About
The Nature Place Day Camp offers nature exploration, hiking, camping skills, cooperative games, and an unplugged, media-free experience in a socially nourishing, non-competitive environment. Campers take part in activities such as high ropes, organic gardening, cooking, woodworking, the arts, swimming in a pool that looks like a pond, archery, West African dance, African dance and drumming, and mucking in the stream. The camp also offers guided family day hikes, an overnight family camping experience, overnight camping in a tent, and an Earth Day Hike at Harriman State Park to Claudius Smith’s Den Loop.
• Ages: 4–16 years old
• Schedule: Campers join for 4, 5, or 6 weeks.
• Price: Guided Family Day Hikes are $30 per family, per hike.
The Nature Place Day Camp is a nature-oriented, outdoor, non-competitive, all-gender, family-run summer day camp that has been operating since 1985. The program’s mission is to provide an inclusive and representative space where campers can find their place in nature, embrace their unique selves, grow relationships and new life skills, build resilience, and be inspired throughout. Nature is the center of the program rather than a separate nature center, and numbers are intentionally kept small so everyone recognizes each other and no one gets lost in the shuffle. The camp runs as an unplugged camp environment with an intentionally slow, unhurried schedule, and no awards are given at camp.
Jason Samuel is the Director and Owner of The Nature Place Day Camp. Many staff members are previous Nature Place campers; some are teachers; some are in college; and a few are graduating from high school. Staff complete a full week of training with workshops and discussions on conflict resolution, bullying, anti-racism, safety (physical and emotional), sustainability, ensuring a positive environment for LGBTQ+ campers and staff, and verbal environment expectations. All-gender groupings are used, and campers are not assigned to groups based on their gender.
The Nature Place Day Camp works closely with the Rockland Pride Center and has a partnership with the Rockland Pride Center to evolve awareness around gender, inclusion, and camp culture. For guided family day hikes, participants receive detailed instructions via email roughly 48 hours before the hike, including what to pack and where to meet up.
Last updated April 17, 2026.
• Ages: 4–16 years old
• Schedule: Campers join for 4, 5, or 6 weeks.
• Price: Guided Family Day Hikes are $30 per family, per hike.
The Nature Place Day Camp is a nature-oriented, outdoor, non-competitive, all-gender, family-run summer day camp that has been operating since 1985. The program’s mission is to provide an inclusive and representative space where campers can find their place in nature, embrace their unique selves, grow relationships and new life skills, build resilience, and be inspired throughout. Nature is the center of the program rather than a separate nature center, and numbers are intentionally kept small so everyone recognizes each other and no one gets lost in the shuffle. The camp runs as an unplugged camp environment with an intentionally slow, unhurried schedule, and no awards are given at camp.
Jason Samuel is the Director and Owner of The Nature Place Day Camp. Many staff members are previous Nature Place campers; some are teachers; some are in college; and a few are graduating from high school. Staff complete a full week of training with workshops and discussions on conflict resolution, bullying, anti-racism, safety (physical and emotional), sustainability, ensuring a positive environment for LGBTQ+ campers and staff, and verbal environment expectations. All-gender groupings are used, and campers are not assigned to groups based on their gender.
The Nature Place Day Camp works closely with the Rockland Pride Center and has a partnership with the Rockland Pride Center to evolve awareness around gender, inclusion, and camp culture. For guided family day hikes, participants receive detailed instructions via email roughly 48 hours before the hike, including what to pack and where to meet up.
Last updated April 17, 2026.
Is this your business? There is no cost, but you will be asked to sign up or log in.