A Day in the Life of a Summer Camper
A Discovery-Filled, Nature-Rich Adventure at Chattanooga’s Best Outdoor Summer Camp
Parents and campers alike tell us all the time that Reflection Riding is Chattanooga’s best outdoor summer camp, among lots of great summer camp options in our area. But what does a typical day at the Best Outdoor Summer Camp in Chattanooga look like? We have lots of thoughts, but really, it’s impossible to say, because there is no typical day! Summer Camp at Reflection Riding is an ever-changing, nature-immersed, hands-on experience campers will never forget.
We asked our Summer Camp Co-Directors to tell us what just one day could look like at summer camp, and here’s what they said…
8:45 - Arrive at the Welcome Center
9:30 - Meet new friends with fun icebreakers at HomeBase! This is a great opportunity to build lasting connections for the summer and beyond!!
10:10 - Snack time!!
10:30 - Break for bathroom and water refills
11:00 - Get a boost of energy with Animal Race, a fun game that brings you into the world of animals!! While you race, you will channel your inner animal by mimicking one as you move!
11:30 - Ignite your creativity and love for nature by making a bird feeder in the Education Room! Your local songbirds will appreciate your care!
12:00 - Lunch time!! Relax with friends and catch each other up on all your adventures!
1:00 - Get a little muddy as you conduct a Pond Study, where you’ll learn all about invertebrates and what lives in the water!
2:20 - Relax and rest under the shade of a huge Dawn Redwood! This is a great spot for tree climbing and splashing in the pond!
3:00 - Make the trip back to the Welcome Center with your new friends, where you’ll change clothes and pack up all of your belongings.
3:40 - Pick-up time begins, and we will all prepare to head home for the evening… ready for a long sleep and another day at Chattanooga’s best outdoor summer camp again tomorrow!
We took a very informal poll, and here are a few of our camper’s favorite things:
Mud Day is nearly every child’s favorite thing. Who doesn’t love tromping in the mud?!
Lots of kids learn to paddle on Lookout Creek with us every summer and love it!
Hiking up Lookout Mountain, from Reflection Riding to Sunset Rock, is a big camper accomplishment each year.
Nature art projects are a regular favorite, like building bird houses, solar prints, leaf rubbings, and rock painting, to name a few.
Outdoor experiences many of us adults take for granted, like climbing trees (which many kids have never done before), outdoor games, exploring our wetland areas, and participating in pond studies, really engage our campers.
Animal Encounters, especially when a snake is involved, are always crowd-pleasers!
Join us for summer camp, and your kids will make nature memories to last a lifetime! Special thanks to Rock/Creek and Local 3 News for sponsoring Summer Camp at Reflection 2024!
“My girls came home with new knowledge and exciting stories about what they learned! Most importantly, they loved their counselors and found them to be kind and helpful”
