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. We offer programs in the summer and winter!
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.
- 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, what to do if they get lost, and 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
- Animal Food Web: Predator vs. Prey – 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.
- 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.
- An extra Tiffin Educator is required for this program to run. The additional cost is $190 for half day and $336 for a full day.
- 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.
- Outdoor Recreation: Disc Golf – participants tee off and, using flying disks (i.e. Frisbees), play a fun and easy-to-learn game through the Tiffin Centre’s nine-basket course.
- Orienteering: Geocaching – participants use hand-held GPS units to find their way through the forest in search of hidden geocaches!
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
Habitat Exploration: Nature Discovery –
After identifying the location and function of their sense organs, children will explore nature through experiential activities aimed to heighten awareness of the world around them.
Children will investigate the forest in search of clues to help them understand how nature adapts to the challenges of winter.
Winter Wildlife – Campers become nature detectives and investigate wildlife in winter. While travelling on snowshoes, campers learn how to track wildlife and see how animals prepare for winter, their adaptations and their habitats.
Snowshoeing & Kick Sleds – After a brief introduction to the history and techniques of these traditional winter sports, campers trek or glide through a winter wonderland with an instructor.
Orienteering – Campers are introduced to the basics of map-reading and develop their skills through a set of challenging orienteering courses. The program is adjusted to accommodate campers of all ages.
Winter Survival – Campers are challenged both physically and mentally as they learn valuable life skills. Depending on the age and interest of campers, the program can focus on Fire Building or Emergency Shelter Building.
Round out your day with a round of ‘Snow Snake’ or other traditional winter games.
We are located at the
Tiffin Centre for Conservation
Just 15 minutes from Barrie, Angus and Innisfil
Reserve Your Trip
- 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: $16.40 per camper
- Half Day: $11.10 per camper
- Camp leaders are free.
Discover Tiffin Incentive!
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: $15.30 per camper
- Half Day: $10.10 per camper
We require a minimum of 20 campers per program, or a minimum fee of $328 for a full day or $222.00 for a half day.
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 confirmed booking provided at least two weeks’ notice is given before your scheduled visit.
If a cancellation is received with less than two week’s notice, your group will be charged for 50% of the scheduled number of participants or the minimum fee of $164.00 for a full day and $111.00 for a half day of programming.
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.