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.
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).
Summer Camps 2023
Information on dates, times, and themes available here!
Registration Dates:
- Member Priority Registration Tuesday February 28th 2023 12pm (noon) PST to Thursday March 2 at 9.00am PST
- General Registration Thursday March 2nd 2023 12pm (noon) PST
Registration Eligibility:
To be eligible for Member Priority Registration opening 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.
All members and non-members are welcome to register for remaining spots and waitlists after general registration opens on March 2nd.
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+-Camp 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
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.
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+-April 8: Seed Sleuths
Date: Saturday, April 8th
Time: 10:00am – 1:30pmFrom 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.
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+-May 13: Things With Wings
Date: Saturday, May 13th
Time: 10:00am – 1:30pmJoin 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.
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+-June 17: Busy Bees
Date: Saturday, June 17th
Time: 10:00am – 1:30pmThis 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.
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.
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+-January 16: Winter Wonders SOLD OUT
Date: Monday, January 16th
Time: 9:00am – 4:00pmJoin 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.
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+-February 17: Urban Wildlife SOLD OUT
Date: Friday, February 17th
Time: 9:00am – 4:00pmIn 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.
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+-April 24: Flower Power SOLD OUT
Date: Monday, April 24th
Time: 9:00am – 4:00pmWith 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.
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+-June 30th: Bogs to Beaches
Date: Friday, June 30th
Time: 9:00am – 4:00pmDive 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!
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.
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+-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.
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+-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.