Playful Pollinators | June 19 – 23, Ages 5 – 6

What does a beetle eat for lunch? How does a caterpillar turn into a butterfly? Why are bees so busy? Campers will explore the important role pollinators play in the ecosystem, by peering under leaves to hunt for beetles, examining how caterpillars wiggle, and observing butterflies and bees pollinating flowers. There will be plenty of crafts to bring home, including seed balls and a butterfly life cycle wheel.

What’s Cookin’? | June 26 – 30, Ages 7 – 8 | July 17 – 21, Ages 7 – 8

Ever wonder where our food comes from? In this hands on camp, discover how food is grown from tiny seeds to become the fruits and veggies we love to eat. Campers will learn the skills to harvest, chop, measure, and mix culinary creations fresh from the garden. Make a cookbook and grow herb and veggie seedlings to take home to share with friends and family.

Lessons from Nature | June 26 – 30, Ages 9 – 10 | July 17 – 21, Ages 11 – 12

Nature is magic! It jump-starts our joy, cultivates our curiosity, and awakens our awe. Campers will discover and deepen their individual and collective connection with nature through play, observation, and creativity. We will examine the ecology of natural ecosystems as we explore our ecological self, celebrating our kinship with nature and unearthing our own magic.

Nature Detectives | July 10 – 14, Ages 5 – 6

This camp is for kids who love being outside and searching for clues about the natural world. Young naturalists will investigate off-the-beaten paths, search for treasures in the woods, look for animal tracks, distinguish nature’s sounds, and discover a variety of plants. Campers will look for evidence of unseen animal activity and gain skills they can use to uncover nature’s clues in the Garden and beyond!

Nature Makerspace | July 10 – 14, Ages 7 – 8 | July 24 – 28, Ages 9 – 10

Full STEAM ahead! Campers will begin the week by exploring the Garden in search of natural spaces to inspire them for their nature makerspace projects. They will conduct scientific experiments, design and create nature-based STEM/STEAM projects, all based on the seasons, animals, and parts of the Garden!

Wonders of Water | July 24 – 28, Ages 5 – 6 | August 14 – 18, Ages 7 – 8

How does a raindrop fall from the sky, just to end up back up there? How does a watershed help clean our drinking water? Campers will get their hands wet and dive deeper into the fascinating world of water. Through hands-on experiments, habitat exploration, stories and much more, campers will explore water in all phases. Their knowledge will be tested with an interactive Garden scavenger hunt that will take them on a new quest each day!

Elements of Inspiration | July 31 – August 4, Ages 11 – 12

Discover the magic of Incanto: An Oasis of Lyrical Sculpture, our seasonal exhibition from artists Kate Raudenbush and Sha Michele. Campers will unlock their creativity as they relax in the Garden and reflect through journaling, poetry, and mindfulness. Meditation, art, and a bit of whimsy will be our guides as we connect with each other, nature, and ourselves.

It’s a Bug’s Life | July 31 – August 4, Ages 5 – 6

Take a closer look into the life of bugs! Campers will be tested with a scavenger hunt each day leading to a bug mascot. This mascot will guide their exploration for the day through games, journaling, and plenty of crafts. Campers will discover the un-bee-lievably fascinating world of bugs!

Junior Naturalist | August 7 – 11, Ages 9 – 10

Anyone can become a junior naturalist. All that’s needed is curiosity about the wonders of the natural world. Through hands-on activities, campers will discover the amazing ways that plants, animals and insects support each other in well-balanced ecosystems. Campers will record their discoveries in nature journals that will be filled with pressed plants, drawings, and scientific data.

STEAM Playground | August 7 – 11, Ages 7 – 8

Computer science can happen anywhere! Join Eureka Workshops instructors, from CodeVA, for STEAM-themed activities for elementary schoolers. We’ll do simple crafts and games together that reinforce computational thinking and introduce developmentally appropriate skills to young computer scientists.

Wild Art | August 14 – 18, Ages 5 – 6

What if the garden was our studio, the leaves our canvases, the petals our paint? For this camp, they will be! Young artists will discover a myriad of way to expand their creativity while exploring the garden. Making use of the natural resources all around us, campers will use the power of sunlight to print cyanotype photographs, explore pressed flowers, foliage, burrs, and barks as natural media for collage and all around create wonderful works of art from and inspired by the garden!

For questions and assistance with registration please contact:

Anna Gale, Out of School Learning Coordinator, at [email protected] or 804.262.9887 extension 239.

Refund/Cancellation Policy: If we are able to fill your camper’s spot, you will be given a refund or credit to be used for future summer camps.

To keep everyone healthy and safe, please do not send your child to camp if they have or have had symptoms of COVID-19 (and have not been tested) or have tested positive within the past 14 days. Per CDC guidelines, campers may attend camp if they have quarantined for five days, have been fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication, and their symptoms are improving. They must wear a well-fitted mask when around others for 10 days after exposure or positive test result. For guidelines on isolation and quarantining, please refer to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html

Please note that all policies are subject to change if we determine a higher level of precaution is necessary to keep campers, staff, and volunteers safe.