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  • skills
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  • kayak
  • kayak

No School Day Camps & Activities Portland, Oregon

When Portland Public and Clackamas County Schools are out for the day. Send your kids to Trackers, our camps are famous for programs and activities where kids learn reals skills outdoors.

Top 5 reasons to join Trackers Kids No-School Days...

1) Convenient location in SE Portland (Sellwood) Drop-off within minutes of most neighborhoods.

2) We do more and have real adventures! We do more in one day than most camps do in a summer. Campers get outside PLUS train archery, learn traditional skills, travel through time and much more.

3) Smaller group sizes We have an average of 25% smaller group sizes than standard outdoor camps.

4) Awesome Extended Camp You can drop you child off any time between 7:30am-9am, it's FREE! You can also pre-register for our affordable After-Camp from 3:30am-6pm.

5) A child's competency is respected We believe children are capable of so much more than our modern world asks of them. We raise the bar of accomplishment and team leadership while gently guiding them to connect to the natural world.

As a city dweller, I take pride that my son still has an opportunity to catch frogs, go fishing & be outdoors. By far one of the best camps he's attended. -Forest, Fishing, Fly and Reel Parent

Surpasses any experiences with camps so far; this is our first Trackers Camp. -Stealth, Archery & Wilderness Survival Parent

Excellent--My daughter is a Forest Ninja. And has promised to use her newfound powers for the good of the world. -Forest Ninja Parent

If your kid is imaginative, adventurous and loves the outdoors, there simply isn't a better camp experience. -Welcome to Middle Earth Parent

Age Groups

Ages 4-5 offer a morning and afternoon session that can be combined for a whole day. Ages 6-14 offer day sessions that go from 8:30am-3:30pm. We also offer extended camp from 7:30am-6pm. We do residential and expedition overnights for ages 9-18.

Day camp groups...

Ages 4-5 Basecamps stay at our site and explores the neighboring nature park
Ages 6 Mobile day camps that teach the beginnings of new and fun skills
Ages 7-8 Mobile day camps that truly immerse campers into the story of the camp
Ages 9-10 Mobile day camps that develop team skills and rich learning environments
Ages 10-14 Mobile day camps that teach complex craft work and outdoor skills

Calendar for 2011-2012 No School Day Camps

Feb 20

Ages 6-10 Little House: Wilders Day Off Feb 20, 2012
Ages 11-14 Survival, Tracking & Stealth Feb 20, 2012
Ages 11-15 Ye' Ol' Blacksmithing Shop Feb 20, 2012

Mar 26-30

Check out our Spring Break Camps March 26-30, 2012

April 13

Ages 6-10 Little House: Wilders Day Off April 13, 2012
Ages 6-10 The School of Magic: School's Out April 13, 2012
Ages 6-10 Stealth, Archery & Wilderness Survival April 13, 2012
Ages 6-10 Forest Fishing, Fly & Reel April 13, 2012
Ages 11-14 c April 13, 2012
Ages 11-15 Ye' Ol' Blacksmithing Shop April 13, 2012

May 28

Ages 6-10 Little House: Wilders Day Off May 28, 2012
Ages 11-14 Little House: Wilders Day Off May 28, 2012
Ages 11-15 Ye' Ol' Blacksmithing Shop May 28, 2012

Updates from articles & classes

Contact Us

General phone (503) 559-2825

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Rave Reviews...

"This has been the best camp! And, we've gone to a few! I have been telling everyone about it. I don't think you could have developed a more perfect camp experience for my son. Seriously… Honestly, I cannot think of enough words to describe how great this week was for Ethan. He was engaged, enthusiastic and exhausted at the end of the day. The storyline that his group developed was amazing and kept him thinking and connecting every night. I love the enthusiasm of Stewart. The patience and guidance he has with kids is inspiring. He has the ability to command a group of excitable kids safely and in a way that gets them thinking, creating and using their imaginations-- which is an under utilized skill (in my opinion). I loved how he made the whole camp adaptable to what the kids were interested in, and had the flexibility to flow with it. Fantastic job you guys!!!" -Forest Ninja Parent, Age 6

"Excellent--My daughter is a Forest Ninja. And has promised to use her newfound powers for the good of the world." -Forest Ninja Parent, Age 8

"As a city dweller, I take pride that my son still has an opportunity to catch frogs, go fishing & be outdoors. By far one of the best camps he's attended." -Forest, Fishing, Fly and Reel Parent, Age 7

"They are the best I have seen! Smart, passionate, energetic, funky and caring." -Little House: Wilders Homestead Parent, Age 6

"A totally new experience. Like Junior Outward Bound." -Welcome to Middle Earth Parent, Age 5

"He's been proud to share new things he's learned with whole family. He specified, however, that he's not learning like school, he's "discovering." Thank you!" -Welcome to Middle Earth Parent, Age 8

"Surpasses any experiences with camps so far; this is our first Trackers Camp." -Stealth, Archery & Wilderness Survival Parent, Age 9

"He says this is 'probably the best camp I've been to in my whole life' (little does he know he's doing kayaking camp (with Trackers) in 2 weeks… I wished I'd plugged into your camps sooner." -Forest, Fishing, Fly and Reel Parent, Age 10

"I've never seen her so excited to go to camp everyday." -Secret Agent Academy Parent, Age 9

If your kid is imaginative, adventurous and loves the outdoors, there simply isn't a better camp experience." -Welcome to Middle Earth Parent, Age 6

I will definitely look into other Trackers camps experiences for my son--and for me!" -Forest, Fishing, Fly and Reel Parent, Age 7

"He loved doing "real" activities." -Little House: Wilders Homestead Parent, Age 6

"I really thought Silent Wednesday was a great idea." -Middle Earth Parent, Age 5

"The elf pouch is a huge hit and will likely be worn all summer." -Faeries, Elves and Mostly Friendly Dragons Parent, Age 4

"He chose Forest Ninja and has come home each afternoon Filthy, Tired and very impressed with his new Stealth Ninja Skills!" -Forest Ninja Parent, Age 9

"Tell us about our staff… they radiate serenity and competence." -Forest Ninja Parent, Age 8

"This camp is seriously a FULL week of doings!" -Little House: Wilders Homestead Parent, Age 8

"I just loved that my daughter was getting to all the things I did as a child." -Parent

"I feel like Trackers is the perfect fit for my kid. He would much rather be shooting a bow and arrow or fishing in a lake than doing some of the more mainstream stuff he is exposed to through his school peers and neighborhood friends, like video games and team sports.  He's a quirky kid and Trackers thrills him." -Parent

"Everyone was patient and friendly, especially with the kids." -Parent

"So creative and engaging on a level that was perfect for them." -Parent

"I was blown away by what our class accomplished. The instructors set high expectations and then helped my students rise to the occasion. From blacksmithing to survival skills, we did so much this week... The instructors were real with my students while also being completely professional. That's a balance you don't see very often." -8th grade teacher

"Hands-on learning with a dose of humor." -Parent

More Reviews >

Our Philosophy

A SmileWe help children to feel like that group of kids wandering country backyards 50 years ago: independent, tired, muddy, wet and happy from the woods and wild. We are acutely aware of full and real hazards of the out of doors after years of working in environmental education. We try to move away from the highly structured and limiting tolerances of conventional environmental education while keeping kids truly safe but not encapsulated from, or phobic of nature. We are deep patriots to the value of offering guided yet very free and transparent experiences for kids. We believe it is okay to be thirsty at times, cold at times, and wet at times. It builds empathy and care for the gifts of life. It fosters adventure and sincere accomplishment. We also believe it is critical to feel supported and cared for as they truly explore their passion and responsibility. And through a healthy life immersed in nature, they test the limits and great potential of the often untapped physical and emotional resiliency they possess.