Habitat Nature Day Camp | Rates & Dates
Main Page • Rates & Dates • About Camp • Day Camp Policies
Below are the programs offered by Habitat Nature Camp in 2023. Campers may register for a maximum of ONE session per summer. All camp families must be Mass Audubon members at the Family level or higher.
See our online program catalog for camp sessions and pricing:
One-week Theme Camps
One-week sessions from June 26–30 only • Monday–Friday • 9:00 am–3:30 pm
Radical Rodents
Age 5 by June 1 (Entering Kindergarten)
Are you as busy as a beaver? As cheery as a chipmunk? Or as prickly as a porcupine? Get to know our long-toothed friends who scamper about, searching for acorns, digging burrows, and climbing trees.
Wonders of Water
Ages 6–9 (Entering Grades 1–4)
Cruise over to Habitat’s ponds and vernal pool! Discover amazing adaptations of underwater creatures. Learn why objects float or sink and how the water we drink has existed since the dinosaurs!
Two-week Nature Camps
Two-week sessions • Monday–Friday • 9:00 am–3:30 pm (half-day ends at noon)
Session 1: July 3–14*
Session 2: July 17–28
Session 3: July 31–August 11
Session 4: August 14–25
*No camp on Tuesday, July 4; session prorated accordingly.
Age Groups
Ramblers: Age 4 by June 1 (Entering Pre-K) (half-day)
Ramble through the woods, using your senses to investigate the world around you. Get to know the plants and animals that can be found at Habitat as well as in your own backyard.
Pathfinders: Age 5 by June 1 (Entering Kindergarten)
Choose a path to follow and uncover Habitat’s secret places. Go on a hike to search for critters in the places where they live and grow. Learn what makes different animals unique and what we have in common with them.
Explorers: Ages 6–9 (Entering Grades 1–4)
Stroll to Turtle Pond, peer under logs, hide in the meadow, and climb through the forest layers. Find out who lives in all of Habitat’s different habitats and the adaptations animals and plants have to survive. Engage in a variety of activities, such as nature crafts, cooking, outdoor skills, science experiments, and fun games. Finish the day with camp songs and silly stories.
Ecologists: Ages 10–12 (Entering Grades 5–7)
Deepen your understanding of how nature works by taking a closer look at soil, water, plants, and animal populations. Discover how animals and plants are connected to their environment in a fascinating web of life. Be a steward of the sanctuary by participating in conservation activities such as invasive species removal and bird box monitoring. Embark on a field trip to a local Massachusetts river and investigate by canoe. Complete the experience with an all-day hike on nearby conversation land and an overnight campout at Habitat.
The field trip occurs on the first Thursday and the on-site overnight component takes place on the second Thursday of each session. Camp begins at 9:00 am on Thursday and ends at 9:00 am on Friday. Habitat Nature Camp provides tents, dinner, and breakfast for all campers during the overnight.
Teen Programs
Trekkers
Ages 12–14 (Entering grades 7–9)
Expand your horizons and discover habitats beyond Habitat! Go hiking, canoeing, and camping to investigate the natural and cultural history of rivers in New England. Explore nearby areas on day trips, then broaden your knowledge on three-day, two-night camping trips, leaving Habitat on Wednesday morning at 9:00 am and returning by 3:30 pm on Friday. Habitat Nature Camp provides allergen-free meals and tents.
Campers may register for only ONE two-week session:
Session 1: Charles & Merrimack Rivers
Session 2: Connecticut River
Session 3: Merrimack River
Session 4: Connecticut & Charles Rivers
Counselors-in-Training (CIT)
Ages 14–16 (Entering Grades 9–11)
Are you looking for something fun to do this summer? Do you enjoy working with children? Gain valuable leadership experience and community service hours as you assist our teachers in directing nature activities and supervising campers enrolled in our Pathfinders and Explorers programs. CITs play games, read stories, participate in skits, and prepare materials for activities. Each CIT has the opportunity to lead an activity with campers.
There is no fee to participate in this volunteer program, but to be eligible, CITs must participate in training and be available for at least one two-week camp session. CITs will receive additional information and forms upon registration. Please contact the Camp Director with questions.
Required training for all CITs takes place June 26–30 (9:00 am–3:30 pm).
Optional Extended-Day Program
After Camp
Daily, 3:30–5:30 pm
Ages 5–14 (Entering grades K–9)
This optional extended-day program is available to our full-day, two-week and theme-week session attendees. It is not available for Ramblers.
Campers are given a snack and can choose from activities such as hiking, free play, arts and crafts, and nature games. Pre-registration is required.
Pricing & Affordability
Sliding Scale Pricing
Mass Audubon is committed to ensuring that every family that wants their child to experience summer camp should have the opportunity to do so. A sliding scale model helps us work toward that goal through an easy and dependable process for families.
Under the sliding scale model, every family will enroll for camp at a tuition rate based on their annual gross income. At registration, you will have the opportunity to select the pricing tier that best fits your family’s gross income. If you select Tiers 1–4, you will be asked to upload income verification documentation at a later time. Registrants at Tier 5 do not need to provide income verification. Learn more about sliding scale pricing >
Financial Aid
If cost is still a barrier under the sliding scale structure, financial aid is also available based on demonstrated financial need and available funds. Scholarships are limited to one session per child; however, all applications are considered and will be accepted on a rolling basis. Payment plan options are also available. Download a financial aid application >
Deposit
If your child receives a spot at Habitat Nature Camp through the lottery, you will be required to pay a nonrefundable deposit of $50 per camper per one-week session or $100 per camper per two-week session within 14 days of receiving the registration confirmation. The deposit will be applied to your camp tuition and cannot be transferred to another camper, family, or camp location. If registering after May 15, payment in full is required, unless a payment plan has been established with the Camp Director.
Refund Policy
A full refund, minus the nonrefundable deposit, is provided to camp families who cancel in writing on or before May 15. After May 15, no refund is available. Deposits are not transferable, and refunds are not given for participant dismissal, failure to attend, absence, or sick days. If we must cancel a session, you will receive a full refund.