Roll up their sleeves and send them with an extra pair of flip flops, your kids will love these farm and nature camps close to home.
Nature Place Day Camp: Have a nature lover on your hands? This non-competitive, nature-oriented day camp staffed by well-trained and caring counselors supports children, ages 4 – 16, in being themselves with their friends in the great outdoors. In addition to fun camp activities such as swim (Nature Place’s “pond” has an actual sandy beach), music, drama, archery and games, campers get to take advantage of the 200-acre property by exploring the camp’s garden, nurturing the resident chickens, hanging out in teepees, nature exploration, cooking with fresh, locally grown ingredients plus hiking, canoeing, and learning how to camp as well. (285 Hungry Hollow Rd., Chestnut Ridge, NY; (845) 356-6477; ages 4 – 16; camp runs June 27th – August 5th, an additional 2-week farm and garden program runs August 8th – August 19th for kids ages 6 – 12, 9:00am – 4:00pm, before and after care is available, 4-, 5- and 6-week sessions offered, 4-week session starts at $3,400; busing is available from specific Bergen locations at an additional cost)
Health Barn USA Summer Camp: This one of a kind “Farm to Fork” program (limited to 25 kids per week) offers a fun, hands-on experience for kids, ages 5-12, about planting and harvesting organic produce, exploring environmental science through exciting nature activities and participating in a local Farmers’ Market selling their own produce while still keeping them engages with crafts, yoga and scavenger hunts. Plus, every day kids will cook nutritional meals from freshly picked garden ingredients which means you don’t have to pack any food. Kids, ages 3-5 can get a taste of the program with a “Summer Seedlings” session that runs 1.5 hours daily for 5 week sessions. (259 N. Maple Ave., Ridgewood, NJ; (201) 891-2066; ages 3 – 12; camp runs June 20th – August 29th; 9:00am – 3:00pm; rates start at $645 per week for Farm to Fork Camp and $250 per 5-week session for Summer Seedlings Camp; early bird rates available until February 29th and sibling discount is offered)
Stone Barns Center Camp: Your child can get a first-hand experience working the land by actually working the farm comprised of various gardens and live animals. Your little farmer-in-training will enjoy performing daily farm chores, science experiments, cooking, crafts and nature walks that emphasize farm-to-plate connections, cycles found in nature, and sustainable food systems. Plus the rest of the family can join in the fun on the last Friday of each session. The camp offers 1 and 2 week sessions throughout the summer for grades 1st through 8th, and is segregated into groups by age. (630 Bedford Rd, Pocantico Hills, NY, (914) 366 6200, ages 5 - 14; camp runs June 27th – August 15th, 9:00am – 3:15pm; starts at $380 per week (members) and $420 per week (non-members); meet the farm camp staff at their open house on June 22nd)
Tenafly Nature Center: Immerse your child in nature this summer at Tenafly Nature’s expert-run program. Kids, ages 4 – 14, will love the hands-on nature experiences, outdoor adventures while hiking along TNC’s trails, exploring the surrounding forests, and engaging with the amazing wildlife, plus participating in nature-based crafts, games and activities. The low teacher to camper ratio enables this camp to give your kid a lot of individual attention and campers are grouped by age in small groups to maximize learning. (313 Hudson Ave, Tenafly, (201) 568-6093; ages 4 – 14; camp runs June 27th – September 2nd; 9:00am – 3:30pm, mini-day and extended day available; rates start at $325 per full day week)
