Insects of Fern Hollow
June 13 – 17
1:00 – 3:30PM
Get a closer look at the not-so-creepy crawlies living at the nature center! At this camp, we will be talking all about insects and the different ways they impact the environment. Some can fly, some have 100 legs, and others live underwater- all waiting to be discovered at Fern Hollow! We will look for and collect bugs, use identification practices, and build terrariums to discover the role these animals play in ecosystems. Practice using magnifying glasses, microscopes, bug nets, and more to discover who’s who of the insect world!

Registration fee:
Public $180
Members $140

Nature Creation
June 20 – 24
1:00 – 3:30PM
Ever thought about painting with something besides a paintbrush? How about painting with a feather or a pinecone? Or create sculptures with objects from our own backyard instead of clay? Our campers will! The kids will use their imaginations to create all types of art from nature with plenty of free play to burn off that summer energy!

Registration fee:
Public $180
Members $140

Mother Nature’s World
June 27 – July 1
1:00 – 3:30PM
Fern Hollow is surrounded by nature and we are spending the week exploring!  We will examine plants, animals, and insects while we unleash our creativity.  The class will read books, create journals, and focus on collage, painting, and printmaking using natural materials that we discover on our hikes.  We will certainly appreciate everything that Mother nature has to offer!

Registration fee:
Public $180
Members $140

Art in Science
July 11 – 15
1:00 – 3:30PM
Art in science is a camp to enrich children in various scientific concepts. The kids learn various science topics with hands-on activities that turn into interesting artworks.

Registration fee:
Public $180
Members $140

Amazing Animals
July 18 – 22
9:00 AM – Noon
Animals live all over the world.  We will spend a week at Fern Hollow learning about animals around the globe and in our backyard.  What does each animal eat?  What climate do they require?  How do they survive in the wild?  What is a habitat?  We will answer these questions and many more by reading books and studying maps.  Also, we will incorporate drawing and painting into our week to create some beautiful animals of our own.

Registration fee:
Public $180
Members $140

Reduce Reuse Recycle
August 8 – 12
1:00 – 3:30PM
Learn how to use the three R’s in your everyday life! At this camp, we will be discovering the best ways to cut down on our waste and turn something old into something new! To reduce, we will be making a no-waste meal where we will talk about composting, water use, and more! On our reuse day, we will be making our own paper from old newspaper scraps! At the end of the week we will be using recycled materials to put on our very own fashion show! By recycling items such as paper bags, egg cartons, and more we will be creating fashion looks and walking the eco-friendly runway! If fashion isn’t your style, come show us what you can build with recycled materials!

Registration fee:
Public $180
Members $140

Watershed Warriors
June 27 – July 1
9:00 AM – Noon
Come explore the living world inside our creeks! At this camp, we will discover what kinds of plants and animals live inside the creeks of Western Pennsylvania. Come learn how the Allegheny river flows into the ocean and the different ecosystems that are created through salt and freshwater. Use kick-nets and dichotomous keys to discover the animals that live in the underwater world in our backyard creeks! We will explore watersheds by creating videos, exploring the creek hands-on, and building boats that will take our knowledge all the way to the Atlantic ocean!

This session will be held at Walker Park on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and Fern Hollow on Tuesday and Thursday.

Registration fee:
Public $180
Members $140

Nature Navigators
July 18 – 22
1:00 – 3:30PM
One of the most important things to know while you’re outdoors is where you are. How do animals know where they’re going? How did people get places before Siri? We’ll talk about some of the signs in nature that can help us tell direction, & learn some basic map, compass, & GPS skills.

Registration fee:
Public $180
Members $140

Wilderness Survival
August 1 – 5
9:00 AM – Noon
Join us for a week to discover how to live in the wilderness. Discover how to build shelters, how to be stewards of the land, first aid scenarios, and how to build small fires! We will also be learning the rules and testing our knowledge of basic fishing skills. We will be learning how to be true explorers from the safety of Fern Hollow Nature Center. 

Registration fee:
Public $180
Members $140

Science Investigator
August 15-19
9:00 AM – Noon
Science is all about collecting evidence and data to learn more about how nature works.  Become a Science Investigator as we learn to question the world around us and use experiments to find the answers to burning questions like “Is the 5-second rule real?” or “How do water striders walk on water?”

Registration fee:
Public $180
Members $140

All about fish!
August 15-19
1:00 – 3:30PM
Come learn all about fish in Western Pennsylvania! At this weeklong camp we will talk about the different types of fish that live in Western PA, how to identify them, and how to catch them recreationally. Come learn the rules, test your knowledge, and get some time fishing this week at Fern Hollow.

Campers will meet at King’s Lake on Friday to fish.

Registration fee:
Public $180
Members $140

Environmental Science
June 20 – 24
9:00 AM – Noon
Join us at Fern Hollow Nature Center as we cover topics such as sustainability, invasive species, watersheds, pollinators, and the local ecosystem. Students will spend time learning about our local environment through science experiments, crafts, and exploring nature.

Registration fee:
Public $180
Members $140

Wilderness Survival 
August 1 – 5
1:00 – 4:00PM
Join us for a week to discover how to live in the wilderness. Discover how to build shelters, how to be stewards of the land, first aid scenarios, and how to build small fires! We will also be learning the rules and testing our knowledge of basic fishing skills. We will be learning how to be true explorers from the safety of Fern Hollow Nature Center. 

Registration fee:
Public $180
Members $140

Pokevania   AM session
July 5 – 8
9:00 AM – Noon 
Campers will attend their own Poke camp where they will learn about real life pocket monsters in Pennsylvania. Your little trainers will learn about skunks, squirrels, moles, elk and so much more. We will look at the similarities and differences between the anime animals and the real thing. The three hour camp will have related crafts, games and a little lesson of our animal of the day.

Nature Journaling  PM session will follow after lunch break.

REGISTRATION IS FULL

Nature Journaling    PM session
July 5 – 8
1:00 – 3:30 PM
Create your own journal and learn how to use it in the field by drawing and documenting what you see at the nature center! We will spend the week exploring Fern Hollow, creating stories, and making observations about the world around us. 

Science in a Jar    AM session
July 25 – 29
9:00 AM – Noon
Science in a jar is a super fun way to learn and understand science concepts using a simple mason jar. 

Soil to Plate!  PM session will follow after lunch break.

Soil to Plate!    PM session
July 25 – 29
1:00 – 3:30 PM
Ever wondered where your food comes from? Or where it goes when we are done with it? Come learn the life cycle of veggies! We will be learning all about food. Discover what plants need to grow by helping sow, water, and harvest fruits and veggies at the Fern Hollow community garden. Join us for a healthy harvest meal and learn about the world of composting.

Bring your lunch and stay all day!
July 5 – 8 Full Day Camp
includes Pokevenia AM Session + Nature Journaling PM session

Pokevania   9:00 AM – Noon session   
Campers will attend their own Poke camp where they will learn about real life pocket monsters in Pennsylvania. Your little trainers will learn about skunks, squirrels, moles, elk and so much more. We will look at the similarities and differences between the anime animals and the real thing. The three hour camp will have related crafts, games and a little lesson of our animal of the day.

LUNCH TIME

Nature Journaling   1:00 – 3:30 PM session
Create your own journal and learn how to use it in the field by drawing and documenting what you see at the nature center! We will spend the week exploring Fern Hollow, creating stories, and making observations about the world around us. 

Bring your lunch and stay all day!
July 25 – 29 Full Day Camp
includes Science in a Jar AM Session + Soil to Plate PM session

Science in a Jar   9:00 AM – Noon session   
Science in a jar is a super fun way to learn and understand science concepts using a simple mason jar.

LUNCH TIME

Soil to Plate!   1:00 – 3:30 PM session
Ever wondered where your food comes from? Or where it goes when we are done with it? Come learn the life cycle of veggies! We will be learning all about food. Discover what plants need to grow by helping sow, water, and harvest fruits and veggies at the Fern Hollow community garden. Join us for a healthy harvest meal and learn about the world of composting.

Little Explorers Summer Club
Ages 3 – 5
Tuesdays    9:30 – 11:30 AM

Preschool is the perfect time to introduce kids to the wonder and beauty of nature. Join us for play in the Natural Outdoor Classroom, nature games, crafts, exploration and nature stories.

Registration fee:
Public $160
Members $130.

Garden Club
Ages 5 – 10
Wednesdays    4:00 – 5:30 PM

Learn about food science, botany and of course dirt! We will work weekly to help plant, weed, water and harvest the vegetable garden and berry patches at Fern Hollow with some fun science added in to help us understand more about how a garden works. We will also learn some easy recipes for the food we will be harvesting.

Registration fee:
Public $160
Members $130.

Outdoor Adventure Club
Ages 8 – 14
Thursdays    9:30 – 11:30 AM

Join Fern Hollow’s specialized instructors and go on amazing archery, fishing, hiking, and watershed adventures.

Registration fee:
Public $160
Members $130.