Join us for a week of winter adventure, nature exploration, and plenty of time outdoors. We'll spend our days wandering through the redwoods, exploring the winter landscape, searching for signs of wildlife, collecting natural treasures, creating with natural materials, and enjoying imaginative free play. With cooler days, changing landscapes, and new discoveries around every corner, winter offers a special invitation to slow down, explore, and experience the magic of nature together.
China Camp State Park
DECEMBER 21-23 & 28-31
AGES 3-5
9:00AM-1:30PM
WINTER CAMP
Celebrate the magic of winter with outdoor adventure at China Camp! Our days are filled with child-led discovery, nature exploration, creative expression, and plenty of time for imaginative free play.
Children will wander woodland trails and explore the shoreline, search for signs of wildlife, collect natural treasures, build with sticks and other natural materials, create, tell stories, and invent their own games and adventures. With plenty of unhurried time outdoors, children are free to follow their curiosity, make discoveries, and shape their own experiences.
Inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy, our small-group camps encourage curiosity, creativity, independence, collaboration, and a deep connection with the natural world. We don't follow a rigid schedule or rely on predetermined crafts and activities. Instead, we respond to the children, the environment, and the discoveries that unfold each day.
Winter at China Camp offers a special opportunity to slow down, get muddy, explore, and experience the simple joy of childhood outdoors.
WHY FAMILIES LOVE CHINA CAMP
China Camp offers a unique landscape where woodland meets the bay, giving children endless opportunities to explore and discover. Winding trails, rocky shorelines, open spaces, and quiet corners create a natural setting for adventure and imaginative play.
Winter brings its own special character to China Camp—cooler days, changing light, seasonal plants, interesting textures, and new signs of wildlife to notice. Children can slow down, investigate the shoreline, search for natural treasures, build forts and structures, and follow their curiosity wherever it leads.
It's a place where children can get muddy, take supported risks, form meaningful friendships, and experience the simple joy of having time and space to explore outdoors.
OUR RHYTHM
Welcome Circle & Introductions
We begin each morning by coming together with a song, movement, conversation, or simple invitation to notice what is happening around us. Children have a chance to settle in, connect with friends, and share their ideas before heading out to explore.
Explore, Play & Discover
This is the heart of our camp. Children have generous stretches of uninterrupted time for free play and exploration. We may wander the trails, investigate the shoreline, search for wildlife, build with natural materials, create, tell stories, or follow an unexpected discovery.
The children's curiosity helps shape where the day takes us.
Goodbye Circle
A closing song, story, or movement game creates a calm transition and helps children prepare to leave.
"Snails & Turkey Tails has been such a wonderful experience for our child. In just a short time, we’ve seen them become more comfortable trying new things, speaking up, and exploring independently. They’ve made sweet friendships along the way, and we love that their days are spent outside, learning through play and real experiences."
— Parent of a 5-year-old