Nature School Programs
Nature School 2025-2026 Season Registration Open Now
Registration for the 2025-2026 season of Nature School is now open. Register online or contact Sarah in our main office!
Camp Kawartha Environment Centre Nature School Programs
where learning meets the great outdoors!
Nature school is a year-round nature immersion experience where children can step into the wonders of the forest to explore, create, and connect. Whether they’re discovering hidden trails, building friendships, or crafting woodland art, students will grow confident, capable, and grounded in the rhythms of the natural world.
We spend time getting to know and love the natural world in all its many expressions, species, and wonders through all the changes of the seasons that we are able to regularly observe throughout the year. Birds, natural hazard awareness, insects, reptiles and amphibians, mammals, low growing plants, ecological indicators, local heritage species and trees are important to us and each week we endeavour to learn more about them. We also explore the respectful, courteous, connected conduct needed for building and maintaining relationships whether it be with people or other species.
Our approach includes plenty of hands-on direct experience and immersion in the natural world and our dedicated educators weave in arts, drama, science, problem solving, history, music and more to create a vibrant, rich learning experience.
Our programs take place at the award-winning Camp Kawartha Environment Centre at 2505 Pioneer Road, Peterborough – one of Canada’s most sustainable buildings. Designed to showcase green innovation and harmony with the natural world, the Environment Centre is more than just a building—it’s a living classroom. Children learn not only from being in the 200-acre Trent Nature Sanctuary, but also from the building itself.
Each program is created and run by experienced teachers and nature-experts who tailor daily activities to each age range, building on lessons throughout the seasons to enrich your learning journeys. The daily schedule revolves around spending time outside, structure-less play and socialization, as well as structured lessons and planned activities.
Our nature school operates under the umbrella of Camp Kawartha, an OCA Accredited organization and therefore all our staff undergo mandatory first aid training, have clear vulnerable sector checks and receive regular professional development. Camp Kawartha has rigorous policies and procedures for all our programs, and therefore Nature School follows strict health and safety guidelines to always maintain the safety of our students and staff.
The Camp Kawartha Difference
Safety
As a trusted organization with over 100 years of operation, safety is always a priority at Camp Kawartha. As an Accredited Member of the Ontario Camps Association, we go above and beyond the standards set out to ensure our staff are equipped with the skills and certifications needed to ensure the ongoing safety of our students and campers.
Leadership
At Camp Kawartha, leadership development is a key part of the experience. Throughout all of our programs and ages, our staff help students develop skills of communication, teamwork, leadership, initiative, collaboration, and so much more.
Community
With a small, close-knit community, Camp Kawartha honours individuality in each student, to help them to develop their confidence, independence, collaboration and leadership skills. Our educators are there to support them every step of the way! For us community also means getting to know and appreciate our nature neighbours that we share our world with.
Inclusion
Camp Kawartha is proud to welcome students and families of a wide variety of backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences. We celebrate the diversity of our community and strive to make Nature School a safe space where students can feel celebrated and seen for how they identify and express themselves
Environmental Kinship
At Camp Kawartha, connecting students to the wonders of the natural world drives everything that we do. We help foster wonder and curiosity in each student, by ensuring opportunities for connection throughout every part of the day. It is our goal that each student who comes through our gates leaves Camp Kawartha with a love of the natural world, a life-time commitment to Kinship and rewilding and are inspired to engage in positive action for the environment.
Roots
Since 1921, Camp Kawartha has created unforgettable summer camp and outdoor experiences for campers. Nature School has been built upon a legacy of environmental kinship and leadership having been iniated shortly after the construction of the Environment Centre.
Nature School Programs 2025-2026
Programs run weekly or bi-weekly throughout the school year (September-June) at the Environment Centre in Peterborough (2505 Pioneer Road).
Ages 4-7 Forest Explorers Mondays
Description: Calling all Forest Explorers! Join us each week as we explore and get to know the natural world! Full of adventures, games, lessons, weekly themes, and more. Forest Explorers fosters a love of Nature and a sense of belonging in our youngest students. Connecting with Nature at a young age helps to forge a lifelong bond with the beauty, joys, wonders, and well being found in the outdoors!
- Example activities include: Visiting a favorite outdoor place every week, helping in a garden, sharing books, songs and games about nature, planting something you can eat, celebrating each season, meeting friends in your neighborhood.
- Students will engage in the development of age-appropriate Bushcraft skills, including plant and animal identification, foraging skills, gardening and animal track ID.
- Students will also engage in age-appropriate Pathways to Stewardship “Landmarks”. Pathways to Stewardship promotes and supports healthy childhood development, community connection and environmental stewardship through building an early and ongoing relationship with nature.
- For more details on Pathways to Stewardship please visit: https://pathwayproject.ca/
- Students who enroll for the full year will have the opportunity to participate in at least one off-site field trip.
Additional Information:
- This Weekly Program runs every Monday from September 8th to June 15th at the Camp Kawartha Environment Centre, 2505 Pioneer Road, Peterborough.
- Program runs from 9am – 3pm
- Ratio of Students: Approximately 1:5
- Weekly Option Only
- All Forest Explorers students must be a minimum of 4 years old on their first day of Nature School. Students attending Nature School must be toilet trained and able to change independently if necessary.
Ages 4-7 Forest Explorers Wednesdays
Description: Calling all Forest Explorers! Join us each week as we explore and get to know the natural world! Full of adventures, games, lessons, weekly themes, and more. Forest Explorers fosters a love of Nature and a sense of belonging in our youngest students. Connecting with Nature at a young age helps to forge a lifelong bond with the beauty, joys, wonders, and well being found in the outdoors!
- Example activities include: Visiting a favorite outdoor place every week, helping in a garden, sharing books, songs and games about nature, planting something you can eat, celebrating each season, meeting friends in your neighborhood.
- Students will also engage in the development of age-appropriate Bushcraft skills, including plant and animal identification, foraging skills, gardening and animal track ID.
- Students will engage in age-appropriate Pathways to Stewardship “Landmarks”. Pathways to Stewardship promotes and supports healthy childhood development, community connection and environmental stewardship through building an early and ongoing relationship with nature.
- For more details on Pathways to Stewardship please visit: https://pathwayproject.ca/
- Students who enroll for the full year will have the opportunity to participate in at least one off-site field trip.
Additional Information:
- This Weekly Program runs every Wednesday from September 10th to June 17th at the Camp Kawartha Environment Centre, 2505 Pioneer Road, Peterborough.
- Program runs from 9am – 3pm
- Ratio of Students: Approximately 1:5
- Weekly Option Only
- All Forest Explorers students must be a minimum of 4 years old on their first day of Nature School. Students attending Nature School must be toilet trained and able to change independently if necessary.
Ages 8-10 Woodsy Wednesday Jr.
Description: We’ve split our Woodsy Wednesday’s programming into “junior” and “senior” age groups. Woodsy Wednesdays JR. is a weekly ‘Nature Immersion’ experience in which students learn to deeply appreciate, understand, and feel at home in the natural world. Learning about Nature and caring for the Environment is a lot like learning a language in that it happens over time, immersed in the outdoors in all seasons and weather and through a wide variety of experiences.
- Example activities include:
- Travelling familiar outdoor routes,
- learning new outdoor skills,
- exploring the worlds of gardening,
- critter watching and bird feeding,
- exploring renewable energy concepts and biodiversity.
- Students will also engage in the development of Bushcraft skills, such as basic shelter building, foraging skills, animal track ID, fire-making and introductory tool use.
- Students who enroll for the full year will have the opportunity to participate in at least one off-site field trip.
- Students will engage in age-appropriate Pathways to Stewardship “Landmarks” (Landmarks 13-19). Pathways to Stewardship promotes and supports healthy childhood development, community connection and environmental stewardship through building an early and ongoing relationship with nature.
- For more details on Pathways to Stewardship please visit: https://pathwayproject.ca/
- Woodsy Wednesdays Jr. and Sr. student will have the opportunity to collaborate on certain games and activities that require larger groups of students.
- If enrollment numbers are low, Woodsy Wednesdays Jr. and Sr. groups may be combined on a regular basis to facilitate a more engaging student experience.
- Additional Information:
- This Weekly Program runs every Wednesday from Sept 10th – December 17th at the Camp Kawartha Environment Centre, 2505 Pioneer Road,
- 9am – 3pm
- Ratio of approx. 1:6 (e.g., group of 12 kids and 2 staff)
- Biweekly option may be available upon request – please inquire.
Ages 8-13 Forest Fridays (bi-weekly)
Description: Forest Fridays is a biweekly ‘Nature Immersion’ experience in which students learn to deeply appreciate, understand, and feel at home in the natural world. Learning about Nature and caring for the Environment is a lot like learning a language in that it happens over time, immersed in the outdoors in all seasons and weather and through a wide variety of experiences.
- Example activities include:
- Trying a new outdoor sport, craft or game,
- learning new outdoor skills,
- exploring the worlds of gardening,
- critter watching and bird feeding,
- exploring renewable energy concepts and biodiversity.
- Students will also engage in the development of age-appropriate Bushcraft skills, such as shelter building, orienteering, foraging skills, animal track ID, fire-making and tool use.
- Students will engage in age-appropriate Pathways to Stewardship “Landmarks” (Landmarks 13 – 23). Pathways to Stewardship promotes and supports healthy childhood development, community connection and environmental stewardship through building an early and ongoing relationship with nature.
- For more details on Pathways to Stewardship please visit: https://pathwayproject.ca/
Additional Information:
- This Bi-Weekly Program runs every other Friday from Sept 12th – June 19th at the Camp Kawartha Environment Centre, 2505 Pioneer Road, Peterborough.
- 9am – 3pm
- Ratio of approx. 1:6 (e.g., group of 12 kids and 2 staff)
- Biweekly
Ages 11-13 Woodsy Wednesday Sr.
Description:
NEW THIS YEAR!
We’ve split our Woodsy Wednesday’s programming into “junior” and “senior” age groups. Woodsy Wednesdays SR. is a weekly ‘Nature Immersion’ experience in which students learn to deeply appreciate, understand, and feel at home in the natural world. Learning about Nature and caring for the Environment is a lot like learning a language in that it happens over time, immersed in the outdoors in all seasons and weather and through a wide variety of experiences.
- Example activities include:
-
- Exploring biodiversity,
- trying a new sport, craft or survival skill,
- engaging in and documenting an environmental project,
- exploring renewable energy concepts.
- Students will also engage in the development of age-appropriate Bushcraft skills, such as shelter building, orienteering, foraging skills, animal track ID, fire-making and tool use.
- Students who enroll for the full year will have the opportunity to participate in at least one off-site field trip.
- Students will also engage in age-appropriate Pathways to Stewardship “Landmarks” (Landmarks 16-23). Pathways to Stewardship promotes and supports healthy childhood development, community connection and environmental stewardship through building an early and ongoing relationship with nature.
- For more details on Pathways to Stewardship please visit: https://pathwayproject.ca/
- Woodsy Wednesdays Jr. and Sr. student will have the opportunity to collaborate on certain games and activities that require larger groups of students.
- If enrollment numbers are low, Woodsy Wednesdays Jr. and Sr. groups may be combined on a regular basis to facilitate a more engaging student experience.
Additional Information:
- This Weekly Program runs every Wednesday from Sept 10th – December 17th at the Camp Kawartha Environment Centre, 2505 Pioneer Road, Peterborough.
- 9am – 3pm
- Ratio of approx. 1:6 (e.g., group of 12 kids and 2 staff)
- Biweekly option may be available upon request – please inquire.
Ages 14-17 Rootwood Tuesdays
Description: Rootwood focuses on the integration of key nature connection practices and philosophies to foster the independent growth of participants. While this experience has been designed for youth who have ‘graduated’ through our younger programs, new participants may be welcome depending on experience and space available (please inquire).
- Example activities include:
- Calculating your ecological footprint,
- development of new outdoor skills,
- or rehabilitating something living that has been damaged.
- Students will also continue developing their Bushcraft Skills, including plant and animal id, orienteering, shelter building, fire making, tool use, etc.
- Students will engage in age-appropriate Pathways to Stewardship “Landmarks” (Landmarks 20-30). Pathways to Stewardship promotes and supports healthy childhood development, community connection and environmental stewardship through building an early and ongoing relationship with nature.
- For more details on Pathways to Stewardship please visit: https://pathwayproject.ca/
- Students who enroll for the full year will have the opportunity to participate in at least one off-site field trip.
Additional Information:
-
- This Weekly program runs every Tuesday from Sept 9th – June 16th at the Camp Kawartha Environment Centre, 2505 Pioneer Road, Peterborough.
- Program runs from 9am – 3pm
Weekly or Bi-Weekly option available
“I thought my sons teachers Amanda and Anna were just great – they seemed to genuinely enjoy spending time outdoors learning with these kids and I know my son felt very comfortable and at home there as a result.”
“CKEC Nature School is amazing: lots of time in nature, lots of games, & lots of learning. I can’t recommend it enough!!”
“You must be doing good because it is pouring rain and (our daughter) is really excited to be here! She said, ‘Yay! We get to run around in the forest in the rain!”
“…this is our kids’ FAVourite thing, hands-down. We go to Forest Fridays at the Camp Kawartha Environmental Centre. The kids there are 5 and up. If your 8 yr old is having the hardest time, maybe just send him. It might just be the clincher. All the kids there love that day better than any day anywhere else they go.”
Sample Schedule*
9:00 – Child drop off to outdoor classroom
9:15 – Opening circle
9:30 – Snack
10:00 – Programming
12:00 – Lunch
12:30 – Free time
1:00 – Programming
2:45 – Closing circle
3:00 – Parent pick-up at outdoor classroom
*Please note that this is a sample schedule and it can change depending on attendance, weather, as well as unforeseen factors.
Registration Procedures
Please see our Registration Procedure and Policies Guide.
Online Registration Portal
Student Code of Conduct
Please review our Code of Conduct with your child(ren) before attending Nature School.
Nature School Program Dates and Rates
Please see our Program Dates and Rates here.
Nature School Parent Handbook (Program Guide)
Please download our Program Guide here.
Our Staff Team
Craig Brant
Environment Centre Manager
Craig’s passion for the environment and outdoor education is clear in that he is a trained Naturalist, and has been responsible for administering the top-notch programs from the Environment Centre since its inception. He is the founder of Nature School and has dedicated his time to ensuring the excellent delivery of all Environment Centre programming.
Amanda Kennedy
Lead Educator
Amanda is committed to providing an excellent learning experience for all of her students and campers. An accredited teacher, Amanda is consistently looking for new and innovative ways to share her love for outdoor and environmental education with the younger generations. As one of our Lead Educators, she teaches Nature School, School Programs, Summer Camp and assists in the administration and development of our programming.
Jamie Williams
Lead Educator
Jamie has been working at Camp Kawartha for over a decade. He has a Bachelor of Education and has experience working in the public school system before deciding to dedicate his time to outdoor education. Jamie is constantly upgrading his environmental education knowledge-base by studying new topics and spending time out in the spaces that he teaches about.
Anna Rodenburg
Educator
Anna has been involved with Camp Kawartha for her entire life. She has worked her way up to become an Environmental Educator at our Nature School, for our School Program and Summer Camp. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and is currently pursuing her Early Childhood Educator diploma.
Sarah Van Ryn
Registrar
Sarah recently joined our Environment Centre team after having worked at our main facility for the past few years. She is an inspiring go-getter who delivers exceptional administrative support and customer service to our staff team and community. She is an exceptional photographer, having taken our new website and staff photos. You can reach out to Sarah with any questions or concerns you may have when it comes to registration, payments, or policies.
Hannah Taylor
Administrative Assistant
Hannah has been in an administrative role at Camp Kawartha for almost two years after having worked as an educator and office assistant at the Environment Centre. She has an Honours Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and a background in customer service and sales which she combines to multitask between accounts receivable, communications, giftshop and marketing.
Camp Kawartha Environment Centre, 2505 Pioneer Road, Peterborough, Ontario.
The Camp Kawartha Environment Centre is one of Canada’s most sustainable buildings. The programs take place within the Trent University Nature Areas, which represents over 200 acres of wild and semi-wild areas, including a variety of ecosystems in which we are fortunate to play, learn, climb, observe, and explore!
Acknowledgement(s): We remember, acknowledge, and seek to honour that the beautiful Trent Nature Areas are on the traditional territory of the Michi Saagig Anishinaabeg. This is the area governed by Treaty 20. The First Peoples of this area have, in the past, and continue to today, to care for this place, the land, and all our relations human & non-human alike. It is a privilege, and responsibility to enjoy, work, learn, play, share, and live here and it is part of our mission to better understand this place, the history, and the People, as well as to play a role in caretaking the Land and in beginning to reconcile.
