Take your art materials outside! Immerse yourself in nature while using hikeable art mediums such as watercolor or drawing. Practice nature journaling and learn new art techniques such as printmaking. This camp includes lots of reflection time, outdoor time and hiking. 

We recommend this camp for kids who already have a high interest in art and that want to learn some unique art mediums in nature. Registration required by two weeks prior.

Explore the forest, pond and prairie habitats. Build a survival shelter with other campers, start a campfire using different techniques and make a s'more. Try canoeing in our nearby lake, meet our resident animals, and gain skills to navigate and overcome obstacles in the forest. Make friends and engage with others during safe, off-trail adventures away from the comforts of home.  

Participants must be able to demonstrate self-care skills, follow adult direction and safety rules, and show readiness for large group participation, including remaining with the group.  

Developed in partnership with Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM). For information and to learn about AuSM, visit AuSM.org. Registration required by two weeks prior.

Explore the forest, pond and prairie habitats. Build a survival shelter with other campers. Start a campfire using different techniques and make a s'more. Meet our resident animals, and gain skills to navigate and overcome obstacles in the forest. Make friends and engage with others during safe, off–trail adventures away from the comforts of home.  

Participants must be able to demonstrate self-care skills, follow adult direction and safety rules, and show readiness for large group participation, including remaining with the group.  

Developed in partnership with Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM). For information and to learn about AuSM, visit AuSM.org. Registration required by two weeks prior.

Learn about insects through movement and games. Use nets and shovels to catch bugs on land and in water and watch them move. Get up close with live animals and make treasures to take home. Combine with Frogs Toads and Turtles Camp for four days of fun. Registration required by two weeks prior.

Get ready for an unforgettable science adventure! Hunt for insects like an entomologist, spot wild birds and meet Richardson’s resident raptors like an ornithologist, and explore the colors, shapes and textures of plants like a botanist. Get hands-on with reptiles and amphibians like a herpetologist and uncover the secret lives of mammals through tracks and clues like a mammologist.

At the end of the week, showcase your discoveries at our very own research symposium. Registration required by two weeks prior.

Embark on an exciting journey into the world of science! Track down insects like an entomologist, spot wild birds and meet Richardson’s resident raptors like an ornithologist and dive into the world of plants like a botanist. Handle reptiles and amphibians up close like a herpetologist and uncover the hidden lives of mammals by following tracks and clues like a mammologist. Then hop into a canoe and explore the pond like a real ecologist, observing the entire ecosystem from the water.

At the end of the week, showcase your discoveries at our very own research symposium.  Registration required by two weeks prior.

Calling all adventurous kids! Explore, play, create and enjoy some of your favorite camp activities at the end of the summer. Bring your sense of adventure.

Extended care available for an additional $75; drop-off begins at 8:30 AM and pick-up ends at 5 PM. Registration required by two weeks prior.

Join the Outdoor Recreation School to explore parks and trails by bike. Adventure 10–20 miles per day while learning bike handling skills and basic rules of the trail.  

Campers must bring their own multi-geared bike and a helmet each day. In the case of severe weather, this program may need to cancel for the day. Registration required by two weeks prior.

Join the Outdoor Recreation School to explore parks and trails by bike. Adventure 10–20 miles per day while learning bike handling skills and basic rules of the trail.  

Campers must bring their own multi-geared bike and a helmet each day. In the case of severe weather, this program may need to cancel for the day. Registration required by two weeks prior.

Bushcraft is the set of outdoor skills that allow you to survive, thrive and enjoy being in the wild. In this camp we’ll learn skills including weaving, whittling, fire-building, foraging, archery and more! This is the camp where nature, art and survival come together.  

Extended care available for an additional $48; drop-off begins at 8:30 AM and pick-up ends at 5 PM. Registration required by two weeks prior.

Join a naturalist and an artist and set out to trace the amazing journey water makes from our atmosphere to the lakes, rivers and oceans on Earth’s surface, to sources found underground. We will discover the importance of water to all living things and how it connects different environments and ecosystems across our planet. Along the way, we will dive into water-based artmaking activities such as painting, weaving and natural dye to illustrate our findings. Registration required by two weeks prior.

For a full day of adventure, combine with Digging in Nature & Clay: Handbuilding Camp in the morning. Includes a monitored lunch hour between camp sessions.

This camp is all about wood and woodcarving! Start at the source, learning about local tree species and their structure, as well as how to sustainably harvest green (fresh) wood. Then focus on different cuts, hand grips and sharpening techniques. Spend the rest of the week working on projects such as chopsticks and butter spreaders. To give our hands a rest, we will try other outdoor skills like fire-building, shelter-building and games.

Basic hand strength is required (such as the ability to open a sealed jar). Tools and materials provided. Registration required by two weeks prior.