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Camps

Nature is the touchstone for the Conservatory’s summer camp programs. From cultivating and harvesting a garden to creating a flower-inspired artistic masterpiece, summer camp at Franklin Park is anything but expected.

Camps are offered for ages 3 through 10. Campers participate in fun-filled activities throughout the day with a focus on the camp’s theme. A supervised lunch and half-hour free time will take place every day, allowing campers to participate in unstructured play and an opportunity to make new friends.

In addition to themed activities, campers will explore the Conservatory and its many gardens, including the Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation Children’s Garden. Features include a creek, wetland area, canopy walk, nature art studio, playhouse and more!

Registration:

2023 camps are sold out. Wait lists are available.

Registered Camper Parent Guide

Cancellation Procedure & Refunds:

Cancellations made a month or more before the start of the program will receive an 80% refund.  Cancellations made at least 2 weeks before the start of the program will receive a 50% refund. Cancellations made less than 2 weeks before the start of the program will receive no refund.

Scholarships:

 In order to expand access to nature-based education, a limited number of Scholarships were made available to qualifying participants. For information about future scholarship opportunities, please contact [email protected].

2023 Camps

Camps are sold out this year! Interested participants can join the wait lists.

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Ages 3 & 4
June 5-9 & July 10-14 | Monday-Friday, 9am-12pm Garden Detectives Let’s dig deep into the secrets of the garden! Garden exploration and hands-on activities nurture an understanding of where our food comes from and an appreciation of the beauty and magic of the natural world. We’ll discover seeds and roots, vegetables and fruits, wiggling worms, butterflies, and bugs. Children must be toilet trained.

June 5-9 Wait List


July 10-14 Wait List $140, $120 for members
June 12-16 & July 17-21 | Monday-Friday 9am-12pm B is for Bugs We’ll explore the world of crawling, wiggling, and flying bugs – butterflies, bees, beetles, spiders, worms and more! Outdoor explorations and hands-on art and science investigations help develop an understanding of an insect's role in our environment. Join us for a “bug's-eye view” of the world. Children must be toilet trained.

June 12-16 Wait List


July 17-21 Wait List $140, $120 for members
June 19-23 & July 24-28 | Monday-Friday, 9am-12pm Trains, Planes and Things That Go! Get your ticket to adventure as we travel into the world of transportation. Stories, games and STEAM-based activities will provide the science and engineering behind all methods of transportation. Children must be toilet trained.

June 19-23 Wait List


July 24-28 Wait List $140, $120 for members
June 26-30 & July 31-August 4 | Monday-Friday, 9am-12pm All the Colors of the Rainbow What makes a rainbow? Where do colors come from? Explore the science and beauty of color – it’s everywhere we look. Discover favorite colors with hands-on activities and search for color in the Conservatory’s gardens. Children must be toilet trained.

June 26-30 Wait List


July 31-August 4 Wait List $140, $120 for members
Ages 5 & 6
June 5-9 & July 10-14 | Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm & Friday 9am-3pm Pollinators & Habitat Hunters They crawl, they fly, and they pollinate. With binoculars in one hand and magnifying glass in the other, discover the creatures responsible for fruits and vegetables. Explore the children’s garden while searching for pollinators of all kinds. Build a bird’s nest and make butterfly crafts.

June 5-9 Wait List


July 10-14 Wait List $280, $260 for members
June 12-16 & July 17-21 | Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm & Friday 9am-3pm Storybooks Alive There is fun to be had and discoveries to be made through the magic of stories! Books and characters come to life through art, science, and exploration around the Conservatory. Enjoy story-based activities from water play to getting dirty in the garden. Fill your imagination and get lost in the wonderful world of storybooks!

June 12-16 Wait List


July 17-21 Wait List $280, $260 for members
June 19-23 & July 24-28 | Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm & Friday 9am-3pm Express Your Mess Dive your hands into ooey-gooey slime, oobleck and so much more! Use all your senses with experiments connected to storybooks in this messy hands-on week of sensory fun. Enjoy a range of hands-on activities with the goal of making a creative mess.

June 19-23 Wait List


July 24-28 Wait List $280, $260 for members
June 26-30 & July 31-August 4 | Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm & Friday 9am-3pm Pirate Palooza and Mermaids Too Ahoy maties! Grab a map and a spyglass; excitement awaits those who are ready for a new adventure. Enjoy life as a pirate - walk the plank, search for treasure and mermaids and play pirate games. You’ll be talking and looking like a pirate in no time.

June 26-30 Wait List


July 31-August 4 Wait List $280, $260 for members
Ages 7 & 8
June 5-9 & July 10-14 | Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm & Friday 9am-3pm Garden Explorers Follow germination from seed to plant. Plant, tend and harvest straight from our gardens. Learn how to turn garden veggies into tasty treats. Explore how you can use materials from the garden for art and science while enjoying all the Conservatory has to offer.

June 5-9 Wait List


July 10-14 Registration $280, $260 for members
June 12-16 & July 17-21 | Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm & Friday 9am-3pm Art Adventures The Conservatory is a beautiful place to find inspiration through plant life and amazing outdoor art. Learn about different styles of art, see art in action at the hot shop, practice new art skills and create art to take home. Experiment with materials that could include chalk, paint, and clay.

June 12-16 Wait List


July 17-21 Wait List $280, $260 for members
June 19-23 & July 24-28 | Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm & Friday 9am-3pm Wizards and Magical Creatures Discover the magic of science, learn about scary plants and create strange potions. Design a house for a fairy and make a meal for a unicorn. Adventures, imagination and fun will fill this week. Bring the magic to life while exploring the wizarding world at the Conservatory.

June 19-23 Wait List


July 24-28 Wait List $280, $260 for members
June 26-30 & July 31-August 4 | Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm & Friday 9am-3pm Jurassic Franklin Park If you love everything about dinosaurs, then this is the camp for you! Discover the conifers, ginkgoes, and ferns of the Jurassic Period. Dig into paleontology techniques and study real fossils. Create and excavate and make your own fossils, dinosaur art, and habitat.

June 26-30 Registration


July 31-August 4 Wait List $280, $260 for members
Ages 9 & 10
July 24-28 | Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm & Friday 9am-3pm The Nature of Glass lass isn’t just a common material; it is a state of matter. Spend the week getting to know this unique material through hands-on experiments. Fuse science with art as we explore glass making techniques with everyday materials. Visit the Conservatory’s Hot Shop, explore our glass art collection and create your own glass inspired masterpiece.

July 24-28 Wait List $280, $260 for members
July 31-August 4 | Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm & Friday 9am-3pm Biome Builders Explore major habitats and the conservation issues within. Integrate scientific inquiry with design to complete a biome brick build and clay topographic map. Investigate the plants and animals that live in extreme climates. What adaptations have helped this flora and fauna to survive? Then create your own mini-climate terrarium to take home.

July 31-August 4 Wait List $280, $260 for members

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