Nature Day Camp (ages 5–12)

Registration information for Nature Day Camp

Sign ups for Nature Day Camp will be added here when they are finalized. This is the first place that information will be updated, please bookmark this page!

All questions about Nature Day Camp can go to both of these contacts below:

• Rose Ramirez - NDC Coordinator
  • Rose.Ramirez@PortlandOregon.gov
  • 503-729-7854 (cell phone - call/text)
• NDC Admin Team 
  • NDCAdmin@portlandoregon.gov

2026 Registration will be on May 14 at 9:30am for all 8 weeks of Nature Day Camp. We only participate in Session A of registration.

How to register:

• ONLINE at portland.gov/parks/register
• CALL any community center or PP&R Customer Service 503-823-2525 during operating hours.
• IN-PERSON at any PP&R facility, including the Customer Service Center.

Visit the summer registration page for details.

Nature Day Camp overview

Nature Day Camp is a place to learn about nature, explore, and make memories! We offer full-day camps for children ages 5-12.

Each camp day contains a mixture of activities:

• Small group opening and closing circles
• Songs, puppet shows, skits, and storytelling
• Hiking and exploration with a small group in a similar age range
• Snacks and lunch along the trail
• Open-ended art and nature crafts
• Time for community-building through silly games, team-building activities, and casual conversation  

Camp Costs and Access Discount Information 

Need to lower the cost of camp? Nature Day Camp will be using the Access Discount model in 2026. See the Access Discount webpage for more information.

• Five-day weeks   |   $300 - Portland residents,$420 - Non-residents 
• Four-day weeks |  $240 - Portland residents,$336 - Non-residents
• Three-day week |   $180 - Portland residents,$252 - Non-residents

After-Care Costs

• Five-day weeks |$60 - Portland residents,$84 - Non-residents
• Four-day week |$48 - Portland residents,$67- Nonresidents
• Three-day week |$36 - Portland residents,$50- Non-residents

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Health and Safety Protocols

We appreciate your help in keeping participants and staff healthy. Please screen your child and keep them home from camp if they have any of the following illness symptoms:

• Fever over 100.4 degrees F *
• New cough (not related to allergies or asthma) *
• Shortness of breath *
• New loss of taste or smell *
• Chills
• Muscle and body aches
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Congestion or Runny Nose
• Diarrhea
• Nausea or Vomiting
• Lice or nits

*The first four symptoms listed with an asterisk are primary COVID-19 symptoms. If your child tests positive for COVID-19, please notify us as soon as possible.

Unpaid Opportunities (ages 13-17) and Paid Positions (ages 16+)

Unpaid Opportunities

Junior Educator Participant Positions (On Pause for 2026)
 

Paid Positions

Paid Positions (ages 16+)

We hire staff who love children, are curious about nature and want to gain skills as an educator. Click the link above to learn more.

Nature Day Camp Days and Hours

All camps run Monday through Friday from 9:00 to 3:30, unless otherwise noted. Please allow an extra 10-15 minutes on the first day of camp as we check campers in, process health forms, and get them to their assigned groups.

• Please be on time! We want your child to experience the full day of activities. The first day of camp always takes a bit longer to get everyone checked in, thank you for your patience.
• Parents, guardians, or caretakers must walk with their child to and from the meeting spot each day.

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Extended Drop-off and After-care Information

Extended Drop-off and Pick-up
We offer an extended drop-off and pick-up window in the mornings and afternoons to help families who need a longer camp day. Drop campers off between 8:30 and 9:00 and pick up campers between 3:00 and 3:30. No registration required. Please do not drop off sooner than 8:30 so that our staff have time to plan and prepare for the day. 

After-care
Pre-registration is required. Campers who are not enrolled in After-care should be picked up no later than 3:30 pm. 

• After-care goes from 3:30 - 5:30 pm. Campers enrolled in After-care can be picked up at any time in that two-hour window.
• Snacks are served around 3:40 pm once all other campers are picked up. (Nut-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free options are available.)
• Children engage in low-key activities. (Books, table games, crafts, and playground play, when available). 

Age group information

Campers will be assigned to a traveling group for the week. Groups are similar in age. During the registration process, parents can list one (1) friend or sibling close in age (within two years) to be assigned to the same camp group. 

• Our youngest campers connect mainly through outdoor free play and nature exploration.
• Our campers in middle childhood play organized games, make projects, explore, and do hands-on nature activities.
• Our oldest campers spend more time building friendships with campers and staff (and still play games, hike, and explore).  

Find all the schedule, theme, and location details for the upcoming summer here.  

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Weekly Nature Themes

Backbone Not Required 
What do insects, spiders, snails, and centipedes have in common? They’ve got no spine! To stay safe, some grow a shell, some hide, and some just run away as fast as they can.

We Can Wing It 
Why doesn’t a woodpecker get a concussion? How can a falcon fly so fast? Could a hawk see an ant from the top of a 10-story building? Use your “owl eyes” to go on a birding adventure and find out for yourself.

Buzz and Flutter
A caterpillar turns itself into liquid when becoming a butterfly. (What?) Come learn what other tricks pollinators use to survive. Spend the week observing bees, wasps, and butterflies using our supplies.

Rock and Roll Lifestyle
The hot lava of the past spread across the valley and formed hills – including Mt. Tabor! Do you know what happened next? Search for evidence that it all happened just like scientists say it did. (Pet rocks encouraged.)

Branching Out 
Tall trees, short trees, and snags – each one plays an important part in the forest. Get to know the quiet giants of the forest through questioning, stealth games, and the five senses. Explore with us and have a "tree-mendous" week!

Habitats are Hip 
How would you become invisible in your own backyard? When you think like an animal you might discover critters hiding in plain sight! In their habitats, animals find clever ways to eat, drink, sleep, and escape.

Wonders of Water 
Water is the thread that connects us all! Learn about the river, the hilly forests, and the soggy wetlands. Sand and water invite us to create, and birds overhead invite us to follow. (Water exploration is optional and takes place in shallow water.)

Marvelous Mammals 
Mammals are warm, fuzzy, and on the lookout for food. They have remarkable traits that help them adapt to the world around them. Stalk like a crafty coyote and scurry like a restless rodent. Will you will survive the food chain? 

Enchanted by Plants 
Turning sun into sugar is tricky business, but it is a full-time job for green plants. Search high and low for plants in the park. Find the ones that become sources of water, shelter, and medicine. 

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Nature Day Camp Daily Rhythm and Weekly Feel

Nature Day Camp contains a combination of structured and open-ended activities.    

• Structure at the beginning of the day and end of the day
• Designated time exploring as a group in the middle of the day
• Opening and closing circles help campers connect in the morning and reflect in the afternoon
• Organized games, crafts, and rotation groups that introduce the nature theme
• Open-ended exploration, hiking, and play in a small group 

Sample daily schedule - take note that the all-camp activities will change based on the weekly theme! 

8:30-9:00   |   Extended Drop-off Window
9:00   |   Camp begins
9:15   |   All Camp opening circle: songs, cheers, announcements
9:30   |   Snack and bathroom break
9:45   |   Head out to explore the park in your group
next   |   Rotations, crafts, or games (depending on the day)
next   |   Explore, play, hike! (Bathroom breaks and snacks as needed)
Noon-ish   |   Lunch somewhere in the park
next   |   Explore, play, hike! (Bathroom breaks and snacks as needed)
3:10   |   Closing circle: songs, games, reflection
3:30   |   Camp ends, all campers who are not registered for After Care need to be picked up by this time
3:30-5:30   |   After Care (Pre-registration required. Pick up any time during this window)

Browse all details about camps for all age groups for the upcoming summer. 

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Nature Day Camper Expectations and Behavior Policies

We try to make camp fun for everyone by asking participants to follow four main expectations:

1. Be safe (in your words and actions)
2. Be respectful (to yourself, to each other, to nature)
3. Listen (to the leaders, to each other, to nature)
4. Have fun!

Additionally, Portland Parks requires that all participants refrain from the following:

• All forms of harassment (*see section below on violent behaviors, hate speech and derogatory language)
• Defacing property (structures, land or equipment)
• Disruptive or disorderly behavior
• Improper use of restrooms
• Offensive physical contact
• Inflicting harm or hurting self or others
• Spitting
• Using or being under the influence of any intoxicating substance
• Using profanity, teasing or ridiculing others

• Violation of any federal, state or local statute or ordinances

  *Some serious behavior may result in escalation of steps. Staff have the discretion to send campers home for the day if they use hate speech, violence or violent language, or derogatory language at camp. This includes but is not limited to: racial slurs, homophobic slurs, transphobic slurs, violent behavior threats, sexually aggressive language, or any behavior that may cause physical or emotional harm to themselves, another camper, or staff. 

Steps taken when campers start to display a pattern of negative behavior:

• Remind campers of the rules and expectations
• Redirect unsuitable behavior
• Switch campers out of groups that seem to feed negative behavior
• Discuss any underlying issues with campers
• Separate children for a time from the group
• Create a mutual behavior contract
• Reach out to parents or guardians for ideas and support
• Exclusion for the day, or for the rest of the program

  Based on the severity of the negative behavior, we may use any of the steps below:

If above steps do not help, the camper may get two more chances to change their behavior:

• Verbal warning #1 and call to coordinator: Call made to coordinator to come and help. Camper is separated from the group. Next steps are explained to the camper.
• Verbal warning #2 and call to caregiver: Call made to caregiver to inform of the situation. The camper has one more chance. At this point parents should be ready to pick up their child early if needed.
• Done for the day: Calls made to caregivers to come and take their child home early. Camper is welcome to return the next day if they are able to change their behavior. Formal incident report is filled out and kept on file.  
• Done for the week: Caregivers will be called to pick up the camper. The camper will not be returning to camp. Unused days of camp will not be refunded. 

If a camper is sent home for the week due to negative or unsafe behavior, parents will be called to discuss refunding any additional registered weeks of camp. 

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What to Bring to Nature Day Camp

Our program is active, our parks are hilly, and we are outside all day. To help your camper have a good day, get them packed up with what they need. If you think your camper might need a change of clothes, pack them in a large Ziploc bag.) 

Children should come to each day of the program with the following:

• Mornings can be chilly, please bring a layer of clothing
• Substantial lunch
• A morning and an afternoon snack
• Water bottle - at least 16 oz
• Comfortable backpack that’s a logical size for your camper. It will hold snacks, lunch, a water bottle and extra layers.
• Close-toed shoes
• Sunscreen
• Medications (if needed)

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Required Health Information Before Attending Nature Day Camp - ePACT System

Portland Parks & Recreation uses ePACT to collect camper health and emergency information. All information is online and will replace paper forms. Before your first day of camp, you should receive the invitation by email. If you have not seen the invite by Thursday before camp, check your spam or contact us. 

To attend camp, campers must have completed health information.   

1. Follow the link to create an account on ePACT.
2. Fill out the health information completely for each camper. Please include information about allergies, authorized pick-ups, and emergency contacts.
3. As a final step, click "submit" to share your camper's information with us.  

Filling out the profile takes 15-25 minutes. For campers attending multiple weeks, please submit the information for each week. Compared to paper, ePACT is more up-to-date, more accessible while in the parks, and more secure. We rely on the ePACT system every day of camp. 

Children who arrive without health information will need to create an account and complete information on site.

New to ePACT: Sharing your emergency information

Returning members: Reconfirming your record

How to download the ePACT Family APP:

• How to Set Up Your 'ePACT Family App' on Apple Devices
• How to Set Up Your 'ePACT Family App' on Android Devices

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Medication at Nature Day Camp

For the safety of your camper and our staff, we follow strict protocols for medication administration at Nature Day Camp. Medications are dosed and documented by our Wellness Lead staff, but all NDC staff who are over the age of 18 will receive a Medication Administration Training and will know how to legally and safely handle medications at camp.

This applies to both prescription medication and over-the-counter (OTC) medications.

• List all required medications in your health information on ePACT.
• Bring medications in their original packaging. Medications cannot be accepted if they are not in their original packaging.
• You will be able to fill out your Authorization for Medication Administration and Medication Administering Information forms in ePACT, but we will also have printed copies at camp.
• Only paid staff ages 18+ are permitted to give medications to campers age 5-12.
• Volunteers age 13-17 may take medications on their own as long as we have all of their Authorization for Medication Administration paperwork filled out at the start of the week.

Inclusion services

Inclusion Services provides ADA (Title II) accommodations for participating in registered recreation activities. Requests should be made at least 10 days before the start of an activity. Learn more about how to request Inclusion Services.

ADA Accommodation

To request an ADA Accommodation, including support for registering for a PP&R activity, request an ADA Accommodation online or call 3-1-1 (503-823-4000 outside Multnomah County or VOIP). Once the form is submitted, you will receive a response from a PP&R staff member within three days.

Nature Day Camp Policies

Withdrawal Policy
To promote equitable access to our camps, 20% of the camp cost is non-refundable. To receive a partial refund (the full cost minus the 20% fee), withdrawals must be completed at least fourteen (14) days before the first day of camp.

Late Policy
In fairness to our staff, campers not picked up on time will be charged an additional fee of $10 for every 15 minutes campers remain on-site, payable in cash or check upon arrival.

Air Quality Policy
Due to the outdoor nature of this camp, we will make the best decisions for our campers and staff in the event of poor air quality. If the air quality index (AQI) for the camp location is forecasted to be listed as UNHEALTHY (AQI = 151 or higher) throughout the camp day according to Purple Air and AirNow, the camp day will be canceled and families refunded the cost of the day. Our program reserves the right to make decisions in real-time as conditions change.

Extreme Heat Policy
If temperatures exceed 90 degrees, activities are modified and participants are offered extra water and electrolyte-replacement drinks. If temperatures are predicted to hit or exceed 100 degrees during the hours of scheduled programming, programs are canceled. Refunds are given if participants miss a full day of programming. Our program reserves the right to make decisions in real-time as conditions change.

Lightning Policy
Thunder and lightning are rare during the summer months. In the event of a lightning storm, groups are asked to walk or run to a covered structure if it is safe to do so. If the storm is overhead and travel to a covered structure is unsafe, staff space participants out underneath the canopy of a medium-sized tree, having them squat down with only their feet touching the ground. As soon as they are able, the group continues toward the covered structure for cover until the storm passes.  

Lost and Found

My child has lost an item at Nature Day Camp, who do I contact?

All items that are left at Nature Day Camp will eventually make their way back to our office. If you have lost an item, we want to help get it back to you! You are welcome to talk to staff directly at camp, or call/text the Site Lead to see if they are able to locate it. Please follow these steps:

• Email NDCAdmin@portlandoregon.gov with these details:

  • In the subject line, please title it "Lost and Found" and include the child(ren)'s name.

    Example: "Lost and Found - Rose Ramirez"

  • In the body of the email, please include as many details as you can about the item that you lost and when the child lost it. The more details, the better! If you happen to have a photo you are welcome to include it. 

    Example: Red sweater, size child's small, has a cat on the right sleeve. Lost the week of July 8 - 12, at Sellwood Park. Name is written into the tag. 

Please allow us 2-4 weeks to process your request. We will do our best to get it back to you ASAP! Please note that sometimes items do not show up until after summer ends - they might end up buried in our storage closet, tossed into a staff car at the end of a long day, or the magical camp trolls get ahold of it hide it from us all summer. If we are able to locate your item, we will schedule a time for you to stop by our office at Rice School.

Doing your taxes and need our Tax ID for childcare deductions? Here it is for your reference: TAX ID 93-6002236

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