Summer 2025 Camps

Ages 8 - 11

 

Our most popular camp fills quickly! Ready for an adventure? Then prepare to be outdoors and let the fun begin! You will spend two weeks enjoying outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, crafts, games, a night hike, and river rafting! Don’t miss out on the adventures you can have on the American River this summer!

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Camp includes at least one off-site camp day.

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Camp includes one evening program.

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Ages 6-8

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Celebrate Pollinator Week with the Nature Center! Why are pollinators so important? What can we do to protect them? Join us to learn all about the vital role that pollinators play in our ecosystems, economies, and agriculture. These essential creatures are the unsung heroes behind the food we enjoy and the beauty that surrounds us!

Ages 6-8

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Explore our forests and fields to find the animals that live here. Discover many different animal habitats and learn how each one meets animals’ needs. Join us on a new discovery as we learn about insects, mammals, birds, and much more!

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Age 6-11

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Explore your creative journey with nature. Using keen observational skills, we’ll design artwork focusing on texture and form using collage, printing, papermaking, poetry, etc. On the last day invite your family for an art walk highlighting your creative ideas.

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Please Note: NO camp on July 4th!

Age 5

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Many different species roamed our Earth millions of years ago. They may be extinct now, but their living relatives are right in front of us! This week, we will learn all about how our modern-day animals developed from creatures that ruled our planet long before humans even existed.

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Please Note: NO camp on July 4th!

Ages 8-11

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Get ready to make a splash! This week at camp, we will be getting up close and personal to aquatic creatures with microscopes and magnifying glasses. Come learn about aquatic life in our pond and river as we discover the importance of water and the animals that live there.

This camp will have one off-site day.

Ages 6-8

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Sink into the wild world of watery habitats and learn all about the critters that call them home! Learn all about the important role wetlands play in supporting a diverse variety of plants and animals and how they contribute to a healthy ecosystem. Explore the wetland habitat as we hike through the Nature Study Area and have a chance to meet an animal ambassador that thrives in our wild wetlands.

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Ages 8-11

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Dive into nature this week with a different topic each day, from rocks to trees to animals. Daily walks and activities will activate our inner scientist, while games and art throughout the week will add an element of fun. We are all naturalists this week!

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Ages 6-8

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Lizards and birds and deer, oh my! Discover the sights, smells, and sounds of our furry, scaly, and feathered friends through the magic of storytelling. Use your senses and observation skills to explore our oak woodland in search of the incredible critters we read about and create new memories and stories of your own! Keep track of your discoveries in a nature journal (journals provided).

Ages 8-11

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Explore the dynamic Earth we live on! Investigate how the interior of our planet and the atmosphere continually change the Earth’s surface. We will focus on volcanoes, rocks, erosion and more. Join us to discover what an amazing planet we have!

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Ages 6-8

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Become a hero to nature! Discover the fun and wonders of our local habitats while learning how you can be a protector of all wildlife. Meet an animal ambassador we care for and learn their stories, explore wild plants and animals in the Nature Study Area, and discover how your everyday choices can make you a nature steward! 

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Ages 8-11

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​Slither into the world of our scaly friends and explore some of the habitats they call home! Learn about the wild adaptations of these cold-blooded critters and the unique ways they use their five senses to survive out in the wild. Keep an eye out for our reptilian neighbors as we explore the trails and meet some of our scaly ambassadors up close and personal!

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Ages 6-8

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Slither, hop, and crawl into the world of cold-blooded animals to learn how these amazing creatures survive in the wild. Search the Nature Study Area for basking lizards, discover what lives in our pond through catch-and-release practices, and meet a variety of sun-seekers up close! This camp offers daily hikes, games, and crafts.

Ages 6-11

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Join us as we explore the banks of the American River and discover the many animals that depend on it! Along the way we’ll learn the importance of keeping our waterways clean for generations to come. This camp will include a day of river cleanup (gloves provided), and an offsite day of catch-and-release aquatic studies at William B. Pond Recreational Area (life jackets and nets provided). Wrap up your summer at Effie Yeaw with some water fun!

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Age 5

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Your camper will be fully engaged in nature as we explore different water environments. Come explore the pond and river and inspect the creatures that live there. Themed crafts, games, stories, songs, and simple experiments will help demonstrate how water impacts the world around us!

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