External Day Camps
Enjoy a half day or full day of nature!
Get your campers back to nature at the Tiffin Centre!
At the Tiffin Centre for Conservation your campers will have an opportunity to enjoy a full or half day trip of hands-on activities learning about the natural world around them.
Our Programs
Tiffin offers a wide variety of programs for children of all ages and throughout all the seasons—winter, summer, spring and fall!
Some of our most popular programs are listed below. Have something else in mind? Speak to our education staff to learn about the wide range of programs we offer, including our nature photography program.
6-8 year olds
Animal Food Web: A Cub’s Life—working in animal families led by counsellors, campers must find pictures of food, water, shelter, and space in the forest while eluding predators
Pond Ecosystems: Life in the Pond—each child receives a dip net to catch creatures at the pond
Wilderness Survival Skills: Lost in the Woods—children learn about survival skills through a short movie, they then construct mini survival shelters using materials found in the forest
Orienteering: Animal Amble or Bug-a-Boo—after a short introduction to wildlife, children work in groups led by a counsellor to find pictures of animals along a well-marked trail.
9-12 year olds
Animal Food Web: Instincts for Survival—children role-play animals as they search for food and water in the forest while eluding predators
Pond Ecosystems: Life in the Pond—each child receives a dip net to catch creatures at the pond
Wilderness Survival Skills: Wilderness Survival—children take part in a fire–building demonstration and construct emergency shelters in the forest
Orienteering: Orienteering—children learn the basics of map-reading as they search for hidden markers along a series of forest trails
Orienteering: Photo Orienteering—working in pairs or in small groups, children must find the secret location of the photos provided, align themselves using a compass and accurately take a bearing. Points are awarded for accuracy in this challenging photo scavenger hunt!
Camp Counsellors & Junior Leaders
Team Building: Low Ropes Challenge Course—participants must work together to succeed at various group tasks which build in complexity as they make their way through our low ropes course. This program promotes teamwork, leadership, trust, communication and problem solving
Wilderness Survival Skills: Fire & Shelter Building—after learning basic survival skills, participants are challenged to work in teams to build and maintain their own fire and sturdy emergency shelter
Orienteering: Geocaching—participants use hand-held GPS units to find their way through the forest in search of hidden geocaches!
Orienteering: Orienteering Challenge Course—after an introduction to the use of compasses, participants are challenged to safely navigate throughout our 300+ acre property in search of specific trail markers.
Outdoor Recreation: Disc Golf—participants tee off and, using flying discs (i.e. Frisbees), play a fun and easy-to-learn game through the Tiffin Centre’s nine-basket course.
How to Book a Program
- Step 1: Email us at outdoored@nvca.on.ca or speak directly with our environmental education manager at 705-424-1479 ext 280 to select a date and discuss program availability.
- Step 2: Once date has been selected & confirmed, you will receive a booking form.
- Step 3: Complete, save, and return booking form with all pertinent details to outdoored@nvca.on.ca.
- Step 4: You will be sent an email to confirm we have received your booking form.
Fees
Unless otherwise noted:
- Full Day: $15.90 per student
- Half Day: $10.80 per student
Special discounted rates apply for camps that return for two or more trips throughout the year! Camps receive a discount on the second and subsequent camp visits.
- Full Day: $14.80 per camper
- Half Day: $9.80 per camper
The Tiffin Centre for Conservation requires a minimum of 20 students per program, or a minimum fee of $318 for a full day or $216 for a half day. The minimum fee for two or more trips is $296 for a full day or $196 for a half day. Camp leaders are free of charge.
A different pricing structure applies to preschools and daycares – please visit the program page for details.
Cancellation Policy
There is no charge to cancel a booking provided at least two weeks’ notice is given before your scheduled visit.
If a cancellation is received with less than 2 weeks’ notice, your group will be charged for 50% of the scheduled number of campers or the minimum fee.
Food Options
Campers should bring litterless, nut-free lunches and snacks. There is no food available for purchase at the Tiffin Centre.
Water fountains are available for your campers to fill reusable water bottles.
Damages
As with all NVCA clients, visiting groups are responsible for the condition of the property and the conduct of participants. Damage to NVCA property may result in withdrawal of future booking privileges and users will be charged for any replacement costs, repairs and/or cleaning.
For more information
If you have questions about our programs, facilities or reservation procedure, please contact our environmental education facilitator by phone at 705-424-1479 ext. 280 or by email at outdoored@nvca.on.ca.