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 School Garden Project, the Bug People, WREN, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Mushroomery, and Kalapuya storyteller Esther Stutzman. We’ll take trips to the Science Factory Planetarium, Crux Rock Gym, the UO Bike Barn, and the Spencer Butte Challenge Course. We'll canoe in Alton Baker Park and raft the Willamette River!
Small Group Size
Nearby Nature believes that each child in its camps should get lots of undivided 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—Alton Baker and Skinner Butte Parks and the Cascades Raptor Center near the Ridgeline Trail. 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, edible and 
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.
Times and Dates
Camps for 2012 will start the week of June 18th and run through August 24th. 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 also available for most camps.
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 several 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.
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 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 
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 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.
"We've been coming for years and think the camps are excellent, particularly because of the quality of the instructors." -- Parent, Summer Daycamper
