Come to BEEC to explore, discover, imagine, and play!
Nature Explorers Summer Camp is for the young person who enjoys the natural world. Our goal is to foster children’s love of nature in a fun, safe, supportive, welcoming and inclusive environment. Children spend each day outdoors exploring the forests, meadows, and waters of BEEC’s 60 acres. Children return year after year, excited to visit special places such as Grandmother Tree, Mossy Rocks, and Frog Pond.
Each week is dynamic as activities are guided by the theme of the week, interests of the group, and offerings from nature. All camps include nature exploration and discovery, games inspired by the world around us, naturalist skills including sensory observation and inquiry, hands-on activities, free play, journaling, stories, craft projects, and song.
2024 Nature Explorers Summer Camp
June 24th through August 16th for ages 4 to 11
View camp information below, and REGISTER HERE
Hours:
- Camp ~ Monday to Friday: Drop off 8:45 – 9:00 am, Pick up 3:00 – 3:15 pm
- Aftercare ~ Monday to Thursday: Until 4:00 pm
Payment info:
- Sliding Scale Fees:
- Camp week: BEEC Members $325 – $450, Non-members $375 – $500
- Aftercare week: BEEC Members $30 – $55, Non-members $35 – $60
- Join as a BEEC member at the $70/year family rate to qualify for membership discounts. You can join online here, or when you make a payment.
- Please make your Nature Explorers Camp payment/s here.
- BEEC is dedicated to making our programs accessible to all. Apply for a scholarship here. If you would like to contribute to the scholarship fund, you can donate online here, or when you make a payment. Thank you!
Summer Camp info:
- Registration is by the week. See the Summer Schedule below. A camp group is for the ages listed, and other ages can join with permission.
- Each week has a theme guiding activities. See the Session Descriptions below. When both age groups have the same theme they will experience different variations; as the campers grow, the activities grow with them.
- Each week there will be two groups of children, and each group will have 2 camp instructors and 1 leader-in-training, with up to 12 children in the younger groups and 14 children in the older groups.
- Aftercare is offered each week (Mon-Thu) for one group of 12, mixed aged children.
- If a camp group fills, the Summer Schedule below will be updated to state “waitlist” next to a full group. You are welcome to sign up for the waitlist as changes do happen.
- Camp is mostly outdoors, with the support of outdoor shelters and indoor classrooms.
- Wondering what to bring to camp? View the Summer Camp Welcome Letter here – coming soon.
- Meet the Nature Explorers Summer Camp staff team here – to be updated.
Program Policy info:
- View the Nature Explorers Family Handbook here.
- For each child attending camp, please complete an online Medical Form and Waiver here.
- So that camp can be as safe as possible for all participants, we continue to follow evolving COVID-19 protocols. We request that children and staff do a daily health screening at home prior to arrival. Please follow current CDC guidelines on keeping each other safe and healthy.
Summer Schedule:
- Jun 24: Creep, Crawl, Leap ~ ages 4-5
Amazing Animals ~ ages 6-9 - Jul 1: Flit, Flutter, Fly ~ ages 4-5
Wild Wanderings ~ ages 6-9 - Jul 8: Habitat Helpers ~ ages 8-11
Habitat Helpers ~ ages 5-7 waitlist - Jul 15: Our Dragon of the Forest ~ ages 5-7
Finding Our Way ~ ages 8-11 - Jul 22: Magical World of Nature~ ages 5-8
Magical World of Nature~ ages 5-8 - Jul 29: Bonnyvale Detectives ~ ages 8-11
Wild Wanderings ~ ages 5-7 waitlist - Aug 5 : Creative by Nature ~ ages 7-11
- Creative by Nature ~ ages 4-6 waitlist
- Aug 12: Our Side of the Mountain ~ ages 7-11
Amazing Animals ~ ages 4-6 waitlist
Session Descriptions:
- Creep, Crawl, and Leap: Blending imagination and discovery, we will discover and become creatures that creep, crawl and leap, including arthropods, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, centaurs, unicorns and more.
- Flit, Flutter, and Fly: Blending imagination and discovery, we will discover and become creatures that flit, flutter and fly, including, insects, birds, bats, fairies, dragons and more.
- Amazing Animals: Each day we will learn about a new facet of the natural world, phenomenal plants, incredible insects, beautiful birds, amazing amphibians, and mysterious mammals.
- Wild Wanderings: Each day we will visit a different habitat of Heifer Hill, to discover life in a pond, a vernal pool, the meadows, the forest, and the relationships within our local ecosystems.
- Our Dragon of the Forest: Adventures will be inspired by readings from ‘My Father’s Dragon’, a book by Ruth Stiles Gannet, as we explore the world of exotic animals and magical creatures. Together we will create games, challenges, potions, and become mystical creatures.
- Magical World of Nature: Venturing through fields and woodlands in search of nature’s mysteries, magical places, and mystical creatures, together we will find and create the magical world around us.
- Creative by Nature: Come explore nature with art, music, and theater. The forests and fields will be our canvas as we look to the landscape and its inhabitants for inspiration to be wildly creative together.
- Habitat Helpers: Exploring a closer connection to the land, we will build shelters for ourselves and homes for some of our wild neighbors. Participating in an onsite conservation project we will investigate the interrelationships between plants and animals and create habitat to help protect them for the future.
- Our Side of the Mountain: Adventures will be inspired by readings from the book ‘My Side of the Mountain’ by Jean Craighead George, as we practice sensory awareness, build natural shelters, track wildlife, listen to birds to foretell of approaching danger, and learn to identify wild edible plants. We will gain a deeper understanding of our wild neighbors and imagine ourselves living closer to the land.
- Finding Our Way: Exploring the fields and forests we will build our sense of place as we discover clues, meet the land, practice map and compass skills, and create treasure hunts and navigational mystery challenges for each other.
- Bonnyvale Detectives: Join us on a journey to find the hidden stories of life at BEEC from past to present. Those who came before us will provide inspiration for our activities and saunterings. We will discover the ancient bedrock that feeds our wild edibles of today, find clues from dwellers past, practice fire skills and build shelters, and add our own stories to the land.
Questions? Contact , 802-257-5785
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Looking back at Nature Explorers….
What fun filled summers exploring the fields, woods, pond and vernal pool of BEEC, finding the magic in nature, developing our naturalist and wilderness skills, and much more! Learn more about BEEC’s Nature Explorers Day Camps here. Find photos from the various years of summer camps here.
Nature Explorers Video