Join us this summer for our Junior Naturalist Day Camps, running from July 7 to August 21, 2026. Campers will spend their time immersed in nature, exploring the Nature Centre through hands-on activities focused on wildlife, indigenous knowledge, outdoor skills and more.
Our Junior Naturalist program is a day camp for children aged 7-12 where campers will spend a 6 hour day (9am-3pm) exploring the natural areas on site, learning about Central Alberta’s plants and animals, and building a connection to nature through play, discovery, and guided activities.
Please note that we offer drop-off beginning at 8:30am and pick-up until 3:30pm; however, this extended time is unstructured and does not include direct instruction.
This program is priced at $30 per day, or $100 per week, offering a $20 savings when registering for the full week.
This is a drop-off program, and participants are expected to attend independently. An email with all the information needed to prepare your camper will be sent one week prior to your registered camp.
Date: Tuesday-Friday, July 7, 2026 – August 21, 2026
Time: 9am-3pm
Location: Ellis Nature Centre
Cost: $30/day or $100/week
Explore a different theme each week!
July 7-10: Outdoor Survivalists (Survival Skills): We’ll spend the week focusing on the various aspects of survival ranging from Shelter & Safe Spaces, Water & Wilderness awareness, Navigation and Nature Clues, and Fire, Flood, & Foraging Basics.
July 14-17: Nature’s Artists (Environmental Art): We’ll spend the week exploring the creativity found in nature, with each day focused on themes such as color, texture, wildlife inspirations, and creating art with natural materials.
July 21-24: Wildlife Explorers (Wildlife Learning): We’ll spend the week exploring the wildlife that call Ellis home, with each day focused on themes such as birds, pollinators, mammals, and the habitats that support them.
July 28-31: Field Scientists (Citizen Science): We’ll spend the week learning what it means to be a Field Scientist, with each day focusing on observing wildlife, collecting data, and contributing to real citizen science in the field.
August 4-7: Young Agrarians (Farm & Husbandry): We’ll spend the week learning what it means to care for farm animals, tend gardens and grow food, and follow the journey of how garden harvests make it from the land and into your home.
August 11-14: Land-based Learners (Indigenous Knowledge): Throughout the week, campers will take part in land-based learning and the many ways the land provides food, medicine, and story. Students will explore Indigenous ways of knowing, plant teachings, wildlife, seasonal cycles, guided by local Elders and ENC staff.
August 18-21: Outdoor Survivalists (Survival Skills): We’ll spend the week focusing on the various aspects of survival ranging from Shelter & Safe Spaces, Water & Wilderness awareness, Navigation and Nature Clues, and Fire, Flood, & Foraging Basics.
