Summer Camp is Back!! SWEP’s Junior Explorers Summer Camp Was Back This Year

It’s been a few years since SWEP (Sierra Watershed Education Partnerships) held a summer camp, so it was high time we got back out there to enjoy and learn about all the wonders that summertime in Tahoe has to offer. This year, we were thrilled to relaunch our Junior Explorers Summer Camp, based out of the cozy and scenic yurt at Tahoe Cross Country. It was the perfect venue to combine exploration, science, art, and play—right in line with SWEP’s mission of “connecting kids [students] to their local community and environment.”

What we did: Art and team building in the morning

The goal of each day was simple: provide a fun, encouraging space for campers to explore the natural world around them. Each morning began with an art or natural history activity to introduce the day's theme, from decorating personalized nature journals or coloring in the parts of a flower’s anatomy, to matching tracks and scat (fake) to local wildlife.  Following the morning activity, we played fun team-building games or made each other laugh on the “joke stump”. Campers then dove into our daily art projects, where they used their creativity to design unique flowers and create animals with cool features and adaptations.  They even made and painted binoculars and birds created from up-cycled toilet paper rolls. 

Exploring nature throughout the day

The bulk of the rest of the day was spent in nature on our daily hikes, where we explored various themes, including food webs and ecosystems, wildlife and insects, trees and plants, and the importance of water.  These topics weren’t just taught—they were experienced. We caught and investigated bugs up close, learned to identify various plants and trees, tuned into the sights and sounds of birds and other animals, and learned about how all these things work together to make a healthy ecosystem. Along the way, we had some pretty epic lunch spots, we ate by sparkling creeks, peaceful lakes, or perched on boulders. 

Cooling off and reflecting in the afternoon

Campers spent the rest of the day building fairy houses in the woods, journaling under tall pines, or splashing in water games to cool off.  The combination of learning, art, and outdoor adventure helped spark curiosity, build confidence, and inspire a deeper connection with nature in each of the campers. Tahoe provided the perfect outdoor classroom!  

A bonus surprise was our guest face painter, who transformed the campers into wild animals!

Beach day!!

We culminated the week with a walk to the beach at Skylandia Park. An unexpected highlight of the day was picking up trash along our walk.  The campers were so into it!  They gathered a ton of trash, doing their part to protect the watershed. We spent the final afternoon of camp at the beach, playing in the sand, splashing in the clear water, and painting with watercolors - all set against the stunning backdrop of Lake Tahoe. You can't have a camp in Tahoe without spending some time enjoying Big Blue!

Why are experiences like Junior Explorers Camp important?

At SWEP we believe that getting kids out in nature isn’t just fun, it’s essential. It helps them build a deeper connection with their environment and see how all the parts of a forest ecosystem work together. When a child sees a butterfly land on a flower they just learned about, or hears a bird they can now identify, it builds real understanding and respect for the natural world. These are the types of experiences that foster lifelong stewards of the environment and engaged members of their community.

This year's Junior Explorers Summer Camp was a true joy!  We’re so proud of the campers who joined us this year, they made genuine connections with nature and each other.  Each camper’s unique personality and interests were key ingredients to a wonderful week exploring Tahoe.     SWEP is so thankful for the chance to reignite our summer programming. We can’t wait to continue offering opportunities like this in the future—where learning and adventure go hand in hand.