Make plans for Vacation Days at Audubon!
Spend your vacation week with us, outside at Audubon! Our vacation camps invite children to explore the world around them, and connect with the plants and animals that call the Green Mountains home. There are moments of magic every day at camp, whether around the bonfire, on a hike to Lookout Rock, or at the pond.
Our vacation camps mirror our summer day camps in many ways, making them a great opportunity to try Audubon for a day or two. Themes are seasonal and focused on what is happening in the natural world right now. We explore the entire Green Mountain Audubon Center from top to bottom with hands-on activities guided by our team of naturalist educators, AmeriCorps Members and interns. We maintain a ratio of one teacher to eight students. We maximize the amount of time we spend outdoors, so weather appropriate gear is required. We always monitor children for safety and comfort, and might spend time inside some days depending on weather or other environmental conditions.
Our vacation camps are full days, and we ask that families commit to their children joining us for the whole day from 8:30am-3:30pm. We take breaks in the morning and afternoon for snacks and we take a lunch break around noon (food is family provided).
Please read the information below and give us a call if you have any further questions!
Accessibility and Participant Safety:
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Payment plans and scholarships are available.
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We have a limited amount of outdoor clothing on hand. If you do not have a required gear item, please give us a call so we can get your kids' size and see what we have available before the program so we can be discreet.
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We ask that all who come to Audubon Vermont contribute to a safe and welcoming environment for everyone else. We respect the individuality of each member of our community, and we are committed to a camp experience for kids and their adults that is free of any kind of discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, national or ethnic origin, politics, or veteran status. In addition to teaching about nature, we teach kindness and respect. We expect all who come to our camps-- staff, volunteers, campers, and caregivers-- to help us build and maintain this safe and welcoming space for all.
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We ask that families provide a complete health form for their student that includes behavioral information as well as physical. We use this information to prepare for our programs, so campers and staff have a safe experience. Information disclosed about your child will be held in confidence and only shared with teachers if they need to know it.
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We spend time off trail, on uneven, muddy, snow, and wet terrain. We move at the pace of the group and are prepared for students who want to go fast and those who move slower. Our trails have sections of stairs, boardwalk, and short but steep hills. We might hike 2-3 miles over the course of a full day. Off trail, students might encounter logs to climb over or under, but this is usually a challenge by choice. If these physical properties sound like they might pose a challenge for your child, or your camper has a disability, please call our office to speak with our Education Manager about accommodations.
Before things get quiet for winter, let’s take this chance to view the Center through the eyes of the animals who live here and shape the landscape. And we’re not talking turkey!
Timing: 8:30am-3:30pm.
Grades K-5th (approx ages 5-11). At this time, we are only making exceptions to ages for students currently enrolled in a program with us (ex: UnSchool, Afterschool, Forest Classroom)
$65 per day. Audubon Members save 5% with discount code "vacayay"
Monday, November 25: Hootin' | Explore how our feathered friends get ready for winter! From finding their nests to dissecting owl pellets, and so much more, we will dive into their spaces and places. |
Tuesday, November 26: Howlin' |
Winter is coming and the weather is getting colder. Mammals are busy preparing for winter, eating lots of food, hiding seeds, and building out their dens. Come along as we don our fluffy tails and test out some of their amazing adaptations. |
February Vacation Camp 2025
Timing: 8:30am-3:30pm.
Grades K-5th (approx ages 5-11). At this time, we are only making exceptions to ages for students currently enrolled in a program with us (ex: Unschool, Afterschool, Forest Classroom)
$65 per day. Audubon Members save 5% with discount code "vacayay"
Monday, Feb 24: Tracks and Trails | Many animals are active in the winter even if we don’t see them. Today we will become detectives and learn who has been tiptoeing and tromping through the fields and forest. We will look for tracks, scat, and other sign as we move like animals do and make tracks of our own. |
Tuesday, Feb 25: Bird-Friendly Maple Magic | Kick off our sweetest season with a fun-filled, active day that is all about making maple syrup! We'll tap trees, collect the sap, and see first-hand how an evaporator works. Audubon's sugarbush offers wonderful places for birds to forage, hide, and raise young. We'll discover why it's great to practice Bird-friendly Maple Sugaring. |
Wednesday, Feb 26: Adapt and Thrive | Join us for an exciting winter adventure as we explore how animals have adapted to not only survive, but thrive, in chilly northern landscapes! Kids will discover the incredible strategies that help animals stay warm and find food through games and hands-on activities. |
Thursday, Feb 27: Forts and Fires | Do you know how to stay warm in the wilderness using only the resources around you? During “Forts and Fires” we will learn how to build shelters out of natural materials and supplies on hand, as well as how to start fires and use them to meet our needs. Activities will be both informative and fun! |
Friday, Feb 28: From Snowflakes to Snowdrops | We are grateful for the return of the sun! Searching for signs of spring, even as the snow persists, is our challenge for the day. Learn why seasons change and how plants and animals respond. Like scientists, we will collect observations in our own Signs of Spring phenology notebooks. |
April Vacation Camp 2025
Spring is coming! Celebrate the arrival of spring like a naturalist. Participants will explore themes of renewal, growth, and nature’s awakening through art, inquiry, and play.
Timing: 8:30am-3:30pm.
Grades K-5th (approx ages 5-11) or grades 4th-6th (approx ages 9-12) At this time we are only making exceptions to ages for students currently enrolled in a program with us (ex: Unschool, Afterschool, Forest Classroom)
$65 per day. Audubon Members save 5% with discount code "vacayay"
Monday, April 21: Nature in Motion | Grades K-5th. Can you fly like a bird and build a boat to float down a rushing river? It’s April and the world is stirring back to life after a long winter. It is a time of change for everything in nature from birds to bugs to brooks. Today we will explore the movement of the world around us while moving with it. |
Tuesday, April 22: Vernal Pool Party |
Grades K-5th. Join the party! As we jump into the start of spring weather in Vermont, so do our amphibious friends! While they begin to crawl out of hibernation, we’ll spend the day learning all about some of the newtest – sorry, neatest – animals in the pond! |
Wednesday, April 23: Insectageddon | Grades K-5th. Join us and become a junior entomologist as we find and identify as many creepy crawlers as we can. We will spend the day exploring the trails of Audubon, flipping over logs and shaking tree branches. Making a list of all the insect friends we find will help us in our quest to catch 'em all! |
Thursday, April 24: Wilderness Survival Skills | NEW! Grades 4th-6th (ages 9-12). Shelter, water, fire, and food are the four priorities of a wilderness survival situation. In this program, you will learn the necessary skills to meet all your needs using natural materials and other resources on hand. |
Friday, April 25: Flowers, Ferns, and Fairies | Grades K-5th. It’s probably not magic that makes the plants return each spring, but it sure feels like it. We will celebrate the return of flowers and their fairy companions. Feel free to dress like your favorite magical being, just don't wear your formal wizard robes! We will be in the mud and woods- it's Audubon camp after all! |
Cancellation Policy
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Cancellations made more than 14 days before of the first day of the program will receive a refund for everything except the $20 administration fee.
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Cancellations 7 to 14 days before the first day of the program will receive half of their tuition.
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Cancellations made less than one week before the first day of the program will not receive a refund
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We spend a large portion of each day learning and playing outdoors. To ensure that your child is comfortable and prepared, please make sure that they wear and/or bring the following, depending on the forecast:
* Rain/Snow boots
* Rain/Snow pants
* Rain/Winter jacket
* Extra pair of dry socks and gloves
* Warm hat and gloves
* Extra layers
* Change of dry clothes
* Lunch, snacks, and a water bottle (please use reusable containers to minimize garbage. We are a carry in carry out facility)
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Vacation Camp Welcome Letter (see "downloadable resources" near the bottom of this page, above How you can help...")
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Meeting Place and Directions
Each morning, we will meet in the Education Barn at 255 Sherman Hollow Road at 8:30 am. Pick up is at 3:30 pm.
For Google maps and directions, please click on the links below:
From I-89, Exit 11
From Bristol and points south
From Charlotte and points west
Questions?
Education Program Coordinator
Debbie Archer
(802) 434-3068
How you can help, right now
Donate to Audubon
Help secure a future for birds at risk from climate change, habitat loss and other threats. Your support will power our science, education, advocacy and on-the-ground conservation efforts.
Visit Audubon
It's always a good time to visit the Audubon Center. Trails are open to the public year-round. Visit us daily from dawn until dusk! Donations are appreciated.
Events
Adults, preschoolers, foresters, photographers, sugarmakers and families will all find opportunities to connect with nature.