2013 Summer Camps

It may still feel like winter outside, but it's never to early to start thinking about summer! This summer Tifft is offering brand new camps along with old favorites like Nature Rangers, and Scales, Scales, Scales. It's sure to be a summer full of fun, friends, wildlife, and science! Register before Friday May 17^th and receive $10 off the advertised price (excluding Adventures Afloat and Ashore). Buffalo Museum of Science members save 10%. All dates and prices included in the camp description. See you this summer!

BIG & little Critter Encounters Discovery Camp     

July 1-3

9:30 AM – 3:30 PM

For ages 5-7

What's underfoot and in the water? There's no telling what we will discover as we explore the macro (BIG) and micro (little) worlds of wildlife!  Pre-registration required. Please call 825-6397. Registration Deadline: June 26. Members: $90 per child. Non-Members: $100 per child. Late pick-up: 3:30 – 5:00 PM at $5.00 per 30 minutes/per child/per day. Arrangements must be made at the time of pre-registration. Campers are asked to bring lunch in a reusable container.

Spy on Nature Discovery Camp

July 9-11

9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

For ages 8-11

I spy... a wild time!  Explore the outdoors Sherlock Holmes-style as we combine the art of observation with nature journaling and photography. Drawing, story-writing, photography, and detective work are in store as we investigate the mysteries of the great outdoors and create artistic masterpieces of our own! Members: $121.50 per child. Non-Members: $135 per child. Late pick-up: 4:30 – 5:30 PM at $5.00 per 30 minutes/per child/per day. Arrangements must be made at the time of pre-registration. Pre-registration required. Please call 825-6397. Registration Deadline:  July 2. Campers are asked to bring lunch in a reusable container.

Adventures Afloat and Ashore

July 15-19

9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

For ages 12-14

Join Tifft Nature Preserve and Buffalo Urban Outdoor Education (BUOE) for a discovery adventure on water and land!  Campers spend two days afloat sailing on the tall ship Spirit of Buffalo, learning seamanship, team work and sailing skills, and participating in Science Learning Stations (plankton, water quality testing, invasive species, benthic exploration, navigation, helmsmanship, buoyancy using nets, live and preserved specimens, microscopes, visuals, maps and sampling techniques.)  Campers also spend time kayaking and experience traditional rowing in wooden bateaus upon the Buffalo River. Campers then spend two days ashore exploring the marsh, pond, grassland and forest habitats at Tifft Nature Preserve.  Highlights include an up-close look at the aquatic life of the marsh including mammals, birds, insects, reptiles and amphibians and fishing on Lake Kirsty.  To conclude the program, parents can join their camper for a morning ride on the ship, picnic lunch, and presentations at Tifft in the afternoon or join in for part of the day!  BUOE (Monday/Tuesday/Friday AM) and Tifft Nature Preserve (Wednesday/Thursday/Friday PM). Members:  $315 per child (includes lunch on Friday). Non-Members:  $325 per child (includes lunch on Friday). Late pick-up: 4:30PM – 5:00 PM at $5.00 per 30 minutes/per child/per day. Arrangements must be made at the time of pre-registration. Pre-registration required. Please call 825-6397. Registration Deadline:  July 1. Campers are asked to bring lunch in a reusable container.

Noisy Nature Discovery Camp

July 22-26

9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

For ages 8-11 

CROAK! BZZZ! CHEEP! Experience the symphony and (sometimes) cacophony of nature around us and explore what all that noise is really all about! Members: $171 per child. Non-Members: $190 per child. Late pick-up: 4:30 – 5:30 PM at $5.00 per 30 minutes/per child/per day. Arrangements must be made at the time of pre-registration. Pre-registration required. Please call 825-6397. Registration Deadline:  July 17. Campers are asked to bring lunch in a reusable container.

My Side of Tifft Discovery Camp

July 31-August 3

9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

For boys ages 12-14

Turn summer reading into a summer camp adventure, based on Jean Craighead George’s classic “My Side of the Mountain.” This boys-only camp will take a walk on the wild side, including an on-site outdoor overnight on Friday night. (Camp will conclude after breakfast on Saturday morning.) Members: $157.50 per child. Non-Members: $175 per child. Late pick-up: 4:30 – 5:30 PM at $5.00 per 30 minutes/per child/per day. Arrangements must be made at the time of pre-registration. Pre-registration required. Please call 825-6397. Registration Deadline:  July 12. Campers are asked to bring lunch in a reusable container.

Nature Rangers Discovery Camp

August 5-9

9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

For ages 8-11

Nature needs your help! While learning to preserve, protect and enjoy nature’s wonders, rangers will complete T.A.S.K.S. (Teamwork, Action, Skills, Knowledge and Sharing) to earn a TNP nature ranger badge. Members: $171 per child. Non-Members: $190 per child.Late pick-up: 4:30 – 5:30 PM at $5.00 per 30 minutes/per child/per day. Arrangements must be made at the time of pre-registration. Pre-registration required. Please call 825-6397. Registration Deadline:  July 31. Campers are asked to bring lunch in a reusable container.

Scales, Scales, Scales Discovery Camp

August 20-22

9:30 AM – 3:30 PM

For ages 5-7

What do fish, reptiles and butterflies all have in common? Scales! Investigate Tifft’s scaly species and get the scoop on the stupendous world of scales! Members: $90 per child. Non-Members: $100 per child. Late pick-up: 3:30 – 5:00 PM at $5.00 per 30 minutes/per child/per day. Arrangements must be made at the time of pre-registration. Pre-registration required. Please call 825-6397. Registration Deadline: August 14. Campers are asked to bring lunch in a reusable container.

Nature Girrlzz Discovery Camp

August 27-29

9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
For girls ages 12-14

It’s all about girl power! This girls-only camp encourages girls to get out and truly be ‘wild (young) women,’ while focusing on cooperation, self confidence, and leadership skills, and following in the footsteps of Jane Goodall and other great nature girls. Members: $121.50 per child. Non-Members: $135 per child. Late pick-up: 4:30 – 5:30 PM at $5.00 per 30 minutes/per child/per day. Arrangements must be made at the time of pre-registration. Pre-registration required. Please call 825-6397. Registration Deadline: August 21. Campers are asked to bring lunch in a reusable container.

WILD Winter Wonderland Discovery Camp

Well, this camp was definitely WILD, but more in the wild weather category than anything else! We started Tuesday with rain, which turned into snow and then bitter cold temps and wind, but we still managed to have a great 3 days (even having to be stuck inside all day on Wednesday). We focused a lot on adaptations and looking for clues in nature! We ended up learning a lot and making some great observations!

Here's a recap of our 3 days of winter nature fun!

Day 1

• Rain kept us inside for an hour so we read Rabbit's Winter Walk by Lorna Hussey to imagine we were outside.
• Rain stopped so out we went for a hike. Saw deer, cardinal, & investigated an uprooted tree and another tree that had a hollow area at its base that we thought made an excellent animal home
• Rain returned so we came back in and recorded observations in our journals
• Lack of real snow led us to investigate some 'indoor snow'- which is Insta-Snow powder (I told the kids I'd let them know where to get it so here is the link: http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/product/instant-snow) We did a variety of experiments with varying water amounts, salt and even food coloring
• After learning about salt and cold, we tried an experiment using ice cubes, string and salt. Since it didn't work the first go around, we added another variable and made the ice cube trick work!
• Snack was a science experiment too---we made popcorn in a big popcorn machine!
• Ended our day with q-tip snow storm/men painting

Day 2
This was an all indoor day (minus about 10 minutes) because of the single digit windchills and high winds but it was fun anyway!

• discussion of adaptation and what main types animals use in the winter
• Riley shared some nature scene clues from his house, including a praying mantis egg case, a snake skin and some deer bones (he even let each camper take a bone home!). Looked at the deer bones under a microscope
• Experimented protecting an 'insect' for winter with an insulation activity. Insect was small container of water that each camper tried to keep warm by protecting it with one of the following materials: feathers, wool, cotton, shredded paper, rocks, sand, and foam peanuts. (Look for our results in the picture slideshow)
• Our outdoor venture was to look for a natural item to use to make an ice suncatcher. While looking, we discovered a deceased red-winged blackbird. We made some visual observations about it and the campers worked together to bury it under the snow.
• Put together our ice suncatchers
• Made igloos out of cornstarch building blocks
• Created snowflakes out of old puzzle pieces
• Ended the day with a winter scene investigation map activity

Day 3
Despite another chilly day, we bundled up and headed out on the trails and it was worth the wait!
Today was also Bird Day-Birthday! One of our campers had a birthday and we celebrated by learning all about Birds!

• Learned how to use binoculars and made drawings in our journals of some bird mounts
• Hike took us to marsh, where we spotted beaver lodge and some fox tracks in the snow along the edge of the marsh
• Learned up close a little more about the black-capped chickadee
• Ended up spotting a trail of small blood drops that we followed to figured out what might've happened but the case ended up unsolved
• Hung up our ice suncatchers
• A couple of campers strapped on some snowshoes in the bit of snow we had and everyone had some free time outside
• Took a short walk up the mounds and stalked a large group of deer
• Made a pecking woodpecker craft
• Ended up making cardinal/chickadee headband

Below is a slideshow with photos from our adventures! To see the captions, roll cursor over bottom frame and click on the white balloon.



The time sure flew by and it was great to see some returning campers and meet some new campers! Before you know it, it will be summer and I'm looking forward to more camp fun!

Thank you so much for your support of Tifft and have a Happy Spring!
Miss Caryn and Mr. Jay