Kids Day Camp: Wildlife Search & Rescue

Give your child the gift of Wildlife Search & Rescue which is excellent for exploratory learners, although not recommended for autism spectrum students unless attending a prior camp (Sampler, Survival or Wild Cooking & Herbology) as the itinerary diverges daily based on wildlife “finds” and other learning opportunities.

Wildlife Search & Rescue is or original day camp theme and will celebrate its 29th summer this year as we continue our mission to provide real connections to nature for a new generation of young people who face greater and greater separation through screens and virtual realities. Enjoy the the fields and forests of Lake Sammamish State Park where the animals hide in their dens during the day before coming out at night to roam the natural corridors and neighborhoods of the area.

Yes, we’ve found resident bear dens, investigated cougar scratching posts, meditated on osprey diving for salmon, watched bobcats hunting rabbits, heard coyotes yipping when catching prey, discovered owls dropping countless pellets, experienced herons and hawks fledging their young from dozens of nests, river otters and beavers going in and out of the creek, weasels hunting rodents … and those are just the big animals.

Campers will also discover what it is like to be a bird or other animal by using sensory awareness skills to interpret what is happening all around that most people are oblivious to. Campers will learn to understand and use the language of the birds and will practice interpreting bird language through a series of experiments. Campers will work together to safely move through the woods; make plaster casts of their favorite animal tracks; craft tracking sticks; and investigate trails, lays, larders, and other signs of life.

Each day, we will explore field and forest for wildlife tracks and sign. Every find is a lesson to gain better understanding of who made the sign; why it made the sign; where it made the sign; when it made the sign; and what it was doing when it made the sign. The camp is full of exciting, interactive, challenging and cooperative games as campers work in teams to develop skills of leadership, cooperation, patience, orienteering, dexterity, and fun. Our staff, some of whom are Search & Rescue volunteers, will even show campers how to navigate through unfamiliar terrain and find people who get lost.

##### Camp Itinerary

Itineraries are subject to some amount of change based upon location, weather, instructor preference, and natural resource availability. 3-4 pm cool-down time includes group options of berry picking, archery or creek wading when at Hans Jensen, swimming when at Sunset Beach, relaxed games at main camp.

Monday: Awareness, Navigation and the Art & Science of Tracking
Morning Session: Awareness Skills, Wildlife Safety, Arts of Tracking
Afternoon Session: Animal Forms, Order of Survival, Lostproofing

Tuesday: Bones, Skulls, Hides, and Teamwork
Morning Session: Wildlife Journals, Animal Families, Hides & Skulls
Afternoon Session: Teamwork, Hand Signals, Scouting Expedition

Wednesday: Birds, Insects, and Amphibians
Morning Session: Language of the Birds, Animal Tracks & Sign
Afternoon Session: Insects & Spiders, Reptiles & Amphibians

Thursday: Trailing, Scats, and Casts
Morning Session: Trailing Animals, Scatology, Scent Marks, Browses, Lays
Afternoon Session: Plaster Casts, Beaver Dens & Dams

Friday: Human Tracking, Animal Rescue, and Celebration
Morning Session: Secret Spot, Animal Rescue & Medicine
Afternoon Session: Human Search & Rescue Tracking;

##### Daily Camp Schedule, Pick-Up & Drop-Off Directions

Suggested arrival time is 8:45-9:00 am, and best departure time is right around 4:00 pm.
8:30-9:00 Check-Ins & Morning Care (gate opens at 8:30)
9:00-9:30 Songs, Stories, Stretches & Late Check-Ins
9:30-12:00 Morning Lessons with snack break at 10:45
12:00-1:00 Lunch, Games, Archery or Swimming Option
1:00-3:00 Afternoon Lessons with water break at 2:00
3:00-4:00 Camp Crafts, Creek Time, Berry Picking & Early Check-Outs
4:00-4:30 Aftercare & Final Pick-Ups (all-staff meeting starts at 4:30)

##### Camp Leaders

Camp Directors Kim & Chris Chisholm share time between Puyallup & Lake Sammamish teaching groups and directing staff instructors at our hallmark 6-1 average student-teacher ratio that’s critical for safe and profound outdoor experiences. Read our FAQ’s for more details and check out camp testimonials dating all the way back to 1997.

##### Camp Tuition at Lake Sammamish

• Tuition is $595 per week for campers returning from previous years. Discounts of $10 available per additional child and camp weeks.
• Tuition is $695 for a camper’s first-ever week with us, and then $595 per additional day camp week this summer. Discounts of $10 available per additional child. Tuition includes all expenses except you’ll need to pack lunch and appropriate outdoor wear, and also includes organic t-shirt at your first camp with us, then at subsequent camps a choice of recommended field guides, orienteering compass, firesteel and other outdoor essentials depending on number of camps attended, age and availability.
• Sliding scale financial aid scholarships available via the Conservation College – Max Davis Scholarship. Just submit answers to their 8 simple questions and cc our email address to ensure receipt.

##### Registration Process

STEP 1 – If this is a camper’s first year with us, reserve the first week with a $200 deposit, plus $100 per additional week; and returning campers reserve spots with $100 deposits per week; via one of the following methods:
• Zelle is preferred using our email address with that extra “e” on skye plus try to add a note including camper name/age, camp start date/theme, plus your CONTACT INFORMATION (phone number is fine if system doesn’t allow sharing email) if we don’t already have your info since Zelle doesn’t automatically share that with us;
• Or use Venmo to @Chris-Chisholm-13 or • CashApp to $wolfschool but again, try to add your contact information, camper name, program theme and dates, or follow up right away with that via email;
• Or use Credit Card or Apple Pay by clicking here;
• Or call us between 9am-9pm at 425-248-0253 ex 1 with a credit card to register over the phone;
• Or use PayPal system appearing on our website;

STEP 2 – If this is your camper’s first year with us, complete our once-in-a-lifetime Registration Form within one week of making your deposit, otherwise we will have to refund you and give your spot(s) to others. We’ll also email you Word/PDF versions of the registration form in case you’re having trouble downloading or making a copy of our Google Doc form which you can send or share back to our email address for review within one week to maintain your reservation. If your camper has attended Wolf Camp in the past, a new registration form is not needed, but we will may email a questionnaire for your camper to submit as application for this year.

STEP 3 – Pay balance before or during your summer camp weeks. We’ll email you an invoice this spring with camp prep info and balance payment options that can be done in advance or during your first camp week. All payments are non-refundable unless we refuse your registration. However, if you cancel (at any time for any reason is fine) we will save your payments as credit for you to use in future years, or you can choose to have us move the funds into our scholarship account if you prefer. The best practice is to make the minimum deposits to register, and then wait to pay the remaining balances during summer.