2012 Summer Day Camps
Ages: Camps are offered for children ages 5 to 15.
To participate, a child must meet the specified age requirement by the time a camp begins.
Activities: Virginia Aquarium camps focus primarily on marine science, but also include other science and nature topics. Camp activities are developed and conducted by the Aquarium’s educators, who emphasize experiential learning through animal interactions, outdoor investigations, and hands-on activities.
Camp Details: Camp descriptions are listed below. After registration, you will receive more information on camp activities, check-in time and location. You will also receive camp forms that must be completed and returned to the Aquarium two weeks prior to camp.
Members-Only Onsite Registration: Tuesday, April 3, 2012; 5-8PM at the Marsh Pavilion.
Registration will be accepted by mail, phone, or in person for members and non-members
beginning April 4, 2012 at 9 a.m. Payment must accompany registration.
For more information: Call our Children’s Programs Registrar at 757-385-0278 to inquire about camp activities and registration procedures.
Family Fun with Marine Science
August 16-17, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
(Adult and Children ages 5-12)
Don’t let the kids be the only ones having fun at camp - Share the experience with them! Collect fish and crabs in the Chesapeake Bay, explore the salt marsh, go on an Ocean Collection trip, and make craft projects to take home.
Fee: $100 members; $140 non-members for one child & one adult
(additional family members - $50 members; $70 non-members)
For Ages 5-7 All camps are two days from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Young Explorers
June 18-19 ~ July 9-10 ~ August 6-7 ~ August 30-31
Young Explorers discover the wonders of the Chesapeake Bay through hands-on and outdoor activities. Touch live animals, search for fish and crabs, take a boat cruise, and make crafts to take home. This camp meets at Virginia Aquarium on the first day and at First Landing State Park on the second day.
Fee: $60 members; $75 non-members
Bugs and Insects
June 21-22 ~ August 27-28
Buzz into camp this summer and explore the fascinating world of bugs and insects. Create cool crafts, play buggy games and collect, observe, and release live specimens.
Fee: $60 members; $75 non-members
Animals Everywhere
July 12-13 ~ August 9-10
Our planet is home to all kinds of fascinating creatures. From cute and cuddly to scaly and slithery, your child will meet animals from all of the world. Fee: $60 members; $75 non-members
For Ages 7-9 All camps are two days from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Water, Water Everywhere
July 16-17 ~ August 20-21
Discover your watershed address as we explore local natural habitats. Take a hike through the forest, brave the mud of the marsh, and sift through the sands of the beach to learn why these habitats are important to the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean. This camp meets at Virginia Aquarium on the first day and at First Landing State Park on the second day.
Fee: $120 members; $150 non-members
Investigating Invertebrates
July 19-20 ~ August 23-24
Worms, insects, spiders, crabs and squid - What do these animals have in common? They're invertebrates, animals without a backbone, and we'll spend two days getting to know them through hands-on experiences with live animals, lab experiments, dissections, and outdoor observations.
Fee: $120 members; $150 non-members
For Ages 9-12 Camp times vary. Please check individual descriptions
This Way to the Bay (9 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
June 25-29 ~ July 9-13 ~ July 23-27
Search for life in the Chesapeake Bay during excursions to the Eastern Shore and First Landing State Park. Go kayaking, take a Dolphin Watch cruise, learn to snorkel, and trawl the ocean floor on an Ocean Collections trip.
Fee: $250 members; $300 non-members
W.A.V.E. 1 (9 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
August 13-17
This summer, do the WAVE- Wander Across Virginia’s Environment to discover some of Virginia’s unique wild places. Search for turtles and frogs in a cypress swamp, seine for fish and invertebrates in a variety of habitats, and look for snakes in Back Bay.
Fee: $250 members; $300 non-members
Fishing for Fun (10 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
August 6-7
Learn about the local game fish of Virginia Beach and why some are being protected from over fishing. We will also put our "catch and release" skills to the test as we go fishing at a local fishing pier. Bring your fishing pole and we'll provide the bait and tackle box for you to keep.
Fee: $120 members; $150 non-members This in-depth experience is limited to 8 campers.
Cool Catches (10 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
August 8-10
Get wet and get going on your way to becoming an expert on local fish and invertebrates. Fine tune your marine science knowledge during daily collection trips, aquarium maintenance sessions and hands-on explorations of marine habitats.
Fee: $175 members; $200 non-members. This advance collection camp will be limited to 8 campers.
For Ages 12-15 Camp times vary. Please check individual descriptions.
Extreme Marine Adventures (9 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
July 18-20 ~ August 1-3
Meet Aquarium staff who study bottlenose dolphins and sea turtles, train the seals and otters, and care for the fish and invertebrate collections. Learn SCUBA skills and go kayaking in search of dolphins. Discover how scientists observe the marine environment.
Fee: $175 members; $200 non-members. This in-depth experience is limited to 8 campers.
S.W.A.T. – Seals, Whales, and Turtles (9 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
July 2-3 ~ July 16-17 ~ July 30-31
Get in the water with the seals during a training session, go dolphin watching with Aquarium dolphin experts, and attend a sea turtle feeding and training session.
Fee: $200 members; $250 non-members. This in-depth experience is limited to 8 campers.
W.A.V.E 2 (9 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
June 18-22
This camp offers adventurous teens the opportunity to do the WAVE- Wander Across Virginia's Environment to discover some of the area's wild places. Explore the trails of the Great Dismal Swamp, pull a seine net in the waters of the Eastern Shore, and even cross the VA/NC border to conoe Merchants Mill Pond in search of alligators!
Fee: $250 members; $300 non-members.
Fishing for Fun (10 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
July 5-6
Your teen will have a great time learning how to bait, cast, and catch their own fish. Bring your own fishing pole and we will provide the bait and tackle. This camp is only offered once but the memories and skills learned will last a lifetime!
Fee: $100 members; $140 non-members
Registration
To participate, a child must meet the age requirement by the time camp begins. Registration for camps begins with in-person member registration in the Aquarium’s Marsh Pavilion Lobby on Tuesday, April 3, 2012 from 5-8PM. Registration will not be accepted by mail or by phone until April 4.
After registration, you will receive more information on camp activities, check-in time and location. You will also receive camp forms that must be completed and returned to the Aquarium two weeks prior to camp.
Click here for registration forms
Call our Children’s Program Registrar at (757) 385-0278 for more information about camp activities and registration procedures.