Camp Programming
Our camp day begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, for all ages. Of course, the day is slower paced for our youngest campers and geared specifically for the needs of that age group. Structured activities are balanced with imaginative playtime and rest periods. Our oldest campers enjoy a program designed to strengthen outdoor skills, build self-esteem, and promote responsibility, leadership and environmental awareness.
What is a typical day like at The Nature Place Day Camp? Our camp day is divided into six 50-minute periods with 10 minutes of transition time in-between. We begin each day with "Morning Share", a gathering of the entire camp, after which our activity periods begin. And, wow, there are a lot of fun things to do!
One period is set aside for lunch, of course, and one period is spent at swimming (unless your group is away on a trip). The remaining periods may be enjoyed at archery, outdoor living skills, gardening, cooking, music, new games, art, nature investigations, a visit to the farm, storytelling, theater games or meeting new animal friends.
Campers also have the opportunity to choose their activity during "hobby time". Snack time is also included each day. The camp provides water and good kinds of snacks, i.e. salsa and chips, baby carrots with hummus, fresh fruit, vegetables with dip, pretzels, frozen fruit bars, sorbet, cookies and more. Campers
have the option of bringing their own lunches or participating in our hot
lunch program. We are a peanut-aware camp.
Each day is unique. And each week offers new surprises. We create a fresh schedule for every group each week in order to take advantage of special events as well as to schedule groups for activities in which they have shown special interest.
- Swim
- Earth Art
- Hiking & Camping
- Gardening
- Chickens
- Drama
- Cooking
- Games
- Music
- Nature
Swim Program
The
focus of our swim program is instructional. Our certified Water Safety
Instructors follow the American Red Cross progression of swim skills,
and we pride ourselves on helping each individual camper to acquire new
and improved skills. Our unique waterfront facility has the appearance of a natural pond but is actually fully lined, chlorinated and filtered. The
sandy beach slopes gently into the water, creating a safe and welcoming invitation for the beginning swimmer. As with everything we do at The Nature Place, our approach to our swim program is gentle and encouraging.
Earth Art
The camp's Earth Art program offers the perfect opportunity to combine the beauty and wonder of our natural world with the creativity and imagination of children. Nature is the setting and inspiration for many of our art projects. Peaceful, artful outdoor settings foster friendship and cooperation, as well as creativity. Campers are provided with the finest quality materials along with the artful guidance of an outstanding art staff. A mix of instructional and experiential activities helps campers explore various art mediums including sculpture, painting, hand-crafts and more.
Hiking Program
Adventure and fun should be a part of every child's summer. Each hike offers a bit of adventure, exercise, some challenges, plenty of rest stops, a new awareness of our environment and a chance to go places and see things most people do not experience. Our full-day hiking trips take us to places like mountain tops, Indian rock shelters, old iron mines and "hidden" ponds. All hikes are geared to the age and ability of the campers in terms of interest, mileage and terrain.
Camping Program
Our camping program begins with our youngest groups learning outdoor
living skills such as tent set-up, campfire safety and outdoor cooking. Older campers (ages 8 and up) have the opportunity to participate in overnight camping trips where they learn minimal-trace camping skills, map reading, compass use,
backpacking and canoeing. The camping program is progressive with trips becoming more challenging as campers grow older. The adventures are age-appropriate and are designed so campers complete each trip with a sense of accomplishment and a set of new outdoor skills.
Gardening Program
One way to connect with the earth and its rhythms is through gardening and we here at camp are fortunate to have available to us acres of vegetable and flower gardens - all organic! Even better than organic, they are biodynamic!! Campers plant, weed, water, harvest, eat, watch butterflies, make compost, feel the deep joy of learning the earth's cycles and working along with them.
Chickens
Campers love going to the chickens to feed and water them, gather the eggs, identify their favorites and, what they love most, hold one! We very quickly learn the difference between a rooster and a hen.
Drama Program
Our drama program does not focus on plays or other productions, but rather on theater games that encourage improvisation, creativity and imagination. Nature provides the dramatic backdrop and inspiration for skits, songs, narratives and a world of play.
Cooking Program
We learn, hands-on and taste buds-on, that healthy food can be simple to make as well as delicious. Especially if we use fresh ingredients from our gardens. We emphasize whole grains, organic choices, minimal sugar, calorie considerations, cooking outdoors as well as indoors. We love author Michael Pollan's stripped down dietary advice: "eat food, not too much, mostly plants".
Games Program
A camp without the usual sports?! Unheard of! But we are it. Sports can be healthy and good but we have chosen to be non-competitive/cooperative in the way we run our camp program.
We believe that sports skills are important and can be learned in a fun
and non-threatening way. The school year can be very competitive and stressful for many children. Summer doesn't have to be that way.
The basics of our Games Program are:
- Play hard.
- Play fair.
- Nobody gets hurt.
- Laugh a lot.
- Have fun.
- Everyone is included.
Music Program
Every day at the Nature Place begins with music and song. Nature's rhythms are identified and enjoyed throughout our camp day. Our music activity leader will bring old favorites, new songs and encourage an open ear and a sense of sonic wonder.
Nature Program
Nature, like music, is woven throughout almost all that we do. We will 'do' nature during earth art, gardening, hiking and camping, farm chores, cooking, camping and outdoor skills, drama, etc. Campers will also work with one of our naturalists on nature awareness and discovering the natural world that is always happening around us, wherever we are.
