Summer Programs – Buttonwood Nature Center

Capitalizing on summer

Gorgeous warm days draw old and young alike to enjoy nature and the outdoors. Summer Institute, with a variety of activities for children, is a great way for kids to enjoy the outdoors while learning something new and exciting.

Check out the summer FUN below for kids of all ages—EXPLORE!, Summer Stories, Wee Wonders, an archaeology workshop, Art in the Park summer art camp for kids and a fly fishing camp. See information below—and come back soon, we have a couple more to announce shortly.

Call (717) 762-0373 or contact us by email at [email protected] for more information about Summer Programs.

An overview of the 2024 Summer Programs season is below.

Children’s Summer Stories

Six Wednesday mornings: June 12, 19 and 26, and July 3, 10, and 17
11:00 a.m. to noon

Preschoolers and up

Children gather under a tree to listen to stories and enjoy related hands-on activities. Free admission. (If inclement weather, call 717-762-0373 to confirm.)
Kathy Helfrick and Jane Glenn will read a new story each week, with related crafts for kids. The theme this year is “Tales of Tails.”

EXPLORE!

Explore! programs are a series of outdoor adventure programs, designed for kids in grades K to 5.

Six Thursday mornings, June 20–July 25, 2024
10–11:30 a.m.

This summer, EXPLORE! will run simultaneously with Wee Wonders, so families with children in different age groups can all enjoy a morning adventure in the park! All program activities are outside. Sign up for one or all sessions. Taught by Buttonwood educators, each program includes educational activities related to the season.

Underwriting support for EXPLORE! from The Anderson Family Fund, in memory of Vida Mae Anderson.

Wee Wonders

Six Thursday mornings, June 20–July 25, 2024
10–11:30 a.m.

Wee Wonders programs are a series of outdoor adventure programs, designed for our youngest budding naturalists, age 2 and a half to 5. Registration for entire series is required.

Taught by Buttonwood educators, age-appropriate program activities make learning fun, and include exploring the outdoors, hikes, nature stories, rhymes, finger plays, nature games, and puppets.

Wee Wonders is sponsored by Diana Dale, in memory of Mary Ann Payne.

Art in the Park 2024

Summer Art Camp for Kids

TWO SESSIONS this summer!
Monday through Friday, June 17–21, 2024 (June session is SOLD OUT)
—OR—
Monday through Friday, July 8–12, 2024

Summer Art Camp for Kids
A one-week art immersion program designed to inspire students to creative expression through visual art.

In an outdoor park setting surrounded by nature, students spend a full week exploring and creating with a variety of mediums and techniques like drawing, painting, sculpture, clay, fiber arts and collage.

With guidance from professional art educators, each student will complete one project in the morning and another in the afternoon, with a lunch break in between. Working with a wide range of mediums, students will develop and build upon their pre-existing skills to create new artworks.9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Age: Kids completing grades K – 7
Maximum enrollment: 40
Art Show open to artists and families

This art camp sold out quickly last year—Check the event pages for registration information.

DISCOVER! Hands-on Workshop: Geology & Archaeology

Wednesday, July 24 from 9:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

In a workshop program combining earth science, geology, archaeology and history, students explore the secrets of a 200-year-old homestead and how its environment influenced early settlers.

Offered in partnership with Little Antietam Creek, Inc. (LACI) as part of a series of Discover programs for students in grades 5–12 (ages 10 to 17).

Students join Buttonwood educators and LACI archaeologists to “dig into the past” at historic Stoner Farm—digging and working with artifacts, scientific testing of the properties of limestone and soil, using remote sensing, learning how limestone is cut and mortar is made, and more.
Space is limited; pre-register at 717-762-0373 or via email at [email protected]. Rain date: TBA

Underwriting support for this program by Steve and Maxine Beck.

DISCOVER! Fly Fishing Adventure Camp

Monday & Tuesday, July 1 & 2, 2024 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For students completing grades 5 through 12.

Join Buttonwood Nature Center staff at Orvis Hill Country for a 2-day summer camp. Campers will learn fly fishing essentials like gear and knots, fly tying, plus freshwater biology and aquatic “critters.”