In 1985, environmental educator Ed Bieber was approached by parents asking him to begin a summer camp based not on sports or competition, color wars or pressured schedules, but instead on cooperation and each child’s inherent connection to nature. And so he did just that.

         Located in Rockland County, and family-owned and operated for 33 years, The Nature Place has grown into a vibrant community of campers, families, staff, alumni and friends. Their mission, “which now feels more important than ever,” notes Director of Programming Scott Dunn, is “to foster connections—to ourselves, to each other and to the Earth.”

         Each summer, children ages 4 through 16 come to The Nature Place from throughout the New York-New Jersey area—busing provided—to unplug and connect with the natural world. Some 50 percent of the campers are from Manhattan and Brooklyn, Dunn says.

         “Our exceptionally well-trained staff and pressure-free programming encourage campers to slow down and enjoy every moment of a summer spent in nature,” he says. “With 200 acres of farms, fields, swamps and gardens to explore, plus day hikes and overnight trips for older campers, each child’s sense of wonder is encouraged.”

         The Nature Place also offers year-round programming in Primitive Living Skills, with weekend sessions for children, adults and families.

Location: 285 Hungry Hollow Rd., Chestnut Ridge, NY. For more information, including summer 2019 details, call 845-356-1234 or visit TheNaturePlace.com.