Camp Betty: Nature Week

Kick off your week of nature celebration and appreciation with a snack of classic brewed sun tea and leaf-shaped sugar cookies. Making sun tea is a great way for kids to learn about diffusion, and is easy enough for them to make themselves. All you need is a glass container with a good seal (we love classic Ball jars), a gallon of water, several teabags and a sunny spot outside; pour the water in the container(s), add teabags and set in a sunny spot for 4 hours. While that’s brewing, crank up the oven and bake some of Betty’s darling tri-color leaf cookies. Bonus: big-batch recipes mean your family will have plenty to drink and snack on all week!

Get crafty with a few handfuls of Cheerios, some birdseed, sugar ice cream cones and peanut butter! These DIY birdfeeders are sure to bring nature to you, allowing you to make note of all of the different kinds of birds in your neighborhood (and those sneaky squirrels that are bound to catch a whiff of the goodies too!).

Grab your binoculars, granola bars, bug spray and sunscreen and head outside! From a short backyard exploration to a trip to a local arboretum, nature center or national park, the field-trip options are endless. For those looking to embark on adventures from the comfort of your home, check out our incredible Nature Valley Trail View, which offers 360-degree photos of 400 miles of trails at four of our U.S. National Parks. Happy hiking!

Creating a special journal or scrapbook to document every Camp Betty summer adventure is the perfect way to stave off boredom and stay busy on a rainy day during Nature Week. (We especially love these creative custom journals kids can help design.) Don’t forget to download our free Camp Betty stickers to keep memories organized!

Get your hands dirty by pitching in and picking up trash around your neighborhood—paying special attention to busy places like walking trails, playgrounds and public beaches.