VanDusen Nature Camps

VanDusen’s camps are immensely popular and sell out quickly. Our carefully crafted blend of science, exploration, games and crafts gives children the opportunity to learn and play throughout the beauty of VanDusen Botanical Garden, while fostering positive stewardship of the environment. Days are spent almost entirely outdoors with access to indoor and covered spaces available in extreme weather.

Our outdoor camps create a unique learning experience tailored for children ages 5-10. Please note that all campers must be at least 5 years old and  have completed or currently be attending kindergarten.

Summer Camps 2023

Information on dates, times, and themes available here!

  • +Summer Camp Program Fees
    Registration Type VBGA Members Non-Members
    4-Day Camp (Aug 8th-11th) $262.80 $292.00
    5-Day Camp (Standard 5-Day Week) $328.50 $365.00
    After Care (Aug 8th-11th) $48.60 $54.00
    After Care (Standard 5-Day Week) $60.75 $67.50
  • +Registration Dates

    Member Priority Registration Tuesday February 28th 2023 12pm (noon) PST until March 2nd at 9am

    General Registration Thursday March 2nd 2023 12pm (noon) PST

  • +Registration Eligibility
    • To be eligible for Member Priority Registration on February 28th, you must hold a current Family or Individual-Plus-Child membership before February 24th 2023 11:59pm PST (NO EXCEPTIONS); your membership must also still be valid at the time of Summer Camps in July/August. Learn more about membership types and purchase/renew here.
    • Eligible members will receive a set of registration instructions via email on either February 20th or 27th, depending on when their membership was current, purchased, or renewed.
  • +Registration Instructions

    Before Registration Week

    • Preview dates, themes, and times to find what works best for your family here.
    • Sign in or create an account in Amilia and add/update profiles for each child using the “members” tab here.

    Member Priority Registration – Tuesday February 28th 12pm noon – Thursday March 2nd 9am

    • Find the registration instructions in your email inbox and follow the steps listed there
    • If spots are full, try again during General Registration (additional spots and waitlists open)

    General Registration – Thursday March 2nd 12pm noon

    • To access general registration spots and/or join waitlists click here
    • Members can still access these spots an enter the discount code from their instructions email
  • +Contact

    If you are experiencing trouble registering, please review the registration information on our website, and on Amilia. If you are still unable to resolve your issue, please contact us with the understanding that we receive a high volume of calls on registration opening days.

    If you have any camp related questions, contact:
    Natasha Friedmann, Camp Coordinator at 604-257-8443 or nfriedmann@vandusen.org

    If you have any membership questions, contact:
    Membership Services at 604-257-8675 or membership@vandusen.org

Spring Break Camps 2023

Register for Spring Break camps here.

Program Dates (single-day registration):

Week 1
March 13, 14, 15, 16, 17

Week 2
March 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

Program Times:

8:40am-3:40pm Red Cohort  Ages 5 – 7
8:50am-3:50pm Blue Cohort  Ages 7 – 10
9:00am-4:00pm Yellow Cohort  Ages 5 – 7
Until 5:00pm After Care  Ages 5 – 10

*Camps will not be separated beyond the above categories. If you would like your child to be with friends/family, please ensure you coordinate registration for the same cohort with the other adults beforehand.

Program Fees:

Camp (Per Day) After Care (Per Day)
VBGA Members $65.70 $12.15
Non-Members $73.00 $13.50
  • All members can apply the member discount code for 10% off all camps purchases, (including After Care).

Weekend Nature Club

Weekend Nature Club Fees:

VBGA Members $37.80 per day
Non-Members $42 per day

Weekend Nature Club programs take place from 10:00 am – 1:30 pm on Saturdays at VanDusen Botanical Garden. Attendees are required to be at least 5 years of age on the date of the program and have completed or currently be attending kindergarten.

  • +April 8: Seed Sleuths

    Date: Saturday, April 8th
    Time: 10:00am – 1:30pm

    From the tallest trees to shallow shrubs, explore how it all starts – seeds! Campers will learn about the basic parts of a plant and the life cycle of a tiny seed that becomes a towering old-growth giant. Play games to mimic how seeds travel and think like a squirrel in a scavenger hunt around the Garden.

    Register now!

  • +May 13: Things With Wings

    Date: Saturday, May 13th
    Time: 10:00am – 1:30pm

    Join us just before Bird Week to celebrate birds, bats, and insects! Grab your binoculars and get ready to hone your observation skills. Discover some of the winged creatures that fly in, around, and above the Garden, including what they eat and where they sleep, before creating a craft that might just take flight.

    Register now!

  • +June 17: Busy Bees

    Date: Saturday, June 17th
    Time: 10:00am – 1:30pm

    This camp promises to be the bees’ knees! Campers will explore our honeybee hives, taste-test some sweet honey, and do a wiggle dance with the rest of our two-legged colony as you learn to communicate like a bee. Revisit pollination, popular pollinators, and take a bee-friendly craft back to your own hive.

    Register now!

Pro-D Camps

Pro-D Camp Fees:

VBGA Members $65.70 per day
Non-Members $73 per day

Pro-D Camps at VanDusen Botanical Garden take place entirely outdoors and require children attending to be at least 5 years of age on the date of the program and have completed or currently be attending kindergarten.

  • +January 16: Winter Wonders SOLD OUT

    Date: Monday, January 16th
    Time: 9:00am – 4:00pm

    Join us at VanDusen Botanical Garden to experience a winter wonderland! Discover what it takes to be an evergreen, help fuel local birds with a hand-crafted feeder, and learn about which species hibernate, migrate, or tolerate the season. Enjoy a sweet taste test and experiment with the physics of maple syrup.

    Join the waitlist!

  • +February 17: Urban Wildlife SOLD OUT

    Date: Friday, February 17th
    Time: 9:00am – 4:00pm

    In the middle of a sprawling urban city, VanDusen Botanical Garden’s 55-acres of green space provides home and shelter to many creatures! Spend a day at the Garden searching for urban wildlife and exploring footprints and bird calls. Learn about how we can support the animals we share our neighbourhoods with and understand how we all depend on one another.

    Join the waitlist!

  • +April 24: Flower Power SOLD OUT

    Date: Monday, April 24th
    Time: 9:00am – 4:00pm

    With spring rains and colourful blooms, the Garden comes to life for this flower-themed camp. Explore seasonal changes at VanDusen, inspect parts of flowers up close, and get to know some common pollinators. Campers will create a spring craft and learn about how different plants flower through time or invite pollinators in for a visit.

    Join the waitlist!

  • +June 30th: Bogs to Beaches

    Date: Friday, June 30th
    Time: 9:00am – 4:00pm

    Dive into the wonderful world of wetlands and uncover what hides just under the surface of Cypress Pond. Recreate an aquatic environment to take home, learn more about the water cycle and where our water comes from, and explore the Garden in search of aquatic plants and animals in different water bodies and features!

    Register now!

Covid-19 Adaptations

Our adapted Camp Programs have been running safely since June 2020 with protocols and structures to ensure we follow guidelines and recommendations from the BCCDC, Vancouver Coastal Health, WorkSafeBC, and the BC Ministry of Health. Our camps are informed by an extensive COVID-19 Safety Plan that is updated seasonally.

  • +Adaptations
    • Masks are no longer mandatory in all indoor public spaces in alignment with updates to the public health orders issued by the Provincial government. You are welcome to keep wearing masks, depending on your level of comfort.
    • Masks are mandatory for all staff and volunteers working directly with youth.
    • All VBGA staff are double-vaccinated.
    • Camp planning ensures that games, crafts, and activities can all be done outdoors as Camps take place almost entirely outdoors as it is the safest place to be; this means campers will be asked to carry backpacks for up to 10 minutes at a time.
    • Increased emphasis on hand hygiene and physical distancing; reduction of shared materials.
    • Increased cleaning and sanitation in camp spaces and of camp materials in accordance with the VGBA’s COVID-19 Health, Safety and Sanitation Policy.
    • Campers will have access to outdoor porta-potties and handwashing stations to decrease use of shared indoor washrooms (still available but limited).
    • We are unable to provide 1-on-1 support for participants at this time due to the current program format – please contact us for more information.

    Please consider these changes when determining if our programs are the right fit for your child. 

Cancellation Policy

If you would like to cancel your registration, please provide a written request at least three weeks (21 days) in advance of the start of the program(s) to nfriedmann@vandusen.org. If we receive the request with the required notice and are able to fill the spot, we will provide a refund minus a $15 administrative fee. If we receive the request with the required notice and are unable to fill the spot, we will provide an equivalent credit to be used in future programs, valid for 365 days.

No refunds or credits (either complete or partial) will be issued for the following:

  • Requests made with less than three weeks’ (21 days’) notice.
  • Requests made over the phone, by voicemail, or in person.
  • Expulsion due to disruptive/unsafe behaviour or inappropriate fit for program, or similar.
  • Absence from a program due to illness or COVID-19 symptoms, family matters, injury, travel, or similar.
  • Individual COVID-19 regulations, as mandated by the Federal and Provincial governments

Program cancellation by the VBGA due to Public Health Restrictions will result in education program credit equivalent to the value lost.

Camp Bursaries

The Vancouver Botanical Gardens Association is pleased to provide bursaries for families in financial need.

Bursaries are available on a limited basis for all camps programs. Please indicate which date/theme/cohort you would like covered under the bursary when you submit the application form by email.

  • +Applications

    The VBGA’s mission is to connect people with plants and we believe all children should have the opportunity to experience nature-based camps regardless of family circumstance or income.

    Apply for a bursary here or contact nfriedmann@vandusen.org or 604-257-8443 for more information.

Here's what parents have to say about our camps!

“Excellent protocols, best of  any camp of school we attended.”

“This summer it was wonderful for him to have time to socialize  and play with other kids – he has some good social distance games he can now share with friends.”

“This camp has ignited a spark – that it’s cool to be interested in nature, and all that’s in it.”

“My child gained an appreciation for plants, nature, and relationships humans have with nature.”

“The leaders were enthusiastic, professional and caring, and got to know my child really quickly.”

Contact Us

For camp-related inquiries, please contact Natasha Friedmann (Camp Coordinator) at nfriedmann@vandusen.org or call 604-257-8443.