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Nature is the touchstone for the Conservatory’s summer camp programs. From cultivating and harvesting a garden to creating a colorful masterpiece inspired by pollinators, summer camp at Franklin Park is anything but ordinary.

In addition to themed activities, campers will explore the Conservatory and its many gardens, including The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation Children’s Garden.

All campers will need to be potty-trained before attending camp. Full-day campers will need to be able to fully attend to all their bathroom needs, change out of a wet bathing suit, and apply their own sunscreen. Camp staff cannot assist with bathroom needs, buttons, zippers, swimsuits, lotions, or any other activity that requires close physical contact with campers.

Please Note: We will be using a virtual waiting room during the member registration process to ensure a smooth and orderly registration process. The waiting room will only appear during high-demand web traffic time periods.

Member Registration:

Non-member Registration: opens at 11am on Monday, January 15th.

NEW Before and Aftercare for Full-Day campers is now available!

BEFORE CAMP CARE

AFTER CAMP CARE

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.

Bobba Family Access Scholarship for Camps and Classes:

A limited number of 80% off scholarships are available to Franklin Park Conservatory Family Access Members. Please complete and submit the online form between December 18-21, 2023. Priority will be given to new applicants and earliest submissions. During this timeframe, the scholarship form will be located in the form section of this page.

Check the forms section for FAQs, camp details, and how to register.

Forms:

camp parent guide faqs

member registration  non-member registration

2024 Camps

Ages 3 & 4 Morning (half day)
June 3-7 OR July 8-12 | 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 3-7 Wait List
July 8-12 Wait List

$145, $125 for members
June 10-14 OR July 15-19 | 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 10-14 Wait List
July 15-19 Wait List
$145, $125 for members
June 17-21 OR July 22-26 | Monday-Friday, 9am-12pm Storybooks Alive Let’s discover the fun and magic of storybooks! Books and characters come to life through craft, play, and exploration around the Conservatory. Enjoy story-based activities like counting bugs and learning how a garden grows. Fill your imagination and get lost in the wonderful world of storybooks! Children must be toilet trained.

June 17-21 Wait List
July 22-26 Wait List
$145, $125 for members
June 24-28 OR July 29-August 2 | 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 24-28 Wait List
July 29-August 2 Wait List
$145, $125 for members
Pre-K Afternoon (half day)
June 3-7 OR July 8-12 | Monday-Thursday 1pm-4pm, Friday 1pm-3pm 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 3-7 WAIT LIST
July 8-12 WAIT LIST
$135, $115 for members
June 10-14 OR July 15-19 | Monday-Thursday 1pm-4pm, Friday 1-3pm 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 10-14 WAIT LIST
July 15-19 WAIT LIST
$135, $115 for members
June 17-21 OR July 22-26 | Monday-Thursday 1pm-4pm, Friday 1-3pm Storybooks Alive Let’s discover the fun and magic of storybooks! Books and characters come to life through craft, play, and exploration around the Conservatory. Enjoy story-based activities like counting bugs and learning how a garden grows. Fill your imagination and get lost in the wonderful world of storybooks! Children must be toilet trained.

June 17-21 WAIT LIST
July 22-26 WAIT LIST
$135, $115 for members
June 24-28 OR July 29-August 2 | Monday-Thursday 1pm-4pm, Friday 1-3pm 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 24-28 WAIT LIST
July 29-August 2
$135, $115 for members
Ages 5 & 6 (full day)
June 3-7 OR July 8-12 | Monday -Thursday 9am-4pm, Friday 9am-3pm Bugology 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 3-7 WAIT LIST
July 8-12 WAIT LIST
$285, $265 for members
June 10-14 OR July 15-19 | Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm, Friday 9am-3pm Express Your Mess Dive your hands into ooey-gooey oobleck, create spin art, and tie dye a camp shirt. Use all your senses to discover the smelly, the sticky, and the unsightly! Enjoy a range of hands-on activities with the goal of finding the beauty within each mess.

June 10-14 WAIT LIST
July 15-19 WAIT LIST
$285, $265 for members
June 17-21 OR July 22-26 | Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm, Friday 9am-3pm Trains and Transportation 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. We will take a trip to the Paul Busse Garden Railway and see what other vehicles keep Franklin Park Conservatory going.

June 17-21 WAIT LIST
July 22-26 WAIT LIST
$285, $265 for members
June 24-28 OR July 29-August 2 | Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm, Friday 9am-3pm Pirates and Mermaids Ahoy maties! Grab a map or your tailfins; excitement awaits those who are ready for a new adventure. Enjoy life on the waters of Franklin Park Conservatory. Campers will transform into Mermaids or Pirates to explore the deep blue sea for treasures and aquatic creatures.

June 24-28 WAIT LIST
July 29-August 2 WAIT LIST
$285, $265 for members
Ages 7 & 8 (full day)
June 3-7 OR July 8-12 | 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 3-7 WAIT LIST
July 8-12 WAIT LIST
$285, $265 for members
June 10-14 OR July 15-19 | Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm, Friday 9am-3pm Colorful Creations The Conservatory is a beautiful place to find inspiration through plant life and amazing outdoor exhibits. Go on a daily color hunt to check out the Chihuly art, the creations being made in the Hot Shop, and the rainbows of the Children’s Garden. Use materials like chalk, paint, and clay to make your own colorful creations.

June 10-14 WAIT LIST
July 15-19 WAIT LIST
$285, $265 for members
June 17-21 OR July 22-26 | 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 17-21 WAIT LIST
July 22-26 WAIT LIST
$285, $265 for members
June 24-28 OR July 29-August 2 | 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 24-28 WAIT LIST
July 29-August 2 WAIT LIST
$285, $265 for members

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