Camp Chrysalis

Camp Chrysalis is eight educational days of fun for 8.5 to 14 yr olds located at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park beneath redwoods and bay laurels, embraced by their ecology.  The camp is leisurely paced. Campers explore the creek bed and the stories it tells, spy on crayfish and lizards, explore redwood fairy rings, and sketch pictures in their journals. Kids wade through a canyon to swim in its gorge and hike up another to gaze at a waterfall. Many great learning opportunities to learn about invasive plants and animals and work on projects to help the park. Another day is spent at the beach building driftwood houses and swimming in a lagoon. Back at base camp, campers carve redwood hiking sticks and design our own T-shirts.

I went to Camp Chrysalis first when I was ten, and kept coming back for four more years. As a nature-loving homeschooler, I loved Camp Chrysalis because I got muddy, learned outdoor skills, and spend lots of concentrated time with peers who also enjoyed learning how to eat bracken ferns, getting the perfect sanded sheen on a piece of manzanita wood, or talking about the view they had from their latest nature-poop spot. I learned lots, met fun and interesting people, sang songs and played goofy games, all in some of the most beautiful places in the world.
Yannai, Oakland, home-schooled student

As homeschoolers, we always looked for groups for our son to join groups where there was a healthy, loving social atmosphere and lots of learning by doing.  Camp Chrysalis, a family-owned camp based in Berkeley, did all of this.  Kids camp out in beautiful settings in Mendocino, the Sierra, and Big Sur, and have a great time together, hiking, doing crafts, making music, and learning about the ecology of the site.  My son started with the camp at 10 and kept going back, including a glorious backpacking trip at age 15.  Highly recommended.
Kathy, Oakland, home-schooling mom

For more information about Camp Chrysalis and how your camper can participate go to: 
www.campchrysalis.com