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Summer Camps

June 20 – August 11, 2022

Registration is open

Dodge is offering seven weeks of four-day Summer Camps between June 20 and August 11. Camps run from 8:15 a.m. – 3 p.m. and are located at the Main Property in West St. Paul or Shepard Farm in Cottage Grove—please note the location when registering. There are fun themes for students entering Grades 1-2, 3-5, and 6-8. Cost varies by camp—preview camps below.

How to register

Registration is limited to one camp per child to provide equal opportunity for more kids to experience camp.
1. Select one camp below* and click ‘Register Now’.
2. Complete payment and the Camper Information Form on that page.

*If you were awarded a scholarship, email info@dodgenaturecenter.org with the name of the camp(s) you would like to register for and you will receive instructions for how to register with your discount.

How to join a waitlist

Please email info@dodgenaturecenter.org with the name(s) and grade(s) of your child(ren) and your requested camp(s); submitting the Camper Information Form does not add you to any waitlists. After we process your request, you will receive an email when you’ve been successfully added to a waitlist. Thank you in advance for your patience.

Please see the Summer Camp Waitlist FAQ if you have additional waitlist-related questions.

Dodge offers need-based scholarships

Apply Today

Camps for kids entering Grades 1-2

Registration limited to one camp per child.

June 20 – 23: Baa, Cluck, Moo

It’s morning on the farm, and there are jobs to do. Baa, cluck, moo. Can you guess what’s to see? I’ll give you a clue! Baa, cluck, moo. Play games at the farm, and feed the animals, too. Baa, cluck, moo.

Cost: $220

This camp is sold out.

June 27 – 30: Animal Adventures

Leap into adventure and the wonderful world of animals! Explore the forests, prairies, and wetlands of Dodge to find signs of animal activity. Hunt for insects and worms, then get up close and personal with Dodge’s live education animals. Catch toads, count turtles, and go wild while playing games and enjoying the great outdoors.

Cost: $220

This camp is sold out.

July 11 – 14: Fairy Tale Mystery

Help unravel a magical mystery in the enchanted forest! Use spellbinding clues to explore the land of make-believe and solve the mystical crime.

Cost: $220

This camp is sold out.

July 18 – 21: Forts and Fires

Practice the skills every outdoorsperson needs. Use your resourcefulness to create shelters and structures with sticks, rocks, and leaves. Learn how to construct a good cooking fire, and practice your campfire cooking by making tasty treats. Creativity is key as you build and cook your way through each day.

Cost: $220

This camp is sold out.

July 25 – 28: Amazing Mystery Chest

Each day, you’ll open the mystery chest and use the clues inside to discover what the day’s adventures will be. Where will you explore? What animals might you meet? What amazing activities will you do? Crack open the chest and find out!

Cost: $220

This camp is sold out.

August 1 – 4: Nature of Art

Let nature release your inner artist. As you hike through the forests, prairies and wetlands of Dodge, gather materials and inspiration for your creations. Leaves, clay, and rocks—even pond water—will be used for your artistic masterpieces!

Cost: $220

This camp is sold out.

August 8 – 11: Best of Dodge

Nature will be your playground as you hide in the prairie grasses, climb trees in the woods, and jump over streams. You’ll hold chickens, catch frogs, pick berries—there is so much to do at Dodge. Bring your sense of adventure!

Cost: $220

This camp is sold out.

Camps for kids entering Grades 3-5

Registration limited to one camp per child.

June 20 – 23: Outdoor Skills

Practice the skills that will make you an outdoor champ. Build a simple and snug survival shelter to protect you from the elements and serve as your home base. Navigate your way through an orienteering course using a compass. Start a one-match (or no-match) fire to keep you warm, cook food, and send signals. This camp will leave you ready for your next outdoor adventure!

Cost: $220

This camp is sold out.

June 27 – 30: Fish and Swim

Bring your fishing rod, swimsuit, and sunscreen for a week of adventures on local waters! Travel to nearby fishing spots and try to catch “the big one.” Weather permitting, you’ll spend the afternoon splashing at swimming beaches and inventing stories about “the one that got away.”

Cost: $260
$40 transportation fee included

This camp is sold out.

July 11 – 14: Guardians of Dodge

Sometimes magic and wizards are not enough—Dodge needs you to become a Guardian! Learn the Guardian skills of fire, shelter, and tracking. Forge swords from foam and master their use. Nature needs defenders and Dodge is counting on you!

Cost: $230
$10 materials fee included

This camp is sold out.

July 18 – 21: School of Rock

Volcanoes, landslides, metamorphosis, oh my! Get your hands dirty as you hunt for rocks and dig up clay. Explore the fascinating world of rocks and the forces that create and destroy them.

Cost: $220

This camp is sold out.

July 25 – 28: Historical Tech

Take a trip back in time at Dodge’s Shepard Farm in Cottage Grove. Test out antique tools and go on a scavenger hunt to uncover what life was like 100 years ago. Travel even further in time and try your hand at starting fires using flint, steel, and bowdrills. Have a blast while exploring the past!

Cost: $220

This camp is at Shepard Farm in Cottage Grove.

This camp is sold out.

August 1 – 4: Down on the Farm

The Dodge farm is busy with lots of work and activity, but there is always time for fun. Throughout the week, you’ll help with barnyard chores, meet the animals, and cook farm fresh food. Together, we’ll have a farmful of fun!

Cost: $220

This camp is sold out.

August 8 – 11: Dodge's Greatest Hits

Let’s play all the greatest hits of summer camp at Dodge! You’ll build forts and shelters, make fires and cook food over them, and forage for wild foods to eat. Come ready to rock and roll in the woods, wetlands, and prairies of Dodge.

Cost: $220

This camp is sold out.

Camps for youth entering Grades 6-8

Registration limited to one camp per child.

July 11 – 14: Trek and Travel

Lace up your hiking boots and grab your backpack for four days of outdoor travel! Learn and practice skills every adventurer needs to know while exploring some lesser-known areas in and around Dodge Nature Center.

Cost: $220

This camp is sold out.

August 1 – 4: Girls Explore Science

Summer is the perfect time to make the outdoors your science lab! Discover the beauty of science and nature while exploring Dodge’s Shepard Farm in Cottage Grove. Adventures, experiments and games will give you grounding in geology, ecology, chemistry, and more. Think like a scientist as you build a crackling campfire, investigate food webs, and crack open geodes to find hidden treasures within.

Cost: $220

This camp is for female-identifying, non-binary, and gender-expansive youth, and will take place at Shepard Farm in Cottage Grove.

Register Now

Camp Policies and Information

Read Here

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