Ernie Miller Nature Center

OUTDOOR DISCOVERY CAMP

WEEKLY THEMES

PIRATE’S ADVENTURE QUEST - Set sail for thrills and excitement as we take a trip to TimberRidge Adventure Center. Nobody gets voted off this island! We work together to solve challenges. Swing on ropes, capture the pirate’s flag, climb up to the crow’s nest and follow a map to buried treasure.

ALL OF NATURE’S BEAUTY - Let your creativity run wild! Experience nature in a whole new way through music, art, writing, and theater. Make a nature journal in which to write, draw and do plant rubbings. Put on a play or puppet show with your fellow campers. Listen to the sounds of the world around us. Try drawing a live animal. And just enjoy the beauty of the outdoors.

ANIMAL DETECTIVES - Strange and unusual animal sightings have intrigued scientists for years. Learn about endangered and extinct animals and investigate legends of creatures of myth like Bigfoot, Loch Ness Monster and Los Chupacabras. Use skills of observation and hands on abilities to solve mysteries in the park.

OFF THE BEATEN PATH - Don’t get lost! Practice orienteering skills as you find your way through the wilderness. Learn how to use a map and compass. Have fun exploring as you try an orienteering course. Experience Geocaching using GPS. Meet live animals and learn how they find their way.

FLIGHTS OF FANCY - Uncover the mysteries of avian migration and see live birds of prey. Learn to use binoculars to observe our feathered friends in their habitats. Create your own flying machines and see if your egg can survive the ultimate egg drop challenge from a 50-foot tower.

AMERICAN HERITAGE - Experience the hardships and joys of a time long ago. Could you catch a pig, churn butter or escape a prairie fire? Listen to authentic stories from pioneer life and make a traditional toy. Dress up in overalls and sunbonnets for old-fashioned fun and games. Celebrate our American heritage and Independence Day.

THE WARMING WORLD - The heat is on, but we’ll be cool as we explore the many impacts of global climate change on our weather and on our planet’s wildlife near and far. Learn what’s going on in our oceans, mountains and polar regions and meet some Kansas animals from our vanishing grasslands.

DINOMITE - Dinosaurs have fascinated and entertained us for years! Figure out fun facts about these unbelievable creatures that once ruled the earth and see live relatives of prehistoric animals. Try your skills as a paleontologist and search for fossils. Unravel the ancient past of Kansas and what creatures lived here millions of years ago.

WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE - Sign up early for our perennial favorite “water week!” Meet aquatic critters and beat the heat with water balloons, water guns and slip ‘n’ slides. Learn about protecting our water resources at our Aqua Festival. Swamp canoes and build sand castles at the beach.

CAMP MEMORIES - What is your favorite camp memory? Playing in the woods, building forts, making new friends, catching a big crawdad, ambush and great stories are just a few of the memories we make in the Outdoor Discovery Camp. End the summer in a big way by enjoying the outdoors with great friends. What will you do for the end of the summer Talent Show?