This Highlands Ranch Screen-Free Summer Camp Is Perfect for Kids Ages 6-11

One week outdoors can help a youngster gain a better appreciation for nature and their role in it. An entire summer spent outside can instill a lifelong love of adventure and environmentalism. If you want your son or daughter to enjoy these benefits, send them to Balance Adventure Camp for a daily program full of fun, educational activities spanning nature exploration, survival skills, and scientific discovery.

Give your child the gift of the outdoors – sign them up here

According to the Children & Nature Network, the average American kid spends up to 44 hours a week in front of a screen and only 10 minutes per week playing outdoors. With these numbers potentially worsening during the school-free summer months, Balance Adventure Camp makes its daily schedule available to Colorado parents, showing them the exciting, outdoor alternative it offers for their children.

Early Morning Adventures

Nearly the first three hours of each day at the camp are spent outside, as campers begin with a morning circle and warm-up before moving on to nature immersion activities that deepen their ecological understanding and improve their observational skills. These include:

• Hiking adventures
• Wildlife tracking
• Plant identification

Intended to make its campers better students by the fall, the camp also offers lessons in:

• Geological exploration
• Colorado history
• Regional culture

Creative, Collaborative Afternoons

After lunch, campers have a creative hour during which they are taught how to express themselves through nature art projects and communal music and dance. The group activities then continue, as counselors lead children through outdoor team challenges to foster collaboration and communication while allowing them to develop leadership abilities.

The day concludes with 30 minutes of reflection and journaling, helping campers process their experiences and develop their storytelling skills.

Learning At Their Own Pace

As the activities that comprise each day can include complex tasks like fire building and navigation, Balance Adventure Camp has implemented a progressive learning model - grouping campers into three different tiers (ages 6-7, 8-9, and 10-11). This structure allows children to develop their skills at a developmentally appropriate pace without feeling left out or left behind.

The youngest campers are given the highest level of supervision, as counselors teach them the fundamental concepts necessary to become little outdoorsmen. The oldest students are given long-term projects and mentoring opportunities, developing them into the effective environmental stewards of tomorrow.

About the Educators

Balance Adventure Camp’s owner, Monica Ballon, is a school administrator with a Doctorate in Education. The program’s director, Anna Morgan, has a degree in Wilderness Therapy and Outdoor Education which she has put to use for over ten years. The duo handpicks camp counselors who have specific training in environmental education, Leave No Trace principles, wilderness first aid, and nature-based learning.

Availability is limited – enroll your child today at https://camp.balanceschools.com/