Camps

Junior Leader Applications

Junior Leader Applications are now open! Applications will close on March 31, 2026. Our Camp Coordinator may reach out with further questions and will update applicants on the status of their application by April 15, 2026.

Apply Here

Training Dates

Saturday, May 30 from 1:00- 4:30 p.m.

Friday, June 5 from 1:00- 4:30 p.m.

Junior Leader Training is required before attending summer camp as a volunteer. At training you will meet our summer naturalists, gain familiarity with the site, and undergo important training for becoming a Junior Leader. If you are unable to attend training, you will need to shadow a camp before joining in the summer schedule. 

What is a Junior Leader?

Do you miss camp, and are between the ages 13-17? Join our Junior Leader Program!

Our Junior Leader Program is a way for children ages 13-17 to take a volunteer leadership role during summer camp. They will help campers find their first friend, support naturalists, and see behind the scenes of summer camp!

Junior Leaders help bring our camps to life! They might sing camp songs around a fire, dress in costume, play games, participate in the magic, and encourage our nervous campers. They are what helps to hook our campers into the adventure and imagination of summer camp.

Junior Leaders gain seven hours of service for each day of summer camp.

A Junior Leader is typically scheduled for two to three camps in a summer. Some of our previous Junior Leaders have volunteered for more weeks.

Typical Schedule

Camp Springbrook's Junior Leader program runs from the second week in June - third week in August. Camp themes range from Camp Classics to immersive story camps like Springwood or Starfall. Springbrook Camps typically run from Monday -Thursday and between 9 a.m.- 3:45 p.m. Junior Leaders are expected to be at camp on their scheduled weeks from 8:45 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Camps for ages 4-5 run Tuesday - Thursday (unless noted otherwise), 9-11:30 a.m. for Morning Camp and 1:15-3:45 p.m. for Afternoon Camp.

Children must be completely bathroom independent to attend.

Scholarship funds are limited to one camp per child per summer while funds are available regardless of the camp fee.

• Fridley Resident Fee: $80
• Non-Resident Fee: $105

2026 Ages 4-5 Camp Information

Camp Classics (June 2-4)

Do you remember the summer camp of old? We’ll play in the woods, sit by the fire, get in the water, build friendships and forts! Let’s get back to the basics in this camp.

Fantastic Forts (June 16-18)

Join us for a fantastical week of exploring! Campers will team up to build forts, mini rafts, and explore the forest.

Creative Campers (June 23-25)

Chanel your inner artist with this fun filled camp. You will get the opportunity to explore creative avenues and express your art in different ways. Building friendships and sparking creativity will be inevitable!

Creature Feature (July 7-9)

We’re getting down and dirty! You'll be crawling through the dirt, trudging through mud, and walking in water to find some of the smallest creatures that call Springbrook home.

Nature Play Morning (July 14-16) Morning Camp

Run, jump, and splash in this three-day camp where we explore Springbrook Nature Center in a new way! We’ll play nature games and look for critters in our ponds, forests, and prairies.

Nature Play Afternoon (July 14-16) Afternoon Camp

Run, jump, and splash in this three-day camp where we explore Springbrook Nature Center in a new way! We’ll play nature games and look for critters in our ponds, forests, and prairies.

Drip Drop (July 21-23)

This camp will be filled with water fun. Search for water creatures, explore how water moves, and get MUDDY!

Chomp and Chase (August 4-6)

Get in touch with your wild side! Learn to stalk like a bobcat, bound like a deer, listen like an owl, hide like a hare and more as we become animals of Minnesota. We will play games, explore forests and prairies and meet live animals to unlock their secrets.

Splash, Slither, CROAK! Morning (August 18-20) Morning Camp

Springbrook's educator animals are searching for new experiences, and they are telling us about it using a typewriter?! Meet a new animal each day and complete fun adventures to help our naturalists bring excitement to our animal educators.

Splash, Slither, CROAK! Afternoon (August 18-12) Afternoon Camp

Springbrook's educator animals are searching for new experiences, and they are telling us about it using a typewriter?! Meet a new animal each day and complete fun adventures to help our naturalists bring excitement to our animal educators.

Unless otherwise stated, Camps for ages 6-12 run Monday - Thursday, 9 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

Camp sections are divided into age groups 6-7, 8-9, and 10-12 based on the age of the camper on the week of camp.

Scholarship funds are limited to one camp per child per summer while funds are available regardless of the camp fee.

• Fridley Resident Fee: $185
• Non-Resident Fee: $205

2026 Ages 6-12 Camp Information

Camp Classics (June 8-11) 

Do you remember the summer camp of old? We’ll play in the woods, sit by the fire, get in the water, build friendships and forts! Let’s get back to the basics in this camp.

Ready, Set, Survive (June 15-18)

What do you do if your hike or canoe trip takes an unexpected turn? Learn survival techniques and solve survival scenarios. During the week campers will learn wilderness skills like shelter building, fire building, foraging, and tracking to survive.

Creative Campers (June 22-25)

Chanel your inner artist with this fun filled camp. You will get the opportunity to explore creative avenues and express your art in different ways. Building friendships and sparking creativity will be inevitable!

Agents of Nature (June 29- July 2, only ages 6-9)

All kids are sneaky, but can you be sneaky AND figure out the nefarious plans of the OTHER secret agents before it’s too late? Come test your skills as Springbrook’s newest Agents of Nature.

Creature Feature (July 6-9, only ages 6-9)

We’re getting down and dirty! You'll be crawling through the dirt, trudging through mud, and walking in water to find some of the smallest creatures that call Springbrook home.

Back Yard Oddities (July 6-9, only ages 10-12)

Life finds a away... and in this camp we will be looking at the commonly odd adaptations that flora and fauna have adopted at Springbrook Nature Center. We will scour pond, forest, and prairie for the rare, the weird, and the awesome.

H2Ohhh! (July 20-23)

With the hot days of summer, are you looking for a cool down? Take a deep dive into everything water! Try fishing, get muddy at the creek, explore the pond and more!

It's a Pirate's Life for Me! (July 27-30)

Yo-ho-ho. Camp Springbrook is looking to for a pirate crew to search for a long lost buried treasure. You will learn to fight, sail, and pun like a pirate. Hope to SEA you this summer!

Catch Me If You Can... (August 3-6)

Get in touch with your wild side! Learn to stalk like a bobcat, bound like a deer, listen like an owl, hide like a hare and more as we become animals of Minnesota. We will play games, explore forests and prairies and meet live animals to unlock their secrets.

Greatest Hits! (August 10-13)

Replay the greatest hits of the summer! Sing by the fire, build forts, explore nature, play camp games, creek walk and more!

Adventure Camp for ages 10-14 runs Monday- Thursday, 9 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

Scholarship funds are limited to one camp per child per summer while funds are available regardless of the camp fee.

New! We are starting at Springbrook, going on a fieldtrip, and adding a whole new day of fun! This four-day camp is packed with adventure providing a chance for our aged-out campers to return to our camp experience. Campers must be ready to ride a bike independently for this camp and comfortable around water.

• Fridley Resident Fee: $255
• Non-Resident Fee: $275

2026 Adventure Camp 

Adventure Camp (June 29- July 2)

Launching from Springbrook, we dive into four days of adventure—pedaling, paddling, and heading out on a field trip bound to make a splash. Note: Campers must be ready to ride a bike independently and comfortable with water for this camp.

Camp Scholarships

Please note: Due to high demand and limit of funds, our scholarship applications are now closed. 

Thank you to the Springbrook Nature Center Foundation for supplying funds that allowing us to offer camp scholarships.

Families receiving scholarships will receive an email before the opening of camp registration on February 25, 2026.

Children will receive one scholarship to use towards one week of summer camp. You will need to pay any difference between the camp fee and the scholarship awarded to your child.

Scholarships will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted.

NOTE: Submitting an application does not guarantee granting of scholarship funds. Being awarded scholarship funds does not guarantee enrollment in our summer camp program.

To cancel a camper(s) out of a Springbrook summer camp, you must fill out and submit our online form.

In order to receive a refund, the online cancellation requests MUST be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on the refund cutoff date. All requests received after that time will count as being submitted the next day.

Families may always cancel a camper out of a camp at any time. Our camp refund policy is listed below:

• Cancellations 46 days or more before day one of camp will receive a full refund. 
• Cancellations 22-45 days before day one of camp will receive a 50% refund. 
• Cancellations 21 days or less before day one of camp will not receive a refund.

Camp Transfers: Anyone transferring a child from one camp to another must cancel completely and sign-up for new camp.

Springbrook staff will email a cancellation receipt with refund details, after the cancellation process is completed.

View our 2026 Summer Camp policies in our Camp Handbook(PDF, 339KB) and Half-Day Handbook(PDF, 338KB).

Camp Drop-Off and Pick-Up Time

Full Day Camps (ages 6-12)

Please adhere to the posted drop off and pick up times. Our staff will be getting activities ready for your camper before 8:50 a.m., and will be preparing for the following day after 3:45 p.m. If you need to pick your child up before the camp day is over, please let the office know before 10 a.m. We will make sure your camper is close to the building at the time you specify.

• Drop-Off Time: 8:50 - 9 a.m.
• Pick-Up Time: 3:30 - 3:45 p.m.

Adventure Camp (ages 10-14)

Please adhere to the posted drop off and pick up times. Our staff will be getting activities ready for your camper before 8:50 a.m., and will be preparing for the following day after 3:45 p.m. It will be difficult to pick-up your camper before the day is over due to the structure of this camp.

• Drop-Off Time: 8:50 - 9 a.m.
• Pick-Up Time: 3:30 - 3:45 p.m.

Half Day Camps (ages 4 & 5)

Please adhere to the posted drop off and pick up times. Our staff will be getting activities ready for your camper before camp drop off, and will be preparing for the following day after camp is finished. If you need to pick your child up before the camp day is over, please let the office or naturalist know at drop off. We will make sure your camper is close to the building at the time you specify.

Morning Half-Day Camp:

• Drop-Off Time: 8:50 - 9 a.m.
• Pick-Up Time:  11:30 a.m.

Afternoon Half-Day Camp:

• Drop-Off Time: 1:00 - 1:15 p.m.
• Pick-Up Time:  3:45 p.m.

Sign-In and Sign-Out

Sign-In and Sign-Out will happen with your child’s naturalist, usually at the patio doors of their classroom. Please follow signs and check in with the staff. Staff will be checking in and out campers daily. We value your child’s safety and want to make sure that they are going home with the right person. For that reason, we will require a photo ID at pick-up.

What to Bring to Camp

(Label all items with first and last name)

• Back Pack
• Lunch and snacks (a.m. and p.m.)
• Water Bottle
• Hat
• Complete change of clothes
• Plastic bag for dirty clothing
• Light jacket/ sweatshirt
• Towel
• Bug Spray
• Sunscreen

What NOT to Bring to Camp

• Valuables Electronic Devices
• Toys
• Multitools
• Pocket knives
• Weapons
• New school clothes (they won’t look new after camp)

Typical Schedule at Camp Springbrook

Each day at Camp Springbrook will be different, but we realize that children do well in environments in which they can count on some kind of consistency. So, we have a loose schedule set up for the summer.

Full Day Camps

• 8:50 - 9 a.m. - Camper Arrival/Quiet Activities
• 9 a.m. - Noon - Morning Activities
• Noon - 1 p.m. - Lunch and Free Play
• 1 - 3:30 p.m. - Afternoon Activities
• 3:30 - 3:45 p.m. - Camp Closing and “Cabin Time”

Half-Day Camps

• 9 a.m. - Arrival/Quiet Activities
• 9:15 a.m. - Circle Time & Activity
• 10:15 a.m. - Snack & Activity
• 11:30 a.m. - Quiet Activities and Pick-up

We will send home notes with your camper when there is something special coming up that you will need to prepare for. In addition, we encourage you to chat with your child’s camp naturalist to get the daily scoop and a notice about what is coming up in the future.