OLD LYME — Join the Roger Tory Peterson (RTP) Estuary Center and spend the summer where science, nature and art combine with fun.
While each session has a natural science focus, children will be busy discovering animals and plants, conducting hands-on experiments, making new friends and enjoying outdoor activities. Each week-long session will focus on a project relevant to the week’s theme, participating in a hands-on curriculum tailored to meet each child’s interest and skills.
Camp will run from June 20 to Aug 19, 2022. Campers are organized in groups based on their ages. Each weekly session’s enrollment is limited to:
- 12 campers for the Ecology Camp (Ages 5-7)
- 12 campers for the Ecology Camp (Ages 8-10)
- 8 campers for the Junior Naturalists Camp (Ages 11-13)
Adventure and discovery await all campers at the RTP Estuary Center, but space is limited so early registration is recommended.
For more information and/or registration for any of the programs listed below, visit this link.
Weekly themes for the Ecology Camp are as follows:
Week 1: Estuary Explorers
June 20 – 24
Dive into the extraordinary world of estuary life! Campers will learn about the creatures, plants and algae that live in this environment through hands-on discovery. Seine nets, magnifying glasses, microscopes and buckets will give us the up-close view of critters before they’re released. Weekly project includes building and testing their own a clean water filter.
Week 2: Art and Science Discovery
June 27- July 1
Release the artist within! Science invites inquiry, while art inspires the creative process. The two will interconnect in this explorative hands-on session. By experimenting with a variety of materials and mediums, we will witness firsthand the intriguing, beautiful results that can happen! And for campers who wish to capture everything they learn and do, there will be daily time for journaling. Weekly project includes a large scale collaborative multimedia art piece using found and repurposed objects.
Week 3: Nature Engineers
July 5- 8 *no camp on July 4
Build, test, design and trial -STEAM in ACTION! Put your skills to the test this week as you construct, explore, problem solve, test materials and work cooperatively! Campers will explore the ways animals engineer their environments and learn about biomimicry. Based on their observations, campers will create their own tools to solve real-life problems.
Week 4: Fantastic Flyers
July 11-15
Take flight and discover the mystery of birds, bats, dragonflies, and butterflies. Campers will search for these winged creatures and their homes as we discover the outdoors! We’ll unveil the mysteries of beaks, talons, and feathers as we explore the birds’ many talents and skills. Learn to use binoculars and field guides! Campers will create a bird feeding station and each day conduct a bird count and collect data on bird behaviors.
Week 5: Wild Water Wonders
July 18- 22
Investigate the mysteries of water, mud and soil! Worms, slugs, and snails are just the beginning of what you will discover! Campers will explore what lives in the water and help take care of our classroom tanks as well as learn about the importance of taking care of our water sources. Each day will bring a new water experiment for campers to explore.
Week 6: Super Scientists
July 25 -29
Explore and venture into the ologies! Biology, ecology, ornithology, hydrology and more! While studying all the ologies learn about plant and animal adaptations, water and soil quality and much more! From birds to bugs and soil to water, we’ll see what the natural world is all about. This week, campers will conduct a plant study of their design.
Week 7: Eco-Adventurers
Aug 1-5
Frogs, salamanders, butterflies, and birds await! There will be a new adventure every day as we pond dip, catch insects, and explore nature. We’ll use nets, water quality testing equipment, microscopes, and much more. Captivating explorations, investigations, games, and creative activities fill the days! Weekly project includes designing and building your own mini-habitat diorama.
Week 8: Budding Scientists
Aug 8-12
Campers will catch and study insects, search for wild birds, track animals, and design their very own field journal filled with their weekly discoveries! Each day will explore a different topic as we investigate all our natural world has to offer!
Week 9: Art and Science Discovery
Aug 15-19
Science invites inquiry, while art inspires the creative process. The two will interconnect in this explorative hands-on session. By experimenting with a variety of materials and mediums, we’ll will witness firsthand the intriguing, beautiful results that can happen! Campers will participate in weekly sketching activities in their very own art sketchbook.
Weekly themes for Junior Naturalists are as follows:
River Rangers
June 27- July 1
Interested in science and ecology? Want to learn how to design your own research? Campers will collect data, conduct scientific investigations and design experiments using real scientific
equipment. Each day campers will work on their investigation as they ask and answer their own scientific questions.
Eco-Art
Aug 1-5
Be inspired by the natural world! Conduct mini science experiments and use digital microscopes to create nature – inspired works of art through sketching, painting, and mixed media. Campers will work on multi-day projects building on what they learned the day before.