Summer Camps

Tender Tracks Summer Nature Adventure Camps has been in business since the summer of 1996. It is a camp designed for children ages six and up. For one week the children are given the opportunity, through play and adventure, to explore, taste, touch, smell, hear, see and sense the many wonders of our natural world.

leading through listening

Each group is unique and has their own nature that the Guide reads. Through this reading is where a lot of the focus for the camp comes from. The Guide has a “bag of tricks” filled with nature games, resources and possibilities to pull out at any time and, at the same time, the camp is led by the children’s interests. By exploring, playing, adventuring and being together in nature in this way, deeper connections to the natural world are experienced. Some concrete descriptions of what might take place:

Blind fold walks and blind fold awareness games. (Can you see what game is taking place in the photo?)
Working with knives to make walking sticks, bows and arrows and tools. (Knives provided and safety techniques taught.)
Camouflage games to enhance blending in with the environment, connection to the wild life and touching the earth at a deeper level
Walking barefoot to enhance sensitivity to the natural world
Fire making skills: Can you make a one-match fire?
Finding and eating wild edibles
Tracking animals
Silent walks
Observation games
Creek walking
First aid kits made

These are just a very, very few of the things that can take place.

creating camp together

The children always choose jobs to make the camp a more unified experience and as a way of taking ownership of their adventure/experience. Some of the jobs are:

Guardians of the People: They make sure they know where the group is at all times and decide which direction the group should adventure for that day.
Guardians of Safety: They carry first aid kits and are like the First Responder to any of the injuries that might take place.
Guardians of Direction: They learn ways to keep track of where we are and how to get back to our original location.
Guardians of the Earth: They carry an Earth Bag which all trash found is put into. All students gather trash but the Guardians carry the bag and are the most mindful of our Earth.

Many local and natural areas will be visited and explored. We are deeply blessed by the rich and alive natural places to roam in this bay area. For a specific list of places feel free to call for more info.

How Camps Are Arranged

PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THIS: Camps are arranged by an organizing parent(s) who get 8 children together of similar age or group of friends or relatives. Sibling camps can also be created as well as overnights. These camps are a co-creation between parents, staff and children as a way of creating aspects of being a working “village.”

DATES FOR SUMMER CAMPS 2017:
• June 26-30 2017 – Day camp/ Filled
• July 5-7- 2017 – Overnight camp/filled
• July 19-21, 2017- Overnight camp/filled
• July 31-Aug. 4, 2017– Day camp/filled
• Aug.9-11, 2017 – Overnight camp/filled

If you are interested in organizing a camp please, contact Wendolyn Bird at tendertracks@gmail.com around January 1st. These camps fill quickly.

Financial Investment

Once the Organizer signs up for a camp slot there is a $150 non-refundable deposit to hold your space. This deposit however is absorbed into the organizer’s tuition if the camp becomes a go.
Within two weeks the full roster and the full tuition must be sent to:

Wendolyn Bird
Tender Tracks
60 Pastori Avenue #35
Fairfax, CA 94930

Roster includes: Parents’ names, Childrens’ name, Date of Birth, email, phone number and DATE OF CAMP

Check made out to: Tender Tracks

If this does not take place the camp slot is forfeited.
Please note: Once a participant signs up there are no refunds unless a suitable replacement is found. The “suitable replacement” is to be determined predominantly by the Camp Organizer. The camp must have 8 children to make a camp a go. The Camp Organizer receives $40 off of their investment.

Day Camp Tuition and Times:
9am to 2pm Monday through Friday
$355/week

Overnight Camps:
9 am Wednesday – 5 pm Friday
$650 per camper

Drop off and Pick up: TBD

Re-Cap & Final Registration Steps

$150 due at time of sign up
$40 off of tuition to the Camp Organizer
Roster and full tuition due two weeks after confirmation of $150 sent
Please note: All camp forms are due no later than May 1.
Camp forms include: Emergency forms, Medical Release Forms, Liability Waiver. All three forms can be found on the Required Forms page. Please disregard anything else on this page for registration.
A photo is required on all emergency forms + camp date written on Emergency Form
There are no refunds unless a suitable replacement is found. Replacement is found by the Camp Organizer.

Please note: if forms are not received by May 1, late fees will begin to accrue at $25/week. If not received within one month of May 1, the camp slot will be forfeited along with the tuition.

(Camps that are filled can sometimes become available, so if you wish to be on a waiting list to organize a camp, please fill out the wait list form and/or email tendertracks@gmail.com)

Please call Director Wendolyn Bird @ 415-419-5274 for further details, if you are interested in this type of camp for your child.

All checks are made out to & sent to:
Wendolyn Bird and/or Tender Tracks
60 Pastori Avenue #35
Fairfax, CA 94930

For more information

Please contact Director Wendolyn Bird at 415-419-5274 or email tendertracks@gmail.com

Download an informational flyer (pdf): TenderTracks-2017

I am grateful to Wendolyn for sharing her talents with us this summer. She faced a group of varying ages, language skills, needs and energy levels, and managed, with great success to keep them laughing and fascinated throughout her performance. Her dedicated effort to remind each child just how special she or he truly is was the best gift she gave them.

Rachel EhrlichDirector of Camp Bridge (respite care for those living with HIV and AIDS)