Summer Daycamps
Adventure, Discovery, Art, and 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. Most camps also include special guests or neat field trips! This summer we’ll enjoy visits from the Bug People, the Stream Team, Dancing Sol's Rees Maxwell, Walama Restoration, WREN, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Kalapuya storyteller Esther Stutzman. We’ll take trips to the UO Natural and Cultural History Museum, the Science Factory Planetarium, Crux Rock Gym, MECCA, and the Native Plant Nursery!
Small Group Size
Nearby Nature limits each camp to a maximum of twelve kids. In addition to a lead instructor, most camps also have an adult volunteer and a teen outdoor leader.
Local Parks
Nearby Nature’s daycamps are all based in local parks and natural areas—Alton Baker and Skinner Butte Parks, the Cascades Raptor Center near the Ridgeline Trail, and the River House on the Willamette River. 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, murals, a covered bike rack (coming soon), sensory gardens, edible and 
Experienced Instructors
Each camp leader is an experienced naturalist educator. All lead instructors are certified in First Aid and CPR. Resumes are available upon request. Information about staff is also available by clicking here.
Times and Dates
Camps start the week of June 21st and run through August 27th. Each camp is one week long and has its own unique theme. Most camps run three hours per day, 9 am-noon or 1-4 pm. We also offer several all day camps that run from 9 am-4 pm! Lunch care from noon-1 pm is available for half day camps if there is enough interest.
Ages
Campers are divided into four age groups: 3-4½ year olds (Minnows*), 4½-5 year olds (Dragonflies), 6-8 year olds (Tree Frogs), and 8-11 year olds (Blue Herons). We offer several weeks with concurrent sessions for different age groups! *Note: Children enrolled in Minnows camps need to be potty trained. 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.
Cost 
Week-long, half day camps cost $90 per session for members and $105 for non-members. Week-long, all day camps cost $180 per session for members and $215 for non-members. Save $5 per camp if you register by May 31! A minimum deposit of $20 per camp is required to hold your camp space when you register. Full payment is always due a week in advance and can be made by check or credit card.
EWEB-Sponsored Scholarships
Thanks to a generous grant from EWEB, scholarship assistance is available for camps focusing on watershed ecology or resource conservation. Look for camps bearing the raindrop symbol. To apply for a scholarship, fill out the appropriate section on our 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 
Adult and Teen Volunteers Needed
Join us as an adult assistant, an intern, or a teen Outdoor Leader! Volunteers are needed for each camp. Experience with kids preferred but not required. Training happens in June. This year, as we did last year, we’ll have a special teen leadership workshop in mid June! Click Outdoor Leader for a teen volunteer application. Click Internships for more information about summer internships.
"We've been coming for years and think the camps are excellent, particularly because of the quality of the instructors." -- Parent, Summer Daycamper
