Connect a child to Nature through a Week of Camp!

We learned something amazing at camp this summer - 80% of the parents who take our survey tell us that they themselves are now more curious about nature simply because their children are! That means that not only are we educating and inspiring children to explore nature at Piedmont Wildlife Center summer camps, but we are even reaching some parents and fueling their curiosity about the natural world. “She's shared with us all sorts of information, and we've frequently spent time around the dinner table looking up more information about something she's heard,” said one parent about his camper. “Owen actively teaches us and in many cases corrects us when we are wrong about plants and bugs,” said another parent.

How do our campers learn so much at Piedmont Wildlife Center? Someone has to teach them – and that someone is one of our amazing camp counselors! Not only are they super fun to hang out with (and they are always fun - even on a hot, sweaty day in July), but they are also expert naturalists and environmental educators. “The counselors deserve a really huge shout-out. They are friendly, welcoming, and really care about each child. They're passionate about nature, and also are really positive role models,” said one parent. “The counselors just radiated their love of what they were doing and passed that feeling on to the campers instantly,” said another.

It’s true our counselors can tell you the name of every snake, snail, and salamander that crosses their path, and they truly love what they do. But there’s more to the story - we also bring in expert instructors to lead camps focused on specialized themes such as wilderness survival and natural arts. These themes are an excellent way to help kids develop confidence in themselves and learn how to solve problems creatively. Take wilderness survival (“primitive”) skills, for example. One of our visiting instructors Jeff Gottlieb, explains why: “Not many students will ever need to rely on wild nature for survival. But some children learn best by doing things. Primitive skills can be a gateway to all of the skills and values we hope to teach students, without boring or frustrating them.” This summer several parents have specifically told us how impressed they were to see their children trying new things and learning perseverance. “The counselors challenged the kids to do things they had never tried and things I had never let them try (start a fire) and they learned a LOT,” shared one parent. Another noted that,“I couldn't get over how proud they were of their accomplishments, whether or not they met their goals.”

Once again, summer went by too fast, and it was a fun and successful one at Piedmont Wildlife Center camps. We know that we have helped foster a connection to nature not just with our campers but also with their families, and we think we have also helped to instill confidence in each of our campers as they explore the natural world throughout the rest of the year. We hope they’ll be back to learn more, and it sounds likely – as one parent said, “I find that your camps allow kids to be kids running outside. By far it is the best camp program that I have seen and want my son to attend as many of the camps as he can.” Thank you campers for a great season, we’re already planning our adventures for Summer 2015!

Thanks to YOUR support, 63 children received a camp scholarship and where able to have fun and learn from our group of talented counselors.  Thanks so much for YOUR investment in the leaders of tomorrow!

This summer we have been busy on a nature exploring expedition to the far away wilds of… Raleigh! In addition to our full range of popular nature camps at our home base in Durham, we are also hosting six weeks of summer camp in Raleigh at beautiful William B. Umstead State Park. According to local parents, our Umstead camps have been a great success. “It was a great way for our son to get to know our local fauna and flora and also learn to appreciate it,” one camp parent told us. Another shared that “… this was my son’s favorite camp ever. He attends another local camp and we wanted to try something different this year.”

We are grateful that many Raleigh families wanted to “try something different” and joined us to get dirty and learn outside in Raleigh. Each day campers explored a different corner of the natural world - mammals, reptiles, birds, ecology, trees, and insects. However, like true explorers, they were always ready to investigate treasures that appeared even if they did not fit the topic of the day – and nature rewarded them with some amazing experiences. One day, campers encountered a yellow-bellied slider turtle and watched her lay eggs!  Another week, campers observed a copperhead snake – from a very safe distance, of course! 

Summer is almost over, but we know that our Raleigh campers will remember their experiences with nature throughout the year and that those experiences will help to shape the way they view the natural world. “Our kids had an amazing time. It is such a privilege to have our kids in the Piedmont Wildlife Center's camps. The counselors (and CITs) are fantastic and the overall program is an up-close experience in nature unlike anywhere else,” said camp parent Hayden. What do the campers themselves think? "I like camp because I can walk in the creek and get my feet wet," said a young girl. One boy said simply, "Playing in the woods is really fun!" Another camper chimed in, "I hope we can go find crawdads today!" And we hope their experiences at camp will inspire these children to explore and appreciate the simple joys of nature throughout their lives.

One of our fantastic counselors Bryan summed up why he, too, loves going to camp in Raleigh. “Umstead State Park truly offers endless possibilities for our campers with tons of trails, rocky creeks stock-piled with crayfish and minnows, and cool shady forests to explore,” he said. Piedmont Wildlife Center is very thankful to the park management for granting us the use of this incredible resource and we plan to make the most of this opportunity to connect young people with nature at Umstead.  

Visit our website for more information on our Raleigh camps. Coming soon, this fall Piedmont Wildlife Center is excited to host three weeks of Raleigh fall camps for year-round students!