The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden will hold a new five-week camp program this summer with four age-appropriate programs designed to build children’s understanding and appreciation of the natural world and local native landscapes.

The week-long camp sessions are held July 11 through Aug. 12 for kids ages 5-10 at sites throughout the 78-acre garden, including the new four-acre section called Backcountry that opens in mid-June.

“Summer camps are a great place for kids to create, get dirty, explore, use their senses, ask questions, and seek answers,” said Steve Windhager, Botanic Garden executive director. “Now with Backcountry opening in June, we have yet way to engage with this new generation of nature-lovers.”

Camp hours are 9 a.m.-3 p.m. with an extended day available from 3-5 p.m. Cost is $295 per week session, and $100 for the extended day. For information or to register online, visit www.sbbg.org/learn-discover/summer-camp-garden.

Camp at the Garden programs include:

Acorn Adventurers (ages 5-6); weeks of July 11, 25 and Aug. 8. Activities include outdoor play, arts and crafts, wildlife viewing, and exploration.  

A Sense of Nature (ages 7-8); weeks of July 11, 25 and Aug. 8. Campers discover how powerful senses can be in exploring and understanding the natural world.   

Create in Nature (ages 7-8); weeks of July 18 and Aug. 1. Campers experience native landscapes and plants, and get creative by making art, writing poetry, and performing skits.

Jr. Naturalist (ages 9-10); weeks of July 18 and Aug. 1. Campers experience what it means to be a naturalist by learning real-life skills, such as how to use observational tools, identify common plants and animals, and perform conservation actions used by the garden’s scientists. 

The Backcountry space will be an immersive garden where young people can climb, run, explore, play, and connect with nature. Situated west of Mission Creek, it features areas designed to inspire unstructured, self-directed nature experiences, especially for kids ages 5-13 years old.

For more, visit www.sbbg.org/the-backcountry.