Critters Camps
Critters camps are held Monday-Thursday with full day or half day options.
Critters full day camps are offered to children ages 4 & 5. Morning, half-day camps are offered in combination with the Sprouts age group for ages 3-5. Afternoon, half-day camps are offered in combination with the Discoverers age group for ages 4-7.
Pricing
4-day camp sessions
Half day (9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. or 1:00–4:00 p.m.): $120.00
Full day (9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.): $240.00
3-day camp session:
Half day (9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. or 1:00–4:00 p.m.): $90.00
Full day (9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.): $180.00
Registration
Summer 2025 registration opens 9:00 a.m. on February 11.
2025 Critters Camps
Half-day camps
Green Thumb Gardeners (Half-day)
Sprouts & Critters (ages 3-5) 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Critters & Discoverers (ages 4-7) 1:-4:00 p.m.
June 23-26, 2025
$120.00
Did you know good gardeners have “green thumbs”? Develop your green thumb by digging into our garden to get the dirt on seeds, plants, fruits, and vegetables. Play garden games, make fresh snacks, and plant seeds to grow your very own box garden to take home.
Mudpuppies (Half-day)
Sprouts & Critters (ages 3-5) 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Critters & Discoverers (ages 4-7) 1-4:00 p.m.
June 30- July 2, 2025 (3-day camp)
$90.00
When you’re a kid there’s nothing better than mucking in the mud! Look for critters at the bottom of the marsh, make mud nests like the birds and wasps do, and try your hands at mud sculpture. Have no fear — we’ll arrange for the mess, mud, mayhem and best of all, the cleanup. If you like feeling the mud squish between your toes, this camp is for you.
Animal Superheroes (Half-day)
Sprouts & Critters (ages 3-5) 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Critters & Discoverers (ages 4-7) 1-4:00 p.m.
July 7-10, 2025
$120.00
What can cut through trees, breathe underwater, and fly through the sky? Animal superheroes! Explore the world through compound eyes, study creatures up-close, and master a super-skill obstacle course. Discover your superpowers to become a superhero-in-training.
Dinosaur Adventure Camp (Half-day)
Sprouts & Critters (ages 3-5) 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Critters & Discoverers (ages 4-7) 1-4:00 p.m.
July 14-17, 2025
Why did the dinosaur go to adventure camp? To have a “T-rexiffic Time” of course! You will too as we delve deep into the timeline of the dinosaurs. Become an official nature time-traveler as we explore the Cretaceous, Jurassic, and Triassic time periods. Along the way we will find “fossils” and have fun prehistoric play.
Frog Facts and Turtle Tales (Half-day)
Sprouts & Critters (ages 3-5) 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Critters & Discoverers (ages 4-7) 1-4:00 p.m.
July 21-24, 2025
$120.00
Jump, splash, glub…. Scour habitats, make crafts, and meet TNC’s animal ambassadors. Test your skills at the froggy leap and the turtle trudge while you learn more about Minnesota’s cold-blooded friends.
Itsy-Bitsy Wonders (Half-day)
Sprouts & Critters (ages 3-5) 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Critters & Discoverers (ages 4-7) 1-4:00 p.m.
July 28-31, 2025
$120.00
Bring your magnifying glass and be amazed when you find miniscule water bugs, tiny ant worlds, and petite plants. Create teeny treasures to take home and enjoy. How many mini miracles will you find?
Whose Clues (Half-day)
Sprouts & Critters (ages 3-5) 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Critters & Discoverers (ages 4-7) 1-4:00 p.m.
August 4-7, 2025
$120.00
Whose clues are these? Someone keeps leaving clues around the nature center! Follow them to figure out where those clever clues lead us. Complete tasks, find animals, and solve puzzles as we work together to find the clue master!
Gardens Galore (Half-day)
Sprouts & Critters (ages 3-5) 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Critters & Discoverers (ages 4-7) 1-4:00 p.m.
August 11-14, 2025
$120.00
Our garden has been growing fast all summer. Now is the time to dig, pick, and pull up all the wonderful fruits of the season for our very own farmer’s market! Eat garden veggies fresh off the vine, follow simple garden-variety recipes, and create “green” art projects.
Full day camps
Paws and Claws
Critters (ages 4 & 5)
June 23-26, 2025
9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
$240.00
Furry paws, scaly claws, tiny toes... what can you tell about an animal by looking at their feet? Learn about all kinds of animals and discover why they have the feet they do! Create an animal footprint guidebook and use it to identify the animals of Tamarack.
Winged Wonders
Critters (ages 4 & 5)
June 30- July 2, 2025 (3-day camp)
9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
$180.00
What do birds, bats, bees, and butterflies all have in common? They fly! Get up close and personal with a live bird and explore scientific stations to learn what makes them unique. Go on a search for the many flying insects that make Tamarack home.
ABC’s of Nature
Critters (ages 4 & 5)
July 7-10, 2025
9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
$240.00
A is for acorn. B is for butterfly. How many ABC’s in nature can YOU spy? Join us as we search high and low for natural items that start with the letters of the alphabet. Then, use natural materials to create alphabet art and put a new spin on our favorite alphabet song!
Ready, Set, Explore
Critters (ages 4 & 5)
July 14-17, 2025
9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
$240.00
Grab your backpack and field journal and get ready for adventure. Lead the way on daily discovery hikes to meet plants and animals that call Tamarack home. Create your own spotting scope, join a sing-along, play games, and of course, explore!
STEM for Nature Lovers
Critters (ages 4 & 5)
July 21-24, 2025
9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
$240.00
Dig in and learn about a different animal group each day! Put STEM practices to use to learn more about birds, mammals, herps, and insects. Can you measure the distance of a grasshopper leap? Build a nest like a bird? Learn what hands on nature fun is all about in this interactive camp!
Homes and Hidey-holes
Critters (ages 4 & 5)
July 28-31, 2025
9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
$240.00
Let’s look under rocks, up in trees, and everywhere in-between. Search for homes and learn about the animals that live there. All sizes need a home- try your hand at building child-sized nests and miniature hidey-holes.
Summer Safari
Critters (ages 4 & 5)
August 4-7, 2025
9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
$240.00
Join us on a summer expedition, exploring the Tamarack savannah! Journey overland to look for wild animals in their native habitats. Who knows, you might uncover a new discovery in the wilds of Tamarack!
Best of Critters
Critters (ages 4 & 5)
August 11-14, 2025
9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
$240.00
Celebrate the end of summer with a grab bag of camp fun. We’ll keep track of the best, most popular activities and recreate the magic of summer. You never know what’s going to make it on the “best of” list!