Summer Camp 2010

Children and Teen Camp Schedule

Session 1 June 14 - 18 Nature Explorers Camp

Prepare yourself for encounters with insects, amphibians, birds, trees, wildflowers, mammals, and more! Put on your hiking boots, and bring your sense of adventure to Leigh Farm Park.  We will be exploring the forest, fields, and wetlands, looking for tracks and traces of wildlife.  Our week will be complete with outdoor adventures, games and hands-on activities where we will explore some of the secrets of nature.  We will also teach basic awareness skills and practices that can help you become an incredible naturalist.

Check out the camp website by clicking here.

Session 2 June 21 – 25 Crawdad Camp

Ever heard of a Cinnamon Shadowdragon?  What about a Waterdog? In Crawdad Camp, we will learn about a few of the rare species of our area.  Explore little known but incredible animals and plants such as burring beetles, mayflies, anemones and more. We will give special attention to rare and sensitive creatures. Just by their presence, these animals can show us how healthy the ecosystem is. We will also focus on reptiles, amphibians, insects and their kin and learn how to read the health of the landscape. Come with us as we explore the forests and swamps and seek elusive creatures. Join our adventure to see what you can find.

Check out the camp website by clicking here . 

Session 3 June 28 – July 2 Swamp Crawler Camp

Join us on our summer’s biggest swamp safari.  It will be a week of getting wet, muddy, and having fun as we explore the ecology of wetlands.  We will hike to a nearby waterfowl preserve where we will learn all about wetland life and water quality.  Bring your hiking boots and swim suits because this camp will include day-long swamp adventures. Be ready to get up close and personal with the animals and plants that call the wetland their home.

Check out the camp website by clicking here. 

Session 4  July 5 – 9  Foxwalker Camp

Come join us for a tracking adventure as we learn to read the signs that animals leave behind. Working together, we'll find clues about the lives of the animals around us and we'll begin to unravel the stories that these animals leave on the landscape through their tracks and other signs. We'll also be learning about the soils and weather patterns of our area to help us interpret what we find. This camp will focus closely on mammal life and behaviors. Join our camp, become a detective and help us solve the mysteries of the forest.

Check out the camp website by clicking here. 

Session 5  July 12 – 16  Plant Quest Camp

In this camp, we will embark on wandering quests where we will discover the wild plants of the area and their many uses for food, medicine, and crafts.  We will also learn the relationship between plants and wildlife.  This week will include some orienteering and learning how to navigate the forest. We will venture on and off trail to explore and map the woods and topography around Leigh Farm.  Come ready for challenges, adventures and fun!

Session 5  July 12 - 16  Plant Quest Teen Camp (for ages 13-18)

Deepen your relationship with the plants of the Piedmont through the knowledge and skill of gardening and wildcrafting.  Explore the magic, mystery, folklore, science and  of plants.  Learn how to find food in the forest and fields. Combine ancient and modern herbal knowledge. Make lotions, tinctures, oils, salves and balms. Discover the powerful uses hidden in common plants such as wild cherry, plaintain, dandelion, dock, loblolly pine, and sasafrass. These and many more plants are allies that can provide us with sustenance, medicine, shelter, and inspiration. Join our circle in the forest and tap into a deep heritage of  herbal wisdom.  Cost: $250 includes materials and supplies.

Check out the camp website by clicking here. 

Session 6  July 19 – 23  Web of Life Camp

See how animals and plants work together to create a living web.  Explore the different habitats of our area, get involved in hands on projects to help take care of the land and the wild animals around us.  Understand the secrets of how the forest works.  Together we will unveil some of the incredible secrets of the natural world.

Check out the camp website by clicking here. 

Session 7  July 26 – 30  Survival in the Natural World Camp

In Survival in the Natural World, we will practice actual hands on survival skills such as: building shelters, making fires, finding food, etc.  We  will learn from the animals themselves about how to survive, so we will treat animals such as squirrels, deer, songbirds, raccoons and crows as the "real" teachers and we will try to find out what they can teach us about survival and adaptation in the wild.

Session 7 July 26 - 30  Survival Teen Camp (for ages 13-18)
Through a week long deep woods experience, we will practice some of the most basic ancient skills that our ancestors once used to survive (and actually thrive) in the woodlands. We will explore the arts of survival including building shelter, finding water, making fire by friction, and finding food in the wild. The skills that we will share can help you develop a greater comfort in the forest and stronger sense of connection to the animals living in the wild that have to survive by using their wits and instincts every day.  A core component of this teen experience will be an exclusive wilderness overnight in which we will experience a night of survival living in the park. Cost:  $250 for members ($275 for non-members) includes overnight.

Check out the camp website by clicking here. 

Session 8  August 2 – 6  Farm and Forest Camp

Explore the world of wildlife on an old historic farm. This camp is a weeklong adventure in living history and the natural world.  Experience life on a working farm from the 1800’s.  In the mornings, we will go on a wildlife adventure, learning from the plants and the animals that live in the wild.  In the afternoons, we will go back in time and experience the way people have interacted with the land through the history at Leigh Farm Park.  This will be a unique experience featuring old games, chores such as gardening, churning butter, explorations in the forest, rollicking adventures on the farm and more.

Check out the camp website by clicking here. 

Session 9  August 9 – 13  Owl Eyes Camp

Owl Eyes camp is a learning adventure where we discover the wonders of the birds. We will watch their behaviors and learn how to understand the secret language that they speak. We will learn about the art and science of Ornithology and discover what the birds can teach us about what is happening in our own backyards. We will also practice awareness techniques to sharpen our senses for exploration and discovery.  We'll use all of our senses to explore our connection with the landscape in and around us.

Session 10  August 16 – 20  Nature Explorers Camp

Put on your hiking boots, and bring your sense of adventure to Leigh Farm Park.  We will be exploring the forest, fields, and wetlands, looking for tracks and traces of wildlife.  Prepare yourself for encounters with insects, amphibians, birds, trees, wildflowers, mammals, and more! Our week will be complete with outdoor adventures, games and hands-on activities where we will explore some of the secrets of nature.  We will also teach basic awareness skills and practices that can help you become an incredible naturalist.