10 Animal & Nature Camps Near Boston

jjdownin:  This camp was made for my son. He loved everything about this experience — being outdoors, exploring the woods, learning more about nature, the amazing counselors, and getting to meet new friends. He truly adored the counselors, and looked forward to camp each and every day. He cried when we left on the last day, begging to keep going. He actually made a comment that if school was like NEOC, he would be happy to go every single day. Thank you SO MUCH for creating NEOC — this has been an experience of a lifetime for our son — and we cannot wait to sign up for next year!

Teacher naturalists lead children in a series of nature-themed experiences throughout the week. They will enjoy hands-on exploration, crafts, stories, songs, and, of course, outdoor play! Each week will follow a different theme. Camp is held rain or shine; each location also has indoor space in the event of rain! Little campers must be potty trained in order to participate. Snacks will be served during the day; they are a nut-free program.

Belmont Day School offers nature-themed summer camps. Numbers and Nature, for Pre-K and Kindergarten students, will help students make connections between numbers and nature, using the trails and nature surrounding their campus. Namaste, Nature and Creativity, for students in Preschool to 3rd grade, will feature yoga, walks in the woods, and art based on the movement, breathing and resting journey found in the practice of yoga. There will also be a swim period each day.

Allandale Farm is a working farm in the city. Little campers will learn about gardening, composting, bird and plant identification, and farm animals. They will enjoy walks around the farm and outdoor games.

What better place to enjoy the summer than outdoors at the Boston Nature Center! Campers will love outdoor exploration, science experiments, hands-on activities, and creative play.

Two popular Boston area zoos, the Franklin Park Zoo and the Stone Zoo, offer summer ZooCamp and Junior Zookeeping. ZooCamp features live animal encounters as well as animal, science and conservation-based games and activities. Junior Zookeepers offers hands-on experience as well as the opportunity to shadow zookeepers.

Campers will engage in outdoor explorations, hands on activities, and non-competitive games at this awesome nature camp for kids of all ages, with multiple locations all around the Boston area.

The Coastal Ocean Science Academy is a program that educates campers about local marine and coastal habitats. The main camp location is the shore of Nahant, but there are field trips to other sites. In the middle school program, instructors will teach students how to keep a field notebook and take basic measurements of weather, water quality, and biodiversity. The high school students will begin to develop even deeper research skills. Meals and field trip transportation are included in cost.

The counselors at the Nature Adventures Camp at South Shore Natural Science Center hope to instill a sense of respect and appreciation for the great outdoors in young campers. They offer kids the chance for environmental exploration, an opportunity to use scientific tools, and to enjoy learning activities. Each week features a different theme.

Holly Hill Farm offers a unique opportunity for kids to experience nature through the perspective of a local farm. Young kids will learn about barnyard animals and examine what's growing and living in the trails near the farm. Teens (13-18) can participate in the Community Service Program, in which they will harvest the farm's organic produce and be a part of the process to get the fresh food to local food pantries.