Summer Camp

At our outdoor Farm and Forest Camp, each day is thoughtfully designed to provide engaging, age-appropriate activities, exciting new experiences, and plenty of opportunities for fun and learning. Here’s what a typical day looks like:

Morning Meeting: We kick off the day with an all-camp gathering to welcome campers back for another amazing summer adventure. This is a time to connect with counselors and fellow campers, review the day’s schedule, and get excited about what’s to come.

Morning Activities: After Morning Meeting, campers break into small age-based groups (12–15 campers) for engaging activities tailored to their age and aligned with the week’s theme.

• Interactive Lessons with Camp Teachers: This year, we’re thrilled to welcome Camp Teachers, who will lead exciting, hands-on lessons designed to inspire curiosity and creativity.

• Activities: Activities will change each week, ensuring returning campers or those attending multiple weeks always have something new to experience.

Club Time: Campers choose their favorite activity in the afternoon with options changing daily.  These activities might include:

• Water Play

• Active games

• Crafts

• Nature hikes

• Gardening

• Cooking

Club Time activities may or may not align with the week’s theme, offering variety and choice for every camper.

Woods Time: A favorite part of every day! The entire camp gathers for unstructured, creative play in a special area of the woods. Campers engage with natural materials, following safety rules while building stick forts, creating imaginative games, searching for salamanders, and exploring the wonders of the forest.

All-Camp Activities: These weekly highlights bring all campers together for fun and camaraderie. All-camp activities include:

• Predator/Prey games

• Orienteering challenges

• Hayrides

• An end-of-week campfire celebration

Visiting Instructors: Throughout the summer we will feature an enriching visit from a guest instructor such as a farmer, artist, musician, or educator. These special guests provide unique, hands-on learning experiences and memorable activities for campers.  

Our Outdoor Farm and Forest Camp is a fully outdoor program designed to provide an immersive and active experience in nature, and around our farm animals. To ensure your camper has a positive and enjoyable experience, please review the expectations below to determine if this program is the right fit for your family.

Outdoor Activities

• Hiking: Camp activities include age-appropriate hiking on uneven trails. Is your camper able to and excited to participate in this activity?

• All-Weather Outdoor Time: Campers will spend the entire day outdoors in all types of weather, including sun, rain, heat, and cold. Is your camper able to and willing to participate in these conditions?

• Farm Animals: Campers will help with farm chores and be around farm equipment.  Does your camper enjoy being around animals?  Is your camper willing to participate in daily farm chores?

Important Note: Due to the nature of our program and farm campus, we cannot change activities or make significant adjustments for individual campers.

To ensure a safe and positive experience for all campers, we expect them to meet the following behavioral and independence guidelines appropriate for a school-age outdoor camp. If a camper is removed from camp for not meeting these expectations, no refunds will be issued.

Independence Guidelines

Please consider whether your camper meets these expectations before registering:

• Group Participation: My camper can stay with their counselor and group during activities and transitions in an outdoor setting.

• Listening and Following Directions: My camper can listen to and follow instructions from camp staff.

• Self-Care: My camper can independently manage basic self-care (e.g., using the port-a-potty, eating, changing into water play attire, dressing for the weather, applying sunscreen, and bug spray.

• Peer Interaction: My camper can engage positively with other campers, including sharing, taking turns, playing large group games, and resolving minor conflicts with guidance.

• Emotional Regulation: My camper can manage their emotions and behavior with age-appropriate support from staff.

• Outdoor Comfort: My camper is comfortable being outdoors all day and can handle a variety of weather conditions.

Note: If you answer “No” to any of the above, please contact Sarah@theeducationalfarm.org or 603-472-4724 to discuss these expectations in greater detail, and determine if this program is a good fit for your camper.

Older campers follow the same daily structure, but take on additional responsibilities and leadership opportunities. These campers assist with:

• More daily farm chores

• Maintenance and repair projects around the farm

• Leadership roles during activities

Note: Daily schedules are subject to change based on weather, guest availability, and other factors. Rest assured, each day is packed with fun, hands-on learning, and plenty of time to engage with the animals and the great outdoors!

Read our Extreme Weather Policies and Procedures here.

• 1 plain white t-shirt to decorate during camp

• a water bottle 

• bug spray 

• sunscreen 

• hat

• a.m. and p.m. snacks, unless purchased through camp

• lunch

• closed-toe shoes that are comfortable for walking/hiking/mucking

• change of clothes (don’t forget extra socks!)

• dress in layers to prepare for the changes in temp from the barnyard to the forest

Extended Day: $50 per week

• Late pick-up: by 4:00 p.m.

• Limited to 15-campers for extended-day 

Snack Boost: $20 per week

• Enhance your camper’s experience with our Snack Boost add-on! For just $20 per week, your child will enjoy a daily serving of fresh fruit, Stonyfield yogurt, and a small bag of pretzels or Goldfish. It’s a healthy addition to their camp experience, ensuring they stay fueled for all the fun activities ahead!

Camp T-shirt: $15

• T-shirt(s) for your camper ordered by May 1st.

Online Registration and Payment Processing Fees

To help offset the cost of third-party payment processing, a small transaction fee is applied to all camp registrations. Credit card payments include a fee of 3.95% + $0.30, and ACH (bank transfer) payments include a fee of 1.5% + $0.50. These fees are set by our payment processor and allow more of your registration support to go directly toward our programs.

• • Credit Card Payments: 3.95% + $0.30 per successful transaction

  • ACH Payments: 1.5% + $0.50 per successful transaction

  • Bounced Check Fee: $35

All transactions will appear on your credit card or bank statement from DocNetwork, Inc. (Ann Arbor, MI).

• Canceling within 2-weeks from the start of the camp week = no refund

• Cancelling within 3-6 weeks of the start of the camp week = 50% refund 

• Cancellations prior to 6-weeks from the start of the camp week = 95% refund

• To ensure a safe and positive experience for all campers, adherence to the Camper Independence Expectations is required. If a camper is removed from camp for not meeting these expectations, no refunds will be issued.