Summer Camp
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Camps immerse children into the wonderful world of nature and science!
Campers will develop their critical thinking and social skills by spending fun-filled days inside and outside the Nature Museum. They will participate in hands-on exploration including science and art projects, nature play, animal encounters, and so much more. We encourage campers to take the lead and we provide them with space to explore the nature of Chicago at their own pace with tools selected (or built!) by them.
Please Note: For the safety of our employees and of our guests, we reached the decision to cancel in-person summer camp this year. We will issue full refunds to our registered camp families. We will be offering "summer in the city" experiences throughout the summer. Stay tuned for updates. Click here for more information on our COVID-19 plans.
Please email the Camp Directors at camps@naturemuseum.org with further questions.
“He loved exploring the nature trails around the museum; we heard about anything to do with bugs and animals.” – Camp Parent
Jump To: Four Year Old Camps | Five & Six Year Old Camps | Seven & Eight Year Old Camps | Nine, Ten & Eleven Year Old Camps | Registration
Four Year Old Camps:
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Four-year-old campers participate in child-led outdoor play, hands-on sensory activities, animal encounters, art, and outdoor adventures. Our trained counselors help them navigate student-driven explorations and develop new friendships.
Five & Six Year Old Camps:
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Five and six-year-old campers explore, investigate, and question the world around them during these unique sessions. Our staff are excited to play, get dirty, and help guide campers to make discoveries as they explore the natural world.
Seven & Eight Year Old Camps:
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Seven and eight-year-old campers develop science skills by investigating and exploring the Nature Museum and the outdoors. Each session includes a field trip.
Nine, Ten & Eleven Year Old Camps:
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Nine through eleven-year-old campers sharpen their problem-solving and STEM skills as they learn about, construct and design solutions to real-world problems. Each session includes multiple off-site field trips.