2026 Summer Camp

Ages 4 – 12
June 1 – August 7, 2026
Children are taught in classes by age: 4, 5 – 6, 7 – 8, and 9 – 12

Register your kids for our fun-filled, week-long camps that explore the natural world through active, hands-on indoor and outdoor adventures at this 155-acre nature sanctuary.

Looking for summer opportunities for different age groups or time frames? Check out Animal Tales and Little Explorers for preschoolers, Teen Volunteer Opportunities for ages 13-17, and Discovery Days for camp-age kiddos who can only come for a few hours each week.

Extended Day After Camp

Ages 5-12
Monday – Friday, 3:00 – 5:30 pm

Campers will enjoy outdoor nature walks, games, or time on the Nature Playscape and indoor activities like crafts, board games, and card games. In the event of weather advisories, students will have the option to watch child appropriate nature videos or movies.

After Camp is not a standalone program and is only available to students registered for that week’s camp.

Summer Camp registration will open Tuesday, February 3, 2026 for Arboretum Members. Nonmember registration will open Tuesday, February 10, 2026.

Pricing

Nature Camp T-shirt – $25

Family Tree membership level and above required for member discount.

Registration Notes

• The Houston Arboretum Nature Camps are primarily focused on education and follow a curriculum-based approach. To ensure proper registration, campers are required to enroll based on their age at the time of the camp. For instance, 4-year-old campers must be at least 4 years old to participate.
• Classes are separated by age and feature age-specific activities. Half Day classes and Full Day classes are also separate, even if they serve the same age group.
• Every camper is expected to demonstrate respectful behavior and be able to attend independently without the need for assistance. This guarantees a safe and inclusive atmosphere for all participants.
• For a comprehensive understanding of our Transfer or Cancellation policies beforehand, please visit the Cancellation Policy page on our website.

Arboretum Underground

Discover the hidden world beneath our feet! From twisting plant roots and deep soil layers to animals that live their lives in the dark, campers will explore the underground and uncover the processes that shape the world we walk on.

Planet Defenders

A Planet Defender explores, investigates, and protects the natural environment. Learn skills to protect and improve our planet’s ecosystems. We will investigate the environment through experiments, games, and hands-on activities. Gain insightful knowledge on how you can best defend the planet in your everyday life and why it is important to do so. 

Eat or Be Eaten

Why does a cat stalk its prey? Why are some grasshoppers shaped like a leaf? Life on our planet is a never-ending struggle between predators and prey. Come find out how creatures great and small use smarts, speed, strength, special senses, coloration, and weapons to survive.

Weird Science

Learn about crazy critters and perform exceptional experiments, exploring key scientific principles and how they function in nature. Become a weird scientist and investigate the strange – learning not only how things happen, but more importantly why – during this week of experimentation, outdoor inquiry, and play. Remember—it’s not magic, it’s science!

Happenin’ Herps

Leaping lizards, slithering snakes, fantastic frogs, awesome alligators, and terrific turtles! Spend the week getting to know these fascinating animals at the Arboretum. Learn to safely and carefully observe reptiles and amphibians in their natural environment.