New Year's Overnight Camp at ONSC Main Campus

❄️ Kick off the New Year with 4 days and 3 nights of winter wonders at ONSC! ❄️

Campers (ages 8-16) will dive into winter exploration, learning how animals and plants adapt to the cold season. We’ll track animal signs like footprints and scat, identify winter trees, uncover fascinating winter weather phenomena, and so much more! 🌲🐾

Choose from two convenient drop-off options, whether you’re an early bird or need a later start! The adventure continues into the evening with two cozy campfires, guided night hikes, and stargazing in ONSC's meadow. 🌌🔥

Ages 8-16

About Ozark Natural Science Center: ONSC offers a unique, immersion-based approach to learning about nature and the natural sciences. Students visit us for authentic science learning experiences that are correlated with national and state science learning standards and provide in-depth education in biology, ecology, geology, social studies, and nature art – all while students have fun hiking and experiencing nature. Camp activities include  hikes, team-building, games, art, and small-group activities.

Scholarships:

We strive to make ONSC programs accessible and affordable for all. In addition to ONSC's regular scholarship fund, we have been given a generous grant from the Walton Family Foundation so we can provide more camp scholarships. Apply here for a scholarship.

Registration:

Step 1: Purchase tickets below

Step 2: Complete the Camper Registration Form​ for each camper

Step 3: Be on the lookout for a packing list and info packet which will be sent out before camp to the email address you provided!

Lodging:

Students will stay in ONSC's lodges, and will be assigned to rooms by age and gender. 

Chaperones:

We have a limited number of free tickets for parent chaperones. We will need at least one male and one female chaperone for each age group with a maximum of 6 total chaperones. We strive to assign chaperones to field groups that don't include their own child(ren), to allow all students an authentic feeling of "camp independence." However, exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis.

An interview and background check are required to become a chaperone. 

Tentative Camp Schedule:

Wed, Jan 1

• 8:30am - Arrival & Registration

• 9:00am - Staff-Parent-Camper Meeting

• 9:45am - Parents depart

• 10:00am - Camper meeting & orientation

• 11:00am - Name games / ice-breakers

• 12pm - Lunch

• 1:00pm - Nature Journal making & Naturalist notes

• 2:00pm - Field Investigation (Winter tree identification focus)

• 4:45pm - Return to Ewing Center, bathroom break

• 5:00pm - Downtime on the Deck

  ---

• 4:00pm - Later Arrival & Registration

• 4:30pm - Later Arrival Staff-Parent-Camper Meeting

• 5:15pm - Later Arrival Parents Depart

  ---

• 5:30pm - Dinner

• 6:30pm - Discovery of the Specimen Class

• 7:45pm - Campfire

• 8:30pm - Mini Night hike

• 9:15pm - Campers in lodges

• 10:00pm - Lights out

Thurs, Jan 2

8:00am - Breakfast

• 9:00am - Field Investigation (Geology & Winter weather focus)

• 11:45am - Return to Ewing Center, bathroom break

• 12pm - Lunch

• 1:00pm - Creekside Trail Time

• 3:25pm - Return to Ewing Center, bathroom break

• 3:40pm - Eco-Art (Winter themed crafts)

• 4:45pm - Quiet or Active Rec 

• 5:30pm - Dinner

• 6:30pm - Downtime on the Deck

• 7:00pm - Astronomy Class

• 8:00pm - Astronomy Viewing in field

• 9:15pm - Campers in lodges

• 10:00pm - Lights out

Fri, Jan 3

• 8:00am - Breakfast

• 9:00am - Let's Break it Down (Decomposers) Class

• 10:00am - Field Investigation (Signs of Animals focus)

• 11:45am - Return to Ewing Center, bathroom break

• 12pm - Lunch

• 1:00pm - Class (TBD)

• 2:00pm - Quiet or Active Rec

• 3:15pm - Snack break

• 3:30pm - Eco-Art (Fun with tracks!)

• 5:30pm - Dinner

• 6:30pm - Downtime on the Deck

• 7:00pm - Campfire with Lorax play

• 8:15pm - Night hike

• 9:15pm - Campers in lodges

• 10:00pm - Lights out

Sat, Jan 4

• 8:00am - Breakfast

• 9:00am - Ornithology Class

• 10:00am - Field Investigation (Winter birding focus)

• 11:45am - Return to Ewing Center, bathroom break

• 12pm - Lunch

• 1:00pm - Break in Lodges to get packed up

• 1:45pm - Take luggage to Lewis Pavilion

• 2:00pm - Quiet or Active Rec

• 3:00pm - Lorax discussion & Final camp activities

• 4:00pm - Parents arrive, Store time, & Departure

• 5:00pm - All Campers Picked up & Head home!

Guided Hike Topics Include (but are not limited to):

Natural Science Topics – Adaptations and Natural Selection, Food Webs, Geology and the Rock Cycle, Human and Cultural History (Osage Native Americans and Settlers), Phenology and Seasonal Changes, Succession and Natural History, Symbiosis, Water Quality-Biotic and Abiotic Testing, Weather, Weathering and Erosion, Watersheds, and The Four Spheres: Atmosphere, Biosphere, Geosphere, & Hydrosphere

Wilderness Exploration Topics – Mentality for Outdoor Exploration, Physical Preparedness, Wilderness Safety, Monitoring and Adjusting for Environmental Conditions, Emergency Action Plans, Comfort Management, Materials and Tools Found in Nature, Wild Edibles and Foraging, Water Quality and Purification

Ticket Refund Policy:

Refunds up to 1 week before the event: Tickets are refundable minus any applicable fees (processing, administrative, etc.) until 7 days before the event.

Refunds within 1 week of the event: For refund requests made less than 7 days prior to the event, a 50% refund will be issued

No refunds within 24 hours of the event: Refund requests made within 24 hours of the event are not permitted, except in exceptional circumstances and only with approval from ONSC administration.

*Please note that all refund requests must be submitted in writing to jill.bowman@onsc.us. Refunds will be processed within 7-10 business days.

About the Instructors:

Visit www.onsc.us/staff to learn more about our Teacher Naturalists and other staff.

Questions? Please email School Program and Camp Manager, Breana Patterson at breana.patterson@onsc.us with any questions.