{"id":12284,"date":"2019-01-31T09:22:13","date_gmt":"2019-01-31T14:22:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/?p=12284"},"modified":"2019-01-31T15:10:21","modified_gmt":"2019-01-31T20:10:21","slug":"what-is-nature-camp-and-why-should-you-try-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/what-is-nature-camp-and-why-should-you-try-it\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Nature Camp? And Why Should You Try It?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It is summer camp registration season, and that means it\u2019s decision time! Summer is an ideal time for children to be outside, but choosing between camp opportunities can be overwhelming. How do you pick between dozens of options? And why should you consider nature camp<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Photo: Phil Doyle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Why Nature Camp<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

According to studies done by Common Sense Media in 2017, children ages\n4\u20138 spend three hours per day in front of a screen (outside of school), and that\nnumber climbs to over six hours once they reach teenage years. Our camp\ncommunity is designed to turn that trend on its head and create a new, happy\ngeneration of nature enthusiasts who are comfortable in nature and just as excited\nto share it with others as we are. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mass Audubon campers laugh, sing, play, and do all of the wacky, fun activities that make summer camp special, and <\/em>they experience hands-on learning in nature. Exploration and discovery fuel our programming, because campers are curious. Camp activities include things like carefully rolling logs in search of salamanders, dipping nets into ponds to catch water bugs, paddling Massachusetts\u2019 rivers and estuaries, exploring salt marshes for crabs and eels, and tagging butterflies in meadows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why You Should Try It<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We believe giving campers the opportunity to learn about their surroundings creates better outdoorspeople, community members, and future environmentalists. Additionally, it teaches campers valuable skills like creativity, observation, and self-confidence while giving them opportunities to move and play in both structured and unstructured ways that stimulate mental and social growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our unique and wonderful summer staff help make this possible. We hire counselors who have experience working with children and a passion for sharing their knowledge of the outdoors. Some counselors join us for specific programs based on their area of knowledge in order to deliver the best possible program for our campers. Paddling instructors, nature photographers, birding experts, professional artists, and others enrich the camp experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many campers become Counselors-in-Training (CITs) as teens and eventually\nstaff. Some even go on to be leaders in the environmental and education fields.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find a Camp Near You!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mass Audubon offers 20 different camp experiences,<\/a> from day camps for four-year-olds, to overnight camp for children in elementary and middle school, to teen travel and adventure opportunities\u2014all focused on connecting your child with nature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Come for a summer experience filled with all the magic and wonder of traditional day camp, and stay for the wildlife, exploration, and new friends. Laugh, love, and learn something new at a Mass Audubon camp this summer!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

— Zach D\u2019Arbeloff, Drumlin Farm’s Assistant Camp Director<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is summer camp registration season, and that means it\u2019s decision time! Summer is an ideal time for children to be outside, but choosing between camp opportunities can be overwhelming. How do you pick between dozens of options? And why should you consider nature camp? Why Nature Camp According to studies done by Common Sense […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12288,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[8,171],"tags":[35,41],"class_list":["post-12284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-get-outdoors","category-young-explorers","tag-camp","tag-day-camp"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2019\/01\/Arcadia-Camp-Photos-2019_CREDIT-PHIL-DOYLE-2.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-3c8","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":15094,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/camp-is-coming-an-update-on-summer-camp-2021\/","url_meta":{"origin":12284,"position":0},"title":"Camp Is Coming! An Update on Summer Camp 2021","author":"Ryan D.","date":"December 24, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"What's that? Did you say camp is coming? Yes, camp is coming! Mass Audubon's camp staff love winter, but we really miss summer camp, and we bet you do, too. Across the state and at one special property in southern New Hampshire, our camp staff is hard at work getting\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sledding with Wachusett Meadow Camp Director Elizabeth Broughton","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/12\/Screenshot-2020-12-23-111423.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/12\/Screenshot-2020-12-23-111423.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/12\/Screenshot-2020-12-23-111423.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/12\/Screenshot-2020-12-23-111423.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14508,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/hip-hip-hooray-for-camp\/","url_meta":{"origin":12284,"position":1},"title":"Hip, Hip, Hooray for Camp!","author":"Ryan D.","date":"August 7, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Summer just isn\u2019t summer without camp. Sunshine, fresh air, friends, and fun in the outdoors are the optimal nourishment for body, mind, and soul. So when COVID-19 shut down Massachusetts this spring, our camp and education staff immediately got to work, developing plans to open some of our day camps\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Get Outdoors"","block_context":{"text":"Get Outdoors","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/get-outdoors\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Campers inspect a bird nest at Wachusett Meadow Nature Day Camp in Princeton","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/08\/Wachusett-Meadow-Day-Camp-August-2020-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/08\/Wachusett-Meadow-Day-Camp-August-2020-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/08\/Wachusett-Meadow-Day-Camp-August-2020-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/08\/Wachusett-Meadow-Day-Camp-August-2020-2.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12056,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/in-your-words-camper-mia-papazian\/","url_meta":{"origin":12284,"position":2},"title":"In Your Words: Camper Mia Papazian","author":"Ryan D.","date":"December 20, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Fourteen-year-old Mia Papazian has attended Boston Nature Center Summer Camp since she was five.","rel":"","context":"In "In Your Words"","block_context":{"text":"In Your Words","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/in-your-words\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/12\/Mia-750.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/12\/Mia-750.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/12\/Mia-750.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/12\/Mia-750.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14950,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/the-power-of-camp\/","url_meta":{"origin":12284,"position":3},"title":"The Power of Camp","author":"Mass Audubon","date":"November 19, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Today is\u00a0Summer Camp\u00a0Day of Action\u00a0for Black Lives.\u00a0 As a statewide conservation organization that operates\u00a019\u00a0nature\u00a0day camps and a residential summer camp\u00a0serving\u00a0more than\u00a015,000 campers, we stand with our colleagues and friends in the camp world\u00a0affirming\u00a0that\u00a0Black Lives Matter at Camp.\u00a0\u00a0 Nature itself is untainted with prejudice; however,\u00a0too many Black and Brown community members\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Kids at camp","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/11\/0042_RoxburyLatin2017_042_750.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/11\/0042_RoxburyLatin2017_042_750.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/11\/0042_RoxburyLatin2017_042_750.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/11\/0042_RoxburyLatin2017_042_750.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4077,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/summer-camp-2014-highlights\/","url_meta":{"origin":12284,"position":4},"title":"Summer Camp 2014 Highlights","author":"","date":"September 17, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Before we say an official\u00a0goodbye to summer 2014, here\u2019s a look back at some highlights from our camps across the state\u2014and beyond! New Programs Many camps offered new programs that brought campers closer to nature in exciting ways. Stony Brook Nature Day Camp in Norfolk offered its first Adventure Camp\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "EcoKids"","block_context":{"text":"EcoKids","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/ecokids\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/09\/MABA-dana_instruction_group_ceramics.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/09\/MABA-dana_instruction_group_ceramics.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/09\/MABA-dana_instruction_group_ceramics.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2014\/09\/MABA-dana_instruction_group_ceramics.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":277,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/lazy-hazy-days-of-camp\/","url_meta":{"origin":12284,"position":5},"title":"Lazy, Hazy Days of Camp","author":"Mass Audubon","date":"July 5, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"These are the first weeks of summer camp at many of our wildlife sanctuaries. Seeing all the campers with their lunches in tow, I can\u2019t help but remember my own summer camp experience. Growing up in Maine, I was no stranger to the woods and, to me, camp was an\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "EcoKids"","block_context":{"text":"EcoKids","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/ecokids\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2012\/06\/Campers-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12284","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12284"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12284\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12297,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12284\/revisions\/12297"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12288"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12284"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12284"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12284"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}