Nature Day Camp
Nature Day Camp, offered by the Urbana Park District, provides outdoor exploration and nature-based activities for children in Urbana, Illinois.
▌ Editor's read The Urbana Park District website (urbanaparks.org/camps) loads successfully and lists various summer camps, including 'Nature Day Camp.' The camp is offered by a municipal parks department, indicating a public entity as the owner. The website does not mention ACA accreditation, nor does it provide specific state license numbers for its camps. There is no explicit mention of staff background checks on the camp's main page. The program type is clearly day camp, with sessions running from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The Urbana Park District has a Google review rating of 4.6 stars based on 107 reviews, with comments generally praising the parks and facilities. Social media handles found are @urbanaparkdistrict for Instagram and 'urbanaparkdistrict' for Facebook. Specific staff ratios are not published on the camp's webpage.
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Parks-department programPublic, often subsidized
Who thrives here Ages 6–13
Nature Day Camp sits in the upper-elementary to middle-school window where specialization starts to mean something. Kids in this band often want to go deeper on one thing rather than rotate through five, and many camps begin offering pre-CIT (counselor-in-training) tracks here. The right outdoors/nature fit at this age depends on whether the child wants more autonomy or still wants the safety of a structured rhythm.
Facts & Credentials
- Program type
- Day camp
- ACA accredited
- Not verified
- Established
- Not listed
- Operator
- Municipal parks department
- Staff-to-camper ratio
- Not listed
Details
- Category: Outdoors/Nature
- Ages: 6–13
- Hours: 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM
- Address: Anita Purves Nature Center, 1505 N Broadway Ave, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Cost notes: USD. Financial assistance available.
Logistics
- Lunch provided: No
- Transportation: No
- Financial aid: No
- Setting: mixed
Frequently asked about Nature Day Camp
- What ages does Nature Day Camp accept?
- Nature Day Camp is open to children ages 6–13. Camps publish their own age cutoffs, and some run mixed-age groups internally; check the registration page for that summer's grouping if your child sits at a boundary.
- How much does Nature Day Camp cost?
- Nature Day Camp publishes $140/week for the standard session. USD. Financial assistance available. Final cost depends on session length, sibling discounts, and whether extended care is added on.
- What are Nature Day Camp's hours?
- Nature Day Camp runs 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM. If those hours don't quite cover your work day, check whether extended care or early drop-off is offered separately.
- Who runs Nature Day Camp?
- Nature Day Camp is operated by the local parks department. The operator type matters for tuition policy (refunds, financial aid eligibility) and for what kind of staff training pipeline the camp uses.
- Does Nature Day Camp provide lunch?
- Nature Day Camp does not include lunch — campers bring their own. Most day camps without provided lunch are nut-free or nut-aware, so check the allergy policy before packing. Frozen water bottles double as ice packs and drinks; insulated lunch boxes hold below 40°F for about four hours.
Planning guides
Editorial checklists to use before you compare Nature Day Camp with other camps.
- How to choose a summer camp · Use the decision checklist before you compare finalists.
- Financial aid and scholarship camps · Compare aid policies, discounts, and application timing.
- Summer camp pricing in 2026 · Benchmark weekly cost before you commit a deposit.
Camps near here
Same city, with age-overlapping options first. Other camps to consider alongside Nature Day Camp.
- Nature Day Camp w/ Aftercare · North Urbana · Ages 6–13 · $180/week
- REC Camp · West Urbana · Ages 6–12 · $150/week
- REC Camp w/ Aftercare · West Urbana · Ages 6–12 · $190/week
- Illinois Aerospace Institute (IAI) Summer Camp · University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Nugent Hall · Ages 14–17 · $1,500/week