Outdoor Adventures for
Children in Grades K-8
Staff-directed ~ Self-guided
Children in Grades K-8
Join our camp counselors for summer camp-virtually! Each week includes virtual check-ins with your camp group, daily activities and crafts, and live demonstrations from Baltimore Woods. Join your fellow campers in the morning to share your stories and new discoveries and learn what other campers have found. Activities will be structured so that you can explore nature in your backyard, at a local park, or at Baltimore Woods – whatever works best with your schedule. Campers will track their adventures in a nature journal and through photographs. At the end of the week we’ll come together one last time to enjoy some s’mores and share our favorite discoveries from our outdoor adventures with a virtual celebration!
Session 1 ~ July 6-10
Small But Mighty
Did you know that ants can lift over 50 times their body weight? Spend the week learning about the little things in nature that are often overlooked. We’ll be taking a closer look at nature by investigating moss, rolling logs, and following ants. Grab your magnifying glass and discover the amazing world of small things.
Session 2 ~ July 13-17
Eye on the Sky
There is magic in the sky-all you have to do is look up! During this week we will explore the superpower of flight, find patterns in the trees, and gaze at the stars. Make sure to bring your imagination and sense of wonder!
Session 3 ~ July 20-24
World of Water
It falls, it flows, it’s fun to play in! This week’s adventures will include exploring water near your home, virtual encounters with animal friends that love water, and more fun water themed activities. Let’s dive right into the world of water!
Session 4 ~ July 27-31
Nature Exploration
What lives in your backyard or local park? Well, let’s find out! Each day this week we will explore different habitats, plants, and animals that live right outside your door. Find what lives under rocks, search the grass for insects, or look up to the trees for squirrels and birds. There’s a wild world out there just waiting to be discovered!
Session 5 ~ August 3-7
Marvelous Mammals
There are many mammals that call Baltimore Woods their home: voles, moles, beavers, foxes, coyotes, and more. This week we will explore the lives of our warm-blooded fauna! We’ll build mammal homes, discover their habits, learn tracking skills, and use trail cams and live traps to get a good look into their secretive lives.
Session 6 ~ August 10-14
Weird, Wild, and Wonderful
Rumor has it that there are strange things living among us…wonderfully weird plants and animals that defy imagination. This week we’ll investigate these strange rumors as we explore our backyards and local parks to find the most bizarre living things you’ve never heard of. Get ready to have your mind blown!
Session 7 ~ August 17-21
Bug Bonanza
Do you have a bug jar or butterfly net? Are you ready to explore the outdoors? Sounds like you’re all set for a week of adventure as we get up close and personal with the world of insects. We’ll race after butterflies and dragonflies, scour the grass for praying mantises, flip logs for beetles, search the stream for stoneflies. What colors, shapes, and sizes will we discover?
Session 8 ~ August 24-28
Bioblitz
Birds, ferns, salamanders-oh my! The world is full of plants and animals waiting to be discovered. Spend this virtual week looking for as many things as you can find. Who will find the most frogs, or flowers, or slugs? Find out during bioblitz week!
What can you expect when you sign up for Outdoor Adventures Nature Camp?
- The week before your camp starts, you will receive a packet containing activities, craft guides, and interactive handouts to help guide 1-2 hours of nature play and exploration each day. You can have this packet provided electronically, mailed to your home, or picked up directly at Baltimore Woods Nature Center.
- Need some outdoor exploration tools? We’ll have nets and binoculars available to sign out and return at the end of the week.
- Each day a morning meeting starts with your counselor and camp group! You’ll check in with your counselor and camp friends, enjoy a short lesson or demonstration (which can include live animals or a virtual visit to Baltimore Woods) as an introduction to the day and kick-off to the activities you’ll work on at home.
- “On the Spot”- a traditional Baltimore Woods summer camp favorite – will take place every morning!
- On Friday we will come together one last time for a virtual celebration! Grab a s’mores and get ready to share your favorite outdoor adventure from the week!
- If your camper has an exciting discovery or story to share (or you have a question for the counselor) you can check-in with your counselor via zoom and email during designated times during the day!
- Finally, if you have an avid explorer who gets through their daily activities quickly and is looking for more, your camp group will have access to an online folder of additional activities to do at home, walking in your neighborhood, or visiting a park like Baltimore Woods!
Pricing:
$100 per session.
Multiple week and multiple child discounts are applied when you register. Discounts apply beginning with the second child and/or the second week.
All camp families must have a Baltimore Woods Nature Center Family Membership ($40) to attend camp, active both when you register and when your child attends camp. A family membership can be purchased or renewed at registration.