Wachusett Meadow Summer Camps

31 Jan 2023

At Wachusett Meadow Nature Day Camp in Princeton, campers ages 3 1/2 to 17 make new friends and discover the wonders of the outdoors. Campers hike the trails and learn about the natural history of Massachusetts, play games, sing camp songs and have a lot of fun along the way!

Camp Hours: 9:00 am–3:30 pm

Before/After Care:

Before Camp • 8:00–9:00 am
Pre-registration required
Fee is based on sliding scale

After Camp • 3:30–5:00 pm
Fee is based on sliding scale

Half-Day Nature Camp

Preschool Naturalists • Ages 3.5-5

Tuesday-Thursday (9am – 1pm)
June 20-22, June 27-29, July 11-13, July 25-27, August 8-10
Cost: Sliding Scale

Explore Wachusett Meadow’s ponds, fields, and forests. Have fun outdoors as you play games, make crafts, go on hikes, and spot wildlife. Use real scientific tools, like magnifying glasses and ponding equipment to study plants, worms, and insects up close. Play in our backyard and make new friends!

Full-Day Nature Camp • Ages 5-12

Monday–Friday, 9:00 am–3:30 pm
Cost: Sliding Scale

Each week will have a different theme, so campers can enjoy multiple weeks of camp!

Pathfinders – (ages 5-6)
Entering Grades K-1
Weekly June 26 – August 18 (No camp the weeks of June 19–23 or July 24–28)

Discover the animals and plants that call Wachusett Meadow home. Make new friends and explore new places. Find out who lives in our ponds, fields, and forests. Walk along the sanctuary’s trails, make crafts, play nature-themed games, and listen to stories.

Explorers (ages 5–7)
Entering Grades 1–2
Weekly sessions June 19–August 18

Explore Wachusett Meadow’s many habitats and wildlife as you look under logs, go ponding in the wetlands, build shelters in the woods, and play nature-themed games like “Camouflage” and “Hawk and Mouse.” Make new friends, do creative crafts, sing camp songs, and go on picnics.

Naturalists (ages 7–9)
Entering Grades 2–4
Weekly sessions June 19–August 18

Discover new nature facts about the wildlife at Wachusett Meadow and in your neighborhood.. Climb a glacial boulder, meet a 250-year-old tree, and canoe our Wildlife Pond. Learn about the sanctuary’s field, woodland, and wetland habitats and the wildlife that call them home. Hike the Brook Trail and eat lunch by the stream.

Adventurers (ages 9–12)
Entering Grades 4–6
June 19–23, June 26–30, July 10–14, July 24–28, August 7–11, & August 14–18
(See Discoverers camp for weeks of July 3-7, July 17-21 , & July 31-August 4)

Explore the longest trails and farthest reaches of Wachusett Meadow. Hike the Brook Trail, canoe our Wildlife Pond, and summit Brown Hill for an awesome view. Investigate what’s living in the sanctuary’s fields, forests, ponds, and streams. Learn about the impacts of climate change and actions you can take to make a positive impact on the planet.

Trailblazers
Ages 11–14 (Entering Grades 6–9)
July 17–21
Experience all the fun of camp while hiking the longest trails on the sanctuary as well as some of our connecting conservation land. Campers can expect to be out all day with lunch and snacks on the trail. Average hiking distance each day will be 6-8 miles. Learn about the many organizations that protect the land around
us and how they work to keep open spaces throughout Central Massachusetts.

Specialty Camp • Ages 9–17

Monday–Friday, 9:00 am–3:30 pm

Discoverers (ages 9–12)
July 3–7, July 17–21, & July 31–August 4 – camper pickup on Thursday is at 9:30 pm.
Cost: Sliding Scale
Make new friends and expand your horizons. Discover the biodiversity at Wachusett Meadow as you learn about community science. Hike along the Brook Trail and parts of the Midstate Trail. Enjoy Wildlife Pond from a canoe. Stay after dark on Thursday evening for dinner around the campfire, nighttime games, stargazing, and other nocturnal fun.

Ecologists (ages 12–17)
July 24-28 • Entering Grades 7–11 – camper pickup is 10pm on Thursday night.
Cost: Sliding Scale

Learn about the biodiversity of Princeton, and beyond! Explore Wachusett Meadow’s trails including our newest Fieldstone Farm Trail, canoe on Wildlife Pond, climb to the summit of Little Wachusett and Mount Wachusett, and hike the Midstate Trail through Four Corners. Bring your tent and sleeping bag for an overnight adventure on our property on Thursday night. Enjoy a pizza dinner, roast marshmallows on the campfire, gaze at the stars, and enjoy a night activity with your new-found friends. Campers will have a relaxing day at camp on Friday.

Specialty Sessions • Ages 7–17

Monday–Friday, 9:00 am–3:30 pm

Environmental Leadership for Teens (ages 11-14)
July 3-7
Cost: Sliding Scale

Jump-start your climate activism skills in this environmental leadership camp. Alongside your peers, you’ll learn how to identify areas that are vulnerable to the effects of climate change, locate resources to address those vulnerabilities, and become an advocate for climate justice. You’ll meet some leaders in the community from the Environmental Action Committee and the Princeton Land Trust to learn about their involvement in local advocacy and conservation. You will also participate in service projects around the sanctuary, and see what climate action looks like at Mass Audubon. At the end of the session, we’ll help you set goals to take on a climate action project in your community.

Counselors in Training (ages 14-17)
Mandatory training June 17, 11:00-1:00pm

Are you interested in working with younger campers? Do you want to gain leadership skills? This program is for you! CITs learn how to plan and present a lesson during each week of camp and lead
camper games during lunch recess. Please note: Limited spaces are available. Registration fee covers training day plus a two-week commitment during the summer. Additional weeks may be available for $50 per week at the Camp Director’s discretion. Contact the Camp Director to request an application at wachusettcamp@ massaudubon.org or 978-464-2712.

To Register:

Register online or register by phone: 978-464-2712
See our .Rates and Dates. Additional financial assistance is available based on demonstrated economic need and available funds. Please call the Camp Director to request an application or download one.