June 18-August 24: 2012 Nearby Nature Summer Daycamps!

What
When	Jun 18, 2012 from 09:00 AM to 04:00 PM
Where	Various Local Parks
Contact Name	Katie Bennett
Contact Phone	541-687-9699
Add event to calendar	vCal iCal

Click here for 2012 Summer Daycamp Listings and here for Summer Daycamp Registration and Scholarship Forms!

Adventure, Discovery, Art, Science!

Nearby Nature daycamps are a medley of adventure, discovery, art, and science. We hike, bike, raft, and canoe. We play games, plant gardens, and do experiments. We tell stories, create art, act, sing, and write. We emphasize respect: of ourselves, each other, and the Earth. Many camps also include special guests or neat field trips! This summer, we’ll take trips to the Science Factory Planetarium, Crux Rock Gym, the UO Bike Barn, the Cascades Raptor Center, and the Spencer Butte Challenge Course. We'll canoe in Alton Baker Park and raft the Willamette River! We’ll also enjoy visits from WREN, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Kalapuya storyteller Esther Stutzman.

Small Group Size

Nearby Nature believes that each child in its camps should get lots of personal attention. We therefore limit each camp to a maximum of twelve kids. In addition to a lead instructor, most camps have an adult volunteer or an intern as well as a teen Outdoor Leader.

Local Parks

Nearby Nature’s daycamps are all based in local parks and natural areas or at schools—Alton Baker Park, Skinner Butte Park, Oak Hill School (new this year!), and the Cascades Raptor Center. Water and bathroom facilities are available. Activities take place outdoors, rain or shine. Specific information about drop-off and pick-up points is provided in confirmation materials.

The Learnscape

Nearby Nature's site in Alton Baker Park features the Learnscape. Much more than a simple landscape, the Learnscape has outdoor classrooms, vegetable gardens, fruit trees, murals, a covered bike rack, native plant landscaping, compost bins, a Summer Veggies 2011 butterfly garden, a sandbox, a frog sculpture, and more! Children have a myriad of opportunities to enjoy and connect with the natural world right in our own backyard.

Experienced Instructors

Each lead instructor is an experienced naturalist educator and most are certified teachers. All lead instructors are certified in First Aid and CPR and have passed background checks. Resumes are available upon request. Information about our staff is also available by clicking here.

"Grace thought Dig It was the best Nearby Nature camp she's been to yet--and probably her best camp this summer. Thank you!" --Dig It camp parent

Times and Dates

Camps for 2012 start the week of June 18th and run through August 24th. Each camp is one week long and has its own unique theme. Many camps run three hours per day, 9 am-noon or 1-4 pm. We also offer all day camps that run from 9 am-4 pm! Lunch care from noon-1 pm is available for most camps, and, new this year, after camp care from 4-5 pm is available during selected weeks!

Ages

Campers are divided into five age groups: 3-4½ year olds (Minnows*), 4½-5 year olds (Dragonflies), 6-8 year olds (Tree Frogs), 8-11 year olds (Blue Herons), and 12-14 year olds (Owls). We offer many weeks with concurrent sessions for different age groups! Parents of children enrolled in Minnows camps (as well as parents of kids in higher level camps) are welcome to stay for all or part of any camp session.

*Note: Children enrolled in Minnows camps need to be potty trained.

"I am impressed with the knowledge my son comes home with--he remembers what he learned at last summer's camps too. Nearby Nature's program is very effective at conveying biological concepts in a fun manner. Good job!" -- Busy Builders camp parent

Costs

Week-long, half day camps (3 hours) cost $100 per session for members and $115 for non-members. Week-long, all day camps (7 hours) cost $195 per session for members and $230 for non-members. Owls teen camps (4 hours) cost $135 per session f

or members and $155 per session for non-members. Additional $10-$20 fees are charged for some camps with special activities.

Lunchtime care, from noon-1 pm, is available for $20 per week, or $5 per day drop in. NEW THIS YEAR BY POPULAR DEMAND! After Camp Care (4-5 pm) is available during selected weeks for $20/week. After Camp Care is available on a drop-in basis for $5 per day with advance notice. See camp descriptions for specific weeks.

Save $5 per camp if you register by April 2! A minimum non-refundable deposit of $20 per camp is required to hold your camp space when you register. Full payment is due a week in advance and can be made by check or credit card. For camp registration forms, including scholarship and membership information, click here.

Each child who enrolls in our camps will get a FREE t-shirt at his or her first camp!

Scholarships

Nearby Nature believes that all children should have access to outdoor adventures in nature nearby. Thanks to a generous grant from EWEB, scholarship assistance is available for camps that include activities focused on watershed ecology or resource conservation. Thanks to the Nearby Nature's Youth Scholarship Fund, limited assistance is available for other camps as well. To apply for a scholarship, fill out the appropriate section on our daycamp registration form.

Registration

To sign up for camps, please fill out both sides of our daycamp registration form. To join Nearby Nature and receive a camp Autzen Footbridge in the springtime -- photo by Sarah Pond discount, be sure to fill out the form’s membership section. Questions? Call 541-687-9699 or email info@nearbynature.org.

Adult and Teen Volunteers Needed

Nearby Nature volunteers are an integral part of our programs. These dedicated and fun folks come from all walks of life and have all sorts of skills and interests to share with our campers. Some of our teen Outdoor Leaders were once campers themselves! Many of our interns go on to share what they have learned from working with Nearby Nature in other communities all over the country. Our adult volunteers often work with our school nature walks program as well. If you are interested in joining us as an adult assistant, an intern, or a teen Outdoor Leader, let us know by calling 541-687-9699 or emailing info@nearbynature.org. Volunteers are needed for each camp. Training for 2012 happens on June 15 and 16. Click Outdoor Leader for a teen volunteer application. Click Internships for more information about summer internships.

"My son came home each day beaming with excitement over the activities and projects. He learned a bunch and is already talking about next year! Thanks for a fabulous learning experience." -- Butterflies to Beavers camp parent

Specific Daycamp Topics, Dates, and Times

Nearby Nature's 2012 summer daycamps begin June 18 and end August 24. Topics include everything from bugs to bikes, rivers to rocks, wheels to wings!

Remember, camps serve five different age groups: Minnows (3-4 1/2), Dragonflies (4 1/2-5), Tree Frogs (6-8), Blue Herons (8-11), and Owls (12-14).

For registration and scholarship information see our Summer Daycamp Registration Forms. If you would like to receive a copy of our printed brochure in the mail, please send us your address at info@nearbynature.org. Full camp details are posted below.

Daycamps Listed by Age

Group:

Daycamps offering After Camp Care Marked (AC).

Click here to go to Daycamps by Week.
Status on camps that are filled last updated 2-15-12.
Click here for Summer Daycamp Registration and Scholarship Forms.

CAMPS THAT ARE FULL ARE NOTED BELOW. Updated for registration as of 5-3-12. Please note that we do maintain a waiting list for camps that fill. Please call 541-687-9699 or email info@nearbynature.org to be put on a specific wait-list.

Minnows (ages 3-4½)

GROWING UP GREEN

June 18-22, 9 am-noon, Alton Baker Park: Get to know plants through games, songs, and stories in our Learnscape. Take home yummy greens from the gardens. Meet our favorite green Kinder Critter!

NATURE in a NUTSHELL

July 9-13, 9 am-noon, Alton Baker Park: Celebrate the senses in our Learnscape Gardens. Listen to singing birds, touch friendly bugs, smell colorful flowers, and watch wiggly worms. Meet a costumed Kinder Critter!

DOWN in the DIRT

July 23-27, 9 am-noon, Alton Baker Park: Investigate the hidden world below your feet. Go on a bug hunt, build sandcastles, and create with clay. Meet a friendly costumed Kinder Critter!

WIGGLERS and WADDLERS

August 13-17, 9 am-noon, Alton Baker Park: Check out what’s wiggling and waddling in and near the water. Play fun water games and tell water tales. Do the Dragonfly Dance with a costumed Kinder Critter!

HOP, SKIP, and JUMP -- CAMP FULL (please contact Nearby Nature to be put on a waiting list)

August 20-24, 9 am-noon, Alton Baker Park: Learn all about wild animals and how they go! Play animal games and sing animal songs. Make music with one of our costumed Kinder Critters!

Dragonflies (ages 4½-5)

MAGIC FOREST

June 25-29, 9 am-noon, Alton Baker Park: Explore the magical world of a green, growing forest. Tell tall tree tales and make wood gnomes from forest finds. Build fairy houses and name your favorite park tree.

EARTHKEEPING for TOTS

July 2-6 (no camp July 4), 9 am-noon, Alton Baker Park: Bake with sunlight, create recycled art, and play Poohsticks! Harvest garden goodies from the Learnscape, make tunes from trash, and catch cool creepy crawlies.

BUSY BUILDERS

July 16-20, 9 am-noon, Alton Baker Park: Learn how animals

make their homes. Check out nests, watch webs, and find beaver sticks. Learn about earth-friendly homes and build your own miniature houses using lessons learned from animals!

BUTTERFLIES to BEAVERS

July 23-27, 9 am-noon, Alton Baker Park: Go on critter patrol! Catch pond bugs, find beaver trees, make bird nests, tell animal tales, and create wildlife art. Ga

ther flowers in the Learnscape Gardens!

PUPPETS, PAINTS and PAWPRINTS

July 30-August 3, 9 am-noon, Alton Baker Park: Let your imagination go wild in the Learnscape Garden and the park! Enjoy animal face painting, footprint art, storytelling, puppet making, and nature exploring.

SUN FUN

August 13-17, 9 am-noon, Alton Baker Park: Discover how the sun helps plants grow. Make sun prints, create seed art, tell sun stories, and build homes for flower fairies and wood sprites. Harvest garden goodies!

Tree Frogs (ages 6-8)

NATURE TRAILS & TALES

June 18-22, 9 am-4 pm, Alton Baker Park: Explore off the beaten path in search of tracks and traces in Alton Baker Park! Make masks, act in a play, sing songs, and learn star stories at the Science Factory Planetarium. Create felted animal art, weave baskets, and learn nature tales from around the world. Check out mammal skulls and furs with experts from WREN! (AC)

NEW! SCALES, TAILS and SAILS

June 25-29, 9 am-noon, Alton Baker Park: Discover how aquatic critters -- from scaly salmon to flat-tailed beavers -- make waves in the water! Learn how boats float and build your own creations that sail in the water and soar on the wind!

MESS with MUD

July 2-6 (no camp July 4), 9 am-noon, Alton Baker Park: Discover the magic of mud! Mix it, model it, squish it, and shake it. Learn what’s going on in the world under your feet. Do the Rock Cycle Rap, make critters out of clay, and go on a fossil hunt.

WILD in the WATERSHED

July 9-13, 9 am-4 pm, Alton Baker Park: Stroll meadows, hike the riverside, and check out what’s wild in the water. Catch bugs, make felted critters, and experiment with watershed models. Meet a scientist from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and play Mountain Melt. Canoe the canal with Northwest Canoe Tours. *Extra fee for canoeing. See registration form. (AC)

CREEPY, CRAWLY, SLITHERY, SLIMY

July 16-20, 1-4, Alton Baker Park: Snakes and beetles and spiders, oh my! Explore ponds, look under logs, and swing nets through grass to discover all that slithers, crawls, or swims. Do bug crafts and bop to the Butterfly Glide! (AC)

NEW! THINGS with WINGS

July 23-27, 9 am-4 pm, Oak Hill School Grounds: Discover the wonder of wings as we explore the forests, meadows, and ponds outside of Oak Hill School. Learn about raptors and other birds that sail high in the sky. Harness the power of wind as we make kites and create toys that fly. *Extra fee for this camp. See registration form.

RIVER, RHYTHM, and RHYME -- CAMP FULL (please contact Nearby Nature to be put on a waiting list)

July 30-August 3, 9 am-4 pm, Alton Baker Park: Get to know your rhythm and rhyme with Rhian Pyke, the drummer from Dance Africa. Create instruments from recycled stuff, learn dance moves and drum beats, and listen to the song of the river as you canoe in the canal with Northwest Canoe Tours. *Extra fee for canoeing. See registration form. (AC)

SUN CATCHERS

August 6-10, 9 am-noon, Alton Baker Park: Discover how the sun can power an oven, move model cars, and grow plants. Collect veggies in our Learnscape and prepare a fresh feast. Help build a fort in the garden. Catch garden creepers and crawlers, learn garden songs, and make paper you can plant. Learn about beekeeping from an expert beekeeper!

RIVERS & ROCKS

August 13-17, 1-4 pm, Skinner Butte: Explore the butte, play games, and build a volcano. Learn about local pioneers and hear Esther Stutzman’s Kalapuya Indian tales. Check out Eugene’s famous rock columns and the River Play playground. Visit Crux Rock Gym for an introduction to indoor climbing! *Extra fee for rock climbing. See registration form.

NATURE DETECTIVES

August 20-24, 9 am-noon, Alton Baker Park: Unearth compost critters, go on a fossil hunt, and find camouflaged aquatic insects. Use magnifiers and microscopes to solve mysteries up close and binoculars to check out what’s happening in the distance. Go on a treasure or scavenger hunt every day!

Blue Herons (ages 8-11)

WINGED WONDERS

July 2-6 (no camp July 4), 1-4 pm, Cascade Raptor Center: Enjoy close-up encounters with hawks, vultures, and owls hosted by staff from the Cascades Raptor Center! Learn about a new bird of prey every day, create raptor art, and share raptor tales. Hike the Ridgeline Trail. *Extra fee for this camp. See registration form

NEW! LOOK OUT!

July 9-13, 1-4 pm, Alton Baker Park: It’s a wild world out there, so plants and animals have evolved the coolest ways to stay safe! Check out armored bugs, perilous plants, and camouflaged critters. Design experiments, use microscopes, and learn about plants that can help you heal. (AC)

WET and WILD

July 30-August 3, 1-4 pm, Alton Baker Park: Dive into the world of water! Learn all about salmon migration and aquatic insects. Run water experiments and create natural watercolors. Test out a model watershed and raft down the Willamette River with guides from the City of Eugene Outdoor Program! *Extra fee for rafting trip. See registration form. (AC)

DIG IT!

August 6-10, 9 am-4 pm, Alton Baker Park: Discover urban farming in Alton Baker Park! Harvest goodies in our Learnscape, cook in a solar oven, make paper, and create your own illustrated and bound recipe book. Visit a working farm, create a felted garden bug, do musical theater, and learn about beekeeping from an expert beekeeper! (AC)

ROCK, RIVER, & ROLL

August 13-17, 1-4 pm, Skinner Butte: Climb the butte and wander the riverside. Make volcanoes and learn about Oregon geology. Rock and river roll with Rhian Pyke, the drummer from Dance Africa, and listen to Esther Stutzman tell Kalapuya Indian tales. Try climbing at Crux Rock Gym! *Extra fee for climbing. See registration form.

WHEELS to WATER -- CAMP FULL (please contact Nearby Nature to be put on a waiting list)

August 20-24, 9 am-4 pm, Alton Baker Park: Explore the Willamette riverside by bike and watch water wildlife. Visit the UO Bike Barn, take apart old bikes, and fix flat tires. Pedal your wheels to the water at Amazon Pool for a swim and canoe on the canal with Northwest Canoe Tours. *You must have or borrow a bike for this camp. Extra fee for canoeing/swimming. See registration form. (AC)

Owls (ages 12-14)

NEW! SKY HIGH

July 16-20, noon-4 pm, Alton Baker Park: Get ready for high adventure in this exciting just-for-teen-girls camp! Learn about high-flying raptors and other birds who soar our nearby skies. Hike to the tip top of Spencer's Butte and search out some of our town's tallest trees. Work as a team as you take on the Spencer Butte Ropes Challenge Course! *Extra fee for challenge course. See registration form. (AC)

NEW! NAVIGATING NATURE

August 20-24, noon-4 pm, Alton Baker Park: Sharpen your navigating skills in this camp for teens who love adventure! Raft the Willamette with guides from the City of Eugene Outdoor Program, use GPS units for geocaching in local parks, and navigate via LTD bus and the Ridgeline Trail all way to the Cascades Raptor Center! *Extra fee for rafting. See registration form. (AC)

Daycamps Listed by Week:

Daycamps offering After Camp Care Marked (AC).

Click here to go to Daycamps by Age Group.
Status on camps that are filled last updated 2-15-12.

Click here for Summer Daycamp Registration and Scholarship Form.

June 18-22

GROWING UP GREEN (Minnows)

June 18-22, 9 am-noon, Alton Baker Park: Get to know plants through games, songs, and stories in our Learnscape. Take home yummy greens from the gardens. Meet our favorite green Kinder Critter!

NATURE TRAILS & TALES (Tree Frogs)

June 25-29

MAGIC FOREST (Dragonflies)

NEW! SCALES, TAILS and SAILS (Tree Frogs)

July 2-6 (no camp July 4)

EARTHKEEPING for TOTS (Dragonflies)

MESS with MUD (Tree Frogs)

WINGED WONDERS (Blue Herons)

July 9-13

NATURE in a NUTSHELL (Minnows)

WILD in the WATERSHED (Tree Frogs)

NEW! LOOK OUT! (Blue Herons)

July 16-20

BUSY BUILDERS (Dragonflies)

July 16-20, 9 am-noon, Alton Baker Park: Learn how animals make their homes. Check out nests, watch webs, and find beaver sticks. Learn about earth-friendly homes and build your own miniature houses using lessons learned from animals!

CREEPY, CRAWLY, SLITHERY, SLIMY (Tree Frogs)

NEW! SKY HIGH (Owls)

July 23-27

DOWN in the DIRT (Minnows)