The Trustees of Reservations (The Trustees) today announces that it will operate summer camps at seven of its properties across the state, with registration now open to the general public.
Although the holidays are barely in the rearview mirror, parents across the Commonwealth are already making decisions about how kids will spend the upcoming summer after a year like no other. In fact, Weir River Farm Camp, World’s End Camp, and the hive at deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum sold out within a week of being available to existing members, and the remaining camps—including this year’s newest addition Rocky Woods Nature Explorers and the Summer Teen Studio—are filling up quickly. The Trustees is working diligently to develop programs and protocols that make camp safe for campers, families, and staff while providing a variety of immersive experiences away from the glare of digital devices that includes art, farming, science, cooking, and nature.
“Each camp is designed around the unique characteristics of its natural environment, the site’s essential activities, and the distinct needs of parents and campers,” said Trustees’ Associate Director of Learning Julie Bernson. “We’re thrilled that our experience safely running camps last with no known cases of COVID led to effective health and safety adaptations that allow us to offer unique and exciting programs at these six signature properties.”
Information about each of the camps can be found at thetrustees.org/camps:
Farmer, Forester, Chef! Camp (Dover)
June 21 to August 20 | Ages 6-12 | 9AM-4PM M-F | $545 (M), $645 (NM)
Campers focus on the three things that make Powisset Farm unique—the farm, the forest, and the kitchen. At the 109-acre working farm every day they care for animals and vegetables, learn their way around the kitchen discovering how to prepare healthy recipes, and then explore the natural world at neighboring Noanet Woodlands.
Rocky Woods Nature Explorers (Medfield)
July 12 to August 20 | Ages 5-10 | 9AM-3PM M-F | $410 (M), $510 (NM)
The ALL NEW Rocky Woods Nature Explorers Camp in Medfield is about outdoor adventures in the forest and by the ponds where campers will meet new friends–including frogs, beavers, bugs, and more. Nature Explorers will learn about the flora and fauna, discover animal habitats, go ponding, create nature crafts, and explore the endless trails and favorite features of historic Rocky Woods.
Appleton Farm Camp (Hamilton & Ipswich)
June 21 to August 27 | Ages 4-13 | 9AM-3PM M-F | $395 (M), $495 (NM)
With rolling grasslands, grazing livestock, vegetable gardens, an active barnyard, and historic buildings, Appleton Farms introduces campers to a working farm through exciting and educational activities like feeding animals, collecting eggs, working in the garden, farm-based science experiments, and lots of outdoor hiking.
SummerQuest at Crane Estate (Ipswich)
June 28 to August 27 | Ages 5-14 | 9AM-4PM M-F | $395 (M), $495 (NM)
June 28 to August 27 | Ages 4-6 | 9 AM-12PM M-F | $195 (M), $295 (NM)
Campers start their day with songs and games in morning circle then break into small groups to dive into theme-based activities. Every afternoon, campers enjoy swim time on a private beach, engage in creative craft projects, and play active games on the 2,100-acre Crane Estate, making this the ultimate summer adventure.
the hive ***SOLD OUT*** and Summer Teen Studio (Lincoln)
July 5 to August 6 | Ages 5-12 | 9:30AM-4:30PM M-F | $510 (M), $610 (NM)
August 9 to 20 | Ages 13-16 | 1PM-4:30PM M-F | $220 (M), $275 (NM)
At deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, the hive provides an ideal atmosphere for young explorers to make connections to contemporary art, artists, nature, and ideas as well as to each other. Campers venture through the Museum galleries, 30-acre Sculpture Park, and natural landscape to discover how artists use artistic, scientific, and social tools to explore ideas about self, community, and the environment. The NEW Summer Studio for Teens weekly sessions offer older creative campers the space to refine and expand their artistic skills alongside accomplished teachers and artists.
Weir River Farm Camp (Hingham) ***SOLD OUT***
June 21 to August 27 | Ages 5-13 | 9AM-3PM M-F | $410 (M), $510 (NM)
Campers who are animal lovers will never want to leave this 75-acre working farm, where they learn about sheep, chickens, cows, and how to care for the barnyard animals. Once the mucking of the horse stalls and collecting of chicken eggs is done, campers participate in creative games and engaging crafts designed to instill the importance of nature and agriculture in our daily lives.
World’s End Camp (Hingham) ***SOLD OUT***
June 28 to August 20 | Ages 5-10 | 9AM-3PM M-F | $410 (M), $510 (NM)
The World’s End Trackers camp lets younger campers explores the shoreline, fields, and forests of this iconic Hingham property learning how to find deer tracks in the mud, build a home for a hermit crab, or create “binoculars” to spot birds and butterflies. The World’s End Adventurers program for older campers builds understanding of the connections between the natural world and themselves while exploring the importance of protecting special places for people, plants, and animals.
As the situation with COVID continues to evolve, all camp offerings are subject to change as state and local guidelines are revised. However, The Trustees has implemented a new full refund policy (minus the $35 for registration and credit card fees) that offers parents the risk-free selection of all desired camp weeks until April 15 while they get their summer schedules organized. From April 16 to June 1, parents can get 50 percent of their tuition back. Full refunds are issued if any camp weeks are cancelled for any reason.
Each camp has health and safety information and COVID protocols that include wearing masks, keeping campers in the same small groups, social distancing between those groups, professional evening cleaning of bathrooms, mandatory hand-washing, prepared indoor spacing with adequate social distancing to be used in case of emergencies and inclement weather, staggered dropoff and pickup, and daily temperature checks for administrative and teaching staff.
People who wish to enjoy the reduced pricing for members of $100 per week per camper may add a Trustees family membership to their camp registration purchase on The Trustees website.
More about The Trustees
Founded by landscape architect Charles Eliot in 1891, The Trustees has, for 130 years, been a catalyst for important ideas, endeavors, and progress in Massachusetts. As a steward of distinctive and dynamic places of both historic and cultural value, The Trustees is the nation’s first preservation and conservation organization, and its landscapes and landmarks continue to inspire discussion, innovation, and action today as they did in the past. We are a nonprofit, supported by members, friends, and donors and our 120 sites are destinations for residents, members, and visitors alike, welcoming millions of guests annually. www.thetrustees.org.
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