Youth Programs

 

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Wilderness Adventures take place in the great outdoors and range from day trips to week long expeditions. Serving ages 8-18, we’ll plan a visit to a scenic park to hike or camp. Your group will make memories to last a lifetime!

 

Learn more about Wilderness Adventures

Natural Wonders Day Camp (NWDC) is the best field trip for your summer day camp group! Available for ages 6-14, this is a phenomenal introduction to canoeing, fishing, hiking with fun games and activities throughout.

 

Learn more about Natural Wonders Day Camp

Trailblazers programs are designed to help youth look beyond their disability and see that they can do anything they put their mind to; to try new things like camping or outdoor cooking and succeed with their friends!

 

Learn more about Youth with Differing Abilities Programs

Youth Leader Adventures: Designed for individual middle & high school youth who choose to further develop their leadership, decision-making and professional skills. They’ll participate in exciting trips each with an opportunity to grow, and have the chance to serve on other youth programs!

 

Learn more about the Youth Leader Adventure Program

Service Projects & Spiritual Missions: How about combining a love for adventure with giving back to those in need, or environmental service projects? We have experience planning and facilitating rich, life-changing service and missions trips for older youth and could help you, too!

 

Learn more about Service Projects & Spiritual Missions

Wilderness Adventures

Camptown’s Wilderness Adventures take place in the great outdoors, ranging from a day trip to state parks to a week in the backcountry in some of our country’s treasured National Parks. Most Wilderness Adventures begin with pre-trip training class(es) ranging in length from 1/2 hour to two hours. Camptown staff will come to your location and facilitate after-school or evening training classes. Topics include wilderness survival, backcountry skills, equipment, environmental stewardship, team building and leadership skills. Our experienced wilderness guides make class time interactive and fun! After training, your group will spend time in the great outdoors! Email us at programs@camptown.org for a menu of our most popular offerings. All of Camptown’s programs are customizable. Upon request, Camptown staff will develop a program unique to your group’s specific needs and desired outcomes.

Wilderness Adventure Options

Day Hike

We will depart in the morning and set out for a day of exploration and exercise at a local state park. While on our hike we may break into teams and have a scavenger hunt or just explore local natural features, such as a cave, a river, or a canyon. We may even visit the nature center and get up close and personal with some snakes! Participants will learn to identify different trees, plants, and animals, native to Indiana. Students should dress for the weather, bring a day pack with water bottle, sack lunch and shoes they can get wet. Transportation is included.

Overnight Camping

Similar to the day hike, we will set out for a local state park. This two-day/one-night trip (or longer, if you’d like) will include hiking and scavenger hunt. Students will also learn nutrition and menu planning and prepare their own meals. The group will camp out overnight in tents and cook over an open fire. Talk about adventure! When darkness falls, an optional night hike will allow the group to learn how the animals of the night are equipped to survive. All equipment, transportation and food are provided. For those looking for a weekend retreat, or stronger group unity, this is program is a great fit.

Canoe Adventures

Paddling our beautiful waterways is a popular warm weather activity. Our canoe leaders will teach the basic skills of canoeing and water safety. We can then paddle down the river taking note of the ecosystems in our very own backyard. We can use different river options and add overnight camping as well. Students will learn the value of communication and working together as they make their way down the river. We like to use gentle stretches of river that requires paddling and teamwork. All equipment is included. Students should dress for the weather; bring a sack lunch, water and shoes that they can get wet. Equipment is provided. The group should meet us at the launch site for this trip. Transportation can be arranged if necessary.

High adventure

This five-day/four-night adventure is for those seeking adventure and an introduction to backpacking or a wilderness experience. We will use Camptown passenger vans to head to Tennessee, the Appalachian Trail in Virginia, or other wilderness destinations.  Students will be immersed in their outdoor experience on day one and have the chance to put their pre-trip training skills into service. Each student will have the opportunity to lead, practice giving feedback, demonstrate trust, and work as a team. All equipment, food, and transportation are included along with an experienced staff guide. Many groups choose to add a whitewater rafting adventure to cap off their time in the wilderness!

Wilderness Expeditions

This seven to ten day program is for groups who are looking for an intense challenge and are able to hit the ground hiking. This might include a 30-40 mile backpacking and camping trip in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan or along the Appalachian Trial in Virginia or a 50-mile canoe trip in the Minnesota boundary waters. As a group, the students will plan all phases of their adventure. Each student will have the opportunity to lead during the trip. All equipment and transportation is included. Equipment, food, and transportation are included along with an experienced staff guide.

HopeTrails

This program is designed for youth who may have already begun down the wrong path or are about to embark in the wrong direction. Participants can include youth 12 to 15 years of age who are first time offenders, status offenders, or Children in Need of Services (CHINS). The program is similar to the High Adventures above, with a mentoring emphasis. Groups are limited to six youth and can include two to four adult mentors. In addition to the pre-trip training above, additional teaching components are included. All equipment, food, and transportation are included along with an experienced staff guide.

Youth With Differing Abilities

Our programs for youth with differing abilities are designed to help youth look beyond their disability and see that they can do anything they put their mind to; to try things that they do not think they can accomplish and succeed. Activities are planned with each group’s abilities in mind so that everyone will succeed.

Offerings for Youth with Differing Abilities:

outdoor day camp

We will come to your location or meet you at a state park and conduct outdoor day activities. Our popular day camps are great options that can be modified to most physical ability levels and provide accessible hiking, canoeing, fishing, and games. Other optional activities can include: Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics, team building, map & compass, fishing and other nature related crafts.

Trailblazers

Students will blaze new trails by trying new things, culminating in an overnight camping trip! We begin with team building activities held at your location or at a local park. Then, pre-trip training classes have activities that developmentally appropriate and interactive. Highlights include menu planning and introduction to camping. The group will campout overnight in tents and cook over an open fire. When darkness falls, we will take a night hike and learn how the animals of the night are equipped to survive!

Natural Wonders Day Camp

The best field trip for your Summer Day Camp group! Launched in 2008, this program has allowed thousands of kids from the Indianapolis area to have an introductory nature experience. Held at nearby parks, our Natural Wonders Day Camp accommodate groups of 30 to 100 children ages 5-14 and consist of a variety of outdoor activity stations, allowing the students to explore outdoor recreation in a safe environment. Activities include: fishing, nature hike, games, and canoeing. Contact us at programs@camptown.org to learn more!

Youth Leader Adventures

Camptown’s Youth Leader Adventures program is designed for youth who choose to further develop their leadership, decision making and professional skills. This program will expose youth to recreational activities, professional development opportunities, and leadership experiences.  These young leaders will receive specific training in areas such as First Aid/CPR, Leave no Trace Outdoor Ethics, Leadership, and backcountry camping skills. 

About Youth Leaders

Developing leaders through the outdoors is something Camptown does best! Our signature Youth Leaders program is a series of outdoor adventures with progressive intensity open to youth 5th through 12th grades. Each adventure has skill development integrated into fun activities. Youth Leaders take one or more trips a month to various local and regional locations that are fully accessible to adventurers of most skill levels.

Older and more experienced Youth Leaders may be invited to join Camptown’s Youth Leadership Council. This small group will work with Camptown staff to plan activities for the larger group. The Youth Leader Council members will be invited to join in various volunteer opportunities throughout the year and will have the chance to experience in-depth training such as CPR/First Aid, Leave No Trace ethics training, and more.

Contact us at 317-471-8277 or programs@camptown.org for more information on the Youth Leader program.

Service Projects & Missions

We can customize a service project to your group.  Whether you are interested in an environmental project removing invasive plant species, trail maintenance, or are looking to help people within the community by sorting clothing or providing services to people in need, we can provide all of the planning, equipment and transportation. We take care of the logistics to enable your youth to better serve their communities.

Environmental Service Projects

Ever removed invasive species? Believe it or not, this task is huge boost to our local natural resource managers, and a great learning experience! Let us take your group to one of our partner agencies for a meaningful environmental service project. This can be paired with Earth Day festivities, or academic standards including training sessions with Camptown facilitators. Other options include river clean-ups, trail maintenance, or other specific projects.

adventure missions

service in natchez, mississippi

Natchez is one of the areas that the hurricane evacuees from New Orleans and surrounding communities fled to during the Katrina and Rita hurricanes.  In this service-focused mission trip, we will live in the same shelter as the evacuees, sleep on the same Red Cross cots and prepare our own meals. While in Natchez, we will serve the community by working in the area’s children’s home, soup kitchen, food bank, and help local residents in their homes.

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