Nature Immersion Camp

Apple Scouts

What is Apple Scouts?

Apple Playschools’ Apple Scouts program is a gender-inclusive, multi-age outdoors camp based on the belief that all children have the right to connect to the natural world. Aligned with the international movement to “rewild” childhood, children in our camp programs are immersed in nature in all kinds of weather. Through child-initiated activities like hiking, tracking, mapping, playing, building and creating, Apple Scouts explore the rich surroundings offered by local preserves, woods and trails. Campers grow alongside the plants and animals they encounter, provided with meaningful experiences and trusting relationships that nurture the environmental stewards of tomorrow.

Key Features

  • Camper-initiated activities, field trips, and lots of time devoted to open-ended play

  • Outdoors 99% of the day, in all weather conditions

  • Visits to multiple local parks and natural areas

  • Opportunities for independent problem solving and conflict resolution

  • Encouragement to take risks, build skills, make mistakes, and get messy

  • 1:10 staff to camper ratio

  • Knowledgeable, passionate, and enthusiastic staff with CPR/First Aid certification

Registration Info 2024

Registration and fees will be made through Procare. Completing a registration request will add you to a session waitlist. Enrollment in the session will be manually confirmed by our staff in the order registration requests are received.

Sessions are open to youth who have completed Young 5's/Kindergarten-5th grade. Campers will be assigned to a mixed-age group during their session.

Sessions 1-4 are two weeks long, and the weeks overlapping Juneteenth (June 19th) and 4th of July are not prorated as staff are paid for the holidays. Each session fee is $635.

Session 5 is only one week long. Session fee is $317.50.

Camp Runs 8:30-4 pm daily, with extended day care from 4-5:30 pm. Extended care fee is $150 for Sessions 1-4 and $75 for Session 5.

Click below for
Online Enrollment

Is Apple Scouts the right fit for my camper?

  • Apple Scouts campers spend each day hiking and exploring nature areas, parks, and community sites around Ann Arbor. Campers should be able to walk 2-5 miles per day while carrying their backpacks with additional energy to explore while at the park. 

    Campers should also be able to toilet independently and comfortably with a flush toilet as well as in an outhouse or port-o-potty. Because we will be outside or in nature areas for much of the day, bathroom access is not always quickly available. If using unfamiliar bathrooms, or being far away from a toilet for extended periods of time may be challenging for your camper, please reach out to the camp director to discuss how we may be able to accommodate them. 

    Apple Playschools supports neurodiversity among our campers and staff. We also understand that the nature of our camp program can be stressful or poorly-matched for what some people’s brains and bodies need to feel safe. Our program leaves from our home base and travels to a new park each day. There are many transitions throughout the day and many hours of open-ended, unstructured play and discovery time. While Apple Scouts is designed to be accessible to as many children as possible, the schedule, location, and supervision of our program cannot provide what every child needs to be safe, confident, and successful. If your child exhibits behaviors such as: physical aggression, resistance or discomfort in new places and new routines, elopement or running away in periods of high stress, or if they need fast or frequent access to a bathroom, please contact us so we can determine if Apple Scouts can provide the camping experience your child deserves, and if so, what strategies may help your child be successful in our program.

Have additional questions?

Email our Camp Director below for additional support.

2024 Summer Camp Sessions

Location: Drop off and pick up for Apple Scouts Summer Camp will be at West Side United Methodist Church, 900 S 7th St, Ann Arbor. Scouts will leave from this site for their daily adventures via hiking. All camp sessions include hiking to nearby nature areas and parks, art, open play/exploration time and activities guided by each session theme.

  • Ever wondered why the sky is blue or how old trees are? Do you love slime and getting messy? This session might be the one for you! Calling all curious chemists, inquisitive inventors and snoopy scientists to join us in taking risks while we research our most puzzling questions, inquiries and hypotheses. Bring your curiosity, innovation and adventurous spirit. Disclaimer: This session will include mud play! Tentative Badges: Risk Taker, Mud Day, Science Explorer, Experiment Creator, Problem Solver

  • Embark on an educational expedition with us as we journey through the jewels of our own backyard. Celebrating 200 years of existence, Ann Arbor is home to unique urban and natural landscapes. During this session we’ll explore, uncover, and marvel at the magnificent landmarks, people, and history of our community. Come learn about our local lore, connect with our heritage, cultivate a deeper appreciation, and celebrate the bicentennial anniversary of Ann Arbor. Tentative Badge: Historical hunter, Kerrytown Kid, Community Explorer, Wolverine Wanderer

  • Use the sidewalk as your palette, the neighborhood as your stage, and the people you pass as characters in your very own story. Whether you prefer the fluid motions of dance, the melodious magic of music, the theatrical thrills of drama, or the vibrant vistas of visual arts, during this session every day will be a new canvas of creativity to showcase your artistic expression. We’ll explore an array of different mediums as we intertwine inspiration and imagination in a symphony of creative exploration. Tentative Badges: Natural Artist, Artful Artisan, Graphic Novelist, Thespian

  • Embark on a flavorful journey, where little ones become budding botanists and curious campers cultivate a connection with the earth. Delight in delectable discoveries as we delve into the delightful world of farm-fresh flavors, fostering friendships while feasting on fruits and forging memories around the table. We’ll learn how to prepare seasonal produce as we explore the local food system that sustains our community. Challenge yourself to try new foods and identify edible and healing plants growing all around us. Tentative Badges: Forager, Canning, Community Gardner, Locavore

  • Whisk away with us as we meander through Mother Nature’s marvels. We’ll embark on eco-adventures, uncovering the secrets of plants, flowers, and tiny creatures that call the garden home. Activities include crafting fairy houses, going on nature scavenger hunts, and learning about edible and healing plants growing around us. It’s a blend of education and enchantment, designed to spark curiosity and a love for the great outdoors in a setting straight out of a storybook. Tentative Badges: Forager, Community Gardner, Natural Healer, Friend to Fairies

Additional Camp Information

  • ​Morning and afternoon snacks provided

  • Campers must bring a lunch, water bottle, sun protection and weather-appropriate clothing, and two face masks each day (optional depending on Covid and Air Quality Levels)

  • Every camper must have completed all paperwork prior to the first day of camp

Payment and Cancellation Policies

  • ​All registration fees include a $50 non-refundable deposit per child.

  • Invoices will be sent within ONE week of confirmed enrollment. Full payment for camp registration fees is due within 7 days of receiving an invoice or at least 2 weeks before your camp session, whichever is earlier. If you need any adjustments to this please email the Camp Director at applescouts@appleplayschools.org.

  • Sessions 1-4 are two weeks long and cannot be prorated, Session 5 is one week long.

  • Registrations cancelled on or before April 30, 2024 will be issued a 50% refund minus the $50 deposit.

  • No refunds will be issued for registration cancelled after May 1, 2024. 

  • If a participant fails to attend a registered session without notice, no refund will be issued. In cases of homesickness, dismissal or voluntary withdrawal, there will be no refund of any registration fees.

  • All requests for cancellations or changes must be made in writing to mariarios@appleplayschools.org.

  • Apple Playschools reserves the right to grant exceptions to these policies.

Required Camper Paperwork

All paperwork due by Friday, May 31, 2024. Below you will find the Handbook from Summer 2023. This will give you a good idea of what to expect. Updates for the 2024 camp session will be made in spring 2024. This handbook includes important information about Apple Playschools policies and procedures. If you have any questions regarding our programs or policies, please contact applescouts@appleplayschools.org.

We are working on updating how families submit forms. Please wait for an email from our Camp Director regarding camp forms once your child is enrolled. Thank you for your patience!