Spring is bursting with life, and with Earth Day on the horizon (April 22, 2025), it’s the perfect time to bring the wonders of Surprise Lake Camp’s nature lessons into your home. At the SLC Farm, we love hearing campers say, “Wow, I never knew I liked this before!” Or, “This tastes so different than it does at home!” We can’t wait for all the fun and discovery that awaits your kids this summer! But, in the meantime, we’re thrilled to share how you can spark environmental curiosity and connection with your family, just like we do at camp.
Discovering Nature’s Wonders: Earth Day Connections
At Surprise Lake Camp, children’s eyes light up with each new natural discovery. Whether it’s the simple joy of tasting a freshly picked vegetable or the awe-inspiring transformation of a monarch caterpillar, these experiences build a genuine connection to the environment. Campers observe the entire cycle: from minuscule bug to milkweed-munching caterpillar, (SLC is a proud Monarch Butterfly waystation), to chrysalis, and finally, the emergence of a butterfly. It’s truly a captivating sight! This Earth Day, let’s create similar memorable moments at home.
Core Principles for Earth Day and Beyond
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Compost: Campers learn these principles around camp and in our dining hall, and you can easily implement them at home. Start a family compost bin, upcycle old items by re-using them or listing them on a “Buy Nothing” Facebook group, and encourage sustainable choices.
Water Conservation: Simple habits like turning off the faucet while brushing teeth make a big difference.
Hands-on Exploration: Learning about ecology is about fostering curiosity through direct experience. Activities like gardening or exploring insects with a magnifying glass – or participating in local park cleanup provide tangible learning experiences. Participate in SLC’s Volunteer Day with your kids on April 27! Spend a hard-working, fun, and fulfilling day getting camp cleaned up and beautifying our grounds in preparation for summer. It’s a mitzvah! Watch this short video from one of our previous Volunteer Days!
Practical Tips to Bring Camp Nature Home
- Recreate Camp Favorites: One of the camp favorites is making tea or lemonade using fresh herbs. If a family can have a small herb garden in their home, or purchase fresh or dried herbs from the store, kids can do this at home.
- Visit a Local Farmer’s Market: This will encourage kids to keep try new, fresh veggies.
- Planting Pollinators: Planting milkweed or other pollinator plants to attract birds and butterflies. Read a book about Monarch Butterflies.
- Set up a Hummingbird Feeder: Set up a hummingbird feeder and make fresh nectar each week (1 part sugar to 4 parts water) to attract these beautiful, tiny birds that are fascinating to watch! Read a book about hummingbirds.
- Plant & Bird Identification: Use apps like Merlin Bird ID and Seek by iNaturalist to identify local flora and fauna. Start with familiar sounds and visuals, like the “chica dee-dee-dee-dee” of a Chickadee.
- Your Backyard as a Living Lab: Explore your backyard or local park. Plan a backyard overnight adventure with a tent and firepit!
- Nature Crafts: Use leaves, twigs, and flowers for low-cost, nature-based crafts.
- Sensory Nature Walks: Engage all senses: sight, sound, touch, smell, and (safe) taste. Use color swatches to match colors in nature. Let kids do tactile things, like touching leaves, bark, moss, etc.
- Mini-Ecosystems: Create a container garden or terrarium with creative decor.
Get Ready for Incredible Summer Camp Adventures!
At Surprise Lake Camp, we believe in environmental stewardship and creating lasting learning experiences. This Earth Day, let’s reinforce these values by making conscious choices to protect our planet. By bringing these lessons home, you’re nurturing a lifelong appreciation for nature in your children. We hope these tips inspire you to celebrate Earth Day by bringing the spirit of Surprise Lake Camp’s nature exploration into your home.
Surprise Lake Camp is a nonprofit organization that provides a home away from home for generations of young people. We believe in the value of community and friendship. Our Jewish values and identity shape our connection to nature. We’re dedicated to helping young people unplug, grow, and develop values, confidence, and skills to last a lifetime, adding to SLC’s storied history as the nation’s longest-running Jewish sleepaway camp.
Take the next step: explore our first-time camper experiences and request more information. Then come for a tour!
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