Discovery Creek Summer Nature Adventure
Summer Address:
Camp Type:
 Day
Year Established: 1991 Gender: Coed Age of Campers: 4 to 12 years old Cost/Week: $351.00-$500.00/wk Religious Affiliation: Camp Owner(s): Discovery Creek Children's Museum
Camp Director(s): Nico Piro
Nearest Large City: Washington DC Off Season Rental: |
Camp Focus:
Academic and Pre-College Camps: Science Adventure Camps: Canoeing Adventure Camps: Environmental Traditional Camps |
- Canoeing
- Environmental
- Hiking
- Orienteering
Academic Activities:
- Science
Miscellaneous Activities:
- Team Building
For children 4 - 6 years old
Times: 9 am - 12 noon, extended day to 3 pm available
Camp fees are inclusive of program materials and snacks.
Camps for Little Explorers take place at the Stables and the Arcade at Glen Echo Park and at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens. Little Explorers investigate the outdoors, create amazing art projects, participate in nature-themed games, and challenge themselves to try new activities in a supportive atmosphere. Live animal encounters, hiking to the creek or pond, exploring gardens, making new friends, and delving deep into the imagination are all part of Little Explorers camps.
About Extended Day
An extended day option is available for all Little Explorer camps. Extended day runs from 12 noon to 3 pm. Campers participating in extended day must bring a lunch that does not require refrigeration. Extended day activities may include nature exploration hikes, crafts, story time, outdoor games, or a carousel ride (Glen Echo Park camps only). If you would like to register for extended day, please indicate so on your child's registration. You may sign up for extended day at any time; the additional fee for a week of extended day is $145, or a daily rate of $60 (for camps offered July 2 - 6, a week of extended day is $116; the daily rate remains the same).
Camps at the Arcade
Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Boulevard, Glen Echo, MD 20812
Blast Off! (4-6 year olds)
June 16-20 & July 21-25
321 summer is more fun in space! What would it feel like to walk around on Mars? What stars can you see on a summer night from Washington DC? Are parts of our world like other planets?? What planet would be the most fun to vacation to? Let your little astronauts imaginations run wild as they take virtual space flights around the universe! Theres no better way to get around than interstellar travel!
Lightning Strikes: (4-6 year olds)
June 23-27 & July 28- August 1
Sometimes an idea hits you and BOOM youve been inspired! To create! Draw! Sing a song or play an instrument! Hunt in our woods for that f lash of inspiration. Create crazy instruments out of natural materials! Make a pin hole camera and become a nature paparazzi! Let your mind wander all over the outdoors as you explore the creek looking for a water creature to paint its portrait!
Welcome to the Jungle: (4-6 year olds)
June 30-July 3 & August 4-7
Put on your pith helmet and get ready to go on a safari! Listen to the giant cats roar and find out what they are saying to each other! Why is that jaguar running his nails down that tree? Meet a Chameleon whose eyes can go in two different directions at once and is that a boa constrictor I see sticking his tongue out at you? Try out your new found adventuring skills as you explore our Rolling Rainforest when it pulls in to make a visit!
Hot Stuff: (4-6 year olds)
July 7-11 & August 11-15
Slither across the hot sand or crawl inside a cactus. Its hot out there and this camp is all about making the best of it! It may be hot here in the former swamp lands of our Nations capital, but what if youre home was the Sahara desert? Find out how hot weather animals stay cool and even why a chinchilla would want to bathe in the dirt! Get some ideas from the animals on how to bring your temperature down this summer!
Taking Flight: (4-6 year olds)
July 14- 18 & August 18-22
If youve ever gotten the urge to spread your wings and take off this camp session is for you! How can both a tiny hummingbird and a gigantic harpy eagle lift off the ground? How does a butterfly make its trip half way across the globe? Go fly a kite and feel how exciting it is to achieve lift off! Then build your own mini aircraft and figure out if planes fly the same way birds, bats and bees do!! Get ready to soar!
CAMPS AT THE STABLES
Glen Echo Park
7300 MacArthur Boulevard, Glen Echo, MD 20812
**Please note: Camps offered June 30- July 3 are $228 per session; $344 with extended day**
Fast Track: (4-6 year olds)
June 16-20 & July 21-25
Runners take your marks, and get ready for a whirlwind ride as we check out the worlds fastest animals! Play cheetah tag and find out how this big cat is able to reach such high speeds. Is a tourtoise really faster than a hare? Meet both of them and see for yourself. During field day try out all sorts of different races, sack races, three legged races, even wheel barrow races ! Everyone will get a chance to be as fast as some of our animal friends!
Garden Fresh: (4-6 year olds)
June 23-27 & July 28 - August 1
Are your thumbs green? Get your hoe and shovel ready because this is your childs chance to GROW! This week were going to be planting and tending to our Childrens Garden. Learn how wiggly worms help us have delicious veggies to eat. How does that delicious tomato grow from a tiny seed? Who else likes to eat veggies? We know a furry friend who might hop on over to check out the carrots!
Chill Out: (4-6 year olds)
June 30- July 3 & August 4-7
Is summer in the District too hot for you? How about summer in the South Pole? Get ready to get chilly! Slide on your belly and move like a penguin! Figure out how polar bears keep warm even in the coldest winter days! Bundle up like an Eskimo and try your hand at virtual ice fishing! Can you become an arctic whale and stay warm in icy cold water? Then before you head back to hotter weather, warm up with some hot coco and Arctic myths!
Spectacular Spelunking: (4-6 year olds)
July 7-11 & August 11-15
Go caving with us! Whos afraid of the dark? Certainly not us! And not these animals either. Find out all about the animals who come out to play after weve all gone to bed! Deep down under water are animals who never see the light of day, so how do they keep from bumping into each other? Practice your climbing skills on our climb wall, so you too will have the right stuff to head down into even the deepest darkest caves!
Time Traveler: (4-6 year olds)
July 14-18 & August 18-22
Step into our time machine! Learn how paleontologists uncover dinosaur footprints! What did a brontosaurus foot look like anyway? As we travel forward in time find out what archeologists can tell us about ancient peoples like the Mayans and Aztecs! Find out what an Aztec might have grown for lunch! How did the Mayans keep track of time without even wearing a watch? What were the Egyptians favorite pets? Speed through the centuries with us!
Camps at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens
9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna, VA 22182
For children ages 4 - 7 years old
Growing up Green: (4-7 year olds)
June 16-20 & July 21-25
Jack may have gone way up the beanstalk but you wont have to
travel to great heights to learn all about plants! Soak up the sun and dont worry if you begin to look a little green! Froma tiny acorn to a huge Oak, explore what it takes for a tree to grow big and strong. Find out what plants are smelly and what plants have jaws! These arent your ordinary house plants!
Insects: the inside scoop: (4-7 year olds)
June 23-27 & July 28- August 1
Extra, Extra, Read all about it! There are more insects than humans on this planet and its time to get to know our many-legged friends! Look at the world through their (multiple) eyes, try eating like a bug and even learn how to dance like a bee! Before you reach for your swatter try walking in their shoes, even if there are six of them!
Nature Squared: (4-7 year olds)
June 30- July 3 & August 4-7
Is it hip to be a square piece of bark? Is it trying to be a triangle-shaped leaf? Do round stones get tired of lying a-round? Get ready to find shapes everywhere! Make mosaics using shapes and found nature objects. Campers will have a nature and shape journal so they can keep track of all the shapes they find in the woods! Get ready to investigate nature and have some geometric good times!
Awesome Amphibians: (4-7 year olds)
July 7-11 & August 11-15
Slimy skin, hopping legs and suction cup feet, oh my! Lets spend some time hopping like frogs and sticking out our sticky tongues! Lanky lizards and tricky tree frogs abound. It might not be safe to be a house fly near Meadowlark this week! Well be traveling all over the world from the rainforest to the riverbanks in search of the most awesome amphibians!
Seasons of Fun: (4-7 year olds)
July 14-18 & August 18-22
Summer may be great for us, but what season does a millipede wait all year for? A toad may not be a big fan of the winter, but what tricks does he have to get through even the coldest of months? Build yourself a squirrel drey in the fall and float like a jelly fish in the summer! Were going on tour with mother nature to find out what the four seasons have in store for our animal friends!
Camps for Expert Explorers
For children 7-10 years old;
Times: 9 am - 3 pm
Camp fees: $430 per session
Camps for Expert Explorers take place at the Historic Schoolhouse and Meadowlark Botanical Gardens. Expert Explorers hike, play, and wade their way into amazing adventures, challenging themselves to discover their full potential. Live animal encounters, hands-on scientific inquiry, and engaging day trips (Schoolhouse camps only) encourage in-depth exploration of the natural world.
Camps at the Historic Schoolhouse
4954 MacArthur Boulevard NW, Washington, DC 20007
Meteorological Mayhem: (7-10 year olds)
June 16-20 & July 21-25
Grab your umbrella because its gonna be a downpour out there! Become a storm chaser as we try and figure out what makes Mother Nature tick! Shake up your own tornado and blizzard! Check out the science behind earthquakes and hurricanes! Travel to the planetarium and check out the weather from up above. Then use all youve learned as you try your hand at forecasting!
Splash Down: (7-10 year olds)
June 23-27 & July 28- August 1
Get ready to get wet! What do we have in common with folks
living way up in New York? We are all part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed! Come explore the beautiful creeks, rivers and even the bay that make up this natural wonder! Go canoeing on the C & O Canal. Head out onto a boat on the Potomac and learn more about the animals who make the watershed their home. Then head out to the beach and see if you can find fossils of life in the bay from long ago. Come along for a wild and wet week in the watershed!
Inventor Adventure: (7-10 year olds)
June 30-July 3 & August 4-7
Calling all mad scientists, future chemists and junior engineers! Get ready to enter our lab! Break out the blueprints and create a three dimensional model of a bridge and test its endurance. Conduct chemistry experiments and create ooey gooey results. Put on your silliest thinking cap and come up with a design for craziest machine!
Eco-Warriors: (7-10 year olds)
July 7-11 & August 11-15
Kids care about the environment too! Give them a chance to make a difference this week! Learn how to compost and how even the
smallest creatures can help turn our trash into rich soil! Visit the beautiful Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens and take part in a clean up to help the Anacostia. Travel to a wind farm and learn how people are harvesting this energy! Discover tools that a young eco-warrior can use to help the earth!
Shipwrecked!: (7-10 year olds)
July 14- 18 & August 18-22
Are you a true explorer? Get away from your computer, step back from your mp3 player and head into the wild! If you washed up on an unknown shore would you have the skills to survive? Heres your chance to find out! Learn how to navigate without a GPS system! Identify your location using only the local landmarks and
natural clues! Make a map of your surroundings so youll be able to retrace your steps! Grab your compasses and coconuts and get ready to make the most of being Shipwrecked!
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT?
Equine Camps for Kids!
The Summer Saddle Club
13113 River Road Potomac, MD 20854
This year we have an exciting partnership with the Summer Saddle club! We are partnering with their staff to provide a nature based pony camp for 5-15 year olds! For beginners and those with a little more experience under their belts alike! Each camp also includes time to explore nature, hone observational skills, care for ponies and have lots of fun! There will also be riding lessons in both group and individual settings! Space is limited, so act fast!
Register for this camp through our summer camp portal at: www.discoverycreek.org
Camp fees: $600 per session
Equine Explorers
Explore the natural world as well as the world of ponies!
June 9-14; July 7-11; August 4-8; August 16-22
Pony Protectors
Learn how to protect our Earth and some of our large equine friends!
June 23-37; July 28-Aug 1; August 11-15
Camps for Adventurers
For children 8 - 12 years old
Times: 9 am - 4:30 pm
Camps for Adventurers are offered at Our Lady of Victory School and Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. Campers engage in outdoor activities that challenge the mind and body. For the more experienced camper, camps at Our Lady of Victory School and Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens include intensive sport adventures, such as canoeing, caving, and rock climbing. Hiking, water play, and fantastic friendships make these camps an unforgettable experience for Adventurers.
Camps at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens
1550 Anacostia Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20019
Aquatic Adventure at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens
Ages: 8 - 12 years old
Camp fees: $600 (two week session)
Camp fees are inclusive of program materials, field trip fees, and snacks.
Aquatic Adventures: Based out of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens (KAG), one of the most unique places for environmental study in the DC area, this camp is perfect for the camper who is ready to get wet and wild. Get ready to explore Washingtons aquatic environment from creek to bay with a special emphasis on the Anacostia river and watershed. Hike over rocks at Discovery Creek, hunt for aquatic animals, and experiment with water. Paddle a canoe along the C&O Canal to tackle a canoe obstacle course. Fish on the Potomac and Anacostia one day and and discover whats hiding beneath the giant lily pads at historic Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens the next. Solve a Chesapeake Bay Watershed Mystery while hiking through Battery Kimble Park. The Adventure concludes with an overnight stay in Meadowlark Botanic Gardens.
Camps at Our Lady of Victory School
Our Lady of Victory School
4835 MacArthur Boulevard NW, Washington, DC 20007
Operation: Exploration
Ages: 8 - 11 years old June 16-27 & July 7-18 & July 21- August 1
Camp fees: $795 (two week session)
Camp fees are inclusive of program materials, field trip fees, and snacks.
Operation: Exploration Wheeee...! Take a deep breath and JUMP into the thrills, challenges and adventure of Operation: Exploration! Campers who accept this mission will be rewarded with a summer of expeditionary outdoor escapades! Sleep under the stars, ride river rapids, scale rock faces, become an animal conservationist! Learn how to pitch a tent, use a compass, build a campfire and navigate the night sky. This action packed two-week session will include a two-night campout complete with campfire cooking lessons! Come ready for fun and leave with new skills and great friends. If you are looking for serious fun... Mission Accomplished!
New: Camps at the DC Marina
Washington D.C. Marina
800 Water Street SW, Washington, DC 20024-2420
Nautical Adventures
Ages: 8-11June 30-July 3; August 4-7; August 11-15; August 18-22
Camp fees: $430 (one week session)
Please note: Camps offered June 30 July 3 are $324 per session
Steer a course towards adventure with Discovery Creek, on a
historic Chesapeake Bay Buyboat! Battle the currents, tide, and winds to explore the mighty Potomac River! Youll catch and identify aquatic plants and animals, see plankton up close, and act as navigator, helmsman, crew, and Captain of the most fun boat in Washington! Come as a lowly land lubber, and leave as the saltiest sailor Washington has ever seen! Youll even chart a course down the Potomac and spend a night camping! If you want to stay late and swab the deck, that is optional
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT?
Equine Camps for Kids!
The Summer Saddle Club
13113 River Road Potomac, MD 20854
This year we have an exciting partnership with the Summer Saddle club! We are partnering with their staff to provide a nature based pony camp for 5-15 year olds! For beginners and those with a little more experience under their belts alike! Each camp also includes time to explore nature, hone observational skills, care for ponies and have lots of fun! There will also be riding lessons in both group and individual settings! Space is limited, so act fast!
Register for this camp through our summer camp portal at: www.discoverycreek.org
Camp fees: $600 per session
Equine Explorers
Explore the natural world as well as the world of ponies!
June 9-14; July 7-11; August 4-8; August 16-22
Pony Protectors
Learn how to protect our Earth and some of our large equine friends!
June 23-37; July 28-Aug 1; August 11-15
