Tahoe Nature Camp
Tahoe Nature Camp is a week-long session of nature study, hiking, exploring, nature art, primitive skills, camp craft, games, and of course, play! The goal of this program is to develop a deeper connection to nature, oneself, and new friends. This program is designed for kids ages 5-10 years old. Bev Buswell, who has run her own nature school and summer camp for decades, will bring her experiene and strengths of connecting kids to nature in a deep and lasting way.
2 Sessions:
- June 17-21, 2024
- June 24-28, 2024
Time: 9:00am - 3:00pm
Fee: $300/week
Instructor: Bev Buswell
Location: Meet at the yurt at the bottom of the Tahoe XC trailhead.
Thursdays will be our beach days and pick-up and drop-off locations will be between Tahoe City and Kings Beach.
Registration: OPENS April 12th @ 8:00am
*If you are attempting to register and are seeing an error message, please contact us at contact (@) tahoexc.org.
Overview
We will spend our days doing a variety of outdoor activities. In addition to games, arts & crafts, and hiking, we will have some new adventures every day. Usually, the day will start with a hike, but following the emergent interests of children and what presents itself in nature, it could end in following tracks, learning bird language, finding animal homes, building fairy houses or pretend animal homes, practicing primitive or survival skills, or just getting silly. This is all balanced with the truly necessary nature play that kids invent. Being aware of nature, of one’s self, of others, of our bodies as we move, and of what’s happening around us, are some of the dominant goals in this immersive outdoor experience.
Activities
Activities may include, but are not limited to:
- Hiking
- Tracking
- Music
- Bird Language
- Fort Building
- Wilderness Survival
- Field Sketching
- Nature Art
- Aquatic Studies
- Map & Compass
- Plant & Animal ID
- Natural dyes or paints
What to Bring
In a Backpack (labeled):
- At least one quart of water
- Substantial healthy snack
- Substantial healthy lunch (Kids OFTEN run out of food at day camp. They are burning a lot of energy!)
- Spare set of clothes in case of water or mud play or messy art
- Swim suit or spare quick dry shorts & tank top in case we play with water or sit in the creek
- Chilly morning clothes: long sleeve and long pants under fleece for example
- Sunny day clothes under morning clothes: shorts and short-sleeve shirt
- Sun hat or cap
- Shoes: Kids must bring or wear closed toe shoes. If they can climb trees and run in their sandals, they can wear them on hot mornings (or bring to change into, but must also have closed toe shoes with them.)
- Sunscreen: Please apply your child’s suncreen before dropping them off. We will not apply sunscreen and do not recommend carrying it throughout the day. If you are concerned about your child’s sun exposure, please communicate that with us. Hats and sun protective clothing are highly recommended.