Camps 2020

Meet Eco Adventures staff who just so happen to be world renowned explorers from National Geographic, scientists, vet techs, biologists/marine biologists, certified teachers, animal rescuers, animal trainers, and more! Our staff, are not the ordinary “camp counselors”. We are professional trained educators. The Executive Director has 24+ years of experience with leading, organizing, and developing camps from the Miami Seaquarium, Parrot Jungle and Gardens, National Audubon Society, National Aquarium and more! Many of our Lead instructors are experts in their field: from Conservation education, herpetology, art, photography, field research, animal training, animal rescues, and more!

We pride ourselves with our training from animal safety to first aide/CPR certifications and are certified with NO violations since 2017 from the MD Dept. of Health Camp Association!

We split up campers into age appropriate groups of 10-12 campers. Our ratio is 2:12. We try to accommodate sibling requests and friend requests when needed. Included, is at least one instructor aide, volunteer and/or Junior Assistant to assist the Lead instructor. Since our instructors all have all different expertise, we try to expose them to as many instructors as possible that lead and teach rotations in the morning and rotations in the afternoon. The Instructor's aides, Jr. Assistants, and volunteers, take the campers to their rotations within the building. Our Executive Director and Camp Director are always present on site to assist where needed so there is plenty of supervision. We have extra staff for Fieldtrips. If parents are interested in chaperoning, please contact us.

What to Expect Letter- ECO Camp (GENERAL)

We’re on our way to a FUN week! Here is additional information and reminders you need to know:

• You must have filled out all ONLINE forms at campdoc.com prior to the first day of camp. You would have to accept an invitation we sent you via email  if you signed up with us over the phone. If you didn’t receive one, check spam (it’s from campdoc.com) or email us and we can resend it.

• CHECK IN: First day, we will open 8:50 after that regular drop off is 9am unless you have before care (8am)  If you need before care (7:45am) or after care (5:30pm) just let us know. After 4:05pm it is aftercare and $10 charge will take effect.   $10 for either before care or after care. $17 both per day.
• Check in for Mini campers 9am-1:30pm. Please proceed straight into the Under water Discovery room.
• CHECK OUT:  is at the front desk. We will call your children during check out.  If you have any other person picking up, please write their names on the notes/ROSTER.  When signing out –if your “out” box is highlighted –please ask a staff member.
• WHAT TO BRING: *Apply Sunscreen before camp every day and bring a small backpack with a water bottle and peanut free lunch. Please do not bring any toys, electronics, or valuables.   Please LABEL everything with your child’s name on it and remember to pick up crafts daily. Any lost and found items after 2 weeks will be donated.  
• We also need any old newspaper please and toilet paper empty rolls.
• Tick season: Although we spray for ticks and mosquitos professionally, we put some off on camper’s shoes and do a tick check after they come in from the field. Please do a tick check every day after camp.
• Who’s who:  We usually have at least one camp administrators to assist with registration, camp administration, boo boos, behavior/special needs/allergies,/anything parents need as well as camp rotations and supervision.  Tie dyed shirts or polo shirts are instructors, Black shirts are either Aides/volunteers/Jr. Assistants 2yrs+, white shirts are 1st year- JAs/ volunteers or Counselors in Training. If you need to give any information on your child, please go to the front desk. We will have some guest speakers and trainers throughout the week.
• Special Needs/allergies/meds: Please let us know BEFORE camp of any special needs so we can be prepared and better assist your child and remind us during drop off time.  Any meds, you must have filled out an additional form signed by pediatrician.  Please write in the notes on the roster if any allergies and bring your own snacks or check our daily snack ingredients in the morning.

Water Wednesday & Field trip days:   We will have field games, sluice water stop and water play outside on Fridays. Please have them WEAR their bathing suits, cap/hat, and bring a change of clothes/towel and dry shoes.  Water shoes are preferred, or shoes they can get wet. NO FLIP FLOPS!! Don’t forget to apply suncreen before camp each day! Mr. Rob's Snow cones will help them cool off with snow cones (no $ needed).

Field trips-  Specific info will be emailed to you one week before camp  (Tues) before.

****If there are thunderstorms the day of an outdoor field trip, we will be taking the campers to a movie.
**Parent Chaperones are welcomed. Please let us know if you can drive behind the bus. There is an entrance fee you would have to pay. Please inquire. First come first serve.

JUNGLE SHOP:  At the end of the day on Friday, we will announce jungle shopping,  you may bring $ for small souvenirs  items are .50-$18 If you would like. Please label $ in a zip lock bag.  We will give those kids that do not bring anything something from the treasure box.

Don’t miss out on National Geographic’s Dr. Brady Barr (owner of ECO)  Nat Geo Chapter books “Scrapes with Snakes” or “Crocodile Encounter” ($7) “Chomp”  “Everything Reptiles” books ($13) personalized and autographed.  Award winning “After A While…Crocodile” ($10) .  Fill this portion out and bring with you before Friday.

Campers will experience the ECO Mining Co. a “Wild West Water Stop” feature just out back of the ECO Bunkhouse, where we have our sluices set up and the ore is rich (we hope…). Prospectors will learn all about gold/silver mining, how to prospect, pan for gold and look for fossils, how to use a sluice, introduction to critters we may run into in the wild west, different ways to excavate, and even how to identify precious gems and real fossils!! At the end of their shift, the lucky miners (everyone) will get to weigh their findings at the Gold Dust Gulch Trading Post, where they can swap their nuggets for something they can actually take home!! The sluice boxes are a little leaky and the old Water Stop is unpredictable at best, so on this day, bring your swim suits and prepare to get wet!!

New this year:   ECO Oyster Reef!- For Marine Bio Camp And Aquanauts

Participants will putting on their waterman hats and tonging for Oysters at the all new Eco Oyster Reef!  Utilizing, age old techniques and tools, campers will test their skill at bringing up oysters, shark teeth, and other fossils with their tonging skills.  Many of our oysters contain pearls, so campers will learn how to open them up, and then they get to actually keep the pearl inside!

For ages 11+ . Does your child have a high interest in animals, assisting with children, developing real world skills, (teamwork, leadership, responsibility), and learning about creature careers? We open up 5 spots for each camp and pair them up with an ECO Jr. Assistant that will help mentor them. Each CIT and Jr. Assistant will assist the Lead instructor in a group rotation. CITS will also participate in all the activities such as snack, craft, games, interactions etc while assisting with the group. Do you have what it takes? This is requirement for aspiring Jr. Assistants. Fee is the same as the themed camp. Call to inquire. Must attend One day training prior to camp in June TBA. Must be 11 years old.

Each of our AWARD WINNING specialty camps are themed and designed to get kids excited about our natural world. Our expertise is a hands on, up close and personal, interactive approach to learning. At Eco Adventures we believe in kids "doing" not watching. Whether its through a hands-on encounter with one of our over one hundred live animal ambassadors, an experience in our simulated rain forest, an activity in our outdoor classroom, wild crafts and games, fossil dig, a demonstration by a visiting scientist, or guided lesson by one of our professional staff members, will all ignite your child's senses and passion for our natural world. Let your kids "go wild" this summer, at a rainforest near you...Eco Adventures...they may never come home!

This year, we will only provide campers with an afternoon- make-your-own creative snack related to the week's theme. We make cheese sail boats, bug and mud cups, “Fossil Tar Pit” pudding, Watermelon butterflies, and more!  If your child has allergies, we ask that you bring your own snacks or check our ingredients daily and let us know of severe peanut/nut allergies ahead of time.

*Note- some of our animals eat nuts

Whats a camp without games? Our dynamic and fun games encourage cooperative learning, physical activity, and team-building skills. We provide outdoor games and obstacles courses, creative games, as well as trivia games for the mind.

At Eco Adventures, kids are encouraged use their imagination and allow their inner Picasso to shine as they create crafts, art projects, and experiments to take home. The Art Camp provides them to get more in-depth with various mediums of art forms.

Want to make a difference? We do! Campers can assist with current Eco Adventure conservation projects, research, and education initiatives. Help set up camera traps for research, help with a woods clean-up, build habitats, analyze animal scat, make new hiking trails, plant in our garden, assist with composting, make bird houses and a bird bath area. Some camps even participate in day field trips to State Parks or conservation/nature/rescue centers nearby.

We provide guest speakers that provide demonstrations from various institutions such as DNR, National Geographic, National Aquarium in Baltimore, falconers, animal trainers, marine biologists, divers, and more!

We welcome parent volunteers on field trip days on a first come first serve basis. Please see us for more details.

We have a limited number of scholarships for those in financial need. Please send us an email explaining why your child is in need and deserves a chance at the scholarship. First come first serve. Deadline is April 1st, 2020.