Summer Ecology Adventure Camp
Explore, Discover, and Create at River Bend Farm
Enroll your child in a summer camp they'll talk about all year. Our Summer Ecology programs immerse rising 5th to 9th graders in 6 days of exploration across Maine's diverse ecosystems. Led by our team of experienced Ecology Educators, campers get hands-on experience with forests, fields and rivers on our spacious 313-acre farm. Each day is packed with activities like canoeing, forest hiking, and art projects, and ends with a campfire gathering (and of course, stargazing!). This isn’t just a camp; it’s a week of adventure that helps campers build confidence, friendships, and a deeper connection to nature.
Week 1:
Outdoor Explore!
June 29-July 4
Adventure awaits at River Bend Farm! Our Outdoor Explore Week includes nature exploration like forest hiking and canoeing on the Saco River, plus classic camp experiences like group games, arts and crafts, and campfire s’mores. Our talented staff offers campers a choice of activities such as survival and navigation skills, team building, and campfire cooking.
Week 2:
Farm to Table
August 3 - August 8
Discover where food comes from at River Bend Farm! Campers connect with nature through planting, tending and harvesting from our produce and flower gardens. They'll cook over campfires, explore food journeys from the farm to table, and enjoy a make-your-own pizza night. At the end of the week, campers will take home seeds to continue to grow their skills. Campers will also enjoy classic camp activities like canoeing, arts and crafts, forest exploration, and evening campfire gatherings.
Week 3:
Cultivating Climate Leaders
August 10-15
This program is perfect for campers passionate about the environment. At our sustainable River Bend Farm campus, young aspiring leaders will learn more about their surrounding natural ecosystems while forming meaningful friendships. In addition to classic camp activities like canoeing and arts and crafts, programming includes meeting Maine’s climate movement leaders and learning about environmental stewardship in our energy-efficient facilities.
Camp Inter-Session:
Campers have the opportunity to stay through the weekend after our Farm to Table week and go right into our Cultivating Climate Leaders week. That is two full weeks at magical River Bend Farm!
This weekend is only available for campers enrolled in a week(s) of camp.
August 8-10 (Friday – Sunday):
$200
This short session will include relaxation, picnics, and even a movie night complete with popcorn.
Our Commitment to Affordable Summer Camps for Kids:
Over the past 26 years, The Ecology School has provided over $3,000,000 in scholarships and discounts to support youth across the Northeast and beyond. With our new state-of-the-art Living & Learning Green Campus at the magical 313-acre River Bend Farm, we are taking this commitment to the next level.
This Summer Camp Season of 2025 we will be offering our 6 day/5 night summer camp programs for just $550 per child (significantly below our true cost of $1,100) to help make camp as accessible for as many kids as possible! For access use code SEA!
Questions about Summer Camp? Contact Alex Grindle, Director of Learning Experiences at alex@theecologyschool.org.
Get a sneak peek of our summer camp!
Where Do Campers Stay?
Campers will stay the night in our state-of-the-art dormitory at River Bend Farm.
Each room has four twin-sized beds (two bunk beds) and campers will be in rooms of 2-4. Each floor has two counselors and a total of five camper rooms. Bathrooms are singles, each including a shower, sink, and toilet.
Campers will have an opportunity to request roommates upon registration, which we will do our best to honor but cannot guarantee. Campers will be roomed by similar age/grade.
Gender Inclusive Housing
As part of the registration process, caregivers/campers will have an opportunity to request same-gender, gender-inclusive, or no preference in housing. Floors in the dormitory will be dedicated to ensure that campers are housed as requested. At The Ecology School, we strive to create a safe living and learning environment for all our participants - inclusive of race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, and gender identity and expression. Providing gender-inclusive housing is an important aspect of that effort.
Where Do Campers Eat?
Food is energy. Food is community. Food is ecology.
Meal time at The Ecology School is a time for campers to eat delicious and nutritious, kid-friendly foods, re-energize, and connect. Learning focused on food systems and social-emotional skill building are intentionally integrated into meal time. Campers are active participants in meals, helping to clean up or volunteering to read a short description of the meal’s sponsor. (Sponsors are aspects of the food system that are critical to bringing food to our plates, like transportation and farmers!). Meals in our Poland Spring Dining Commons® are a time to connect food, humans, and the environment.
** Our productive farm fields provide our kitchen with fresh vegetables when seasonally available and we do our best to source our food as locally as possible, in fact, some of our meals will have been picked by our campers and staff earlier in the week! Fruit is always available to campers during mealtime and as a snack between meals. The menu is varied and The Ecology School works with parents to address the needs of campers with food allergies or sensitivities. Counselors sit with campers during the meal and help ensure everyone is satisfied and nourished.
Screen-Free & Outside All Day!
A focus of The Ecology School in general, and the Summer Ecology Adventure specifically, is the opportunity to connect with each other and the world around us, as well as build independence. Campers are not permitted to bring cell phones and other connected devices to camp, as they work directly against that goal.
We recognize this can be a new thing for both campers and parents. Parents are always welcome to call The Ecology School and we are happy to let you know how your child is doing. Rest assured that if we need to be in touch with you about something, will certainly reach out. Also, there are few things at camp more exciting than mail call each day - taking the time to exchange good old fashioned snail mail letters can be a really special way to connect!
The Ecology School’s no device policy isn’t about secluding or cutting off contact, but rather about helping campers to be in the moment, connect with one another on a deeper level, and giving them a break from the day-to-day burden of keeping up on social media. We often hear from students and campers that despite their skepticism about being without their phone, the opportunity to connect directly with peers without the distraction of devices was a favorite aspect of their camp experience.
Questions? Check out the list of Summer Ecology ADVENTURE FAQs here.
Payment & Cancellation:
$225 deposit due upon registration to reserve space
Payment in full is due one month before the program start date
Cancellation before May 15th (all programs) - Full refund minus a $75 registration fee
Cancellation after June 1 (July programs) and July 1 (August programs) – If paid in full, 70% of tuition will be refunded ($385), if not paid in full, anything above $165 will be refunded.
Cancellation within a week of the program date – credit applied to the next program, no refund.