Producers, consumers, decomposers... How do living things get their food? How do plants make food, what do animals eat and how do their find their food, and what happens to poop? Find out the answers to these questions and more as we explore our trails and discover what it means to eat or be eaten. 

What does it mean to be an artist and a scientist? Look at famous historical figures who spent their lives combining these two important professions, learn to use the materials and techniques they used, and spend your days at camp making art from your observations of our animals and plants. 

There are over 4000 species of plants in Florida. Learn to identify some of them as you walk our trails, collect specimens, and discover how plants grow in the varied environments of our subtropical state. Put your newfound skills to the test as you help clear invasive species from our trails and build your very own plant press.

The 4 Rs of Conservation are our focus this week. Learn about why it's important to conserve our resources, and learn how to do that in your everyday life. Upcycle old clothes, darn socks, turn trash into furniture, make new paper from old paper, and more in this exciting introduction to sustainable living.

Build shelters, start fires, find and cook food, purify water, and get a little lost in the woods as you put your survival skills to the test in our forest and swamp during this intense week of adventures. Learn how people have survived in Southwest Florida in the past, present, and future, and take home your very own outdoor survival kit!

What sort of creatures live around us in Southwest Florida? Grab your nets and collecting jars and see! Learn how and why people have caught animals in the past and present, and what you can learn from a close-up study of living things.

Were there dinosaurs here in Florida? What about saber-toothed tigers? How did people live here thousands of years ago? Learn how to find out as we talk about the scientists who dig in the ground and look for signs of living things in the past.

What do we see when we look up at the night sky? In our full-dome planetarium, learn about constellations and star-myths of the past and present, and what outer space can tell us about life here on Earth. Then head outside to watch the sun through a telescope and build a model of the solar system on our trails!

What is a bird? Why do people like them so much? Learn all about bird adaptations like feathers, beaks, and hollow bones. Meet some of our raptors up close and personal and learn how our animal team cares for them. Become a birder on our trails this week and start your own "life list" of birds.

Looking for something to do on school breaks? We have School's Out Camp here at Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium almost every day that Lee County schools are not in session. Come explore our woods during your days off from school, learn new skills, improve your scientific knowledge, and have fun all year round!