Where Wonder Grows: Summer Camps at Stowe

By Morgan Jepson, Marketing + Communications Intern

This summer, adventure awaits at Daniel Stowe Conservancy! Our beloved camp programs are back and more vibrant than ever, offering expansive experiences for kids to engage with the natural world. Blending science, art, exploration and outdoor play, each camp is crafted to create lasting memories that foster a lifelong appreciation for nature. From discovering forest creatures to paddling peaceful waterways, campers spend their days learning, laughing and getting their hands dirty—alongside passionate educators who champion “green time” over screen time.

At Stowe, camp is more than something fun to do; it’s a customized experience led by caring guides who do their best to tailor every moment to campers’ unique learning styles. A typical day might begin with a hike through the woods, transition into water quality testing or a sensory echolocation game and wrap up with dissecting owl pellets or building insect hotels. Educators make adjustments in real time to support kinetic, auditory, visual and verbal learners alike, keeping kids engaged and inspired from start to finish. “We try to make our lesson plans fully immersive so every camper gains something,” Rosemary remarks.

That same thoughtful approach applies to the materials utilized. Sustainability is a core value of Stowe, embedded in the hands-on lessons campers participate in each day. Insect hotels, for instance, are built using only biodegradable or natural materials, as permanent ones can harbor disease during the winter. Rosemary showed me a bag of old DSBG branded mini drink glasses, now repurposed into owl eye tubes. “If there’s any material available to us,” she explains, “we’ll find a way to use it to teach about nature.” With blue and green tissue paper, campers simulate an owl’s limited vision, since nocturnal owls only see those two hues. She points out that those same colors, blue and green, are actually the most relaxing to the human eye. “We’re made of the same matter as plant life and the sky,” she adds. “There’s a reason those colors calm us. We’re not separate from nature, we’re part of it.”

That sense of belonging is key. Every group is attended by at least two educators at all times, creating a supportive environment where campers are free to explore. Rosemary emphasizes, “They learn, they have fun and the key is that they feel safe; when they feel safe, they feel open and confident, ready to form a relationship with their surroundings.” In a world of decreasing exposure to nature, this aspect is crucial. Rosemary expresses that summer camps are designed to sensitively promote comfort outdoors, “I feel so strongly that we all are connected, us and other organisms. Those relationships help to sustain us! Our mission is to help each camper develop their own ties to our environment. We want them to understand: this is our home.”

Rosemary describes herself and the other educators as bridges—facilitators who help campers form those vital links with nature. “We’re here to help them build a relationship with the life around them and their own role in it. When you feel you belong, when you feel you’re a member of nature’s community, you catch the vision.”

Sometimes, those links are comprised of clever crafts, such as painting colorful stones for “butterfly puddlers” to assist pollinators, or playing a matching game to reunite butterflies and caterpillars with their host plants. Other times, nature takes the lead in unforgettable ways. “While we were inside the Butterfly Bungalow, one of the native butterflies landed on a camper’s shirt,” Rosemary recalled. “They were so delighted to see it up close. Personal experiences in nature are powerful—because when you fall in love with something, you want to protect it.”

Another magical moment occurred during my visit. A camper ran over to us with a big smile and a tiny snail in her palm! She informed us that his name was Wilbur and that he would be living in her newly crafted bug hotel. Rosemary used this discovery as a vehicle to teach that snails respond to music, leading a small group of us in singing Happy Birthday as we watched the snail emerge from its shell. I witnessed, firsthand, that our educators use every moment as an opportunity to nurture both nature and the child’s role within it.

The spontaneous moments don’t always warrant a song and dance, however. “One day, frogs were suddenly everywhere,” Rosemary recalls. “As the kids began to pick them up, we discussed how frogs breathe through their skin as well as their lungs and why it’s important not to handle them with bare hands. When you understand how a living organism works, you know how to better support its habitat.” That little spark, a connection between experience and insight, is where wonder takes root.

Of course, some favorites are a little bit more predictable. “They’re addicted to the Adventure Trail,” Rosemary laughs. “It’s their favorite.” Campers climb, explore, imagine and return again and again with the same enthusiasm, always eager for what lies just beyond the bend.

While most of this summer’s camps are nearly full, a few spots remain for campers ready to jump in:

• Wildlife Wonders Day Camp (Monday the 16th – lots of spots open!): A one-day nature celebration filled with close encounters, crafts and critter facts—perfect for younger campers or first-timers.
• Paddling Camp (2 spots left): Learn paddling basics while exploring local rivers and streams. Build confidence and develop familiarity with aquatic ecosystems.
• Survival 101 (1 spot left): Discover essential wilderness skills—from shelter-building to compass reading—while working as a team in the great outdoors.
• Survival 201 (7 spots left): A deeper dive into survival techniques, ideal for returning campers ready for the next challenge.
• Wild Wonderful Water (2 spots left): A splashy adventure exploring wetlands, frogs and aquatic life. Expect muddy boots and big smiles.

Whether learning that owls don’t have round eyeballs (they’re actually tubes!), visiting Lost Hollow, building bug terrariums, or crafting handmade insects to join the string web—campers are invited to become lifelong observers, learners and stewards of the earth. “If we’re not sustaining our local environment, we can’t develop sustaining values”, Rosemary notes. It is important that we teach our young ones the importance of this truth.

At the end of each session, parents often report the same thing: their kids had a blast! And…they’re completely worn out—tired from adventure but lit up from within. “They’ve had a great time and they’re exhausted,” Rosemary laughs. “That tells us we did it right.” Even our toughest critics agree. One especially discerning camper summed up their experience with a satisfied grin: “Today was a fun day!”

When campers spend their days outside, they are becoming part of something bigger. This isn’t just a place they’ve visited—they come to know that this is their Conservancy, too. Don’t wait to register your camper; remaining spots are almost gone! Visit: https://danielstoweconservancy.org/visit/summer-camps/

Let this be the summer your child reconnects with nature, with learning and with themselves. Because at Stowe, every day is an adventure—and everyone belongs.

Photos courtesy of Rosemary Kinch