4th grade camps

For campers entering 4th grade in fall 2026

Outdoor Explorers

Full day: 9am–4pm

Offered week 1-4, 6, 7

Enjoy the great outdoors as you learn about Iowa’s flora and fauna, explore all the creek has to offer, and observe nature! Nature plays an important role in where we live, how we live, and what we eat. You’ll tend a vegetable and flower garden and enjoy the fruits of your labor. You’ll also examine the connection between history and nature by studying Native American life and early settlers.

Special note for week 4
Leading up to July 4th, all camps will include special activities relating to the celebration of America’s 250th birthday.

PURCHASE

	Theme	Activity Highlights
Monday	Plants	Plant seeds, dissect a seed, make mint tea
Tuesday	Leisure	Bake solar oven cookies, go fishing, Creek Walk
Wednesday	Animals	Visit 1900 Farm, build birdhouse and bird watch, learn about ecosystems and camouflage
Thursday	Town	Victorian scavenger hunt, visit General Store and Drug Store, shop at Museum Store
Friday	Native Americans	Visit 1700Farm, stick weaving, make nature art, cook fry bread

List represents activities campers will do during the week. Use this to prepare your camper and have follow-up discussions. Activities subject to change. On creek day your camper will get wet and muddy. Bring a towel or plastic bag for the car.

America250 (4-5th grades)

Full day: 9am–4pm

Offered week 1-10

It’s America’s 250th birthday as a country! Campers will explore 250 years of the “America Experience” and what that means. They will learn about major birthday moments and history from its founding to now. Discover how America has grown and changed over time and learn about the people that made America home. At the end of the week, families are invited to see what their campers have learned as they share their thoughts and predictions for America’s future at the Birthday Party for America.

The Birthday Party for America takes place Friday at 3:15pm at the Learning Center off Hickman.

PURCHASE

	Theme	Activity Highlights
Monday	Inventions and Innovation	Visit Revolutionary Era exhibit, Schoolhouse, and General Store; learn about milestone birthday, visit Spark! Lab
Tuesday	Doing History	Behind the scenes tour of collections, visit Print Shop, play elections game, shop at Museum Store
Wednesday	Power of Place	Visit 1700, 1850, and 1900 Farms, farm building craft and land surveying, explore nature and water’s role in shaping America, Creek Walk
Thursday	We the People	Visit Flynn and Tangen homes, play 1870s baseball, community quilt activity, compare Norway’s Independence Day to America’s
Friday	The Next 250 Years	Visit Millinery, “My wish for America” activity, bake mini apple pies and make ice cream, create patriotic decorations, 3:15pm Birthday Party for America

America’s Birthdays (4-5th grade)

Full day: 9am–4pm

Offered week 11

America is celebrating 250 years in 2026! It’s not the first big birthday party America has had. How did America celebrate turning 50 years old as a nation? Or 100? Or 150? Or 200? And how will we celebrate when America turns 300?

Learn about America’s past celebrations through crafts, games, and visits to some of our historic sites. Then, take what you’ve learned and imagine what the future may hold.

On Wednesday, celebrate with a “250th Birthday Party for America.”

PURCHASE

Daily themes and activity highlights

	Theme	Activities
Monday	America’s 50th birthday	Explore Native American life ca. 1700 through objects and maps, cook 3-sisters-stew and learn the history of fry bread, make clay pots and learn Ioway games
Tuesday	America’s 100th birthday	Explore Victorian life at the Flynn Mansion, bake at Tangen House, visit the Schoolhouse and Print Shop
Wednesday	America’s birthdays 20th century	Help with farm chores, learn the history of tractors and make a craft, 3:15 A Birthday Party for America

List represents activities campers will do during the week. Use this to prepare your camper and have follow-up discussions. Activities subject to change.

Wait list

If a camp session is full, you may fill out this form to be placed on a wait list.
Include the program and date that you are interested in attending.

Group Requests

When we have multiple camps of the same grade level, we cannot guarantee your child will be placed with friends. However, we will make every effort to accommodate up to two requests. Please keep the following in mind:

Campers must be registered for the same camp, in the same week, and be in the same grade.
Camp is about making friends. When large groups of friends are together, other campers can feel left out. We will split requests larger than 3 friends.