(by Claire Adams)

This winter we had the amazing opportunity to have campers join us at the McLane and Massabesic centers over February vacation. Even though the weather was unseasonably warm, we took advantage of the sunshine, and even the rain, and spent as much time outdoors as possible. Throughout the week, we focused on how New Hampshire’s wildlife adapts to the challenges of winter, including mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Even without experiencing the cold and snow ourselves that week, there were still lots of games to play, stories to tell, and crafts to make that helped us better understand those wonderful winter adaptations.

The following are some daily highlights from the week: On Monday, we spent the day learning about birds and spent the warm, sunny afternoon going on a birding hike complete with binoculars and trail games. Tuesday, we focused on mammals and the different ways they adapt to the winter cold: hibernation, torpor, and staying active. That afternoon, we put on our nature detective caps and headed outside to discover the many fascinating animal signs around our trails, or the tracks and traces animals leave behind that tell us their stories. Although Wednesday brought some rain, we still spent as much time outside as we could but took advantage of the weather to meet all our reptile and amphibian ambassadors in our animal rooms. Thursday was all about nocturnal wildlife, and we played games that had us acting like echolocating bats and hunting owls. And on Friday, we used our senses to explore the world of animal camouflage by creating our own camouflaged animal crafts that we tried to hide from each other in the outdoors.

Overall, Winter Wonders Camp, although not very wintery, was filled with outdoor exploration and adventures while making new friends and having tons of fun. The NH Audubon Education Team is looking forward to even more vacation camp fun in April!

Registration for 2024 New Hampshire Audubon April Vacation Camp is open. This year, we are hosting our Signs of Spring camp at the Massabesic Center in Auburn and the McLane Center in Concord. Want to learn more about our camp philosophy, program, schedule, and staff? Join Camp Administrator, Claire Adams, for an Open House on April 11 from 5-7pm at the McLane Center to learn more about the upcoming camp season. RSVP here.