Wild About Nature
Ages 6-8 (entering 1st grade – entering 3rd grade)
Camp Information
Fee: $385/wk ($345 for multiple children/weeks)
Schedule: 9am drop-off; 3pm pick-up (4pm pick-up option for an additional $65/child)
Group size: 12 campers, 2 counselors
Week 1: June 26 – June 30 – Ecosystem Insanity!
Spend a week exploring the diverse habitats of Camp Denison! Campers will search fields, forests, and wetlands for native animals while learning a bit more about what makes these ecosystems work. Campers will be challenged to make their own soil, catch frogs and dragonflies, and to create a terrarium based on their favorite ecosystem. Become an ecosystem expert!
Week 2: July 3 – 7 (no camp on July 4) – Common Senses
Reduced price ($320) for a 4 day week
Just like humans, wild animals are constantly using their five senses. During this week, campers will learn how animals use their senses to survive while better understanding how humans use theirs. Will you hear as well as a deer? Can you follow a trail using just your sense of smell? Find out during this exciting week of discovery!
Week 3: July 10 – 14 – Animal Homes
Just like humans, animals need a home to come back to after a long day in the woods. Some of these homes are very complex; beavers build extensive dams and lodges, birds construct sturdy nests, and several local animals create deep, winding tunnels. During this week, we will explore these unique animal homes and hopefully watch their construction! Campers will also have an opportunity to build their own homes. Will you be able to create a waterproof structure?
Week 4: July 17 – 21 – Introduction to Survival
Learning to survive in the wild takes many years of experience and the honing of skills. Take the first step on this journey by learning the basics of survival: shelter building, wild edible foraging, and fire safety. Campers will spend the week constructing a mini-village in the woods where they will explore, play games, and work on their new skills!
Week 5: July 24 – 28 – From Sun to Snakes
Did you know that all living things have a bit of the sun’s energy inside them? During this action-packed week we will work our way up a local food chain! We will start by taking a closer look at some of our native plants (and perhaps gaining energy from them by eating some tasty berries…) and then each day look for an organism higher up on the food chain, ending with one of our stealthiest predators, owls. Catching butterflies, dragonflies, toads, snakes, and salamanders will all be on the agenda!
Week 6: July 31 – August 4 – Wetland Wonders
There’s an entire world of creatures just below the surface of the water. Spend a week getting to know these underwater creatures as well as those that dwell above the waterline. We’ll study how beavers make their dams and lodges, how insects breathe underwater, get muddy catching frogs, and see if we can catch any of the fish that live in Baldpate Pond!
Week 7: August 7 – 11 – Backyard Bonanza
Backyards are packed with plants and animals, but we don’t often stop and take a closer look. This week we will learn all about the fascinating animals that make our yards home and investigate some of the edible and medicinal plants that you probably have growing in your lawn. Snakes, chipmunks, spiders, and toads will all be on the itinerary of this fun-filled week!
Week 8: August 14 – 18 – Predator vs. Prey
It’s a bird eat bug world out there. But, what if that bug doesn’t want to be dinner for that bird? How might it protect itself? And doesn’t that bird need to be on the lookout for hungry hawks? During this week we will delve into the world of predator/prey relationships and what adaptations animals have that either enhance their ability to find food or protect them from becoming food.
Cancellation policy: If a week or weeks of camp need to be cancelled due to COVID-19, all camp families will receive a full refund.
All payments are fully refundable prior to May 1 (less deposit). After May 1, a refund is only available if we can fill your camper’s spot off our wait list.