What is Wetlands & Woodlands Camp?
- A fun hands-on learning adventure for children ages 4 to 1 (Pre-K to 6th grade).
- A program that encourages campers to develop a greater understanding and appreciation for God’s amazing creation.
- A comfortable and safe learning environment where campers become immersed in the outdoors
Camps themes and dates are are usually announced in January with registration opening in March. All registration is completed online. If you would like to be informed of when camp registration opens email your basic contact information (name, email, phone, and address) to Jeanette Henderson or call (616) 526-7601 to be included on a email list.
For Pre- K, Kindergartens & 1st Graders (4, 5, & 6 Year Olds)
Storybooks will come alive each day as we read some popular children’s books and discover their real life connections. Developed for shorter attention spans, our camps will keep the busiest of 4 & 5 year olds engaged. Campers will explore the theme of the week through short hikes, puppet shows, activities, and nature art projects specifically designed for this age group. Children must be 4 years old by the start of camp and ready to attend on their own. The session fee covers healthy snacks, nature crafts materials, lots of individual attention, family night activities, and loads of fun. Camps runs from 9 am to 12 pm, Monday to Thursday with Family Night on Thursday evening. Adult/student ratio 1:5, (limit 15 participants per a session)
For 1st, 2nd & 3rd Graders (6, 7 & 8 year olds)
This camp is designed to introduce very young scientists to Michigan’s flora and fauna. Using our theme of the week, campers will learn about the animals and plants that live in our forests, meadows, and wetlands in a hands-on, feet-in way! With activities appropriate for this curious and excitable age, campers will discover more about their world as they spend time exploring the Ecosystem Preserve. Nature crafts, short experiments, service learning projects and other activities balance outdoor exploration and games. The session fee covers healthy snacks, nature crafts materials, lots of individual attention, family night activities, and loads of fun. Camps runs from 9 am to 12 pm, Monday to Friday with Family Night on Thursday evening. Adult/student ratio 1:8 (limit 24 participants per a session)
For 4th, 5th & 6th Graders (9, 10, &11, Year Olds)
This camp is designed to engage campers with a strong interest in learning more about a variety of different science fields such as entomology, botany, mammalology, limnology, and herpetology. Campers will spend time participating in preserve research and service learning activities, meeting scientists who work in the different fields, exploring the preserve, and conducting small experiments. The session fee covers materials for activities and experiments, healthy snacks, nature crafts materials, lots of individual attention, and loads of fun. Campers are responsible for bringing their own sack lunches. Camp runs from 9 am to 3 pm, Monday to Friday. On Friday afternoon, families are invited to a special family presentation from 2 to 3 pm. Adult/student ratio 1:6 (limit 18 participants)
Past Camp Themes
Aquatic Adventures - Dive into Michigan's Wetlands. Explore the lives of aquatic animals and learn more about how to help these amazing creatures.
Blooms and Bugs: Sunflowers, Bees, & Honey. Discover Michigan's summer flowers, their pollinators, and products that both plants and their pollinators provide us with.
Creepy Crawlies: Salamanders, Spiders, Slugs & More. Learn more about Michigan animals that creep, slither, and wiggle in a safe and fun way.
Winged Wonders- Michigan's Butterflies, Birds, Bees, Bats and More. Find out if Flying Squirrels really fly and learn more about our winged creatures that live here in West Michigan.
Other Summer Camps at Calvin College
Various departments at Calvin offer a variety of other summer camps for students ages 4 to18 years old. Visit the Summer Camps web page to discover more.
