Summer Day Camps 2019

If you love strawberries, blueberries, blackberries or apples, you can thank our fuzzy bee friends. To produce fruit and set seed most flowering plants need their pollen moved from one flower to another by pollinators like bees, butterflies, birds and bats. We'll celebrate and explore the vital role of these creatures. We'll investigate their habitat needs, life cycles and characteristics through field investigations, art projects and games. We'll dissect flowers to discover how seeds are formed, pick strawberries and make a tasty treat, sample honey direct from the hive and explore ways to make our yards more pollinator friendly.

Calling all nature explorers! How does a water scorpion breathe, a beaver eat under water without drowning or a Great Blue Heron catch fish? Come and learn the answers to these and other questions during our week exploring and comparing river, pond and wetland communities. We’ll catch and identify aquatic insects, build a river food web, investigate a beaver pond and identify common wetland plants. We’ll also play, do crafts, sing songs, and read stories.

Explore gardens, fields and forests of Hildene to discover and learn how the human and natural worlds are interconnected. We will be foragers of the field and forest! As naturalists, we will observe and identify plants through activities, games and projects including hunting and gathering for wild crafting and eating. From teas to dream pillows to terrariums and vine baskets, we will make crafts and foods to eat to become closer to the natural world around us.

Come and discover how the forest is more than just trees! Campers explore the forests in and around Hildene and learn about the woodland ecology of the region from the ground up. Through the exploration and identification of the flora and fauna, habitat and life cycle studies, games and wild crafting, we’ll get to know the diverse forest communities of the Taconic and Green Mountains that surround us.

Campers tend to the care of sheep, chickens, pigs and cows at our Dene Farm. They learn about the importance of composting, while getting their hands in the soil, cultivating and harvesting vegetables. They explore the operations of our greenhouse, including planting and harvesting micro-greens. At our goat dairy, campers learn about raising goats and the cheese making process. Farm-based crafts, stories and foods are also part of the mix, with the week ending with a mini farm-to-table celebration.

Campers tend to the care of sheep, chickens, pigs and cows at our Dene Farm. They learn about the importance of composting, while getting their hands in the soil, cultivating and harvesting vegetables. They explore the operations of our greenhouse, including planting and harvesting micro-greens. At our goat dairy, campers learn about raising goats and the cheese making process. Farm-based crafts, stories and foods are also part of the mix, with the week ending with a mini farm-to-table celebration.
 

Travel around the world without leaving the beauty of Hildene. Explore art from fascinating cultures (past and present) making deep connections to our own extraordinary landscape. Go on nature hikes to gather materials for projects and paint in the beautiful gardens of Hildene. Imaginations soar as students learn about new materials, cultures, art movements and techniques. the week culminates with an art show for students' families, exhibiting work created during this week-long artistic journey.

Create a miniature village! Design peeps (little people) and build a rustic village using natural materials. Through peeps, campers playfully explore community themes, like collaboration and teamwork, and experience connections to something bigger than themselves. There are jobs to be done, products to be make and services to provide. While building their community, campers investigate Hildene's forest, meadow and wetland habitats and learn about native plants and animals. The make nature-based crafts, prepare medicinal "sun" teas, play cooperative games and engage in observation and awareness activities throughout the week.