Nature Camp

Preschool Camps

5-day camps for ages 4-6 from 9 am – 1 pm, with aftercare available until 5:30pm. Available at Mount Pisgah Arboretum, Hendricks Park, and Clearwater Park. Pricing TBD.

Day Camps

5-day camps for ages 6-16 that run from 9 am – 3 pm, with aftercare available until 5:30pm. Available at Mount Pisgah Arboretum, Hendricks Park, and Clearwater Park. Pricing TBD.

Overnight Camps

6-day camps for ages 10-16 that run at Big Bear Camp in Walton, OR in late June/early July. Pricing TBD.

Leadership Training & Experience

We run a 1-week camp called “Young Mentors” that is a prerequisite for students to become “Coyotes-in-Training” and be part of future camps in a leadership role.  We also take applications for “Junior Coyotes,” teens who take on a leadership role at our overnight camps (Young Mentors training recommended but not required for Junior Coyotes).  You can register for “Young Mentors” camp through our regular registration process. Junior Coyotes is an application process- application release date TBD. 

Scholarships

Why CHoose US?

Experienced Professionals

Some of our instructors have been teaching with us for over a decade; others have immense experience in other teaching environments. All have a passion for mentoring students outdoors, and weeks of training annually.

Hands-on Attention

Our groups have an average ratio of 6 students per an instructor. Instead of a discipline policy, we study how to engage students meaningfully,  support students with trauma, and appreciate students for who they are.

All of our nature camps are based on our teaching philosophy which includes:

  • Practicing gratitude
  • Tuning our senses to our surroundings in the present moment
  • Play as paramount to effective learning
  • Respect and stillness in nature
  • Community-building and helping each student shine with their gifts
  • Skills from our four Learning Pathways

We also have a Flow of the Day in all of our camp themes which is designed to accommodate students of diverse interests, intelligences, and energy levels. 

Our Story camps & Social camps also include the Wildkin™ Learning Framework woven throughout.

Each student is provided a Wildkin role based on their unique gifts and interests. They receive a role card that gives them quests and secret missions they can complete throughout the camp. When they complete quests, they receive rewards that give them more ways to contribute. For example:

  • After the Explorer completes a quest to identify a hazard and how to be safe around it, they earn the Superpower to be at the head and tail of the line with an instructor.
  • After the Tracker sketches some specific nature observations, they gain the Gear Reward of field guides that they can use for the week.

Wildkin roles ensure that every student is engaged in co-creating their camp experience. That’s part of the reason why no two experiences at our camp are ever the same, even if they are the same theme!

"My child adores the programs and camps put on by Whole Earth. Whether for a day, a week, or the whole semester, he always has an adventure and learns so much. He is much more aware of his surroundings and the effect we have on them."
"These camps provide more than just outside play time. The kids come away with a real knowledge of ecology and our place in the wilderness. The whole program is well organized and authentic in its commitment to teaching our kids to respect and honor our natural surroundings. Bravo."
"I appreciate that the kids have experiences that are just outside their comfort zone. The instructors provide a safe and caring environment for all children to grow and learn. Our girls have learned a lot of new skills and gained great confidence in being outdoors."