Hitchcock Center for the Environment
Private
Nature day camp run by the nonprofit Hitchcock Center for the Environment on the Hampshire College campus in Amherst. Sessions run 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. for kids entering grades K-4 (some for grades 5-6), plus a Leadership Training Camp for grades 7-9, with student-led outdoor exploration, games, and crafts focused on animal adaptations and ecosystems. A Chickadee Camp serves rising kindergartners.
The practical details
We list only what the camp itself publishes, and programs change — dates, prices, ages and availability can all move after we check. Confirm the details on the camp’s own website and contact Hitchcock Center for the Environment directly before you register or pay. Last checked August 2026.
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★★★★★Moriah KahanMy kids love it here! They are learning so much through their summer camp. Hitchcock has such kind staff! They do so much for the environment. It’s interesting to see all the things they do to limit their footprint on the earth.
★★★★★Emily MacDonaldThe Hitchcock Center for the Environment offers an exceptional field trip experience that beautifully blends hands-on learning with environmental awareness. The facility itself is a model of sustainable design, creating an inviting space that sparks curiosity. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and engaging, making complex concepts accessible and exciting for kids. A standout moment was the engineering activity where students designed and tested windmills—an imaginative, well-leveled challenge that encouraged problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration. It was a day rich in learning, wonder, and connection to the natural world.
★★★★★Meaghan Shepard EllisHitchcock is a beautiful space, with knowledgeable and caring staff who run incredible programs for kids.
★★★★★T BAMAZING. Brought my 2yo today and she loved it! Plenty of parking, bathrooms available when building is open. Outside there is a cute play space with a kitchen, gazebo, and there are gardens scattered throughout the space. There's also a mud kitchen in another section. Inside there is a turtle and some fish to see! Plus a small play area with books, toys, and stuffed animal puppets. This area also has neat taxidermy style animals, and animal skeletons. We didn't get a chance to tour the rest of the building or walk the trails, but we'll do that when we come again! I'm floored at how kid-friendly this place is. They even had little step stools in the bathrooms!
★★★★Ben SchaefferI wish the Hitchcock Center had been open back when I was a student at Hampshire. I think it's SO COOL that it's an addition to the campus now. When I was attending Hampshire the only entity of the "Cultural Village" that had been opened was the National Yiddish Book Center, which was also a FANTASTIC cultural addition to Hampshire & it's campus. The Eric Carle Museum opened (in 2003) a few years after I graduated from Hampshire in 1998. Coming back to campus and going to the opening of that was really incredible - I could see that the Museum was also going to improve the cultural vitality of Hampshire's campus. These institutions REALLY strengthen the college overall itself, and draw the public to the campus (which I always felt Hampshire needed) like Mead & Beneski @ Amherst or UMCA and the Fine Arts Center @ UMass.