On April 22, 1970, 20 million people across America celebrated the first Earth Day. It was a time when cities were buried under their own smog and polluted rivers caught fire. Now Earth Day is celebrated annually around the globe. Through the combined efforts of the U.S. government, grassroots organizations, and citizens like you, what started as a day of national environmental recognition has evolved into a worldwide.......
by Swift Nature Camp
On April 22, 1970, 20 million people across America celebrated the first Earth Day. It was a time when cities were buried under their own smog and polluted rivers caught fire. Now Earth Day is celebrated annually around the globe. Through the combined efforts of the U.S. government, grassroots organizations, and citizens like you, what started as a day of national environmental recognition has evolved into a worldwide campaign to protect our global environment.
Since those early days, we have done a pretty good job cleaning up the planet. Yet , there is a staggering divide between children and the outdoors, child advocacy expert Richard Louv directly links the lack of nature in the lives of today’s wired generation-he calls it nature-deficit-to some of terribler childhood trends, such as the rises in attention disorders, obesity, and depression.
His recent book,Last Child in the Woods, has spurred a national dialogue among educators, health professionals, parents, developers and conservationists. It clearly show we and our youth need to spend time in nature.
Schools have tried to use nature in the class room for some time. At Holman School in NJ, Ms. Millar began an environmental project in the school’s courtyard. It has become quite an undertaking–even gaining state recognition. It contains several habitat areas, including a Bird Sanctuary, a Hummingbird/ Butterfly Garden, A Woodland Area with a pond, and a Meadow. My students currently maintain the Bird Sanctuary–filling seed and suet feeders, filling the birdbaths, building birdhouses, even supplying nesting materials! In addition, this spring they will be a major force in the clean up and replanting process. They always have energy and enthusiasm for anything to do with “their garden”.
Despite schools doing their best to get kids in nature , we as a nation have lost the ability to just send our kids out to play. Summer Camps are a great wayto fill this void. A recent study finds that todays parents overprotect their kids. Kids have stopped climbing trees, been told that they can’t play tag or hide-and-seek Not to mention THE STTICK and how it will put out someone’s eye.
Is the Internet and computers to blame for the decline in outdoor play? Maybe, but most experts feel it’s mom and dad. Play England says “Children are not being allowed many of the freedoms that were taken for granted when we were children, They are not enjoying the opportunities to play outside that most people would have thought of as normal when they were growing up.”
According to the Guardian, “Voce argued that it was becoming a ’social norm’ for younger children to be allowed out only when accompanied by an adult. ‘Logistically that is very difficult for parents to manage because of the time pressures on normal family life,’ he said. ‘If you don’t want your children to play out alone and you have not got the time to take them out then they will spend more time on the computer.’
The Play England study quotes a number of play providers who highlight the benefits to children of taking risks. ‘Risk-taking increases the resilience of children,’ said one. ‘It helps them make judgments,’ said another. We as parents want to play it safe and we need to rethink safety vs adventure.
Examples of risky play that should be encouraged include fire-building, den-making, watersports and climbing trees. These are all activities that a Summer camp can provide. At camp children to get outside take risks and play, this while being supervised by responsible young adults.
Swift Nature Camp is a Noncompetitive, Traditional OUTDOOR CAMP in Wisconsin. Our Boys and Girls Ages 6-15. enjoy Nature, Animals & Science along with Traditional camping activities. We places a very strong emphasis on being an ENVIRONMENTAL CAMP where we develop a desire to know more about nature but also on acquiring a deep respect for it. Our educational philosophy is to engage children in meaningful, fun-filled learning through active participation. We focus on their natural curiosity and self-discovery. This is NOT School.
In addition, regarlss of skill level, Swift Nature Camp has activities that allows kids to get better and enjoy. We promoted a nurturing atmosphere that gives each camper the opportunity to participate and have fun, rather than worry about results.
Our adventure trips that take campers out-of-camp on trips, such as biking, canoeing, backpacking. This is a highlight of all campers, they find it exciting to discover new worlds and be comfortable in them. We are so much more than a SCIENCE SUMMER CAMP.
Since the early days of Earth Day We have come a long way in protectin the planet Now its time to let our children play outside. This summer you can help your child appreciation nature by sending them to Swift Nature Camp. Summer Camp sets the foundation for a health life and is remembered for a lifetime by campers.
About the Author:
About the authors: Jeff and Lonnie Lorenz are the directors of Swift Nature Camp, a non-competitive, traditional coed overnight summer camp serving Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the Midwest. Boys and Girls Ages 6-15 enjoy nature, animals & science along with traditional camping activities. Swift specializes in programs for the first time camper. To learn more clickAnimal Camps
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national NCLI Act and its various provisions and requirements here:
| The Wisconsin No Child Left Inside Coalition is working to develop an Environmental Literacy Plan for Wisconsin that will address the environmental education needs of Wisconsin's pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade schools and will pay special attention to creating more opportunities to get kids outside. The Plan will recommend a comprehensive strategy to ensure every child graduates with the environmental skills and knowledge needed to contribute to a sustainable future.
Wisconsin has a strong environmental education foundation already established, with active schools, supporting organizations, and abundant opportunities to get outside in rural and urban settings. The Environmental Literacy Plan will build upon these strengths, and suggest priorities for present and future attention. It will lay out the next steps towards fulfilling on our State's commitment to ensure all people in Wisconsin are environmentally literate. Currently, the Wisconsin NCLI Coalition is made up of representatives from: the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education, Wisconsin Environmental Education Board, Wisconsin Environmental Education Foundation, Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin Environmental Science Teachers Network, Milwaukee Public Schools, the Green Charter School Network, and the Environmental Education and Training Partnership. State Superintendent Evers has formally asked the Coalition to develop the Environmental Literacy Plan for Wisconsin. Wisconsin’s Environmental Literacy Plan will be compliant with the pending national No Child Left Inside (NCLI) legislation. The No Child Left Inside Act requires States develop, implement, and evaluate a State Environmental Literacy Plan in order to be eligible to receive funding associated with the Act. Currently, the bill suggests an appropriation of $100 million to support the State Environmental Literacy Plans. You can learn more about the |
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Visit: Nature Summer Camp
Recently Backpacker Magazine set out to find the best cities to raise kids in Nature. Suprisingly, or maybe not, Duluth was ranked in the top 25. These are the best places in America to “beat Nature Deficit Disorder.” Read more at Outdoors Camp. That’s not too surprising when you think about all the incredible fun outdoor things to do around Swift Nature camp. Remember Lake Superior, Apostle Islands, Amnion Falls, Superior Hiking Trail and THe Boundary Waters. So nest summer do What Back Packer Magazine Recommends go Play Outside in the Northwoods of Minnesota.
Forget plain old 12-point black Helvetica. Bubbly, heart-dotted letters in shimmery orange or shiny purple reign queen. And banish the image of a simple white screen on which to write. Netimus girls reach for neon green sheets or cards imprinted with cheetah spots and glitter-showered pink flip-flops.
At this 80-year-old traditional residential camp for girls in the Pocono Mountains, and at thousands more around the USA, connecting with Mom and Dad requires licks — of stamps and envelopes — not clicks. The medium for talking to Muddah and Fadduh is a message from the past.
The hand-scribbled, shoebox-worthy letter may seem as anachronistic as archery and A/C-free living, but at sleepaway camp, where directors have largely succeeded in keeping two-way texting and e-mail at bay, it thrives.
The practice of putting colored pencil to notebook paper is "old-fashioned," says Ruby Auman, 11, swinging her legs from her blond wood bunk, where her wall is papered with an ink-printed "of course I'm thinking of you" reply from her mom 2½ hours away in Lewisburg, Pa. "But it's not old-fashioned while you're here."
Camp is not just about fun
During a Netimus camper's two- to seven-week stay, directors encourage at least one letter home a week, though more prolific girls might write three a day. Cellphones are considered contraband; if one creeps in, it gets a vacation in the camp office. And computers are as exotic as boys.
Indeed, directors say that one of the benefits of allowing the U.S. Postal Service, as opposed to Google Mail, to act as messenger is that by the time Sally's letter detailing her fight with cabinmate Susie has snaked its way home from the country, the row has been long resolved.
In his research for Camp Camp: Where Fantasy Island Meets Lord of the Flies, a scrapbook of '70s and '80s camp life, author (and onetime Maine camp counselor) Roger Bennett found that through letter writing, "parents could be present and could assuage their concerns, but not so present that they prevented the incredible freedom that camp offered." Thanks to the time-space continuum of snail mail, "they knew what was going on, but could do nothing to prevent it."
"That," he adds, "is a tradition that needs to be preserved."
At the Postal Service, where mail volume has declined dramatically — more that 20% in the past two years — the fact that a generation accustomed to the instant feedback of the Internet is slowing down to pick up a pencil is heartening, says spokesman Mark Saunders. "When you think about summer camp and you think about pitching a tent or living in a cabin, it's just a natural fit. You're exposing children to a means of communication" that's likely foreign to them.
"As technology increases, the call to get back to the basics is more important than ever," says Marla Coleman, former president of the American Camp Association. In a 2007 survey of the nation's 3,000 ACA-accredited camps, three-quarters said e-mail, cellphones and computers were verboten.
"Camp is a place for kids to practice growing up, and when they become adults, they will need to string together more than 140 characters," Coleman says, alluding to Twitter's character limit. With basic letter-writing techniques shoved further down school curricula, "where else are they learning to address an envelope? If camp is this expanded learning environment, letter writing is the touchstone of that learning experience."
As proper salutations and closings become less of a priority in classrooms, "it's superb," says Carol Jago, president of the National Council of Teachers of English, that camps might be the last bastion of the form. "Children need an authentic purpose for writing a letter," Jago says. "If the purpose is to get away from the world a little bit at camp, to get away from video games a little bit, then pick up a pencil and let's do it the long way, let's do it the slow way. I think it would be sad to lose that."
A venerable tradition
"Camps have always been institutions that were at once very modern, reflecting new ideas about the preciousness of childhood on the one hand," Paris says, "and on the other hand, places that privileged a kind of nostalgic look at the American past."
And today, what's more a totem of America's analog past than the letter?
The pile of envelopes in the "Property of USPS"-stamped cardboard box in Netimus' white clapboard office seem as much of a relic as the 1969 "Debby Sharp was here" graffiti scrawled in cabin No. 7. Slid through the office's shin-high metal mail slot, they're creased and lumpy, as though they've been stuffed in a trunk for a while. Addresses are jumbled — the ZIP code, if it's there, heralding the town name, the town wedged on one long line between the street and the state — and they're inscribed, in wobbly script, where the return address goes.
(Ruby keeps a couple sample addressed envelopes taped to her cabin wall as guides. At Camp Kupugani in Leaf River, Ill., each cabin gets a laminated cheat sheet that diagrams correct envelope-addressing form.)
Stamps — dogs and cats and Simpsons characters — are rotated 90 degrees. Last names are missing.
The campers' attempts at engaging in an activity that to them is more novelty than necessity are "so funny," Calton says. " 'Grandma,' that's all it says on the envelope. Or 'Grandma, Rye, N.Y.' It's like, 'OK, who lives in Rye?' "
Inside, the letters are rife with tweenspeak and problematic punctuation, just like in texts, instant messages and e-mails. But how many IMs come attached with pink puffy heart stickers emblazoned "I love U!" in shaky black block print?
Ruby's latest letter asks "if you could have the A/C on when I get home because I'm looking forward to the cold air. Also I'm gonna need some more hair stuff." Hannah Goldman's most recent postcard to her cousins in Wayne, Pa., wonders, "How are you. Great. I miss you. Have a great summer. Please write back."
Hannah, 10, finds the writing process, typically conducted during rest hour in her cabin atop a clipboard or book or against the wall, "sort of peaceful." She has written "like 20" in four weeks. Ruby's cabin B4 friend Sarah O'Connell, who's used to picking up her cellphone to talk to her parents, says picking up a pencil was hard at first.
"I didn't know what to do," says Sarah, 11, who's from Pennington, N.J. "I would write it, 'Dear Mom and Dad,' and then I'd write it all scribbly."
But she has since become a fan. "You feel more connected" to your family, Sarah says. As compared with e-mails — which Netimus, like a lot of camps, allow parents to send but not receive — letters are "more sincere," volunteers 11-year-old Remi Riordan, who's from A4 next door (and Montclair, N.J.). "It feels like it's really for you," vs. "there's a subject line and your name."
Sitting on her lower bunk a few screen doors down, amid tie-dyed laundry bags and Justin Bieber-emblazoned teen magazines, Hallie Cain, 11, of McLean, Va., is diligently working on a birthday card for her mom.
Gabby Birenbaum, the cabin's de facto philosopher on the compulsory epistle, is holding her 10th letter in two weeks, destined for her grandparents in West Bloomfield, Mich.
Does the exercise feel like something her parents did? "Like what my grandparents did," says Gabby, 11, who's from Arlington, Va.
"Camp is an opportunity to unplug and develop authentic relationships," Coleman says. "There really is no substitute for Mom or Dad's handwriting on a letter, the smell of Mom's perfume, the clipping dad has enclosed of a box score. You really can't replace that with technology."
And the thrill of the tangible goes both ways. For 11 months of the year, Amy Levine never ventures to her mailbox in Loveland, Colo., precisely when the postman arrives. But for the four weeks her daughters Lindsey, 11, and Josie, 7, were at Blue Star Camps in Hendersonville, N.C., this summer, she would run out to wait for him.
At the scheduled mail-drop time, "my husband instant-messages me, asking if we got any letters," says Levine, 41, a childhood camper turned Web developer who does let technology creep into her ritual: She quickly scans the girls' letters and e-mails them to her husband at work.
"Once you get that first happy letter, it's OK," Levine says.
By Olivia Barker, USA TODAY
MILFORD, Pa.
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Now is a good time to show your support for this effort - here's how:
1. Attend Lobby Day - March 16th, 2011
The Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters (WLCV) has declared the Wisconsin Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights a legislative priority for 2011-12. You can show your support and speak directly with legislators about this issue at WLCV's Lobby Day on March 16th. For more information and to register for this exciting and empowering day, visit: Lobby Day 2011.
You are also invited to attend:
WAEE's Lobby Day Breakfast
Immediately preceding WLCV's Lobby Day
9-10am March 16th, 2011
Monona Terrace Room M/Q
Madison
RSVP to WAEE Advocacy Chair, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
There's more you can do:
2. Sign on as a Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights Supporter.
3. Contact Your Legislator to let them know EE is important in Wisconsin and mention the Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights.
4. Forward this information to your colleagues.
What is the Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights?
Children who have the opportunity to explore, learn and play in Wisconsin's outdoors are more likely to be healthy, to do better in school, to experience improved creativity and concentration, and to discover the rewards of outdoor stewardship. To that end, we believe the children of Wisconsin have the right to experience each of the following (draft) activities during their youth:
Every Wisconsin child has the right to:
• Follow a trail, whether by hiking or biking.
• Visit a working farm.
• Eat healthy and sustainable food.
• Splash, swim and play in a clean Wisconsin lake or river.
• Catch and release frogs, fireflies, and insects.
• Tap a maple tree.
• Explore wild places close to home.
• Eat a fish they catch.
• Discover Wisconsin’s diverse wilderness – prairies, forests, wetlands, and beaches.
• Share a hunting experience with a great mentor or teacher.
Why is it important to get involved?
In order to pass this resolution, we need your help! Over a thousand bills and resolutions come across our legislators desks each year but only about 30% are passed. Those that pass do so thanks to people like you. Legislators tell us they are significantly more likely to consider a bill or resolution if they've heard about it from their constituents.
Is the timing right?
Now is a great time speak up for EE: the Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights is a non-budgetary resolution and may be just what legislators are looking for to stand behind (rather than the politically charged "budget repair" bill). However, in order to be heard above the current turmoil and get legislators' support, it's critical the EE community comes forward to declare "EE in our state is important".
Questions?
Need more information or want to learn more about how this venture got started and where it can take us? Visit the Wisconsin Children's Outdoor Bill of Rightswebsite or contact us - we're happy to discuss this exciting project with you:
WAEE
Betsy Parker, Networking & Advocacy Chair
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(608) 209.2909
It is spring in the Northwoods, black bears are emerging from their dens and looking for food. Since at this time of year most of their natural food sources are limited, they look for food from any source they can get it, including bird feeders, garbage cans, grills, etc. It is best to keep these things put away until other food sources are available to them.
Large groups of wild turkey have begun to break up and males are gobbling. The fourth five-day spring wild turkey hunting period is Wed., May 4, through Sun., May 8.
An increasing number of migratory birds are continuing to show up in the area and more waterfowl are being seen on area lakes. Canada geese gostlings should start hatching around mid-May. Ruffed grouse should be drumming and woodcock and snipe should have started peenting.
In the evening you can hear the loud calling of wood frogs and spring peepers. Eagles are actively tending nests now and can also be seen migrating through the area this time of year. Ducks began their nest building in mid-April.
The current fire danger level for Price County is moderate; however, dry areas still exist and caution is needed until the grass greens up.
Minong, Wi (2011) – Swift Nature Camp is proud to announce participation in the American Camp Association’s® (ACA’s) Explore 30 Camp Reading Program.
It has long been said that children experience “summer learning loss” when they are not involved in high quality programs with opportunities for skill building. Research indicates that participation in intentional programs, like camp, can help stem summer learning loss.
Swift Nature Camp Teamed up, ACA's Explore 30 Camp Reading Program.
This program addresses summer learning loss by providing youth with the incentive to read at least 30 minutes per day. Swift Nature Camp has always promoted kids to read by furnishing a library and time to read. In addition each night staff read to their cabin. So, joining this national movement was an easy transition for SNC. We believe that the camp experience is a vital component in the development and education of the whole child, eading is just a natural part of that.
Swift has long had Achievement Awards that promote children to learn about particular camp areas, such as sailing, fishing and archery. “We just added it to the A.A. program and created a patch for campers to show completion”, said Lonnie Lorenz, owner of SNC. It proved to be our of our most popular Achievement Awards.
There are currently 140 camps from more than 30 states participating in the Explore 30 program. For more information on the program, or to view a list of particpating camps, visit ACA’s Web site atwww.ACAcamps.org/explore30.
supports the implementation of Wisconsin’s Plan for Environmental Literacy and Sustainable
Communities . This plan is the latest in a long line of environmental education initiatives in the
state . Beginning with the Conservation Movement in the late 1800s and early 1900s through
the Environmental Movement in the 1960s and 70s and on to today, residents of Wisconsin
have played a key role in shaping the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of individuals, groups,
and organizations with respect to environmental issues at the national, regional, and local
levels . As a new century has just begun, this plan provides a pathway for all of us to build
upon this prior work and move forward in developing an environmentally literate society
comprised of sustainable communities .
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Sustainable Communities (referred to in this document
as the “Plan”) serves as a strategic plan for achieving
the vision of environmentally literate and sustainable
communities across Wisconsin . The Plan is meant to
build capacity, awareness, and support for environmental
literacy and sustainability at home, work, school, and
play . It encourages funding, research, and education for
environmental literacy and sustainability and it supports
Wisconsin’s Plan to Advance Education for Environmental
Literacy and Sustainability in PK-12 Schools.
This Plan was developed through input from diverse
representatives from around the state, all of whom—
like many before them—are attentive to the health and
well-being of Wisconsin’s people, the stewardship of our
natural resources, the sustainability of our communities,
and to leaving a positive legacy for the future . Wisconsin
people value the state’s natural resources and the functions
these resources serve at home, work, school, and play .
This commitment to protecting and conserving valued
resources can and does lead to sustainable communities
that enjoy a healthy environment, a prosperous economy,
and a vibrant civic life . The purpose of this Plan, therefore,
is to provide a roadmap, a course of action, individuals,
organizations, businesses and governments must
take to attain environmental literacy and sustainable
communities . By providing a shared vision, mission,
and goals, encouraging the use of common language,
and promoting collaborative efforts, the Plan offers the
opportunity for extraordinary impact and change .
The Wisconsin Environmental Education Board (WEEB) is charged with
leadership for environmental education for all people in the state and is required
to develop a strategic plan every ten years . This Plan was born from that
demand . WEEB’s previous strategic plan, A Plan for Advancing Environmental
Education in Wisconsin: EE2010, had seven goals that were based on the central
purposes of providing positive leadership; developing local leaders; developing
and implementing curricula; and furthering professional development .
An assessment provided insight into this plan’s successes and what remains to be
done . Major successes include:
• The creation of a website, EEinWisconsin .org, which acts as a tool for
statewide communication and a clearinghouse for both formal and non-
formal environmental education in Wisconsin .
• The WEEB’s use of the goals in its grants program .
• The initiation of research in environmental literacy and sustainability .
• The establishment of Wisconsin Environmental Education Foundation,
which is leading the way toward more sustainable funding for
environmental education .
The assessment found more work needs to be done to support and enhance
non-formal and non-traditional environmental education . The Plan addresses
this need and sets new goals .
Collaboration with Other Efforts
considers educational needs and responses for the whole community and
supports sustainable practices at home, work, school, and play . The Plan is
coordinated with and supported by two additional statewide efforts to advance
the implementation of the Plan’s goals and the integration of sustainability . They
are:
Wisconsin’s Plan to Advance Education for Environmental Literacy and
Sustainability in PK-12 Schools addresses multiple aspects related directly
to pre-kindergarten through high school student learning to ensure every
student graduates environmentally literate . (NCLIwisconsin .org)
Cultivating Education for Sustainability in Wisconsin builds capacity
and support for schools and communities to focus student learning on
sustainability . It provides recommendations for resources and services to
implement education for sustainability in schools . (www .uwsp .edu/wcee/efs)
2 Wisconsin’s Plan for Environmentally Literate and Sustainable Communities
Benefits of a State Plan
toward .
• Guide decision-making, policy making and priority setting .
• Serve as justification for and purpose behind creating or continuing
programs, tools and resources .
• Set priorities for development and delivery of educational programs,
business plans, and community efforts .
• Rationale and guidance for funding and research efforts .
How to Use the Plan
Wisconsin’s Plan for Environmentally Literate and Sustainable Communities is
not an organization, but rather a document that serves as the state strategic plan
requiring partnerships and collaboration . It is designed to serve as reference
material for individuals, businesses, and communities . Those who influence
environmental literacy and sustainability in Wisconsin such as community
leaders, traditional and non-formal educators and administrators, resources
developers and providers, policy makers, funders and researchers will find the
Plan useful as a guide in setting priorities and making decisions . Over the course
of the next decade, the Plan’s desired outcomes will be central to environmental
literacy and sustainability efforts across the state . As Wisconsin people work
toward achieving the four main outcomes of the Plan, this document can help
guide attitudes, planning, actions, and endeavors .
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No Christmas tree cutting is allowed on Price County Forest land, but you can obtain a permit to cut boughs or firewood by calling the Price County Parks & Forestry Department at 715-339-6371.
To obtain a permit for cutting a Christmas tree, boughs, or firewood in the Flambeau River State Forest, call the forest office at 715-332-5271
What activities do you associate with summer camp? Maybe making lanyards, tie-dying shirts, playing capture the flag, swimming, putting on a talent show, or painting macaroni?
What about science?
Summer science camps and programs let students get close to areas of scientific inquiry in a way that isn't always possible in the classroom.
Does science come to mind when you think about summer camp? It should!
You might be surprised to learn that hundreds of camps and programs across the United States offer science as part of their summer-fun lineup—and in support of an increasing committment to supporting and strengthening science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills.
Like all other summer camps, science-related summer programs are an American right of passage: hours of fun with friends, away from parents, no textbooks, no tests, no homework. The difference is that a summer science camp also offers students of all ages an opportunity to reallyexplore science in all its hands-on, fun, goopy, messy, glory, without the burden of needing to know the 'right' answer for Wednesday's quiz.
Science camps come in a wide variety of formats. There are day and residential camps focusing on every aspect of science and engineering you can imagine: robotics, chemistry, the environment, zoo animals, architecture, space science, and dinosaur fossils, to name just a few! These programs use fun and play to help teach and introduce science and engineering concepts. For example, a week-long day camp focusing on amusement park physics might have kids exploring centripetal force, and kinetic and potential energy, while riding real amusement park rides and building their own mini versions from LEGO blocks, buckets, string, or foam tubing. When done right, science camp is a combination that is super fun and engaging, and fosters learning and creativity.
Why attend a science camp?
Summer + Camp + Science = 3x Fun + Real Learning
Science camps fall under the umbrella of what is commonly called informal science learning. Recent studies show that informal science learning is one of the most effective ways people learn science. Students who participate in these types of activities are more likely to have an above-average understanding of science, and pursue science-related careers.
For younger children, science camp can introduce them to many different areas of science and give them the confidence and inspiration to embrace science at school. Older students, who are already interested in science, may use science camp as a way to explore what a specific science-related career would be like, or to meet mentors and role models in the field. Such connections could lead to other opportunities, like internships, or become a featured event on a resume or college application.
For all students, science camp can be the opportunity to explore a branch of science that might not be available in their school, like marine biology or aeronautics, or to cover a topic more in depth than they'd otherwise be able to.
How do I choose a summer science camp or program?
Through innovative hands-on activities and demonstrations, students can explore a range of scientific fundamentals and areas of science at summer camp, from chemistry and microbiology to aeronautics, electronics, and computer science.
Choosing a summer science camp is similar to choosing any other type of camp. You have your usual considerations about cost, distance from home, and amount of time, along with the question of finding the "best fit." For science camps, the "best fit" often boils down to figuring out what science topic(s) are of interest and finding a camp that does a good job of implementing those.
Figure out what science topic(s) are of interest.
- Older children might already have a clear preference. Perhaps they're keen on video games and would love to go to a camp where they could design and program one. Or maybe they're into hiking and wildlife and are looking for an outdoor experience as a junior park ranger. Their hobbies and reading choices are often a good indicator of their interests.
- Younger children might not yet have a clear preference. If they don't, then look for camps that offer a wide variety of science and engineering topics for them to explore. For example, a day camp that has a new science theme every week, or a balance camp that has a blend of science, arts, and physical activities.
Determine the level of "academics" you want.
- Science camp should always be fun. A good science camp will allow students plenty of time to do hands-on exploration. This is part of the informal component. How much additional formal education a science camp has varies. Programs that incorporate lectures from distinguished professors or professionals might be appropriate, inspirational, and informative for older students who are interested in a specific field. Younger students are more likely to benefit from group activities, projects, and interactions with informed camp counselors rather than lectures.
Search for camps that fit your needs.
- Once you know the range of science topics you'd like the camp to cover, the level of academics, the general geographic location, and the time and money commitments that are right for your family, you're ready to start searching.
- Cogito and The Connectory are two great national science camp directories and a fantastic place to begin your search.
- Local parenting magazines and websites might also have lists of camps in your area.
- Science museums, zoos, aquariums, planetariums, and state or national parks are also great resources, as they often run their own camps and/or link to science camps with similar interests.
- Many colleges and universities also run summer science camps. A simple search for "summer science camp" on a local academic institution's website is a good way to find these.
- Simple web browser searches can also turn up a wealth of information.
- How To Pick A Summer Camp is a great way to start
Summer science programs give students the opportunity to explore issues related to current global science and science news.
Make sure you choose a camp or program with qualified counselors.
- Once you've located some camps that meet your search parameters, you should do some legwork to make sure that the counselors—the people the campers interact with all day long—are knowledgeable about science. For example, a knowledgeable counselor can transform a simple day of splashing in the creek into an adventurous treasure hunt for local plants and animals, andincorporate substantive and engaging lessons about food chains and the interconnectivity of different habitats.
- Ask the camp or program director questions aimed at making sure the counselors have had ample formal training in the subject area(s) and excel at explaining the science in an engaging, age-appropriate manner.
Register Early!
Find Out More
- National Research Council of the National Academies. (2009). Learning Science in Informal Environments: People, Places, and Pursuits. Retrieved December 1, 2010, from http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12190&page=1#
- Folk, John H., and Dierking, Lynn D. (2010, November-December). The 95 Percent Solution: School is not where most Americans learn most of their science. American Scientist. Volume 98, Number 6, Page: 486. Page: 486
Testimonials
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3 weeks was not enough, next year I want to stay for 6 weeks.
3 weeks was not enough, next year I want to stay for 6 weeks. -
I really liked the Animals in the Nature Center.
I really liked the Animals in the Nature Center. -
I like the new friends I made, we still chat on Facebook.
I like the new friends I made, we still chat on Facebook. -
In the cabin our counselors made it feel like a respectful loving family.
In the cabin our counselors made it feel like a respectful loving family. -
I cried for days after leaving my SNC family of friends.
I cried for days after leaving my SNC family of friends. -
I liked swimming every day in the lake.
I liked swimming every day in the lake. -
When I returned home I loved telling my parents about my SNC adventures.
When I returned home I loved telling my parents about my SNC adventures. -
The New Lego building is a wonderful place to be creative and make friends.
The New Lego building is a wonderful place to be creative and make friends. -
I like being out in Nature and away from the city sounds and lights.
I like being out in Nature and away from the city sounds and lights. -
The Canoe trips are the best, I always feel like an explorer.
The Canoe trips are the best, I always feel like an explorer. -
Being independant and making my own decisions was great.
Being indépendant and making my own decisions was great. -
I liked that it was non-competitive and everyone was kind.
I liked that it was non-competitive and everyone was kind. -
I was surprised how most of the kids were like me, kind, fun and liked being outside.
I was surprised how most of the kids were like me, kind, fun and liked being outside. -
I thought I would miss my electronics, but it was no problem.
I thought I would miss my electronics, but it was no problem. -
I was excited to get my Archery Achievement Award, it took dedication.
I was excited to get my Archery Achievement Award, it took dedication. -
I want to go back to SNC.
I want to go back to SNC. -
I like learning about Nature and hearing the Loons at night.
I like learning about Nature and hearing the Loons at night. -
I gained so much independence being at camp for 2 weeks.
I gained so much independence being at camp for 2 weeks. -
This is my 5th summer, I love it.
This is my 5th summer, I love it. -
I liked that all the activities were in a non-competitive atmosphere.
I liked that all the activities were in a non-competitive atmosphere. -
Their is something Magical about SNC, Friends, Activities, Nature, It's all Great.
Their is something Magical about SNC, Friends, Activities, Nature, It's all Great. -
I like making beaded animals and friendship bracelets in Arts & Crafts.
I like making beaded animals and friendship bracelets in Arts & Crafts. -
Riding horses on a trail in the woods was Awesome.
Riding horses on a trail in the woods was Awesome. -
The 1st timer camp was good cause we were all the same.
The 1st timer camp was good cause we were all the same. -
When we went hiking it was hard but the sites from the hill were breathtaking.
When we went hiking it was hard but the sites from the hill were breathtaking. -
My friend had been here and he was right... it's a blast.
My friend had been here and he was right... it's a blast. -
I'm kinda sad, this is my last summer, wish I had started younger.
I'm kinda sad, this is my last summer, wish I had started younger. -
Meeting new people from around the world is amazing.
Meeting new people from around the world is amazing. -
I liked that my counselors were friendly and encouraged me to try new things.
I liked that my counselors were friendly and encouraged me to try new things. -
SNC is about NO cliques.
SNC is about NO cliques. -
I liked daily picking the activities I wanted to do.
I liked daily picking the activities I wanted to do. -
It's the Funnest camp in the world, I got along with everyone.
It's the Funnest camp in the world, I got along with everyone. -
SNC is my home away from home.
SNC is my home away from home. -
I really enjoy meeting new kids from all over and counselors every year.
I really enjoy meeting new kids from all over and counselors every year. -
So many activities to choose from, we are never bored.
So many activities to choose from, we are never bored. -
Every year is a new adventure in camping, community and nature.
Every year is a new adventure in camping, community and nature. -
I enjoyed seeing what America was like.
I enjoyed seeing what America was like. -
Kindness and understanding is what camp is all about.
Kindness and understanding is what camp is all about. -
I loved it all... Don't' change a thing.
I loved it all... Don't' change a thing. -
I like that we got to shoot sling shots.
I like that we got to shoot sling shots. -
Camp is so much better than staying home all summer.
Camp is so much better than staying home all summer. -
It took a few years but my swimming really improved.
It took a few years but my swimming really improved. -
I feel completely included and accepted.
I feel completely included and accepted. -
It is amazing having your Birthday at camp.
It is amazing having your Birthday at camp. -
The small size makes SNC excellent.
The small size makes SNC excellent. -
I liked learning about nature and ecology.
I liked learning about nature and ecology. -
SNC is a down to earth experience without junk food or electronics.
SNC is a down to earth experience without junk food or electronics. -
I liked the shorter first timer camp & my councilors were fun and caring.
I liked the shorter first timer camp & my councilors were fun and caring. -
Living on a lake with all the water activities is wonderful.
Living on a lake with all the water activities is wonderful. -
SNC is down to earth and not a rich kids camp.
SNC is down to earth and not a rich kids camp. -
I liked SNC because it was not a sports camp.
I liked SNC because it was not a sports camp. -
Free time is the best.
Free time is the best. -
I like being away from home and out in the woods.
I like being away from home and out in the woods. -
Camp friends are the best friends.
Camp friends are the best friends. -
SNC is about trying new things, meeting new people and being on my own.
SNC is about trying new things, meeting new people and being on my own. -
Counselors were great.
Counselors were great. -
I really like the Arts & Crafts Castle.
I really like the Arts & Crafts Castle. -
This was my best summer ever.
This was my best summer ever. -
I gained confidence trying new activities and meeting new folks.
I gained confidence trying new activities and meeting new folks. -
This is my 5th summer, I love it.
This is my 5th summer, I love it. -
I feel accepted and loved at SNC.
I feel accepted and loved at SNC. -
Tubing was the most Fun.
Tubing was the most Fun. -
I feel like I belong to something bigger than me, a community.
I feel like I belong to something bigger than me, a community. -
Friends is what brings me back to SNC.
Friends is what brings me back to SNC. -
I really look forward to Pizza Night.
I really look forward to Pizza Night. -
Swift is a good fit for me, I love nature and being outside.
Swift is a good fit for me, I love nature and being outside. -
I got to shoot a real gun.
I got to shoot a real gun. -
My counselors were very encouraging when i was unsure of new activities.
My counselors were very encouraging when i was unsure of new activities. -
Making new friends is easy at Swift.
Making new friends is easy at Swift. -
Counselors made sure I felt included in the cabin.
Counselors made sure I felt included in the cabin. -
I liked coming to SNC with my sister.
I liked coming to SNC with my sister. -
Sleep in Sundays are one of my favorite days at camp.
Sleep in Sundays are one of my favorite days at camp. -
I got to bring my pet from home to SNC.
I got to bring my pet from home to SNC.
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