Challenge Camp is celebrating its 39th year of offering summer enrichment learning opportunities for gifted and talented children. Challenge is an ACA accredited day camp for children aged 4-15 located on a picturesque campus in Hartsdale, New York. The Challenge Camp advantage is that parents and campers customize a program of selections based on their child’s interests and the students follow their course selections for an entire session.

Children entering PreK4 or K will visit Heckscher Farm, explore our forest, and meet our live animals. Each weekly theme will be chock full of age-appropriate, hands-on adventures both inside and out. Children will also create art projects. Each class is taught by an early childhood professional with previous teaching experience at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center. Our indoor and outdoor classroom areas are set up with play opportunities unique to each themed session.

Engage your camper in the hands-on exploration of art and nature. In each session campers will discover the diverse resources of the SM&NC’s unique facility with visits to the planetarium, Heckscher Farm, Museum galleries, or nature trails, guided by one of our experienced environmental educators. To enhance the camper’s experience, they will explore a variety of art-making processes with our art educator at Heckscher Barn classroom. STAY FOR LUNCH! For an additional fee, children can bring a lunch and drink and extend their time with us from 12:30 to 1:30 pm.

Immerse your camper in the daily chores and activities of our Heckscher Farm. Campers will be responsible for helping with daily chores such as grooming, exercising, feeding, and cleaning farm animals, and will also help with weekly produce harvest and planting in our organic garden. Learn how to properly exercise and provide enrichment for animals, explore our hay lofts and barns, and hang out in the pastures! Kids will also participate in hands-on cooking and farm crafts, and will work as a team to create a special tasty treat that they will share on Fridays for lunch.

The SM&NC JEE program is an opportunity for students ages 15-17 who have an interest in education and the environment. Positions are available during our five weeks of summer camp: July 8-12, July 15-20, July 23-27, July 29-Aug 2, Aug 5-9. JEE staff will assist educators in many aspects on the camp program, including preparation, group management, morning welcome/check-in, afternoon pick-up, and activity coordination. JEE staff will receive hands-on training in developing age-appropriate, innovative environmental education curriculum, in Connecticut natural history and in managing a multi-age, co-ed group. Volunteers are required to attend an orientation session for an overview of responsibilities and camp curriculum.

Junior WILD! Keepers was established in 2015, with the opening of our Heckscher WILD! exotic animal exhibit. Similar to the Junior Curator program, WILD! Keepers gives participants ages 10-13 hands-on experience in the care, feeding, and enrichment of our exotic teaching animals, from chinchillas to lizards. Upon completion of this class, participants are eligible to volunteer with the animals in the Heckscher WILD! exhibit.