DAY OFF CAMPS AT IRVINE
Due to popular demand, Irvine is pleased to expand its Day Off Camp series for the 2025-2026 school year.
YOUR CHILD WILL LOVE SPENDING THEIR DAY OFF FROM SCHOOL WITH IRVINE’S AWARD-WINNING ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATORS FOR A DAY OF DISCOVERY AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITY!
Participants will be guided in exploration as they engage in a day filled with animal encounters, science experiments, hiking, nature crafts, and more. Irvine Nature Center’s Day Off Camps are a great option for working families. Drop your child off for a day of nature and fun… and know they’ll be entertained, inspired, and well-cared-for.
Ages: 5 – 12 years old
Dates: September 23, October 2, October 20, November 18, January 19, February 16, February 17, March 20, April 2, April 3, May 28— Spring Break Camp offered April 6-10
Time: 9:00AM – 4:00PM (Aftercare available until 6PM for an additional $30/day)
Price: $110 per day (member* discounts apply – Pacesetter Level and above)
Questions? Contact Laura Ferrara at 443-738-9215 or FerraraL@ExploreNature.org
*Not a member? Join and save! LEARN MORE
DAY OFF CAMP DAILY THEMES FOR 2025-2026:
Monday, February 16, 2026 – Geology Rocks!
Rocks and minerals are everywhere, and students will have the opportunity to learn about them first-hand. This Day Off Camp will include a series of station-based, hands-on activities, which teach students how to identify rocks and minerals by using observations and experiments. We will explore the basics of the rock cycle and the significance of these natural resources in our daily lives. Participants will walk away with the beginnings of their own rock collection and know-how on identification.
Tuesday, February 17, 2026 – Dinosaurs: A Blast from the Past
Become a paleontologist and learn how fossils form and what they can tell us about prehistoric life; we’ll even have our very own fossil dig! Play games, create art, and participate in activities designed to explore trace fossils, and the world of dinosaurs. Participants will learn about what we know about dinosaurs and the other prehistoric creatures that used to roam the earth. We’ll even meet some descendants of the ancient dinosaurs and see how they have survived today.
Friday, March 20, 2026 – Maple Magic
Maple syrup season is one of our favorite times of the year here at Irvine, and we hope your child will join us for a close look at the process of collecting maple sap and turning it into the delicious syrup we all know and love! Participants will hike through our trails to visit our tapped trees and learn how the process has changed over time. We will visit the Barn to observe the process of sap changing to syrup as we enjoy some delicious treats by the fire!
Thursday, April 2, 2026 – Terrific Tardigrades
Amoebas, Rotifers, & Water Bears, oh my! The world can be so much smaller than we realize as we take the time to learn how to use a microscope and explore the unseen world around us. From single celled organisms to microscopic animals such as tardigrades, hiding in soil, pond water, or mosses. Participants will learn how to properly collect samples, prepare them and how to use microscopes to make observations into the unseen world around us.
Friday, April 3, 2026 – Wetland Wonders
Participants will become scientists as they explore Irvine’s aquatic habitats to perform water quality tests and record data on the biodiversity found in our wetland ponds and streams and discuss how these habitats contribute to the overall health of the Chesapeake Bay. This hands-on experience will allow students to realize the impact their choices can have on our local environment.
SPRING BREAK CAMP 2026 - Staying local for Spring Break? Fill their days off with nature! This is a great preview to Summer Nature Camp.
If your child wants to be a veterinarian, zookeeper, or park ranger, then they will love this camp! Our animal care professionals will provide campers with hands-on experience feeding, caring for, and training the many species of injured and imprinted animals that we house at Irvine.
Each day of camp will focus on a different group of animals and how to care for them.
COST: $495/ week or $110/ single day
Thursday, May 28, 2026 – Science of Slime
The fascination with slime has taken the world by storm! But what is happening in the process? During this Day Off Camp, participants will explore the chemistry behind slime and other fun and sometimes messy experiments. We will learn to use the scientific process and make observations of our findings. Best of all, we will have the opportunity to bring home our creations.
