Look up, down, and all around on this adventurous week of seeking and searching! Explore Powdermill Nature Reserve’s forest, soil, and stream with games and activities focused on discovering the wonders of nature. Dig through soil in search of worms and work together in a crawfish bonanza to see how many you can collect. Solve a series of clues on a wildlife scavenger hunt, and play cooperative outdoor games to learn about predators, prey, and nature all around us.
Learn more about On the Lookout.
Calling all explorers! Build your nature skills to have fun while staying safe in the great outdoors. Get prepared and find out what to bring on your outdoor adventures. Learn first aid, how to recognize when someone needs help, and what you can do to assist right away. Practice filtering water, learn how to safely start a fire, and build a shelter in nature. Hike the Powdermill trails to play out wilderness survival scenarios and build your safety skills.
Learn more about Outdoor Skills.
Campers, let’s get crafty! With the great outdoors as your inspiration, explore concepts of art intersecting with nature in a series of fun projects that celebrate sustainability. Search for natural pigments in nature and use sustainable harvesting practices to collect materials from the forest. Create sculptures with seeds from native wildflowers, make bird feeder crafts, and find out how to make art that makes an impact.
Learn more about Art in Nature.
Make a mess during this week of fearless outdoor exploration! You’ll get your hands in the dirt, mud, and stream as you search for critters who call Powdermill Nature Reserve home. Create seed balls to help spread native plants, construct a toad abode for an amphibian friend, and get soaked in the stream. Hike, explore, and play water games to discover the messy wonders of our world.
Learn more about Messes, Mud, and More.
Do you have a passion for helping the planet? Take action and get real experience solving an environmental issue! Throughout the week you’ll research, design, and carry out an action plan to solve an environmental problem at Powdermill. Explore, hike the trails, and play games to learn about Powdermill’s strengths and challenges, then work together to come up with a solution and present it to leaders at the nature center. By the end of the week you’ll put the plan into action and make a real difference!
Learn more about Environmental Action Camp.
Get out in nature and learn how to protect it as you become an environmental champion. Learn about land stewardship, why it’s important, and ways you can practice it. Trek through the forest to identify and safely remove invasive species. Explore the benefits of native plants and gain hands-on experience maintaining Powdermill’s native gardens. Discover ways to preserve natural areas while keeping them accessible for exploration.
Learn more about Living with the Land.
Campers, this is your chance to experience real science in action! Spend the week participating in active science in the field. Conduct a stream study, help with a wildlife survey, and learn how scientists research birds at the Powdermill Avian Research Center. Extract DNA, experiment with soil bacteria, and use a microscope to uncover hidden forest critters. Design and carry out your own scientific study. See where your curiosity takes you!
Learn more about Science Up Close.