Gwen Ravenhorst 3/25/25 Gwen Ravenhorst 3/25/25

Traveling on a Budget - Snacks

Join us for Nature Kids Camp this summer!  This four day week camp will explore trees, plants, rocks, fossils, bugs, critters, water, and water life. Each day will explore a new topic with hikes, nature crafts and STEM projects, nature journaling, weather topics, observations, discussion, stories, and so much more!

Healthy snacks and supplies are included in the camper cost of each week. Each kid camper should bring their own water bottle, wear comfy tennis or hiking shoes. Please no sandals, rain boots, or flip flops. We will be on different terrain that requires our toes to be covered and good tread so we don't slip. Dress for the weather, we will be outdoors unless there is thunder and lightning. Come with sunscreen on. We will provide bug spray if needed.

We will meet for arrival and pickup at Central Education Center at the main entrance and walk to Florence and Bear Cave Parks using the walking trail.

An email to all families will be sent from the camp leader once the class fills with students. The email will include details of the class and any extra information that pertains to the camp week.

Camp Cost:

4 Day Class (PreK and Older) $75

July 7-10, 2025 | 9am-11:30am

Day 1: Trees and Plants

Monday, July 7

Discover the differences and similarities of tree types and plant types! We will explore their purpose and how to identify safe and unsafe plants.

Day 2: Rocks and Fossils

Tuesday, July 8

Learn about different types of rocks and what makes them different! Hopefully we discover fossils along the way.

Day 3: Bugs and Critters

Wednesday, July 9

Let’s find out more about bugs to appreciate them versus being frightened of them! We will talk about pollinators and friendly bugs, and we will learn which bugs to avoid. What critters make their homes in our community?

Day 4: Water and Water Life

Thursday, July 10

How to be safe around water will be the first and foremost important lesson of the day! We will study and test water and learn about life that lives in and around water.

Camp Schedule

8:55am-9:10am: Arrival and Opening Activity at CEC

9:10am-9:25am: Weather, Leave No Trace, Daily Question

9:25am-10am: Scavenger Hunt Hike

10am-10:15am: Snack and Rehydrate for Energy

10:15am-11am: Stations (STEM/Art, Story, Journal)

11am-11:20am: 5 Senses Hike Back to CEC

11:20am-11:30am: Journal 5 Senses and Pick-up

Meet Your Camp Leaders!

Gwen Ravenhorst

Gwen loves to be outside in her garden! She enjoys kayaking, traveling, cooking, art, baking, teaching, learning, and reading.

Gwen is working towards her Masters in Teaching K-6 and will be a new early childhood special education teacher this upcoming school year. In the recent past, Gwen was a substitute teacher and paraprofessional in the Stewartville school district. Gwen owned and operated an in-home child care while her kids were young and gained experience working with children birth to pre-teen. Gwen has been a girl scout leader for 13 years! Along the way, she has learned how to camp, cook over campfires, explore the outdoors safely, and follow Leave No Trace principles.

Greta Ravenhorst

Greta has a great love for the outdoors and plans to pursue an outdoors or wildlife college degree after graduating high school. Greta works with children in her after school job and helps teach kids cooking classes with Gwen.

Greta has been a girl scout since she was in kindergarten and learned so much through the program about outdoors and hiking. Her dad started teaching her outdoor skills as a preschooler, and she’s never stopped loving it! Greta is currently studying field science in high school and has gained an even greater appreciation for the outdoors through this class.

Ryan Ravenhorst

Ryan has grown up outdoors all his life with his passions being fishing, golfing, camping, kayaking, boating, and his love for animals. His family is from northern Minnesota, and he spent his summers at his aunt’s lake resort.

Ryan is trained in wilderness survival. He was the assistant scoutmaster for the Stewartville Boy Scouts when his son was an active scout. He and his son spent almost every weekend camping from spring through fall during the scouting years. Over the many weekends of camping, Ryan reestablished his love for the outdoors and taught outdoor skills to the scouts.