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2024 Summer Camps

We are excited to embark on our 2024 summer camp season!

Included below are camp descriptions, age ranges, and locations for you to start planning your summer. We have 3 expectations for campers who attend ODC camps: Be Safe, Be Respectful, and Be Adventurous. Our camp leaders help all campers  achieve these expectations, and we all strive to make each camp a fun and enjoyable experience. One week prior to the camp, you will receive information via email about your camp. Questions you have before then can be directed to camps@outdoordiscovery.org. We can’t wait to see you this summer!

Choose an age range below to view camps, dates, locations and registration information.

Registration opens February 1 at 9am

4 - 6 Years Old
7 - 10 Years Old
7 - 11/12 Years Old
8 - 12 Years Old
10 - 16 Years Old

Be sure to log on to our registration system before February 1st to make sure your member information is up to date so the registration process will go smoothly for you.

*Para leer las descripciones de cada campamento en español, por favor seleccione el lenguaje español al lado derecho de esta página.*
Apply for Financial Assistance
Donate to our Financial Assistance Program

Bilingual Camp Available
We are excited to offer our bilingual camp again this year! With the help of our bilingual staff members, our Wetlands and Wildlife camp will be taught in both English and Spanish! 

Bilingual Camp (Spanish & English)

Quick Links

Camps At A Glance
2024 Camp Brochure
Become A Member
Behavior Policy
Thank You to Our Financial Assistance Sponsors!

Anonymous Individuals Boar’s Head
Horizon Bank

Frequently Asked Questions

Once all slots are filled for a camp, a waiting list will be generated by our online registration system. Be sure to complete the registration even if it says a camp is full to ensure your child is added to the waiting list.

Members will receive a 20% discount on all camps when they log-in during the registration process. Become a member here. Be sure to log on BEFORE February 1st to make sure your membership information is up to date. This will help your camp registration go smoothly.

  • 100% refund 30 days before the camp start date
  • 50% refund 29-14 days before the camp start date
  • 0% refund 13 days or fewer before the camp start date
  • Reusable water bottle
  • Snack
  • Close toed shoes or sandals that can get dirty and wet
  • A lunch if required

If you are a Park Township resident, contact the Park Township Parks and Rec office (616-399-4520), or email your address to camps@outdoordiscovery.org to receive your discount code.

The 20% discount code can only be applied to the summer camps held in Park Township:

  • Little Explorers Sessions 1 & 2
  • Jr. Scientists: Insects
  • Games and Adventures 

Have you been a long time participant in ODC camps? Or would you like experience volunteering outdoors? We will soon be accepting applicants for our Youth Leaders to assist with our camps! Youth Leaders will help to engage younger children in games and activities, provide additional supervision, and work to create a positive camp environment for all campers. 

Ages: 13+

Training date: June 10, 9am-12pm

Application coming soon!

Questions can be emailed to camps@outdoordiscovery.org

4-6 Year Old Camps

Time/Location: 9AM – 12PM @ODC
Fee: $90 Non-Members, $72 Members
Description:
This camp is for your little ones with a love for animals! From turtles and frogs to birds and fish, we will uncover what animals are around us, and maybe catch some in our nets! Campers will meet ODC’s captive wildlife up close, and get to know what makes them so special.
 
Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM
Time/Location:  9AM – 12PM @ Park Township: Dragonflies Discovery Preschool
Fee: $90 Non-Members, $72 Members
Description:

Every day is an adventure at this classic camp for youngsters! Campers will explore our trails on special hikes, get creative with craft time, and play games with new friends. Whether we’re stomping in mud puddles or resting for story time, campers will share wonderful outdoor memories.

Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM
Time/Location:  9AM – 12PM @ ODC
Fee: $90 Non-Members, $72 Members
Description:
Calling all dinosaur enthusiasts! From herbivores to carnivores, we will be learning about these cool creatures! Camp gets prehistoric as we check out fossils and play paleontologist for a day searching for dino signs.
 
Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM
Time/Location:  9AM – 12PM @ ODC
Fee: $90 Non-Members, $72 Members
Description:
Does your child love owls or eagles? Let their imagination soar as they explore life in the skies, and visit the feathered friends at our Birds of Prey Center. We’ll also discover what’s special about bats and bugs, and try out pretend wings of our own as we “fly” down our trails!
 
Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM
Time/Location:  9AM – 12PM @ ODC
Fee: $90 Non-Members, $72 Members
Description:
Leaves, flowers, and mud are our art supplies! Creative campers will discover nature through an artist’s lens, and find how the creatures around us can serve as inspiration. Campers will return home with their own gallery of projects made from both standard and natural materials.
 
Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM
Time/Location: 9:15AM – 12:15PM @ ODC
Fee: $90 Non-Members, $72 Members 
Description:
Are you as fast as a falcon? Can you jump as well as a frog? Campers will learn about record-winning critters, and move like our animal competitors in fun-focused camp games. They’ll even bring home a gold medal!
 
Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM
Click here to register – you will be added to the waitlist
Time/Location:  9AM – 12PM @ Park Township: Dragonflies Discovery Preschool
Fee: $90 Non-Members, $72 Members
Description:

Every day is an adventure at this classic camp for youngsters! Campers will explore our trails on special hikes, get creative with craft time, and play games with new friends. Whether we’re stomping in mud puddles or resting for story time, campers will share wonderful outdoor memories.

Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM
Time/Location:  9AM – 12PM @ ODC
Fee: $90 Non-members, $72 Members
Description: 
This camp is for your little ones with a love for animals! From turtles and frogs to birds and fish, we will uncover what animals are around us, and maybe catch some in our nets! Campers will meet ODC’s captive wildlife up close, and get to know what makes them so special.
 
Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM

7-10 Year Old Camp

Time/Location: 9:15AM – 12:15PM @ Park Township: Dragonflies Discovery Preschool
Fee: $90 Non-Members, $72 Members or Park Township residents
Description:
Can bugs tell you if water is safe to drink? How do insects help grow your food? And which net works best to catch these crawlers? Explore the tiny world of insects, and learn about their giant impact on our lives as we identify and compare bugs across habitats.
 
Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM
Time/Location: 9AM – 12PM @ ODC
Fee: $90 Non-Members, $72 Members
Description:
Special animals live in the wetlands around the Outdoor Discovery Center. Let’s go meet them! Campers will catch frogs and toads near the pond, and meet the captive reptiles, mammals, and more who help us to teach about their wild counterparts. We will be offering this camp as a bilingual English/Spanish camp with the help of our bilingual staff members!
 
Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM
Time/Location: 9AM – 12PM @ ODC
Fee: $90 Non-Members, $72 Members
Description:
Binoculars up! Campers become junior ornithologists as we study the lives of birds both wild and captive at ODC. We’ll go behind the scenes at our Birds of Prey Center, learn from our bird care experts, and try out the techniques and tools used to keep birds safe in the wild and at home.
 
Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM
Time/Location: 9:15AM – 12:15PM @ Various Locations
Fee: $90 Non-Members, $72 Members
Description:
Take a peek into Michigan’s past! Using our newly updated Cultural History Center as our home base, we will learn about Woodland Period Odawa life, tools, and traditions, try our hand at axe throwing and fire making with flint and steel like a 1700’s French Voyageur, and travel back to the 1800’s to work and play inside an early Dutch American-style log cabin.
 
Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM
Time/Location: 9AM – 12PM @ ODC
Fee: $90 Non-Members, $72 Members
Description:
Lakes, rivers, and wetlands need our help! Join up with the ODC Land & Water team to get hands-on with science. Campers will survey pond health through fishing, use real scientific equipment, and protect our waterways from alien invaders!
 
Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM
Time/Location: 9AM – 12PM @ ODC
Fee: $90 Non-Members, $72 Members
Description:
The gold medal goes to the animal with the longest jump, fastest speed, and most impressive strength! Campers will test their skills against some record-holding animals, and compete in our own Camp Games. Be ready to work together as one Olympic team in special challenges!
 
Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM

7-11/12 Year Old Camps

Time/Location: 9am – 4pm @ ODC  (Friday pickup @ SCA)
Fee: $410 (no member discount)

Description:

For a second year, Saugatuck Center for the Arts and the Outdoor Discovery Center team up to offer four full fabulous days of art-making and the great outdoors in this very special program. Explore and play outside and meet wildlife up-close with Naturalists from the ODC in the morning from 9:00 am -12:00 pm. Then, join the SCA from 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm for playful art-making inspired by the wild!

In the morning, explore nature off-trail and up-close, or try your hand at frog catching and fishing! The ODC has a variety of habitats that you will explore and be inspired by, as well as native and captive wildlife to experience hands-on. You will be trekking throughout the preserve, so be sure to wear good walking shoes or sandals, and clothes that can get a little wet or dirty!

The SCA takes on the afternoon with art-making centered around play and the outdoors. Work hands-on with plants and create whimsical garden creations with professional gardener, Scotty Jacobs. Explore action art and create large-scale works with abstract artist, Shannon Mack. Create wild wearables and have a forest-side fashion show with artist, Taylor Scamehorn. Don’t miss this truly collaborative outdoor experience that’s centered around playful learning.

Students must bring a lunch, morning snack, and a water bottle. A second healthy afternoon snack will be provided by the SCA. Drop-off will be at the ODC at 9:00 am, and pick-up at 4:00 pm.

Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM
 
In partnership with the Saugatuck Center for the Arts
Time/Location: 9AM – 12PM @ ODC
Fee: $90 Non-Members, $72 Members
Description:
Star in your own Nature TV show! Campers will channel famous TV personalities such as the Wild Kratts and Jeff Corwin as they create an episode of “Lights, Camera, Animals!”. This camper-led project will have kids learning, directing, and acting as they make their entertaining and educational video. Campers will be sent a copy of the final cut to share with family and friends. All materials will be provided.
 
Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM
 

8-12 Year Old Camps

Time/Location: 9:15AM – 12:15PM @ Park Township: Dragonflies Discovery Preschool
Fee: $90 Non-Members, $72 Members or Park Township residents
Description:
Ready, set, adventure! Get all of your classic camp fun as we play our favorite camp games, explore further on our trails, and get to know new friends. Try out Capture the Flag or Camouflage, or puzzle your way through riddles. Every day brings something new!
 
Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM

10-16 Year Old Camps

Time/Location: 9AM – 12PM @ Various Locations 
Fee: $110 Non-Members, $88 Members
Description:
Want to try it all? Practice kayaking and archery, and test your survival knowledge as we try out new skills each day. Perfect for campers who are new to nature recreation, or young outdoor experts! All materials will be provided.
 
Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM
Time/Location: 9AM – 12PM @ Various Locations
Fee: $110 Non-Members, $88 Members
Description:
This camp is designed for the young paddler! Campers try out solo kayaks, learning paddle strokes and techniques, rescue skills, and boating safety. Our mix of instruction, demonstrations, and games help young kayakers learn independence and self-reliance. Exploring local waterways makes this a camp that your child will not want to miss! All materials will be provided.
 
Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM
Time/Location: 9:30AM – 12PM @ ODC 
Fee: $110 Non-Members, $88 Members
Description:
Practice your aim at Outdoor Discovery Center’s Kuipers Archery Education Facility! Campers will be coached by a certified archery instructor to establish and reinforce good technique and form. Test out a variety of tools at our range, from English longbows to modern compound bows. All materials will be provided for the camp. No bows from home may be used until inspected by our range officer.
 
Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM
Time/Location: 9AM – 12PM @ ODC
Fee: $110 Non-Members, $88 Members
Description:
Hone your outdoor skills at ODC! Campers will learn to read a map, navigate, practice wilderness survival skills, build a fire, and more. This camp is geared toward those who aren’t afraid of a little adventure. All materials will be included for this camp, including a take-home survival kit. No pocket knives, weapons, or matches may be brought by participants.
 
Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM
Time/Location: 9:30AM – 12PM @ ODC 
Fee: $110 Non-Members, $88 Members
Description:
Practice your aim at Outdoor Discovery Center’s Kuipers Archery Education Facility! Campers will be coached by a certified archery instructor to establish and reinforce good technique and form. Test out a variety of tools at our range, from English longbows to modern compound bows. All materials will be provided for the camp. No bows from home may be used until inspected by our range officer.
 
Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM
  
Time/Location: 10AM – 2PM @ Various Locations
Fee: $140 Non-Members, $112 Members
Description:
Have you taken the ODC Introduction to Outdoor Skills Camp and want to take your skills to the next level? Prepare to build a better shelter, make fire without matches, safely drink “wild” water, and use more advanced navigation techniques. Campers will build on introductory skills, and gain a better foundation in wilderness survival. All materials will be provided for this camp unless otherwise requested. No pocket knives, weapons, or matches may be brought by participants. Please pack a lunch each day.
 
Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM
Time/Location: 9:30AM – 12PM @ ODC
Fee: $110 Non-Members, $88 Members
Description:
Up your archery skills with this intermediate camp! Designed for those who have attended a previous ODC Network archery camp or been through lessons with one of our staff, this camp will build off of beginner skills. Campers will practice their archery proficiency, focusing on improving their shooting with greater aim and distance judgment techniques. All materials will be provided for the camp. No bows from home may be used until inspected by our range officer.
 
Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM
 
Time/Location: 9AM – 12PM @ various launch sites
Dates: July 8, July 15, July 22, and July 29
Fee: $30 per session
Description:

Join us for our new weekly kayaking series for kids 10-16!
Gather Mondays in July, and travel along some of our favorite rivers with new friends and an ODC naturalist! This group is intended for kids who have already been through an ODC Network kayaking camp, or otherwise have experience paddling. Sign up for all four Mondays or pick individual days to suit your schedule! All boating materials will be provided, though paddlers are welcome to bring their own paddle or life vest.

Students should bring a snack and a water bottle.
Drop-off and pick-up may be at different locations. Detailed instructions will be sent out closer to the program date.

Registration required – starting on February 1st at 9 AM
Click below to register: