Camp Keystone (3-6 years old)
Camp Keystone is a balance of discovery, science, and silliness! Your camper will uncover the wonders of nature through the lens of a salmon. We will play nature games, tell magical stories, do open-ended arts and crafts, and have lots of unstructured nature play to encourage children’s natural curiosity about the outdoors.
Camp Keystone is hosted at NSEA’s campus, 3057 E Bakerview Road, Bellingham, WA 98226.
2024 Camp Keystone Information
Each week of camp has two options:
Half-day camp, 8:30 am – 12:30 pm,
– for campers 3-6 years old, $275/week.Full-day camp, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm,
– for campers 5-6 years old, $450/week.
We offer a 10% sibling discount applied to the second sibling, and each additional sibling.
We are happy to announce that we are a licensed, outdoor nature-based program through the Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). We are able to provide subsidies to qualifying families through Working Connections to waive the cost of camp. For more information, click here.
Watch the video to see what camp is all about!
“We love NSEA and Camp Keystone! We love that it is science based, nature-focused, and about being good stewards of the land. The staff is warm and welcoming and make it such a joyful experience for the kids!” – Camp Keystone parent
For any questions about Camp Keystone,
please email Nathan at
nzabel@n-sea.org
or call (360) 715-0283 x120
or check out the
Camp keystone FAQ
You may have heard reduce, reuse, and recycle. But what about rot, rethink, and refuse? There are so many ways we can take care of our earth. We will be on the lookout for litter, make some upcycled crafts, and find ways we can help the planet and salmon!
I am warm, fuzzy, and always on the lookout for food. What am I? During this week, you will learn the remarkable traits and adaptations that make fuzzy creatures so unique. Become a crafty coyote, a restless rodent, or a burrowing bunny and try to survive the food chain. Are furry creatures and salmon friends? Let’s find out! Campers may bring their favorite stuffed animal with them.
How would you become invisible in your own backyard? Come think like an animal and discover the critters hiding in plain sight! Find out which species are on the prowl, how clever salmon are when they hide, and how all the living things around us are connected.
Tall trees, short trees, fallen trees, and snags – each one plays an important part in the forest ecosystem! During this week of bark, branches, twigs, and stumps, get to know the quiet giants of the forest through up-close examination, sensory learning, and stealth games. Learn how trees impact the animal world and how salmon can help trees grow!
Did you know that some salmon swim all the way across the Pacific Ocean? We will say hi to our friends that share the saltwater with salmon, be on the lookout for orcas and boats, and discover what we can do to take care of the deep blue sea.
Did you know that a watershed is like a bathtub? Discover how the snow on Mt. Baker and the rain that falls on your street are all connected. Come explore Whatcom County with us though activities, stories, and games, and discover how watersheds connect us to salmon.
Way up in the sky, our feathered friends fly! While down on the ground, we’ll watch them fly by. Birds live in many places, from the frozen ice to the hot desert – they even live where salmon swim. This week, we’ll flap our wings, sing like birds, hop on our 2 feet, and make our own binoculars so we can be on the lookout for birds.
What do insects, spiders, snails, and centipedes have in common? They have no spine! We will put on our muck boots, grab our bug nets, and go on a wild bug hunt to investigate decomposers, predator-prey relationships, and play games that help us understand the strange characteristics of invertebrates. We will uncover the world under our feet, and how they wind up on a salmon’s dinner plate!
Splish splash – this week is all about water! Learn about salmon swimming in their watery world. Experience the cold, clean, and clear water salmon need to survive and run, jump, sing, and hike your way along the rivers and creeks salmon call home.