Summer Nature Camps - Outdoor adventure and hands-on nature activities encourage children ages 2-12 to experience the great outdoors throughout the summer. From Living Like Laura Ingalls to Muckin' in the Marsh and Weird Science, there's something for everyone!

Summer Camp 2008

Summer Camp at the Nature Center

2008 Summer Camp information!
Summer Camp Registration begins Monday, March 3rd for members and Tuesday, April 1 for non-members. 

M=Monday, T=Tuesday, W=Wednesday, R=Thursday, F=Friday, Sat=Saturday, Sun=Sunday

Lunchtime story hour from 11:30am to 1pm is available for most programs. Please bring a sack lunch - lemonade and water will be provided. 

Toddler Programs Ages 2-3
TODDLER TIME CLUB
#1 June 12, 19 R 10-11 am 
#2 July 10, 17, 24, 31 R 10-11am
#3 August 7, 14, 21, 28 R 10-11 am
Toddler Time Clubs will feature a different topic each week. Come prepared to learn and have fun! (All Toddlers must have a parent pal present.)

#4 SENSORY SAFARI
June 10 T 10-11 am
Come on a safari to search for nature’s critters! Use all your senses to find clues to where critters have been and where they may be. Travel through the Kindergarten Woods and around the pond to explore nature as it awakens from spring.

#5 KNEE-HI NATURALISTS
June 24 T 10-11 am
There are many views of nature depending on whether you are big or small. Become a naturalist at your level and learn about the wacky world near the ground with exploration, games and songs!

#6 TIKES AND TADPOLES
July 2 W 10-11 am
To the pond and marsh we will go, in search of tadpoles high and low. Explorers you will be, and critters you may see!

#7 PEEK-A-BUG
July 22 T 10-11 am
Ant on an anthill, busy as can be, butterflies in the meadow - how many do you see? We’ll journey through the land in search of these wonderful bugs. Using insect nets and bug jars, you’ll get to examine them face-to-face!

#8 FROLICKING FROGS
August 13 W 10-11 am
Come and explore what it’s really like to be a frog. We’ll visit where they live and learn about what they eat and who their neighbors are!

#9 HOMES AND HIDEAWAYS
August 18 M 10-11 am
You’d be surprised where animals find homes in nature’s nooks and crannies! We’ll explore the many hidden hideouts of animals in the pond, prairie and woodland.

Summer Camp Registration begins Monday, March 3rd for members and Tuesday, April 1 for non-members. 

Ages 4-5
#10 NEMO'S NEIGHBORS
June 17-18 T/W 9-11:30 am 
Help Nemo and Marlin discover what fish and turtles live in our pond! Do we have clownfish, sea turtles and sharks in Wisconsin? Get your hands wet and discover which water critters call fish “friends, not food!”

#11 LET'S ROCK n ROLL
June 17-18 T/W 1-3:30 pm
Rocks and minerals are all around us! We’ll become amateur geologists and learn how rocks are created, why they are important, and how fun they are to collect. You’ll also get creative and make your own specimen bag for your rock collection.

#12 BLUES CLUES TO THE FOREST
June 24-25 T/W 9-11:30 am
Can you help Blue find the clues to the mysteries of the forest? Secret sounds, sights and smells can tell you a lot about what happens in this mysterious area - the forest. Use your detective skills to find out who lives there, where they hide, and what they eat!

#13 POLLIWOGS TO FROGS  FULL!
June 24-25 T/W 1-3:30 pm
Find out how cool it would be to grow up like a frog! You will explore a frog’s life from egg to adult and everything in between. Our pond is teeming with spring peepers, green frogs, and even bullfrogs! Have fun getting up close to these hip-hoppity critters!

#14 Furry Friends (Bilingual)
July 1-2 T/W 9-11:30 am
Meet the warm and fuzzy animals that call our woods, pond, and prairie home! We’ll discover what we have in common with other mammals and search for signs of these delightful critters. English and Spanish speakers welcome.

#15 Dragonfly Tales
July 1-2 T/W 1-3:30 pm
Come meet the dragons of ALNC! They don’t breathe fire, but these special dragons do fly! Take an outdoor adventure and listen to tales about dragonflies and their flying friends. Your adventures will take you on special excursions so you can create your own tales about these magical creatures.

#16 Blues Clues to the Prairie
July 9-10 W/R 9-11:30 am
Can you help Blue find the clues to the mysteries of the prairie? The secret sounds, sights, and smells can tell you a lot about what happens in this mysterious area - the prairie. Use your detective skills to find out who lives there, where they hide, and what they eat!

#17 Adventures with Franklin the Turtle
July 9-10 W/R 1-3:30 pm
Be ready to get your feet wet and hands dirty as we explore the land in search of Franklin and all of his friends - other turtles, snakes, frogs, toads, salamanders, and newts. Come learn how and why these crazy critters can change the way they look as they grow.

#18 Explore Like Dora (Bilingual)
July 17-18 R/F 1-3:30 pm
Can you help Dora and her teddy bear prevent Swiper from swiping key items? Go on a quest in this bilingual camp to gather key objects needed to explore the prairie, pond and forest! English and Spanish speakers welcome.

#19 Things with Wings
July 22-23 T/W 9-11:30 am
From butterflies to birds, flying animals come in all sizes, shapes, and colors. We will hike to the pond, prairie, marsh, and woodlands to observe many wonderful things with wings!

#20 Touch It!  FULL!
July 22-23 T/W 1-3:30 pm
Discover the feel of everything around you by using all your senses! Is it rough, smooth or soft? We’ll use a special recipe to create goo and slime and let our fingers experience magic mud!

#21 Mudpuppies R’ Us
August 7-8 R/F 9-11:30 am
Meet the smooth and slimy salamanders of Wisconsin! How are newts and mudpuppies different from other amphibians? Meet some of these wonderfully wet and wild cold-blooded creatures!

#22 Franklin Plants a Tree
August 7-8 R/F 1-3:30 pm
Help Franklin the Turtle learn all about the wonders of trees! Become a tree detective to learn the parts of a tree and take home a tree craft.

#23 Blues Clues to the Wetland
August 19-20 T/W 1-3:30 pm
Can you help Blue find the clues to the mysteries of the wetland? The secret sounds, sights, and smells can tell you a lot about what happens in this mysterious area - the wetland. Use your detective skills to find out who lives there, where they hide, and what they eat!

Summer Camp Registration begins Monday, March 3rd for members and Tuesday, April 1 for non-members. 

Ages 6-7
#24 Living Like Laura Ingalls
June 24-26 T/W/R 1-3:30 pm
As Laura Ingalls lived and played on the banks of Plum Creek, she learned things that few children today know how to do. As a young child, she used Wisconsin’s woods, waters, and prairies as her playground. Learn how you can have fun in these same places the way Laura did! You’ll also have fun with some of the chores Laura used to dislike - making drinks and food from the plants people today call “weeds.”

#25 Amphibian Adventures
July 7 M 9 am-3 pm
Discover the antics of these amazing amphibians! Search the pond and marsh for frogs under logs or hiding along the shore. What’s the difference between a tadpole and a polliwog? We’ll learn to identify common Wisconsin frogs by their call and conduct our very own “frog chorus.” Kids who don’t like to get their hands wet - beware! It will be a wetland adventure for all!

#26 Go Like Diego! (Bilingual)
July 8-10 T/W/R 9-11:30 am
Can you help Diego explore the habitats of ALNC? Each day join Click and the Rescuepack to help the wildlife in the woods, pond, and prairie! English and Spanish speakers welcome.

#27 How to Hide a Butterfly
July 8-10 T/W/R 1-3:30 pm
Insects of all kinds - grasshoppers, butterflies, moths, walking sticks, inch worms and many more - are all around us! Sharpen your senses and take our hide and seek insect challenge. Join us for a camouflage adventure!

#28 Wetland Romp
July 15-17 T/W/R 9-11:30 am
Explore the mysterious inhabitants of wetlands! Wetlands provide a unique home to specialized plants and animals, and help people too! Find out how with a hike, pond dipping, games, and more.

#29 Pioneer Living
July 15-17 T/W/R 1-3:30 pm
Take a trip back in time and play water relay races using a yolk (not an EGG yolk) and buckets, and make crafts and food the old-fashioned way. This adventurous camp will test if you could be a pioneer living off of the land!

#30 Goodness Snakes Alive
July 18 F 9 am-3 pm
Snakes slither and slide but they’re really not slimy. Learn to love our friends without feet by discovering where they live, what they eat, and how they move without legs. You’ll also delve into the world of other reptiles and learn what makes them unique.

#31 Muckin’ in the Marsh
July 22-24 T/W/R 9-11:30 am
Put on your muckin’ shoes and follow us through the marsh in search of cattails and heron wails. Our marsh is filled with great blue herons, muskrats, frogs, toads, ducks, geese, and even fox! Learn how to identify animals by their calls and find them even when they are camouflaged. Come on-LET’S GO!

#32 Crafty with Nature
July 22-24 T/W/R 1-3:30 pm
Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, white and brown - nature’s colors are all around! Create beautiful crafts using all natural materials. Have a rainbow of fun! We’ll also take time to hike our trails and look at how crafty nature can be on its own without using tape or glue.

#33 Magic in Nature
July 29-31 T/W/R 9-11:30 am
Come visit a world that Harry Potter would love! Take a walk outdoors with our naturalists and learn some of the secrets behind nature’s tricks. Watch as Mother Nature makes her creatures disappear through clever camouflage and beautiful colors appear magically.

#34 Hop to It!
July 29-31 T/W/R 1-3:30 pm
Come and explore what it’s really like to be a frog. We’ll visit where they live and learn about what they eat and who their neighbors are!

#35 Feathers and Fur (Bilingual)
August 5-6 T/W 9-11:30 am
Meet those wonderfully feathered and furry creatures that call the woods, pond and prairie home! We’ll visit each habitat to explore the cute and cuddly animals of nature!

#36 At Play in the Mud
August 5-6 T/W 1-3:30 pm
Have you ever made a mud sculpture or eaten dirt cake? We’ll have a blast playing in the mud while we test which soils make the best finger painting art and which make the best home for worms! Please wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and bring a change of clothes in a plastic bag.

#37 Little Shack in the Little Woods
August 12-14 T/W/R 9-11:30 am
We’ll share with you the world Laura Ingalls and her family may have had as they made a life in the woods. Experience life as if you lived in the 1800’s - embroider, garden, make dairy goods, cook with honey, and learn about the bees, trees, and animals that roamed the woods of pioneer Wisconsin!

#38 Hooray for Herps!
August 12-14 T/W/R 1-3:30 pm
Herps are those awesome animals known as reptiles and amphibians. Meet some live herps and learn to slither, hop and crawl just like them! Join us for some slimy and scaly fun.

#39 Slippery Slithery Creatures
August 19-21 T/W/R 9-11:30 am
Though they don’t have hair, they still shouldn’t scare! You’ll see why when you join our naturalists for a day of exploring and fun. We’ll slither up to that long-tongued snake and hop up to that bug-munching frog to say “Hi!”

Summer Camp Registration begins Monday, March 3rd for members and Tuesday, April 1 for non-members. 

Ages 8-10
#40 Outdoor Cooking
June 17-19 T/W/R 9-11:30 am
What do you know about the wild edible plants in the forest and prairie? Can you create a scrumptious meal using raw ingredients and aluminum foil? How about campfire brownies? Learn how to make banana boats, cake in an orange, and many more tasty treats.

#41 Wetland Adventure
June 17-19 T/W/R 1-3:30 pm
What adventures await us as we wander through the many wetlands of ALNC? We’ll explore up close and personal the world that fish, turtles, tadpoles and muskrats call home! Be prepared to get wet as we catch fish, frogs, tadpoles and insects in the ponds and marshes surrounding ALNC.

#42 Roaming Reptiles
June 25 W 9 am-3 pm
These creatures may be scaly, but they’re not scary! Meet some of our live four-legged and legless cold-blooded friends up close. You’ll see how reptiles on land and water fit into the food chain.

#43 Fossil Fever
July 8 T 9 am-3 pm
Discover the world of ancient plants and animals through the study of Paleontology. Excavate a fossil, go on a fossil hunt, and make your own fossils to take home. It’ll be fossil-riffic!

#44 Superhero Training Camp
July 15-17 T/W/R 9-11:30 am
Train to be a superhero! Team up to take down villains and help save the earth in the process. Earn carbon credits with each obstacle you defeat and “cash” them in when your team needs extra help. Come at once to save the day!

#45 Scientific Adventures
July 15-17 T/W/R 1-3:30 pm
Explore various fields of science including ornithology, geology, biology and limnology. Youth will learn how to use tools and equipment used by real scientists, such as water quality testing equipment, soil probes and binoculars.

#46 Goodness Snakes Alive
July 29-31 T/W/R 9-11:30 am
Snakes slither and slide but they’re really not slimy. Learn to love our friends without feet by discovering where they live, what they eat, and how they move without legs. You’ll also delve into the world of other reptiles and learn what makes them unique.

#47 Pioneers on the Prairie
July 29-31 T/W/R 1-3:30 pm
Pioneers lived life very differently than we do today! Take a trip back in time and play water relay races using a yoke (not an EGG yolk) and buckets, and make crafts and food the old-fashioned way. This adventure will test if you really could be a pioneer living off of the prairie!

#48 The Fairy Chronicles of ALNC
August 7-8 R/F 9-11:30 am
“Spiderwick” fans, this camp is for you! Find the field guide to the fairies of ALNC, meet Pond Polly and the “troll” that lives under the bridge. Go on an indoor brownie hunt and make your own field guide to take home!

#49 Skins and Skulls
August 7-8 R/F 1-3:30 pm
From scaly and smooth to wet and slimy, you’ll explore skins of all types in this sensory camp! Learn how to “read” skulls to identify animals and what they eat. Put together small mammal skeletons hidden in owl pellets and more in this investigative camp.

#50 Survivor!  FULL!
August 12-14 T/W/R 9-11:30 am
Are you prepared for a survival situation? It could happen to YOU! Learn basic skills to survive in the great outdoors. Build a fire, construct a shelter, search for food, and get ready to survive!

#51 Weird Science
August 12-14 T/W/R 1-3:30 pm
New and different wacky science experiments await your discovery! Make cake sprinkles and worms “dance” and then eat them! We’ll see water flow uphill, make room temperature water “boil,” create a whistle stick to take home, and more in this physics and chemistry based camp.

#52 Every Day Superheroes
August 15 F 9 am-3 pm
What do Spiderman, Batman, and Wolverine all have in common? Meet the real creatures behind these popular comic book heroes and learn how SUPER they really are!

#53 Outdoor Cooking
August 19-21 T/W/R 9-11:30 am
What do you know about the wild edible plants in the forest and prairie? Can you create a scrumptious meal using raw ingredients and aluminum foil? Learn how to make sweet and savory late summer treats over a campfire in this delectable camp.

#54 Amazing Race
August 19-21 T/W/R 1-3:30 pm
Can your team be the first to meet each challenge? Each day we’ll have different physical and mental challenges for your team to overcome. The obstacles will take you through woods, forests, and wetlands! Come prepared to get dirty and have fun!

Summer Camp Registration begins Monday, March 3rd for members and Tuesday, April 1 for non-members. 

Buddy Camps Ages 2-5
Buddy camps are a great way for children of different ages to attend the same camp! Siblings, friends and relatives are encouraged to attend, or come alone and meet new friends! 

#55 Harold’s Purple Crayon Buddy Camp
June 20 F 10-11:30 am
Enter a magical world of imagination and bring your purple crayon! We’ll encounter many surprises and challenges in the natural world and use our imagination and creativity to solve them.

#56 ‘Ant-ics’ Buddy Camp FULL!
July 3 R 10-11:30 am
Kneel down and take a close look at the busy ant hills throughout our prairie! Count their body parts and find the thorax. Crawl into an ant nest, build a big ant to take home and put one together to eat.

#57 Common ‘Scents’ Buddy Camp
July 8 T 10-11:30 am
Live like an animal! Enter the world of nocturnal animals with a blindfold hike and sound games. Test your ability to identify smells and tastes. You’ll love being an animal!

#58 Touch It! Buddy Camp FULL!
July 16 W 10-11:30 am
Discover the feel of everything around you by using all your senses! Is it rough, smooth or soft? We’ll use a special recipe to create goo and slime and let our fingers experience magic mud!

#59 Explore Like Dora Buddy Camp (Bilingual) FULL!
July 29 T 10-11:30 am
Can you help Dora and her teddy bear prevent Swiper from swiping key items? Go on a quest in this bilingual camp to gather key objects needed to explore the prairie, pond and forest! English and Spanish speakers welcome.

#60 How Wet Can You Get Buddy Camp
August 1 F 10-11:30 am
Water is our planet’s most precious natural resource, and not just because it’s great fun to play in! Learn all about the water cycle with games, songs and a water carnival. Be prepared to get wet!

#61 Feathers and Fur Buddy Camp
Aug 22 F 10-11:30 am
Meet those wonderfully feathered and furry creatures that call the woods, pond and prairie home! We’ll visit each habitat to explore the cute and cuddly animals of nature!

Summer Camp Registration begins Monday, March 3rd for members and Tuesday, April 1 for non-members. 

Buddy Camps Ages 6-11
Buddy camps are a great way for children of different ages to attend the same camp! Siblings, friends and relatives are encouraged to attend, or come alone and meet new friends! 

#62 Skull & Crossbones Buddy Camp
June 20 F 9-11:30 am
Arghhhh! Can you find the pirate’s gold hidden in the woods, wetland and prairie? Use a treasure map to find where “X” marks the spot - retrieve three medallions and return them to the treasure chest! Can you lift the pirate’s curse?

#63 Creature Feature Buddy Camp
June 20 F 1-3:30 pm
People aren’t the only ones who wear disguises! Some animals are copycats, some are showoffs, and still others masquerade as entirely different animals! Meet these sneaky creatures and create your own “featured creature!”

#64 Animal Senses Buddy Camp
June 27 F 9-11:30 am
Many animals have heightened senses much more advanced than our own. Enter the world of nocturnal animals with a blindfold hike and sound games. Test your ability to identify smells and tastes. You’ll love being an animal for a day!

#65 Water Carnival Buddy Camp
June 27 F 1-3:30 pm
Stay cool while having fun at ALNC’s Water Carnival! Teams will compete in a wet t-shirt relay, toss the sponge through the hula hoop, carry water in a spoon, and a water balloon fight!

#66 Six or Eight Legged Freaks? Buddy Camp
July 1-3 T/W/R 9-11:30 am
No, they’re not as big as a house, but you’ll meet some large, live animals with eight legs! We’ll learn all about the diets and habits of jumping spiders, orb weavers, trapdoor spiders, wolf spiders, and even tarantulas! We’ll also meet some of the six-legged prey of these fascinating predators.

#67 Woodland Indian Ways Buddy Camp
July 1-3 T/W/R 1-3:30 pm
Life wasn’t always so easy! Discover the Native People’s way of life and find out how they survived long before cars, television, and McDonalds came along. Forget the video games because you’ll have a blast playing some fun outdoor games and discovering the effigy mounds right in your own backyard.

#68 Woodland Championships Buddy Camp
July 11 F 9-11:30 am
Are you ready for nature’s obstacle course? Compete in Native American spear-throwing, potato sack races, water carrying, and other physical challenges to see if you are a Woodland Champion!

#69 Seis Patas (Six Legs) Buddy Camp (Bilingual)
July 11 F 1-3:30 pm
Meet our friends with three body parts and six legs! We’ll journey through the woods, prairie and pond to catch and examine insects up close. Inspect insect homes, like galls and ant hills, and meet some LARGE live insects!

#70 Outdoor Gladiator Buddy Camp
July 25 F 9-11:30 am
Test your strength and agility against our “gladiators” in this fun filled competition! You’ll compete in a series of outdoor events and earn points before the final “Crunch Time.” Can you be a finalist?

#71 Water Carnival Buddy Camp
July 25 F 1-3:30 pm
Stay cool while having fun at ALNC’s Water Carnival! Teams will compete in a variety of wet and wild games and contests. Be prepared to get wet and have fun!

#72 How Wet Can You Get Buddy Camp
August 25 M 9 am-3 pm
Water is our planet’s most precious natural resource, and not just because it’s great fun to play in! Learn all about the water cycle with games and a water carnival. Be prepared to get wet and have fun!

Summer Camp Registration begins Monday, March 3rd for members and Tuesday, April 1 for non-members. 

Overnights Ages 8+
#73 Going Batty Sleepover (MONONA)
July 18-19 F/Sat 7 pm-8 am
Enjoy the twilight and watch the bats catch nighttime insects, especially those pesky mosquitoes! Play the “Bat-Moth” game, sing songs and enjoy a tasty treat around the campfire. Afterwards you can weave your dreams in the Leopold Loft and wake to a light breakfast.

#74 Shooting Star Sleepover (Monona)
August 9-10 Sat/Sun 7 pm-8 am
Spend a night under the stars on one of the most “starriffic” nights of the year! The Perseid Meteor Shower, the biggest of the year, will sprinkle the sky. Naturalists will explain why this magical event happens, take you on a nighttime walk, lead songs around a campfire, and much more. After a nighttime snack you can weave your dreams in the Leopold loft and wake to a light breakfast.

Summer Camp Registration begins Monday, March 3rd for members and Tuesday, April 1 for non-members.