Camp Information
JuneBugs is a small forest-school-inspired camp run out of Washington Park in Denver, Colorado. This is a half-day program catering to children aged 3-8; where all of our activities will be completely outdoors! We will explore our local ecology, do art projects, team-building exercises, STEAM activities, and story-telling right out of our favorite local urban park.
Who:
Children aged 3-7
Where:
Washinton Park, Denver Colorado
When:
Monday-Thursday
8:30am-1:30pm
Who:
Children ages 3-7
Where:
Washington Park - Denver, Colorado (Sometimes our location changes)
When:
Monday - Thursday
Summer
8:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Spring, Fall and Winter
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
or
10:00 AM- 3:00 PM
Schedule
8:30 Drop off (at Rec-Center)
8:35 Morning Meeting (greeting, share, community building)
8:45 Nature walk
9:00 Nature-Based Activity (Art project, science observations/experiments, survival skills, games)
9:30 Free play
10:30 Snack (brought from home)
11:00 Free Play
11:30 Walk back to the rec-center
12:00 Lunch (Brought from home)
12:30 Story/free play
1:30 Pick-up
Enrollment Policies
Enrollment forms will be sent out after acquiring an interest. After the form is complete, a nonrefundable $50-$100 enrollment fee will be required to hold your child’s spot which will be applied to your first bill. Scheduling is on a first-come, first-served basis and those who fill out the form and pay the fee will receive priority enrollment.
Philosophies
JuneBugs Camp has been designed pulling pedagogy from Scandinavian Forest Schools, Waldorf, and Colorado State Standards for Kindergarten and First Grade Science. This program aims to support the relationship between the learner and the natural world. The curriculum is fluid, focusing on child-led outdoor play and exploration. Children will explore the ecology of the park through mindful observations, art, problem-solving activities, and most importantly PLAY!
Forest School Key Elements
Play-based
JuneBugs provides time for children to engage in play that is freely chosen, personally directed, and intrinsically motivated
Inquiry-based
JuneBugs allows children to explore the environment and bases activities off what the children are interested in.
Risk taking
Junebugs provides a safe environment for children to explore and take calculated risks
Nature-based
JuneBugs is outdoors in all weather conditions. Children are taught to be mindful of their surroundings to connect with nature
Meet the Teachers
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Nikki (Founder)
My name is Nikki Hudon (she/her). I am a Colorado local that was born in Steamboat and raised in Westminster. I am a licensed primary school teacher working for Denver Public Schools who is passionate about connecting children with the outdoors! I have a forest school teaching certification from The Forest School Institute. I also have experience in Waldorf education as a Summer Camp Teacher and have been working in Child Care settings for 10+ years. In my free time, I like to hike, camp, make art, and ride my bike.
My inspiration came to start this summer camp when I was nannying for a few kids living near Washington Park. We spent every day exploring, climbing trees, building “boats”, and fishing for crawfish. I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of Norwegian Forest schools and the outdoor classroom so I decided to start my own nature-based summer camp!
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Elly
I'm Elly Kent (she/her), and I've been working with children full-time since college. I've been a professional nanny for about 7 years now. Some of my favorite activities are paddleboarding, hiking, geocaching, and dancing with flow fans out in nature. I'm excited to see what adventures we can find at Junebugs this summer!
Caroline
My name is Caroline Edinger (she/her). I am originally from the Finger Lakes Region of Upstate New York and I moved to Denver in 2015. I hold my Colorado Department of Education License in Early Childhood Education.
During the school year I am a Kindergarten Math and Science teacher in DPS. I found my passion in education as a ski instructor at a small ski resort in Upstate New York. After many years of instructing and managing the daycare at the ski resort I started working in childcare as an assistant teacher.
I love working with preschoolers because of their intense curiosity and enthusiasm for our natural world. I believe in the Montessori philosophy that a child’s play is their work. It is with great pleasure that I take on this opportunity to foster children’s development through outdoor play and exploration. In my free time I run a small artisanal sourdough bakery, camp in the Rockies and sing in Denver’s LGBTQ Harmony Chorale.
Articles
FAQ
Is JuneBugs a licensed program? No. JuneBugs is not currently licensed in the state of CO. We have low-enrollment of only 4 children a day. There is no outdoor preschool license in the state of CO at this time.
Want to change that?
Click here to learn how to get involved in bring licensed outdoor childcare to Colorado!
Where can my child use the bathroom? We utilize public restrooms and have a small potty with privacy tent that we carry with us.
Do you take 3 year olds that are not potty trained? No. Children must be 3 years old and potty trained.
What do you do in bad weather? We believe that there is no bad weather, only bad clothing!
We do utilize certain indoor spaces to take breaks from extreme cold or take shelter from dangerous storms.
If weather is unsafe, we will provide an indoor alternative. In some cases we will cancel camp for the day.
There are no refunds for instances of weather.