Poughkeepsie… Featuring hands-on activities such as hiking, survival skills, tracking, Nerf tag, exploring nature and building group problem-solving skills, Dutchess County Parks’ Adventure, Survival and Eaglet Adventures summer programs help connect youth ages 6-17 to nature. These popular programs are offered at Bowdoin Park in the Town of Poughkeepsie and Wilcox Memorial Park in the Town of Milan. To help make the registration process more efficient, there will be two separate opening days for online registration at DutchessNY.gov/ParksEducation:
The Adventure and Survival programs are held Monday-Thursday, from 9:30am to 4pm, with early drop-off and late-pick up options available. Each session costs $200 per student, and due to the popularity of the programs, there is a limit of one program session per child.
Eaglet Adventures will be offered Monday-Thursday, August 3-6 from 10am-2pm at Bowdoin Park. Cost is $150 per student. Session is limited to 12 children.
View the summer programs brochure online.
Adventure Programs (Registration opens Tuesday, March 17)
Adventure Program participants will spend the first part of the week working on group tactics, leadership and problem-solving skills in preparation for two days of gameplay, using foam weapons to battle monsters and bandits, solve puzzles and explore the woods to accomplish a quest that changes every summer. Living Adventure combines gameplay, survival skills and nature study as participants spend the four days of camp live-action role-playing a unique storyline, using their knowledge to solve mysteries, purify water, build shelters and maybe even save the day!
Survival Programs (Registration opens Thursday, March 19)
Survival Program combines nature study and survival skills. Participants will explore forest habitats, hike and observe native wildlife. This summer will focus on shelter construction, camouflage, team building and other survival skills. Survival Intensive builds on that learning, blending survival techniques with an understanding of how prehistoric people lived in harmony with the land. Complete Survival ties together all the survival techniques learned and puts them to the test in a mock-survival situation, including an optional overnight stay.
Eaglet Adventures program (Registration opens Thursday, March 19)
This program gives children a chance to become better explorers and scientists. Participants will develop skills to identify animal tracks, discover pond life and begin to see the interconnection that keeps the natural world in balance. Includes games, hands-on learning, crafts and adventure!
Other naturalist programming, including group weekday Archery, Junior Survival, Scout Programs and School Field Trips, are available by appointment and reservations can be made by calling the Parks office at (845) 298-4602.
For registration and programming information, visit DutchessNY.gov/Parks.
