Adventure Earth Summer Programs

Nature based outdoor earth education camps
A wizard reading a magic spellbook

Adventure Earth staff are excited to offer several outdoor, earth education day camps, overnight camps and Youth Leadership activities for the Summer!

Registration opens March 20 (10:00 am) for Summer Overnight Camps and April 3 (10:00 am) for summer day camps, canoe, kayak & SUP Camps.

Click on a link to view camp information: 

Contact the staff at:
Damion Stapledon (Community Recreation Outdoor Coordinator), 902 490 5488, aec@halifax.ca
Chris Dean (Community Outdoor Recreation Coordinator), 902.490.4539, aec@halifax.ca

Note about all Summer programs: 

  • For all Adventure Earth Centre Spring programs, you will need closed-toe shoes, warm outdoor clothes, rain gear and a water bottle.
     
  • At the Adventure Earth Centre, sustainability and the environment are very important to us. One of our Earth steps (An Earth step is an action you choose to help the planet) is to not print forms, letters and mail things using the post office. Instead, we have chosen to communicate and send/receive all forms and letters through e-mail. Unfortunately, many of our e-mails end up in junk mail folders. If you have registered for one or more of our summer programs and haven’t received an e-mail from us, please check your junk mail.

Adventure Earth Overnight Camps

Adventure Earth’s Overnight Camps offer campers the opportunity to experience nature while also learning about the natural world. By allowing children to take risks and face challenges, overnight camps help children build their independence, resiliency, and self-esteem in a safe, supervised and supportive environment.

Registration for Overnight Camps opens on March 20, 2024. 

Register here.

These camps are offered at Camp Mockingee, 160 Smeltzer Rd, Windsor, NS

Overnight Camp: Sunship Earth | Ages 10-12

Sunship Week 1: Monday, July 8 to Friday, July 12, 2024
Course code: 85365
Cost: $475.00
Arrive at 10:30 am on July 8.

Sunship Week 2: Monday, July 15 to Friday, July 19, 2024 
Course code: 85366
Cost: $475.00
Arrive at 10:30 am on July 15

Registration for Overnight Camps opens on March 20, 2024. To register, visit www.halifax.ca/myrec

Overnight camp description: 

Sunship Earth is an experiential week-long overnight camp based on the concept that we are all travelling at an incredible speed around the sun on a ship, powered by the sun, that we call Earth. Our mission is to gain the appreciation, understanding and care for our planet to become engaged and responsible passengers. Welcome aboard! Participants develop an appreciation for nature and learn important ecological concepts, as well as ways of lessening our impact on the earth, through a captivating storyline, characters and hands-on teaching activities. Sleeping in cabins and enjoying daily swimming, canoeing and campfires with friends old and new are also important elements of this camp experience. Cabins and crews are led by staff and youth leaders.

Overnight Camp: L.E.A.D.  | Ages 13-16

Tuesday, July 23 to Saturday, July 27, 2024
Course code: 85368
Cost: $485.00
Arrive at 2:30 pm on July 23.

Registration for Overnight Camps opens on March 20, 2024. To register, visit www.halifax.ca/myrec

Overnight camp description: 
This program is one of the most exciting, engaging and adventurous experiences that a camper can undergo in one week. Let us assure you, that this week is packed! We incorporate the four elements of LEAD (leadership, environment, adventure and discovery) into the camp through creativity, exploration and hands-on activities. We also spend almost all day outside in nature at the beautiful Camp Mockingee.

LEAD is a dynamic, engaging, and life-changing experience that gives leaders a glimpse into the lives of change-makers and community builders working to create a more sustainable future. The program empowers you to define your vision for the future and helps you develop the skills necessary to turn this vision into reality. Supported by experienced staff the camp emphasizes leadership, environmental learning, adventure, and discovery. 

Through team-building, community service, and reflection you have the opportunity to develop leadership skills that can be used for yourself, with your family, and in your community. And it wouldn’t be an AEC camp without eating good food and creating magical summer memories of stargazing, campfires, canoeing, and swimming!

Shubie Park Camps | Ages 6-9
canoes float down the shubie canal

Shubie Adventures

Week of July2  | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86739
Cost: $145.66

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

Grow some love for one of Shubie Park by joining our character Heartland each day who can’t wait to share all the highlights of the park with you! Engage in some art in the park, learn basic hiking skills and safety and then explore the park using the trail map, try a fun compass challenge, and participate in good ol’ camp favourites of canoeing and swimming!

Way of the Woods

Way of the Woods

Week of July 8 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86740
Cost: $182.07

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description: 

Interested in learning how to spend time in the woods in a more adventurous way? Join us for an introductory camp to outdoor skills. Campers will learn how to set up a tent, build forts and fires, learn what to do if they ever get lost in the woods and receive the Hug-A-Tree certificate! They will then get to put all of their learning into practice with a full-day adventure into the woods!

Eco – Champions Day Camp

Eco-Champions

Week of July 15 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86741
Cost: $182.07

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

Are you someone who cares about creatures in nature? Want to learn more about what they need to survive in their habitats? Explore the woodlands and the water areas, learn the importance of trees, and help solve the age-old challenge of Epash and Deen, the Shapeshifters who live in the forest! Campers will also learn how humans are affecting some creature’s homes and become champions who will advocate for the needs of all of Nova Scotia’s creatures.

Wild Things

Wild Things

Week of July 22  | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86742
Cost: $182.07

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

Campers get to explore nature in all its messy, slimy, glory. This camp is about exploring nature through the senses - touch, smell, sound, sight, and taste (to some extent anyway). Learn about wild creatures vs domestic ones and how to appreciate and support wildlife. Fun activities include practicing what it is like to be an ant, exploring fun facts about worms, doing a little fishing and critter dipping in the pond. A chance to experience nature in a truly “hands-on” way!

A butterfly on a leaf

Forest Foundations Day Camp

Nature's Treasures

Week of July 29 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86743
Cost: $182.07

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

Campers will learn about Nova Scotia’s plants and animals. From birds to fish, or trees to animals, participants will be immersed in the park making connections with nature. Through fun, engaging activities they will learn about forest, pond and ocean ecosystems and how our creature friends are being impacted by humans.

Heart of the Park Day Camp

Heart of the Park

Week of August 6 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86744
Cost: $145.66

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

Grow some love for one of our beautiful local parks by joining our character Heartland each day who can’t wait to share all the highlights of the park with you! Hearts will be the theme of the week with finding these favourite features using a heart-marked map, as well as enjoying favourite songs, games and outdoor activities. Engage in some art in the park, learn basic hiking skills and safety and then explore the park using the trail map, try a fun compass challenge, learn to make fires and of course roast some treats over them, and participate in good ol’ camp favourites of canoeing and swimming!

A person looks for wildlife in the pond with a net

Wonders of Wildlife

Week of August 12 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86745
Cost: $182.07

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

Explore nature through the senses - touch, smell, sound, sight, and taste. Learn about wild creatures vs domestic and how to appreciate and support wildlife. Explore fun facts about worms, do a little fishing and critter dipping in the pond. 

Woodland Enchantment

Woodland Enchantment

Week of August 19 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86749
Cost: $182.07

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

A mystical day camp where campers will explore magical creatures that may live in our forests! The Wizard will challenge us to build gnome homes, search for fairies and all things tiny, learn about why unicorns are so passionate about colours, explore dragon dens and things that glow and wrap up the week with an Enchanted Picnic! There will be no lack of magic and adventure in this camp!


Shubie Park Camps | Ages 10-12
Wilderness Basics Day Camp

Wilderness Basics

Week of July 2 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86750
Cost: $145.66

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

A fun, hands-on camp that allows participants to learn outdoor skills and engage in team building. Participants will build their knowledge with sessions on fires and outdoor cooking, knots and shelters, and basic compass skills. They will also learn the “Leave No Trace” and “Hug and Tree and Survive!” principles. The week culminates with an overnight camping trip (Thursday-Friday) at Shubie Campground in Dartmouth, where participants will get the opportunity to apply the skills they’ve learned!

 

Earth Savers

Earth Savers

Week of July 8  | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86759
Cost: $182.66

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

An exciting camp where participants will work towards joining an ancient club by taking on the challenges of learning the “lost arts” of the Elders and deciphering secret codes, with a mission to save the air, water, and soil cycles. Through fun and experiential activities, they will learn about these cycles, their importance to us, how they are impacted, and actions that we can take to lessen our impact on these cycles.

Sustainable You

Sustainable You

Week of July 15 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86762
Cost: $182.07

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

Have you ever felt that living sustainably was incredibly difficult? Through this camp, campers will find that sustainable living can be achieved by anyone through simple daily choices! Whether it’s food, energy, transportation, or getting closer to nature, this camp will help campers feel empowered to make sustainable decisions in their lives!

Wonder World

Wonder World

Week of July 22 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86765
Cost: $182.07

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

The natural world is full of wonder! Experience the magic that nature has to offer and learn some weird and wonderful facts like the colours of light, the incredibly long migration of the Monarch Butterfly, the fascination of camouflage, what goes on during hibernation, or the amazing survival adaptations of all creatures! Find out about the importance of pollinators, taste some honey and meet a local beekeeper! Join our renowned and zany Professor Know-It-All who will engage us in nature’s wonders in a super fun way!

A camper roasts a marshmallow over a fire

Guardians of the Planet 

Week of July 29 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86771
Cost: $182.07

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

A fun, hands-on camp that gives participants an opportunity to learn outdoor skills and engage in teambuilding. Participants will build their knowledge with sessions on fires and outdoor cooking, knots and shelters, and basic compass skills. They will also learn “Leave No Trace” and “Hug and Tree and Survive!” principles. The week culminates with an overnight camping trip (Thursday-Friday) at Shubie Campground in Dartmouth, where participants will get the opportunity to apply the skills they’ve learned!

Heart of the Park Day Camp

Heart of the Park

Week of August 6 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86772
Cost: $145.66

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

Grow some love for one of our beautiful local parks by joining our character Heartland each day, who can’t wait to share all the highlights of the park with you! Hearts will be the theme of the week with finding these favourite features using a heart-marked map, as well as enjoying favourite songs, games and outdoor activities. Engage in some art in the park, learn basic hiking skills and safety and then explore the park using the trail map, try a fun compass challenge, learn to make fires and of course roast some treats over them, and participate in camp favourites of canoeing and swimming!

A pink rose

Nature's Magic 

Week of August 12 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86775
Cost: $182.07

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

Join us for a magical adventure when we explore the cool things about nature!  Find out about the cool things that happen in nature, through exploration. Find out how so many things are connected and we as humans can appreciate the magic of so many creatures and plants. 

A child uses a compass in the woods

Outdoors Life

Week of August 19 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86781
Cost: $182.07

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

A fun, hands-on camp that allows participants to learn outdoor skills and engage in team building. Participants will build their knowledge with sessions on fires and outdoor cooking, knots and shelters, and basic compass skills. They will also learn the “Leave No Trace” and “Hug and Tree and Survive!” principles

Fleming Park Camps | Ages 6-9
Fleming Park trail signs named Adventure Earth Centre and Dingle Road

Fleming Adventures

Week of July 2, 2024  | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86799
Cost: $145.66

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

Grow some love for one of Fleming Park by joining our character Heartland each day who can’t wait to share all the highlights of the park with you! Engage in some art in the park, learn basic hiking skills and safety and then explore the park using the trail map, try a fun compass challenge and participate in good ol’camp favourites of canoeing and swimming!

Eco-Champions

Eco-Champions

Week of July 8, 2024  | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86801
Cost: $182.07

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

Are you someone who cares about creatures in nature? Want to learn more about what they need to survive in their habitats? Explore the woodlands and the water areas, learn the importance of trees, and help solve the age-old challenge of Epash and Deen, the Shapeshifters who live in the forest! Campers will also learn how humans are affecting some creature’s homes and become champions who will advocate for the needs of all of Nova Scotia’s creatures.

Ways of the Woods

Ways of the Woods

Week of July 15, 2024 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86803
Cost: $182.07

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

Interested in learning how to spend time in the woods in a more adventurous way? Join us for an introductory camp to outdoor skills. Campers will learn how to set up a tent, try out knots and shelters, build forts and fires and then of course roast some treats over them! They will engage in canoeing, learn “Leave No Trace Principles” as well as what to do if they ever get lost in the woods. 

Forest Friends

Forest Friends

Week of July 22, 2024  | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86836
Cost: $182.07

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

Campers get to explore nature in all its messy, slimy, glory. This camp is about exploring nature through the senses - touch, smell, sound, sight, and taste (to some extent anyway). Learn about wild creatures vs domestic ones and how to appreciate and support wildlife. Fun activities include practicing what it is like to be an ant, exploring fun facts about worms, doing a little fishing and critter dipping in the pond. A chance to experience nature in a truly “hands-on” way!

People are building a shelter with a tarp in the woods

Forest Foundations

Week of July 29, 2024 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86838
Cost: $182.07

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

Learn the foundations of living in the forest. Learn how to build a fire, and shelter and find your way in the forest. Learn what to do if they ever get lost in the forest and receive the Hug-A-Tree certificate! 

Heart of the Park Day Camp

Heart of the Park

Week of August 6, 2024 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86899
Cost: $145.66

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

Grow some love for one of our beautiful local parks by joining our character Heartland each day who can’t wait to share all the highlights of the park with you! Hearts will be the theme of the week with finding these favourite features using a heart-marked map, as well as enjoying favourite songs, games and outdoor activities. Engage in some art in the park, learn basic hiking skills and safety and then explore the park using the trail map, try a fun compass challenge, learn to make fires and of course roast some treats over them, and participate in good ol’ camp favourites of canoeing and swimming!

A person is using a net to find tadpoles in the pond

Cool Creatures

Week of August 12, 2024 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86900
Cost: $182.07

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

Explore nature through the senses - touch, smell, sound, sight, and taste. Learn about wild creatures vs domestic ones and how to appreciate and support wildlife. Explore fun facts about worms, do a little fishing and critter dipping in the pond. 

Pirates for the Planet

Pirates for the Planet

Week of August 19, 2024 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86901
Cost: $182.07

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

With the help of our modern pirate Captain, campers will explore the beach and the forest looking for the treasures that can only be found in nature. The camp is themed around the four R’s (or Arrr’s in Pirate): Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rethink. All of the fun crafts, activities, and games will be pirate-themed and will teach the campers the importance of the R’s in our everyday lives!

 

Fleming Park Camps | Ages 10-12
A person stands next to a tent

Outdoors Life

Week of July 2, 2024 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86902
Cost: $145.66

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

A fun, hands-on camp that allows participants to learn outdoor skills and engage in team building. Participants will build their knowledge with sessions on fires and outdoor cooking, knots and shelters, and basic compass skills. They will also learn the “Leave No Trace” and “Hug and Tree and Survive!” principles.

Realm of the Underground

Realm of the Underground

Week of July 8, 2024 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 86959
Cost: $182.07

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

Campers will learn about Nova Scotia’s plants and animals. From birds to fish, or from trees to animals, participants will be immersed in the park making connections with nature. Through fun, engaging activities they will learn about forest, pond and ocean eco-systems and how our creature friends are being impacted by humans.

Sustainable You

Sustainable You

Week of July 15, 2024 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 88649
Cost: $182.07

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

Have you ever felt that living sustainably was incredibly difficult? Through this camp, campers will find that sustainable living can be achieved by anyone through simple daily choices! Whether it’s food, energy, transportation, or getting closer to nature, this camp will help campers feel empowered to make sustainable decisions in their lives!

Earth Savers Day Camp

Earth Savers

Week of July 22, 2024 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 87016
Cost: $182.07

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

An exciting camp where participants will work towards joining an ancient club by taking on the challenges of learning the “lost arts” of the Elders and deciphering secret codes, with a mission to save the air, water, and soil cycles. Through fun and experiential activities, they will learn about these cycles, their importance to us, how they are impacted, and actions that we can take to lessen our impact on these cycles.

Rocks under a bigger rock

Discoveries in Dirt

Week of July 29, 2024 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 87017
Cost: $182.07

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

Come find out what wonders lie in and underneath the dirt. From rocks to roots there is so much in the ground to discover. Learn about minerals, crystals and rocks. Get in the dirt with your friends and find out what there is to see.

Heart of the Park Day Camp

Heart of the Park

Week of August 6, 2024 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 87018
Cost: $145.66

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

Grow some love for one of our beautiful local parks by joining our character Heartland each day, who can’t wait to share all the highlights of the park with you! Hearts will be the theme of the week with finding these favourite features using a heart-marked map, as well as enjoying favourite songs, games and outdoor activities. Engage in some art in the park, learn basic hiking skills and safety and then explore the park using the trail map, try a fun compass challenge, learn to make fires and of course roast some treats over them, and participate in camp favourites of canoeing and swimming!

A tree in a forest

Rings of Life

Week of August 12, 2024 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 87019
Cost: $182.07

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

During this week of experiential activities, participants will learn the importance of the water, air, and earth cycles and how humans can protect them. Participants will discover their impacts on the natural world through interactive programs and outdoor learning. 

A campfire

Outdoor Odyssey

Week of August 19, 2024 | 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Course code: 87020
Cost: $182.07

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Camp description:

Participants will learn outdoor skills and engage in team building. Participants will build their knowledge with sessions on fires and outdoor cooking, knots and shelters, and basic compass skills.

 

Youth Theatre Camps

Whether you’re a born performer or just theatre-curious, come get creative and explore your connection to the environment. Run by professional theatre artists in collaboration with the Adventure Earth Centre, the workshop will feature drama games, improvisation, storytelling and technical skills for set and puppet making.

Location: Shubie Park, Dartmouth

  • July 15 - 19, 2024 | Cost: $182.07 | Course Code: 88411
  • July 22 - 26, 2024 | Cost: $182.07 | Course Code: 88412

Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for summer camps.

Youth Leadership with Adventure Earth

Summer Youth Leadership Information Night (For Shubie Park location)
Adventure Earth - Shubie Park
Tuesday, June 4, 2024 | 5:45 pm.
Ages: 13-18
Course code: 88118
Cost: FREE
Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for the information sessions. 

Summer Youth Leadership Information Night (For St. Mary's Boat Club location)
Adventure Earth - St. Mary's Boat Club 
Wednesday, June 5, 2024 | 6:30 pm.
Ages: 13-18
Course code: 88421
Cost: FREE
Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for the information sessions.

Summer Youth Leadership Information Night (For Fleming Park location)
Adventure Earth - Fleming Park 
Thursday, June 6, 2024 | 5:45 pm.
Ages: 13-18
Course code: 88408
Cost: FREE
Registration opens April 3 (10:00 am) for the information sessions. 

Adventure Earth Centre