FALL 2026/2027 SCHOOL YEAR ENROLLMENT OPENS MONDAY MARCH 30TH!

Summer Camp

Summer Camp Programs!

Our program is centered around supporting kids in simply being kids!

Each day, we follow our hearts and create opportunities for them to play in the mud, climb trees, develop awareness of their senses, build and create, ask questions, and explore the incredible world of nature to their heart's content.

We value deep connections to the earth, to one another, and to our community as a whole. With intentionally small group sizes, we provide each child with an individualized, caring experience.

What Makes Our Camp Different

During the summer months, we offer several 1-4 day 100% outdoor programs for kids of all ages. These immersive experiences are designed to build confidence, resilience, and meaningful memories.

Children will:

Engage with plants, animals, and natural ecosystems
Stretch their imaginations through art, storytelling, and games
Work collaboratively to solve challenges
Learn practical outdoor skills such as firekeeping, shelter building, foraging and tool use
Develop awareness of their senses and "think like an animal"
Push comfort zones in a safe, supported environment

Whether fishing, climbing trees, or cooking tea from wild-foraged plants, children grow self-confidence while staying deeply connected to the land.

Our Approach

Our leaders use "Coyote Mentoring" techniques - developed by Jon Young and the Wilderness Awareness School. This approach integrates intuitive, playful, and experiential learning to cultivate meaningful relationships to the land and community.

***Please note, payment must be received in order to hold your child's spot- you can venmo @friendofthewoods or message us for other forms of payment

2026 SUMMER CAMPS

Click Here to Sign Up for Summer Camp!

Outdoor Skills Camp (Ages 5-12 ) * Full * register for waitlist

June 23-25

Bald Mountain State Park

10am - 2pm

Foraging & Wildcrafting

Plant ID and Foraging Safety
Water Purification
Herbal allies and uses
Wildcrafting Skills

Tracking & Senses

engaging the 5 senses
tracking challenge
animal signs & habitats

Shelter Building & Survival

Shelter Building
Fire building & Cooking over fire (weather dependent)
Survival challenge

Pricing: $200 Includes: Fun and Adventures, T-shirt, Life-Long Learning and Skills, Healthy snacks & Materials

Adventure Camp (Ages 5-11 ) - * Full * register for waitlist

July 21-23

Bald Mountain State Park

10am - 2pm

Outdoor Skills

Foraging
Orienteering & Navigation
Shelter Building
Wildcrafting Skills
Tracking

Lakes, Rivers, and Creeks

Engaging with plants and critters living in the water
Mud & Creek Play!
Learning about Amphibians
Getting Messy!

Animal Connections

Mammals & Birds
Tracking and Print Making
Animal Homes
insects and little critters

Pricing: $200 Includes: Fun and Adventures, T-shirt, Life-Long Learning and Skills, Healthy snacks & Materials

Walnut Forest School Camp (Ages 2.5 - 4 potty- trained) * Full * register for waitlist

July 21-23

Bald Mountain State Park

10am - 2pm

Intro to Forest School

Connecting to Each other and the Land
Chlid- Led Hiking adventures
Fort building and play

Creations & Connections

Whimsical Craft Projects
Art with Natural Materials
Patterns and Designs in Nature

Music Making & Story Time

Shared Songs
Nature- Inspired Stories
Fun & Games

Pricing: $200 Includes: Fun and Adventures for first timers & younger kids, T-shirt, healthy snacks& Materials

Minecraft Creative Mode Camp (Ages 6-12) * Full * register for waitlist

August 3-6

Bald Mountain State Park

10am - 2pm

Navigation & Planning

Learning the Land
Map-Making & Reading
Making Project Blueprints & Gathering Materials

Tools & Crafting Table

Tool usage and Safety
whittling, hand saws, wood-splitting, Hammers & Nails, Flint & Steel, Knot-Tying

Forest Shelter Building

Learning about types of shelters
Building with natural materials
Tool Practice

"Survival Mode" Challenge

Orienteering Course
Feats of Strength, Skill, & Wisdom
Community Celebration

Pricing: $250 Includes: fun and memorable Adventures!, a T-shirt, Flint & Steel, healthy snacks & All Materials

CREATURE CAMP (Ages 5-12) - * Full * register for waitlist

August 18-20

Bald Mountain State Park

10am - 2pm

Animal Spirits

Connecting with the 'animal nature' inside ourselves
Animal Adaptations
Climbing, Jumping, Running, and Moving like the creatures of the forest!

Tracking

Using imagination & Observation skills to learn about animal behaviors
Recognizing Tracks & Signs (scat, trails, dens, fur, feathers, etc.)

Bird Language

Recognizing and observing common birds
Learning how birds communicate with each other & animals using songs and calls

Creepy Crawly Critters

Learning where to find, and safely handle Snakes, turtles, Salamanders, Frogs, and more!
Building respect & relationship with Insects, Spiders, Slugs, and other 'creepy' creatures

Pricing: $200 Includes: fun and memorable Adventures!, a T-shirt, healthy snacks & All Materials

Click Here to Sign Up for Multi-day Camps!

Summer Day Camps!

Summer day camps will be held at Bald Mountain State Park from 10am-2pm. The cost is $60 per child and is available to a variety of age groups! These day camps will be focused on learning about specific skills or topics. Kids will be provided a nourishing snack, and any materials needed for the days activities.

These day camps are an excellent opportunity for your kiddos to get outside, explore, and play with others! We will start our days with open play, getting to know one another, and sharing a snack. We’ll then dive into some information about our topic of the day through discussion, playful games and activities, songs, and stories. Next we will wander through the woods, across creeks, along ponds and lakes, over meadows and hills, and all over the beautiful trails (and off trails!) at bald mountain! Depending on the topic of the day, we will search for wild edibles, practice our casting and fishing skills, curiously turn over logs and leaves in search of insects, and get more comfortable wading for frogs and learning how to handle snakes and turtles!

Our day camps offer more focused learning experiences integrated with our heart-centered and curiosity-driven teaching approach. Kids will learn and explore at their own pace, and be encouraged to try new things, take responsible risks, make new friends, and connect deeply with the land and creatures around them!

June 16th

Ages 4-10

Music in Nature

*1 spot left*

Crafting natural instruments
Listening to Natures Rhythms
Songs, Games, and Silliness

July 15th

Ages 4-10

Tracking & Senses

*1 spot left*

Tapping into the senses
Animal Signs & Nature
Tracking Challenge & Games

July 17th

Ages 4-10

Creature Camp

*2 spots left*

Exploring a variety of reptile, amphibian, mammalian, bird and insect habitats in the forest and waterways
Common Michigan Animal Identification
safe and respectful interactions and handling of animals
Playfully Learning about animal behaviors, dwellings, adaptations, and more!

July 30th

Ages 4-10

Waterway Wonders

*1 spot left*

Playful child-led exploration of creeks, ponds, marshes, and waterways
Curiously and respectfully engaging with wetland creatures
Boat Challenge! Open-ended creative invitation to build rafts, boats, and floating things. We'll end our day with an epic race through the creek!