Footsteps to Summer Fun - Summer Camp!
Experience, Discover and Explore the Great Outdoors! Have fun, get smart!
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Download the Information Flyer & Registration Form Packet
Summer Camp General Information
Placer Nature Center's summer camp gives children the opportunity to experience, discover and explore the great outdoors! These week-long day camp sessions focus on different nature-related themes with hands-on science investigations that meet California Content Standards in education!
Each camp incorporates art, structured and unstructured play, writing, reading, and theme related science experiments - they won't realize they are learning while having so much fun! Children are welcome to attend more than one camp.
Campers also take part in nature crafts, games, puppet shows, plant & animal investigations where they learn to analyze, nature trail hikes, camp songs and much more under the guidance of Docents and our specially trained Jr. Naturalists.
Friendships are formed with their peers as well as with our very caring teenage Jr. Naturalists. Our Jr. Naturalists are local teens who have attended a special training prior to camp. It's a extremely popular and competitive volunteer position - many are former campers themselves!
Each day camp runs:
Monday through Friday
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Please see below for themes, dates and ages.
Each week of camp is $85 per camper.
Placer Nature Center member price is $75 per camper.
R.E.I. Camp Scholarship available
Download the Information Flyer & Registration Form Packet
Themes & Dates - Summer 2010
Flutterbys CLOSED
June 14-18, 2010
Ages 6-12
Do you know the order of the honeybee hive? Or why honeybees dance? Get your insect nets and bug viewers because we're going on a scavenger hunt! See as an insect sees and learn about compound eyes, metamorphosis, and all the different types of insects.
And, of course, what’s a bug without the parts of the flower? We’ll trap specimens to study under the microscope and, of course, we will always do an insect release ceremony when we're done to encourage stewardship!
Let’s play Forest Trail Fantas, team up for the Garden Scent Trail, and a little Sniff & Scout! Create a trash monster and record your buggy discoveries by sketch. * Special Rock Wall Climbing Day included, see below.
Geology Rocks
CLOSED
June 21-25, 2010
Ages 6-12
Do you know what minerals are in your toothpaste? Dig into the earth and explore rocks! Learn about fossels and the rock cycle, and use the tools of a geologist. Play Quake Proof by going to a core sampling in a cupcake and hard rock chocolate chip cookie mining.Start your very own rock collection!
Learn how to classify rocks and explore their patterns. Take a meteorite walk. Create your own Sands of Time, crystal shapes, sandstone, and an exploding volcano. Do experiments about plate tectonics. See how geology rocks your world and affects plants, animals and people everyday!
* Special Rock Wall Climbing Day included, see below.
Howlers
CLOSED
June 28-July 2, 2010
Ages 6-12
Explore the world of mammals, learn to read animal trails and navigate the web of life. Investigate skulls and pelts learn about the different types of teeth and adaptations! Explore animal homes. Use a microscope to look at fur and guess the Mystery Skull. Paint rocks and your face to look like your favorite critter. Understand habitat and start your own mini nature journal as we explore. Take part in the Creature Symphony and make tracks.
* Special Rock Wall Climbing Day included, see below.
Sunlight, Starlight & Orbs
July 12-16, 2010*
Ages 8-12
Ever wonder how to read a star chart? Or how the sun’s energy powers plants and people?
Explore the day and night sky through experiments with plants, prisms and solar cooking! Learn about asteroids, galaxies, constellations, phases of the moon, sun and the lifecycle of a star. Play fun games like “Catch a Falling Star” where we look for real meteorites!
Build a sundial, make a constellation booklet and build a solar system mobile!
* Participants in this camp receive a 40% off coupon for the Star Gazing Class with local astronomer and comet discover, Don Machholz!
* Special Rock Wall Climbing Day included, see below.
Water Wizards
CLOSED
July 19-23, 2010
Ages 6-12
Explore the wonders of water through water scopes and wet experiments in our conservation pond. Use the power of water to build a watershed. Get an up-close look at waterfowl and use microscopes to examine the tiny creatures that prefer an aquatic habitat!
Join the Water Olympics and learn about healthy streams and fish ecology. Play the pollution game. Listen to frog songs and make fish prints, bubbles and rafts. * Special Rock Wall Climbing Day included, see below.
Special Rock Climbing Wall Day
July 23, 2010 from 9:30AM-12 Noon
All Campers Welcome!
All campers are invited to climb the rock wall. Whether they've done it before or have never tried their hand at climbing, the rock wall is a safe and fun way to challenge themselves as they climb to the top! It's a great confidence building exercise that encourages whole body coordination.
* Rock wall climbing will be reserved only for campers and Jr. Naturalists.
Hosted Camps at Placer Nature Center
Growing Peace
August 2-6, 2010
Ages K-6th Grade
Camp activities focus on concepts of peace, justice and equality for all people through arts, crafts, games and singing. Activities emphasize respect for the individuality and diversity of each person on earth.
Campers explore the beautiful outdoor natural environment and ways to preserve it, including a stewardship project at the nature center.
Learn more about and register for Peace Camp here...
Camp sponsored and run by Sierra Foothills Unitarian Universalists and held at Placer Nature Center. Open to all, does not incorporate religion or religious teachings. Scholarships available through SFUU. Please visit their website for more information.
Teens! Interested in volunteering to be a Jr. Naturalist? Click here to read more...
Download the Information Flyer & Registration Form Packet
Registration
- Register: Please download the Registration and Medical Release Form here...
* All information on the form is required.
* Please also make sure and check off whether your child can attend the special rock wall climbing day on Friday, July 23rd from 9:30AM-12 Noon. All camp participants are invited!
* Return the form by mail or fax. Fax to: 1-888-433-3428 or mail to:
Placer Nature Center-Summer Camp, 3700 Christian Valley Road, Auburn, CA 95602
* When registering for Peace Camp, use the registration form found at SFUU.org
- Pay: Each week of camp is $85 per camper (Placer Nature Center member price is $75). There are two ways to pay. You can choose to pay by:
- Credit/debit card through PayPal, shopping cart is below. In the "Add special instructions to the merchant" box, please type in your child's/children's names. Please remember to mail or fax in your Registration & Medical Release Form.
- Mail in a check or money order with your registration form to:
Placer Nature Center-Summer Camp
3700 Christian Valley Road
Auburn, CA 95602
- Credit/debit card through PayPal, shopping cart is below. In the "Add special instructions to the merchant" box, please type in your child's/children's names. Please remember to mail or fax in your Registration & Medical Release Form.
- That's it! For each day of camp, make sure your child:
* is dressed appropriately for playing outside - clothes that can get dirty and comfortable, closed-toe shoes for light hiking and running around.
* has a reusable, durable water bottle.
* has a sack lunch. If you are interested read about how to make a Zero-waste lunch on our kid's page! Making a Zero-Waste lunch is a fun way to involve your child in making healthy food choices and learning about smart way to use resources!
* Please make sure to speak with Linda Desai, the Education Director, about any medications your child might need for allergies, etc. or any other special needs.
Download the Information Flyer & Registration Form Packet
Many Thanks to Our Partners:
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Auburn Garden Club www.auburngardenclub.org |
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Sierra Foothill Audubon Society www.sierrafoothillsaudubon.com |
Download the Information Flyer & Registration Form Packet
R.E.I. Camp Scholarship Fund
Our friends at R.E.I. hope to increase access to the outdoors for all our youth. The scholarship covers one week of Placer Nature Center's camp and can be applied to your choice of themes and dates of Placer Nature Center's day camps.
Thirty (30) scholarships are available to youth involved with any of the programs listed below (please register early as scholarships are first come, first serve!). To apply for the scholarship, please follow the directions in the Registration section above. In the pay section on the form, just mark the box to indicate your child's eligibility for a scholarship. As soon as the nature center receives your form we will confirm your child’s registration.
* R.E.I. Scholarship does not apply to hosted camps, e.g. Growing Peace Camp - please check the SFUU website.
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