Grades 1-3
Full Day Camps $150 MNHC Members/$190 Non-Members
Pond Life - June 9th-13th
Explore life in ponds and wetlands from waddling waterfowl to crawling caddisflies! We’ll spend the week investigating ponds and wetlands nearby, using nets to catch aquatic insects and searching for animal tracks and signs along the pond’s edge. We’ll even create an indoor pond in a fish tank as we build a laboratory for learning!
Frogs, Fish and Fun - June 16th-20th - only 1 spot left!!
Join us for a week of amphibious adventures as we dive into an exploration of wetlands, rivers and streams. We’ll learn about Montana’s frogs, use nets to collect and observe aquatic creatures, explore food chain connections, discover other fun facts about aquatic habitats and go on a few frog finding expeditions—if we’re lucky, we’ll get to see some frogs in their native habitat!
Moose Tracks and Mice Trails - June 16th-20th
Learn how to read the signs that animals and insects leave behind! We’ll learn to identify tracks, how to identify different animal homes, how to use clues left by animals to tell their stories, and create our own plaster animal track and tracking guides to keep.
Feathered Friends - June 23rd-27th - FULL
From ravens to raptors and hummingbirds to herons we’ll investigate the bird world to learn about their beaks and feet, feathers and wings, nests and eggs, songs and food through exploration, stories, art, and by using binoculars to observe birds in the field.
Nature Art - June 30th-July 3rd - only 1 spot left!!
Special 4-day camp (July 4th off) $120/members, $150/non members
We’ll use crayons, paint, sculpture, and even elements from nature to create our own works of art! We’ll learn about different habitats from forests to grasslands and explore lots of different mediums from drawing to watercolor to printmaking as we create nature-inspired work. We’ll host an art opening at the end of the week to show off our creations!
Wild Woodlands - July 7th-11th - FULL
We’ll spend the week exploring forests around Missoula from Pattee Canyon to Blue Mountain and beyond, searching for the treasures that make our forests so special. We’ll learn to catch and study insects, observe birds with binoculars, identify common trees and flowers, and we’ll read stories and create some of our own!
Wildlife Wizardry - July 14th-18th
Animals can do some pretty mysterious things like change color with the seasons, move without feet and nearly freeze solid during the winter! We’ll explore unique animal adaptations through exploration in the field, experiments, games, stories and art projects. We’ll take daily field trips to explore different habitats to learn why animals have such wild adaptations!
Junior Nature Detectives - July 14th-18th - FULL
Solve mysteries from clues left behind by Montana’s wildlife. Student detectives will make their own nature detective kits, study animal skulls, learn to identify animal tracks and signs, and explore the neighborhood and local natural areas to learn more about the wild animals in Montana.
Garden Safari - July 21st-25th
From vegetables to flowers to the insects that crawl underneath, gardens are full of discoveries. We’ll learn how plants grow, how we can grow our own plants for food, set up some plant experiments, learn what animals or insects plants need for survival, and we’ll save lots of time to look for insects and animal signs, make plant crafts, and prepare healthy snacks from our harvest!
Bats to Bears - July 28th-August 1st- FULL!!
Montana’s magnificent mammals will amaze you as you discover their characteristics. Learn what makes a mammal a mammal as you examine study skins and skulls, read stories, play games, explore the habitats of your favorite critters, and take a trip up to the Bison Range to see some of Montana’s largest mammals!
Folklore, Fantasy, and Fables - August 4th-8th - FULL!
Stories are springboards of discovery and they can teach us a lot about nature. We’ll begin each day by reading stories that will guide our explorations and our imaginations. We’ll learn about the importance of animals in different cultures by exploring different kinds of stories and art. And we’ll use our nets, hand lenses, and our own creativity to discover what kinds of stories are unfolding before our eyes!
Naturally Spooky! - August 4th-8th - FULL
From snakes to bats to stink bugs we’ll explore the animals in Montana that most people try to avoid! We’ll learn all about their natural habitats, what they really eat, and we’ll hear stories and folklore as we learn why people are afraid of these animals and discover the real truth that makes them…not so scary!
Bugs to Slugs - August 11th-15th - 5 spaces available
Crawl behind an ant! Hop with a grasshopper! Slide with a slug! We’ll spend the week looking for incredible invertebrates, using nets, hand lenses, and microscopes to discover who they are, where they live, what they do, and how they add to the amazing diversity all around us.
