Summer Camp
Summer Camp 2025
Awaken your child’s curiosity and nurture their appreciation for nature by registering them for Morris Arboretum & Gardens' Nature Explorers Camp. Led by experienced educators, our goal is to inspire new generations of environmentally aware citizen scientists.
Registration
Save the Date: Early registration begins for Premier members on January 27 at 12 pm. Registration opens for all members on January 28 at 12 pm. General registration opens January 29 at 12 pm. System maintenance will occur daily between 11 am – 12 pm, so registration will be down for one hour each of those days.
To receive the member pricing for camp, you must be a current member at the Family level or above. The system to purchase or renew memberships will be down from January 13 – February 13. If your membership is not current and you want to take advantage of member pricing for camp, please renew before January 13.
*Please Note: We are a small camp, but we strive to offer a nature camp experience to as many children as possible. We request that each child is registered for a MAXIMUM OF 3 WEEKS OF CAMP. Because our checkout experience also tends to get overwhelmed with web traffic, having fewer weeks in your cart improves your chances of success at checkout. If you are interested in registering for more than three weeks, you may do so beginning January 30 for as many additional weeks as you would like, or you may join the waitlist at that time. Because our registration is so early and plans do change, waitlist spots often become available. If you are already registered for three weeks but are offered a spot from the waitlist, your child can attend for as many additional weeks as you like.
When enrollment is full, you can register for the waitlist using the same link. There is no charge to be waitlisted, and spots often become available between now and summer.
To receive the member pricing for camp, you must be a current member at the Family level or above. **Please note that the system to purchase or renew memberships will be down from January 13 – February 13. If your membership is not current and you want to take advantage of member pricing for camp, please renew before January 13.
How to Register
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Pay online through the Morris Arboretum & Gardens website. During the initial wave of registration, each child is limited to 3 weeks! Join the waitlist for a chance to participate in more weeks.
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After you pay, check for and read your confirmation email.
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Download and PRINT your camper forms and mail them to:
Morris Arboretum & Gardens
Attn: Education Summer Camp
100 Northwestern Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19118
Please note that we CANNOT accept camp forms electronically this year. In addition to mailing forms back, blank forms and a locked drop-box will be available in Gates Hall at the Morris.
Dates and Details
Little Lightning Bugs: Ages 4 to 5 (Adult/Child ratio of 1:6)
Bloomfield Buddies: Ages 6 to 10 (Adult/Child ratio of 1:8)
Weekly Camp Sessions: June 30 to August 8, 2025
Duration: Monday - Friday, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
*We are not able to offer before care or aftercare.
Little Lightning Bugs (Ages 4 – 5)
Sense-sational Summer – There will be a full spectrum of sensory experiences awaiting our campers! Sights, smells, sounds, tastes, and textures are always plentiful in nature, and we will be seeking them wherever we go. From scavenger hunts to sensory crafts, this week will be packed with nature discovery.
No camp on July 4
Many animals call the Morris their home, from tiny insects to a multitude of mammals. Every camp day will include games, songs, and crafts as we learn about animal homes and habitats, explore the gardens, and look for signs and tracks of animal inhabitants.
We need trees for oxygen, and we rely on bees for a large majority of our food crops. Campers will dig into the world of plants and plant life cycles, and the role of pollinators in helping flowering plants to reproduce. We’ll have science experiments to learn more about seeds and flowers, taste honey, and discover other tasty treats from plants.
In our nature-focused week, we will use our imaginations to discover a magical world right here at the Morris. We’ll look at the plants, gardens, and animals in a new way by pretending to be tiny fairies and elves, read nature-focused fairy tales, and do daily games and crafts.
Come see what all the buzz is about! Learn about a new pollinator friend each day and the role they play in producing our food and keeping ecosystems afloat. Dress up as different pollinators, explore the gardens for flowers, and party with the pollinators.
Take inspiration from all that we see and hear in our beautiful outdoor space. Campers can let imaginations run wild while creating art and music using found materials. We’ll explore colors and textures with a variety of different art media including paint, clay, and even mud!
Bloomfield Buddies (Ages 6 – 10)
Follow your nose and your ears to explore the gardens! We will participate in games, explorative hikes, and activities to heighten our senses, and awareness, of the natural world. We’ll listen for clues of animals in our midst, check out a variety of smelly plants in our gardens, and discuss how and why those smells exist! We’ll also learn about some edible and medicinal plants.
No camp on July 4.
Did you know that wood frogs can survive freezing and thawing their bodies, and that snakes can see in infrared? In this camp week, we will explore some amazing animals and the incredible things that they can do. We’ll also look for tracks and signs of animals around the arboretum.
Join us to investigate the wonderful world of plants! From the edible and attractive to the prickly and poisonous, plants are loaded with wild adaptations. We’ll delve into different plants, their plant defense systems, how people and animals can use them, and their important place in the ecosystem.
Enter a world of fairy tales and magic right here at the Morris. We’ll read mythology and legends from around the world, learn about some plants that are supposed to have magical qualities, make imaginary potions, and create art for our imaginary friends.
Never fear, the pollinators are here! Learn about the fascinating creatures that pollinate our plants, in turn giving us healthy food and thriving ecosystems. Get to know the insects and bugs in our gardens using microscopes and bug nets and create your own pollinator and pollinator crafts.
Does your child love to make art? This week will include daily hikes around the Morris where we will gather materials for nature-inspired art projects. Be prepared to get messy as we’ll try our hand at a variety of different media including paint, clay, mud, paper making, and natural dyes!
Pricing
Members*: $340 (weekly)
Non-members: $370
Reduced fee of $300/$330 the week of July 4
Each camper will receive one camp t-shirt, included with the cost of registration
*To receive the member pricing for camp, you must be a current member at the Family level or above.
**Please note that the system to purchase or renew memberships will be down from January 13 – February 13. If your membership is not current and you want to take advantage of member pricing for camp, please renew before January 13.
Need-Based Financial Aid
A limited amount of financial aid is available on a first-come basis to those with demonstrated financial need. Email igrubin@upenn.edu for more information.
Additional Information
Attending Nature Explorers Camp with a Same-Age Friend or Sibling
We only have one group for Little Lightning bugs, so all 4-5 year old campers will be in the same group. Bloomfield Buddies will be divided into two groups by age. Groups will be preassigned, and children will be told their groups each Monday. If your child has a friend or relative registered in Bloomfield Buddies and you wish to place them in the same group, please email igrubin@upenn.edu at least TWO WEEKS PRIOR to the start of camp.
Special Needs
Our primary goal is providing a safe and positive camp experience for all. Camp staff is unable to provide one-on-one supervision for special needs, but you are welcome to send a care facilitator of your choice. Parents/Guardians are asked to discuss this need with Camp Director Ilana Grubin at igrubin@upenn.edu
Is a nature camp right for your child?
It is our hope to inspire a love of the outdoors in all participants. We spend the majority of our day outside in nature—not in air conditioning. Our campers hike and navigate uneven terrains throughout the Morris. We also play games and use natural materials for our arts and crafts. Safety is our number one priority; however, injuries can still occur. Children encounter bees, biting insects, slippery terrain, and tree roots, which all can pose a hazard. Together, we enjoy fun, physical activities under careful supervision of Arboretum education staff. With the guidance of educators, campers must listen to directions, stay with the group, adhere to camp rules, and take accountability for their own safety. Please see the Parent Handbook for more information about our camp and rules.
Download the Parent Handbook →
Weather Policy
Camp is held rain or shine. In the case of lightning, activities will be modified and moved indoors. Please dress your child in clothes that can get wet or dirty! If temperatures exceed 90 degrees, activities are modified, and participants will not be doing anything strenuous. In addition to morning creek walks about once a week, we will do water play (sprinklers, wading pools, etc.) whenever there is a heat advisory.
2024 Registration/Cancellation Policy
Planning ahead can be challenging for everyone, but please be mindful when making your camp registrations. We often cannot accommodate requests to change scheduled weeks since we fill up quickly.
Cancellations up to May 20: $50 fee will be deducted from refund for each week cancelled.
After May 20: Refunds will ONLY be issued for extenuating circumstances and are at the discretion of the Camp Director. If a replacement is found from the waiting list, a refund may be granted minus a $75 cancellation fee.
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