Summer Youth Program – Day Camp

Summer program dates: July 31st- August 14th

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Spots are limited to 15 students per day.

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Get ready for a summer of adventure and discovery with our Nature Museum Summer Camp! Delve into the fascinating world of insects and entomology as we explore the beauty and diversity of the natural world. Our program offers a variety of fun and educational activities for kids ages 6-14, including insect pinning and taxidermy lessons, arts and crafts, and more.

Our Summer Camper kids will have the opportunity to learn about insects, wildlife and their ecosystems while developing new skills such as pinning and preserving insects. With our expert instructors and hands-on activities, your child will gain a greater appreciation for the natural world and its many wonders.

Our classes provide a dynamic and immersive experience, engaging nature enthusiasts with hands-on activities that explore the wonders of biology. But we’ve discovered that our classes appeal to a wide range of interests, drawing in not just science buffs, but also artists, knowledge-seekers, and curious crafters. We believe that combining science education with a physical craft enhances learning and allows each class lesson to have a physical memory to take home.

By participating in our Nature Summer Camp, your child will not only have a fun and memorable summer, but also build skills and knowledge that will enhance their natural desire to learn and critically think. Join us for an unforgettable summer adventure!

Registration opens on July 15th, so don’t miss your chance to sign up for this exciting program. We can’t wait to see you there!

Schedule of Class Events

Drop off 11am and Pickup 3pm

15 student capacity

Monday July 31st

  • Defense Through Design: Watercolor Butterflies & Ladybugs craft/ Aposematic Discussion
  • Opossum Day: Animal Meet & Greet/Craft & Local Fauna Friends Presentation
  • Wet Specimen lab: watch and observe our team create a unique wet specimine to later be used for mumification

Tuesday August 1st

  • Planting With Purpose:  Seed Planting& Propagation/Local Flora & 1st Trophic Level
  • Butterfly Pinning:Planning, Preparing & Pinning Specimens for Preservation & 2nd Trophic Level

Wensday August 2nd

  • Arachnids: Predators of the microworld/Producers and Consumers in Balance & 3rd Trophic Level
  • Take a Peek:Microscope Lab/Butterfly mounting. Habitat Modeling in Dioramas

Monday August 7th

  • Beetle Pinning: Soil that Lives and the Million Year Magic
  • Snakes: Animal Meet & Greet /Tertiary Consumers and Secondary Predators

Tuesday August 8th

  • Birds:Bird Nest Activity & 4th Trophic Level
  • Invasive Species: Specimen Introduction/Species Analysis. Trophic Dispersion & Displacement

Wensday August 9th

  • Owls: Owl Pellet Dissection & Prey Skeletal Analysis / Apex Predators
  • Praying Mantis Dance Day: Live Insect Meet & Greet / Learning through movement

Monday August 14th

  • The Wonderful & Diverse World of Roaches: Live Insect Meet and Greet
  • Resin Workshop Day: create beautiful art from all the things we learned in the program
  • Mumification Lab: 

Spots are limited reserve your students today!

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Day Camp Information:

Billing and Deposits

  • Day camp will be $65 per day (11am-3pm)
    • Sign up for all the dates for $390 (1 day free)
    • Multiple kid Discount ($50 per day if you are enroling more than one student)

  • Summer camp deposits are non-refundable. 

  • Camp Fees are due upon registration. we will reach out to you to secure your students spot in the program.

Health

  • We kindly ask that for any child that has a fever, parents consider keeping the child home for that day of camp. If during camp, a child has a fever of 100 degrees or more, is noticeably not feeling well, or has vomited during camp we will contact the parents/caregiver right away to pick them up. We request any student with the symptoms above stay home for 24 hours to avoid transmitting anything contagious to other student

We understand that sometimes parents schedules change and/or there are traffic issues in Chicago. Please let us know as early as possible if you are running late for pick up. The first tardiness is free, beyond that there is a $25 fee. Tardiness is considered beyond 10 minutes late for scheduled pickup. 

What To Bring to Camp

  • Peanut and Tree-nut Free Snack

  • Peanut and Tree-nut Free Lunch

  • Water Bottle

Logistics & Student Classroom Assignment

  • When camp registration is full, parents will be able to register for a waiting list. If/when registration spots become available, we will enroll students from the waiting list based on the registration priority.

  • The Insect Asylum has three learning areas (Main Exhibits, 2nd Floor Classroom, and Lower Level Labs) and services 15 students with 2 members of Program Staff and Teaching Faculty.