- Forest Day Camps: Ages 4-5, Morning Session
Forest Day Camps: Ages 4-5, 8:45-11:45 a.m. $255
Forest Camps focus on discovering the natural world and making new friends through outdoor play and exploration. Campers participate in active free play and experience new sounds, scents, and sights, using all their senses as they explore Touch of Nature Environmental Center.
Campers will be invited to play new games, participate in daily nature walks, create art projects, sing camp songs, and practice nature-based activities related to our weekly themes. Weekly themes are designed to promote understanding of the natural world while encouraging imagination, creativity, problem solving and collaboration.
Week 1: Forest Explorer, June 6-10
Campers discover the natural world through imagination and curiosity. Free play, activities, and lessons introduce young explorers to the magical world of the forest, and the extraordinary living things that call Touch of Nature home.
Week 2: Water Explorer, June 13-17
Explore all aspects of water as you dip, measure, splash, fish, and paddle in Little Grassy Lake and Indian Creek. Campers will spend the day outdoors making small waterways, dams, boats, and learn about local aquatic plants and animals. Bring your curiosity, ingenuity, and a change of clothes as you will get wet!
Week 3: Forest Critters, June 20-24
What is a coyote’s favorite food? How do squirrels leap from tree to tree without falling? How do snakes grow? How do turtles stay underwater for so long? This camp encourages campers to ask questions about local wildlife and find the answers together. Little explorers will have many opportunities to investigate the wild creatures that call Southern Illinois home!
Week 4: Water Critters, July 18-22
Join Touch of Nature’s water camp this summer. Swimming, water games, creek exploration, learning about water insects, fish, and other aquatic life, and enjoy staying cool down by the cleanest lake in Southern Illinois.
Week 5: Forest Explorer 2, July 25-29
Imagine a week of exploring the nooks and crannies of Touch of Nature, getting excited about every bug discovered, asking why the leaves of trees look different, or discovering the wonders of mud, water, and sand play. Encouraging your child’s natural curiosity, we will spend the week going on forest adventures and learning about the plants and animals that live there.
Week 6: Water Explorer 2, August 1-5
Dive into this camp and investigate the water all around us. Explore all aspects of water as we dip, measure, splash, fish, and paddle in Little Grassy Lake and Indian Creek. We’ll spend our days outdoors making small waterways, dams, boats, and we will learn about local aquatic plants and animals. Bring your curiosity, ingenuity and a change of clothes because we will get wet!
Register here
- Forest Camps: Ages 6-7
Forest Day Camps: Ages 6-7, 8:45 a.m.-3:45 p.m., $255
Forest Camps focus on discovering the natural world and making new friends through outdoor play and exploration. Campers participate in active free play and experience new sounds, scents, and sights, using all their senses as they explore Touch of Nature Environmental Center.
Week 1: Forest Explorer, June 6-10
Campers discover the natural world through imagination and curiosity. Free play, activities, and lessons introduce young explorers to the magical world of the forest, and the extraordinary living things that call Touch of Nature home.
Week 2: Water Explorer, June 13-17 (This Camp is now at capacity)
Explore all aspects of water as you dip, measure, splash, fish, and paddle in Little Grassy Lake and Indian Creek. Campers will spend the day outdoors making small waterways, dams, boats, and learn about local aquatic plants and animals. Bring your curiosity, ingenuity, and a change of clothes as you will get wet!
Week 3: Forest Critters, June 20-24
What is a coyote’s favorite food? How do squirrels leap from tree to tree without falling? How do snakes grow? How do turtles stay underwater for so long? This camp encourages campers to ask questions about local wildlife and find the answers together. Little explorers will have many opportunities to investigate the wild creatures that call Southern Illinois home!
Week 4: Water Critters, July 18-22
Join Touch of Nature’s water camp this summer. Swimming, water games, creek exploration, learning about water insects, fish, and other aquatic life, and enjoy staying cool down by the cleanest lake in Southern Illinois.
Week 5: Forest Explorer 2, July 25-29
Imagine a week of exploring the nooks and crannies of Touch of Nature, getting excited about every bug discovered, asking why the leaves of trees look different, or discovering the wonders of mud, water, and sand play. Encouraging your child’s natural curiosity, we will spend the week going on forest adventures and learning about the plants and animals that live there.
Week 6: Water Explorer 2, August 1-5
Dive into this camp and investigate the water all around us. Explore all aspects of water as we dip, measure, splash, fish, and paddle in Little Grassy Lake and Indian Creek. We’ll spend our days outdoors making small waterways, dams, boats, and we will learn about local aquatic plants and animals. Bring your curiosity, ingenuity and a change of clothes because we will get wet!
Register here
- Eco Adventure Day Camps: Ages 8-9
Eco Day Camps: Ages 8-9, 8:45 a.m.-3:45 p.m., $260
Aspiring naturalists are invited to five full days of outdoor exploration, discovery and play. Eco Camp focuses on discovering the natural world and making new friends. Each week we will encourage your child’s excitement and curiosity through inquiry-based learning.
Week 1: Aqua Adventures, June 6-10
Campers will explore all aspects of water as they dip, measure, splash, fish, and paddle in Little Grassy Lake and Indian Creek. Spend your days outdoors making small waterways, dams, boats, and learn about local aquatic plants and animals. Bring your curiosity, ingenuity, and a change of clothes because you will get wet!
Week 2: Outdoor Adventures, June 13-17
Learn the basics of being an outdoorsperson as you hike, explore, and “camp-out”. Campers will work together to pitch a tent, catch fish and create camp snacks. They’ll also enjoy nature games, hikes, and songs, as well as learn about Leave No Trace principles and camp safety.
Week 3: Water Adventures, June 20-24
Campers will go on a journey to find out what the lakes and streams in Southern Illinois have to offer. Campers will learn about life along the creeks and in Little Grassy Lake while paddling, swimming, fishing, and playing water games.
Week 4: Forest Adventures, July 18-22
Campers will become naturalists as they learn about ecosystems and wildlife in Southern Illinois. They’ll search and identify trees and their leaves as they hike through the forest. Put on your detective hat and go on the hunt for fossils or unique looking rocks in the creeks.
Week 5: Aqua Adventures II, July 25-29
Campers will explore all aspects of water as they dip, measure, splash, fish, and paddle in Little Grassy Lake and Indian Creek. You’ll spend your days outdoors making small waterways, dams, boats, and we will learn about local aquatic plants and animals. Bring your curiosity, ingenuity, and a change of clothes because you will get wet!
Week 6: Woodland Wanderers, August 1-5
Campers will find out what kinds of plants and animals live in Southern Illinois. Put your detective skills to work while searching for information about your favorite local wildlife.
Register here
- Adventure Day Camps: Ages 10-12
Adventure Day Camps, Ages 10-12, 8:45 a.m.-3:45 p.m. $265
Adventure Camps focus on connecting to the Earth, to each other, and to ourselves as we explore the land and waters of Touch of Nature and Southern Illinois. Safety, fun and education, in that order, are our priorities as we learn and adventure in the great outdoors.
Week 1: Youth in the Wild, June 6-10
Learn the ins and outs of living in the woods. Youth in the Wild day camp will teach campers everything they need to know about shelters, finding their way through the woods, how to cook on a campfire and so much more!
Week 2: Aquatic Adventures, June 13-17 (This Camp is at capacity)
Campers will learn how to protect our most important natural resource by exploring the Little Grassy Lake watershed. Campers will participate in water-based games, learn about aquatic animals, and learn to travel on canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards.
Week 3: X-treme Outdoors, June 20-24 (This Camp is at capacity)
X-treme Outdoors is the best way to try all the adventure experiences Touch of Nature has to offer. Activities include hiking, games, canoeing, kayaking, rock climbing and our high ropes challenge course. You will even get to fly down our famous zip line! Get ready to get outside, have adventures and make new friends!
Week 4: Southern Adventures, July 18-22
Explore the hidden gems of Southern Illinois by going on new adventures by hiking through forests, climbing sandstone bluffs, and exploring swamps. Experience areas in Southern Illinois, such as Jackson Falls, Bell Smith Springs, Heron Pond, the Cache River, and Garden of the Gods, while learning the importance of Leave No Trace.
Week 5: X-treme Outdoors II, July 25-29 (This Camp is at capacity)
Campers loved it so much we brought it back for another round. Adventurers will climb new heights as they go rock climbing, hiking, and on our high ropes course and zip line. Campers will get to dip their toes in the water as they kayak, canoe, or stand-up paddleboard on Little Grassy Lake or jump in the water at Rocky Ledges.
Week 6: Aquatic Adventures II, August 1-5
Summer vacation ins’t complete without a week in the water! Campers will kayak, paddle, and canoe Little Grassy Lake, partake in some fun filled water games, swim, learn about life under the water and learn the history about the cleanest lake in Southern Illinois.
Register here
- Underway Camps, Ages 13-16
Underway Camps, Ages 13-16
These unique, high-adventure camps give future leaders the chance to work on their skills through opportunities such as challenge courses, environmental interpretation, service learning and expeditions. The first day of each camp includes orientation and checking equipment for overnight adventures.
Week 1: Adventure Sampler Day Camp, June 6-10, $275 (This Camp is at capacity)
Campers will spend each day exploring a different adventure. A full-day mountain biking, hiking, rock climbing, paddling and on our high ropes course will leave your explorers wanting more!
Week 2: Rock Climbing Day Camp. June 13-17, $275
Participants will explore some of the region’s most popular rock-climbing spots such as Giant City State Park and Alto Pass.
Week 3: SUP Overnight Camp, June 20-24, $375
Teens will stand up paddleboard, camp, portage, enjoy some backcountry cooking and more at Southern Illinois locales including Devils Kitchen Lake, Little Grassy Lake, Panther Den Wilderness and Touch of Nature.
Week 4: River to River Zipline Adventure Tripping Camp, July 18-22, $375
Campers will explore the beauty of the region via the air and backcountry trails, including aerial adventures at Touch of Nature and Shawnee Canopy Tours, and hiking along the River to River Trail.
Week 5: Mountain Bike Day Camp, July 25-29, $275
Participants will learn fundamentals of mountain bike safety and technique, spending five days enjoying Touch of Nature’s mountain bike trails and learning the tricks of the trade.
Week 6: Eleven Point National Wild and Scenic River Trip, August 1-5, $375
During this final week of camp, explorers will learn more about backcountry and canoe travel as they discover the natural beauty of this scenic site in Missouri with its towering bluffs and rushing springs, and Class I and II rapids.
Register here
