Immerse your young scientist in the wonders of wetlands, environmental science, and community action this summer! The Bolsa Chica Conservancy offers summer programs for all school-aged children.
Exciting discoveries and new friends await your budding, young scientist this summer at the Bolsa Chica Wetlands! Join the Bolsa Chica Conservancy for a week-long, hands-on day program that explores the wonders of your local wetlands. Your young scientist will delight in the interactive, science-based activities and experiments that stimulate wonder and critical thinking at the same time! Children from Kindergarten to 7th grade can experience the wetlands inside and out in a fun and educational week full of adventure.
[2023 Summer Wetland Explorers Program Flyer]
[2023 Summer Wetland Explorers Program Registration Packet]
Junior Wetland Explorers Program
Kick off the summer season with a week of science and fun in the sun! Junior Wetland Explorers will learn about habitats, wetlands, watersheds, ecosystem components, food chains, and recycling through hiking the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, hands-on science labs, STEM-based activities and crafts, and supplemental education videos. Every day brings new discoveries on the trail, and Junior Wetland Explorers will record all their findings in their wetland science journal.
Grades: Kindergarten – 3rd grade
When: Monday-Friday, 26-30 June 2023, 9:00am-4:00pm
Program Contribution: $325
Please note that Wednesday (28 June) will be partially spent at the Bolsa Chica State Beach, where Junior Wetland Explorers will learn about the wetland’s neighboring habitat – the ocean. Make sure to bring a towel and change of clothes.
Senior Wetland Explorers Program
Dive and dig your way through this summer season with a week of science and fun in the sun! Senior Wetland Explorers will learn about ecosystems, wetlands, watersheds, ecosystem components, adaptations, fossils, and conservation through guided hikes of the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, hands-on science labs, STEM-based activities and crafts, and supplemental education videos. Every day brings new discoveries on the trail, and Junior Wetland Explorers will record all their findings in their wetland science journal.
Grades: 4th – 7th grade
When: Monday-Friday, 10-14 July 2023, 9:00am-4:00pm
Program Contribution: $325
Please note that Wednesday (12 July) will be partially spent at the Bolsa Chica State Beach, where Junior Wetland Explorers will learn about the wetland’s neighboring habitat – the ocean. Make sure to bring a towel and change of clothes.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do BCC staff go through background checks? Yes! BCC staff are vetted and trained to be excellent guides for students’ wetland adventures.
Will the program spend time outside? Yes! We spend about half the day outside, and half the day inside. (Sunscreen is recommended as a daily part of the program.)
What sort of supplemental education videos do you show? All videos are pre-vetted by BCC staff to ensure appropriate content is shown. Video producers include Scholastic, BBC Earth, and more. During lunch breaks, we usually watch Disney films as a way to de-compress halfway through the day. If you have specific tv restrictions for your wetland explorer, please let us know!
What do you do at the beach on Wednesday? Wednesday is the day we focus on marine life, so wetland explorers will take what they know about marine wetlands like Bolsa Chica, and see how it compares to the ocean. We look for examples of marine life at the beach before jumping into the waves for some beach time fun. All wetland explorers will be wearing neon safety vests during beach time for ease of tracking them while they are participating in beach activities.
My child has an allergy/physical limitation… Please let BCC staff know about these in the registration packet (download link above). If you have any in-depth questions or concerns, please contact Whitney Thompson at (714) 846-1114 or whitney@bolsachica.org.
Do I need to pack my child a snack/lunch? For the most part, yes. Please have your wetland explorer bring a lunch Monday-Thursday, and on Friday, we order pizza for all participants to celebrate a full week of wetland learning. The BCC will also supply healthy snacks such as fruit and trail mix (these snacks are chosen based on all food allergies of participating wetland explorers).
For more information:
Please contact Whitney Thompson at (714) 846-1114 or at whitney@bolsachica.org for any questions and/or concerns about the Summer Wetland Explorers Program.
