, but check-in times for the overnight accommodations is 4:00pm and check-out is 9:00am unless you have arranged otherwise. This allows our housekeeping staff to clean the rooms during the day to prepare for the next group. After checking out at 9am, if departing at a later time, an indoor or covered storage area will be provided for your bags and belongings until your departure.
Once your visit has been booked and you’ve received your contract and invoice, you will be connected to an Account Holder. This Account Holder will be your main point of contact leading up to your visit, as well as when onsite. Your Account Holder will connect with you prior to your visit to confirm details about your group (numbers, dietary, special needs, etc), as well as provide you with all the necessary information to ensure you have a successful visit.
If you have any questions or concerns at any point, please do not hesitate to get in touch with your Account Holder.
Larger groups will be divided up into smaller program groups of approximately 15 participants. Each smaller group, led by a YMCA program facilitator, will rotate through the activities that are on the group’s schedule.
For overnight groups, in the evening, we often come together for large group activities such as a field games or a campfire.
Waivers are not required for each participant. However, our Booking Contract includes an acknowledgement that the group leader has:
- obtained the appropriate consent from parents or legal guardians if group members are minors.
- made group members and parents/legal guardians aware of the risks associated with outdoor or camp activities, and that by participating or allowing participation in these activities, they assume the risks associated with doing so.
- obtained the appropriate health history information of minors from their parents/guardians as needed, and that (s)he has obtained the appropriate authorizations for any emergency medical treatment.
We have a diverse staff that comes to us with backgrounds in outdoor education, teaching, camping or other youth work. All of our program staff hold their Standard First Aid certification, complete a weeklong seasonal staff training and submit a Police Background Check.
Cedarview and Glenview Lodges (Tablelands) Overnight guests stay in two lodges that have several rooms connected by a hallway. Each room has two bunk beds, accommodating up to four guests, along with a 3pc ensuite washroom. Bedrooms are booked based on four youth per room and two adults/teachers, chaperones per room. For youth groups, teachers or chaperones stay in rooms adjacent to their group to provide overnight supervision. If booked in advance, single occupancy is available for adults at an additional cost.
For more information on our Lodges, click here.
The Grove Cabins (Mid-Valley) Four cabins offer traditional cabin style accommodations for up to 72 guests. Each cabin has two rooms, each with 8 beds, and an additional room for 2 guests (perfect for chaperones or group leaders). Portable washrooms are located near the cabins and showers are available at our swimming pool change rooms which is a quick walk down a path.
For more information on our Grove Cabins, click here.
On the field in front of our Main Lodge, you will find our outdoor games area complete with sports equipment, ping pong tables and a volleyball court. The outdoor games area is available for anyone to use while they are onsite.
Adult guests are welcome to go for a hike on our trails during their free time. Please check in at our Front Desk for a trail map and more details. We ask that you stay away from designated program areas, which are strictly off limits, and groups participating in programming with our staff.
During the summer months, our swimming pools can be booked during non-peak times. Swimming must be booked in advance of your visit through your Account Holder.
Outdoor Education Programs
For groups planning a day or overnight trip to our site, we have a wide range of outdoor programs available! Facilitated by our highly trained and experienced Outdoor Educations, all equipment is provided for all participants. With a wide range of programs available seasonally or all year round, you and your group are sure to find programs that will meet your goals from teambuilding, outdoor education and of course, tons of fun!
Our multiple high and low level challenge courses provide an excellent environment for groups to work together, build trust, and develop communication in a safe setting that promotes personal growth. Through targeted games and activities your participants will be encouraged to work together to succeed! Our staff will work with your group to design a specific program that meets your desired goals and outcomes.
Through targeted games and activities participants will be pushed and challenged to work as a team and develop important new skills. Trust, communication and teamwork are common outcomes of these activities. This program is highly adaptable to target almost any characteristic of group dynamics, personal development or social inclusion.
Appropriate for all ages.
With group challenges and activities, as well as use of our low-to-the ground challenge course participants will be encouraged to work together to succeed at a series of challenges. Trust, communication and teamwork will be the focus of these activities.
Appropriate for all ages.
Currently under renovations and unavailable
The large outdoor maze at Cedar Glen is a unique team building initiative. Built with two observation towers and many dead ends, participants start with a simple walk through. They are then presented with various challenges and activities individually, in pairs or in groups.
Appropriate for all ages.
Supporting their team on the High Ropes course or Climbing Wall provides an excellent environment for groups to work together, build trust, and develop communication in a safe setting that promotes personal growth. Participants will take responsibility for one another in a very real way by belaying the climbers in teams with staff supervision. Our staff will work with your group to select appropriate elements and design a specific program that meets your desired goals and outcomes.
Appropriate for Grade 3 and up.
Our Outdoor Skills Programs offers everyone the opportunity to develop new skills, explore the property and gain confidence in a safe, and supervised wilderness experience.
Participants learn about the food chain while taking on the role of herbivores, omnivores or carnivores to simulate an ecosystem.
Appropriate for Grade 3 and up
Participants will learn to use a map for navigation, including recognition of many important aspects of a map: legend, scale, title and the compass rose. Further they will learn how to orient the map to represent their direction of travel, recognize major landmarks or terrain features. The participants will participate in a competitive challenge course using these skills, collect clues and unscramble a secret message!
Appropriate for all ages
Participants will be instructed in the basics of compass orienteering and navigation. Everything from finding magnetic north, setting and following a bearing and the ‘landmark’ and ‘leapfrog’ system will be introduced for the participants to use their new skills and explore Cedar Glen as they race other teams to complete a scavenger course.
Appropriate for all ages
In the outdoor living skills program, participants will practice their survival skills in a safe and nurturing environment. Participants will learn the essential skills necessary to starting and maintaining a safe campfire, utilizing natural materials found in Cedar Glen’s unique ecosystem. Once the fire is lit, participants will make a snack over the fire to learn about outdoor cooking and enjoy it as a reward for their hard work!
Appropriate for all ages
Participants will be instructed in safe, effective, operation of archery equipment under the supervision of a trained professional. Participants will develop an appreciation for a major technological innovation of many early cultures, as well as explore the significance of this discovery to these cultures ability to hunt, and provide food.
Appropriate for Grade 3 and up
This is a culminating activity using the outdoor living skills learned by the participants over their time at Cedar Glen Outdoor Centre. Crash in Bear Country requires that the groups combine the essential skills and materials necessary to start and maintain a safe campfire, build a livable shelter and basic orienteering, participants will explore survival skills in a whole new way!
Appropriate for Grade 3 and up
Beginning with our training course, bikers will learn the basics of maneuvering over different types of terrains, obstacles and more. Our staff will then lead the group to explore our trails and course around the property.
Appropriate for Grade 7 and up
After completing the fire building activity, cook bannock over the fire to progress skills to the next level!
Appropriate for Grade 6 and up
Our Outdoor Education programs are all designed to link specifically with the Ontario Curriculum. These programs all offer a chance to immerse your students in an outdoor classroom, with powerful kinesthetic learning adventures and authentic activities around every corner. The grades listed under each program are those with strong curriculum links for that program, but groups of any age are welcome to sign up.
Participants learn about the food chain while taking on the role of herbivores, omnivores or carnivores to simulate an ecosystem.
Appropriate for Grade 3 and up
Explore the flora and fauna of our forests, streams and trails with an experienced guide.
Appropriate for all ages
Participants will be instructed in the basics of compass orienteering and navigation. Everything from finding magnetic north, setting and following a bearing and the ‘landmark’ and ‘leapfrog’ system will be introduced for the participants to use their new skills and explore Cedar Glen as they race other teams to complete a scavenger course.
Appropriate for all ages
Edible Plants Scavenger Hunt Participants will observe and identify edible plants during a scavenger hunt exploration of Cedar Glen’s forest.
Appropriate for all ages
Read Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax in a beautiful outdoor setting and explore the environmental themes with a hike, discussion and nature games.
Appropriate for all ages
Learn about the food pyramid and the importance of a balanced ecosystem in a game that simulates the northern Ontario habitat of the grey wolf.
Appropriate for all ages
Explore the ecological health of Cold Creek through a hands-on investigation of the aquatic ecosystem.
Appropriate for Grade 6 and up
Understand the nature of heat and how it can be transferred or lost through convection, conduction and radiation.
Appropriate for Grade 3-8
An opportunity to connect with an Indigenous partner to learn about the past and present of local Indigenous communities while also focusing on the importance of education as part of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Explore Cedar Glen’s on-site wiigiiwaam and learn about its construction, Indigenous communities that lived here, YMCA reconciliation efforts and seasonal Indigenous cultural programs.
Appropriate for Grade 7 and up
Learn about the historic and contemporary relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada through an interactive indoor exercise.
Appropriate for Grade 3 and up.
Evening Programs have always been a traditional part of many people’s overnight experience. From large group games to exploring Inuit tradition, YMCA Cedar Glen Outdoor Centre has a program for you!
YMCA staff lead the group in singing songs and campfire programs and then assist in roasting marshmallows and making s'mores.
Available all year.
Book a campfire pit for your group to spend an evening around a fire. YMCA staff build the fire before hand and can provide marshmallows, roasting sticks and supplies to make s'mores.
Available all year.
Test your senses after dark, explore nocturnal life in the woods and enjoy a spectacular view of the night sky.
Available Sept - Apr.
Get away from the city lights and see the stars while learning to identify constellations and the parts of our solar system.
Available Sept - Apr and is weather dependant.
Fun, active and age appropriate games. May include one single game like Stones, Clue or Capture the Flag or a series of shorter games.
Available all year.
Enjoy a fun, active evening as a group by taking part in indoor or outdoor team competitions.
Available all year.
Test your agility and strength with traditional Inuit challenges.
Available all year.
Virtual & In-Person SHSM Workshops
Since 2011, we have been providing school all across Ontario with our Specialist High Skills Major certification workshops! Utilizing a wide range of hands on puzzles, challenges, and group work to keep students fully engaged, our experienced Outdoor Education staff can facilitate workshops on-site at Cedar Glen and in-class at schools. This year, we have expanded to virtual SHSM workshops in order to provide students the opportunity to receive their certifications from the comfort of their own home!
Virtual Workshops
We know that distance learning has made teaching more challenging and we want to help! No matter how close or far your school is from our site, now everyone can participate in our SHSM workshops. Students can still complete their SHSM certifications while engaging with peers in an interactive, fully-facilitated live online workshop, led by qualified Cedar Glen Program Facilitators. Our experienced staff will facilitate virtual sessions securely over Google Meet or Microsoft Teams.
All workshops provide a wide range of activities, puzzles, discussions and more to ensure the workshop is interactive and engaging for your students. A certificate of completion for each workshop will be provided. Our current Virtual SHSM offerings include 2 hour sessions in some of our most popular subjects, including:
In-person Workshops
Our certification workshops are tailored towards the SHSM sector that your students are completing. Each workshop includes indoor and outdoor interactive experiential learning components such as team building initiatives, challenges, puzzles and team maze which keeps students active and engaged!
Each SHSM Workshop will require 2.5-3 hours to complete. Upon completion, each student will receive a certificate for each SHSM Workshop competed. A minimum of 10 students is required for a booking.
What makes an effective leader? We’ll be defining leadership and what it means to each one of us, discussing the character traits of a good leader, and engaging in group activities online. Participants will analyze leadership experiences that they have been part of, either as a participant or a leader, and explore their strengths and weaknesses. Cooperative group challenges will require a variety of leadership skills and expose authoritative, laissez fair, and democratic leadership styles. A facilitated debrief will examine the leadership skills demonstrated and how we can all continue to build on our leadership abilities.
How can we exhibit effective communication (active listening, paraphrasing, clarifying, empathizing)? We will be diving into the causes of communication breakdown and learning about different types of verbal and non-verbal communication. The theory of effective communication will be coupled with a number of cooperative group challenges online that allow participants to exercise strong communication skills. A facilitated debrief will evaluate effective communication skills and areas for growth as discovered throughout the workshop.
Conflicts are inevitable, but how can we manage them effectively when they arise? Students will explore the causes, triggers, and appearance of conflict and how to manage it, through facilitated discussions and online activities. Students will learn about conflict resolution strategies such as the V.O.M.P. Method (Vent, Own, Moccasin/Empathy, Plan) and work through role play a number of scenarios where conflicts needs to be managed. Participants can look forward to group initiatives facilitated completely online!
High school is a prime example of a small society consisting of different groups of people, so it’s incredibly fitting that students understand how these groups come to be and exist/coexist. In this SHSM, we will discuss and investigate group dynamics by examining various theories of group development, including the five stages of Tuckman’s Theory of Group Development: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Students will explore the many factors that influence the cohesiveness and resiliency of a group. Through online scenarios, team building activities, and facilitated debriefing, students will consider the different roles that people take on in group scenarios and analyze where they tend to fit within this process.
Have you ever had a really excellent customer service experience? Is there one particularly awful one that sticks out in your mind? In this SHSM workshop, we will examine what excellent, good, and poor customer service looks and feels like through the eyes of the customer. Students will learn about customer service standards, the characteristics of a great service provider, the seven steps to selling, and barriers to service excellence. Online cooperative group challenges and role playing scenarios will challenge students to demonstrate strong communication and conflict resolution skills in order to provide service excellence to their peers. A debrief and reflection will focus on how conflicts were resolved and the role that effective communication plays in providing excellent customer service.
An in-class session will include defining leadership, discussing the character traits of a good leader, and activities that facilitate group work. Participants will deconstruct a leadership experience they have been part of, either as a participant or a leader, and analyze their strengths and weaknesses. Cooperative group challenges will require a variety of leadership skills and expose authoritative, laissez fair, and democratic leadership styles. A facilitated debrief will examine the leadership skills demonstrated.
Students will discuss and investigate group dynamics through an examination of various theories of group development. This will include the five stages of Tuckman’s Theory of Group Development: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Participants will explore a range of factors that influence the cohesiveness and resiliency of a group. Through experiential role playing, team building activities, and a facilitated debrief students will consider the different roles that people take on in group situations.
Help your students learn about and better understand their personality traits and the personalities of others. This workshop involves a variety of interactive group activities that help students to learn more about themselves.
This workshop examines the skills and strategies to help students define a problem, brainstorm and evaluate alternatives, and select the optimal solution.
Through an interactive hike students will learn how to minimize their impact on the natural environment while engaging in a variety of outdoor pursuits. Topics will include pre-trip preparation, camping policies, waste disposal, and impacts on wildlife. The hike will end with a campfire and an opportunity to cook a snack over the fire.
Facilitated discussions and experiential activities will lead students to explore the fundamentals of planning and coordinating events (e.g. phases of event planning, the 4 D’s, SWOT Analysis). Leading an event from the planning stages through to fruition and a post-event debrief requires effective leadership and communication skills which will be examined through outdoor activities. The workshop will conclude with a mock event planning scenario.
Students will discuss the basics of the travel/tourism industry and explore current issues (e.g. Risk management, eco-tourism, cultural sensitivity) through group discussions and hands-on activities. The group will then head outside for a guided tour of Cedar Glen that centres on the fundamentals of group facilitation and leadership.
Students will learn about the parts of a compass, features of a map, how to find magnetic north, and how to set and follow a bearing. Hands-on experience will be gained by navigating around a compass course on our wilderness property.
Learn about Canadian landscape artists, styles, and techniques and put this knowledge to use by capturing the rolling hills of Cedar Glen’s 263-acre property in the Oak Ridges Moraine.
Virtual Teambuilding Workshops
Visiting our beautiful site for an outdoor teambuilding experience for your group may not be an option for now but in order to still make an exciting experience possible, we at Cedar Glen have developed a new online teambuilding opportunity for your group! Utilizing a wide range of online activities, puzzles and group challenges, our experienced Outdoor Education staff can facilitate sessions for your group from the comfort of their own home!
Teambuilding is essential to both an individual and group in many ways. It aids in the understanding of oneself, the group they are a part of, strengthening their communication skills, developing confidence and also being able to connect and develop stronger relationships. With our staff at Cedar Glen, we aim to achieve all of that and more by utilizing very ‘outside-of-the-box’ challenges and activities that keep the group engaged, challenged and surprised by how much fun they could have virtually!
Some great examples of when our Teambuilding Workshops would be a great option for your group would be:
- Starting off the school year
- Finishing off a great season or school year
- A new staff team
- Mid-year session to keep energy up
- Icebreakers and getting to know each other
- And many more
From 1-1.5 hours in length for up to 15 people in a session, the workshop is completely customizable! When booking the session, our staff team will work with you to ensure the length, types of activities and challenges along with other relevant details are shared and considered when creating a one of a kind workshop for your group.
Contact Us
YMCA Cedar Glen Outdoor Centre
13300 11th Concession
Schomberg, ON
L0G 1T0
Get Directions
Outdoor Centre
Email: cedarglen@ymcagta.org
Main Office: 905-859-9622 x 0
Outdoor Centre Inquiries: 647-294-8288
Day Camp
Email: CedarGlen.DayCamp@ymcagta.org
Day Camp Registration: 647-439-6611
Day Camp (July & August): 416-508-4301
Kinder Day Camp (July & August): 416-464-6975