Do you know a child who loves to explore the outdoors? Sign them up for a summer camp at Iowa Lakeside Lab! We offer many summer camps for students entering PreK (4-year-olds) through 9th grade. Check back below for a list of our our 2026 offerings. Summer camp registration opens Monday, February 2nd at 12pm, please register early to ensure a spot in our camps!
2026 Summer Camps
Habitat Explorers - PreK - June 1 & 2 or July 8 & 9
Age: Students entering 4yo Preschool
Dates: June 1 & 2 or July 8 & 9
Time: 9am - 12pm
Cost: $45 (t-shirt and snacks included)
Prairies, wetlands and forests - oh my! Join us as we discover what resources make a habitat and compare what different plants and animals need to survive!
Let's Get Muddy! - TK/K - June 3 & 4 or July 28 & 29
Age: Students entering TK/K
Dates: June 3 & 4 or July 28 & 29
Time: 9am - 12pm
Cost: $45 (t-shirt and snacks included)
Time to unleash your wild side and explore the wonderful world of mud. Campers will explore, play and make crafts out of mud. Come ready to get dirty and have fun!
Dino Discovery - 1st & 2nd grade - June 9-11 or July 14-16
Age: Students entering 1st & 2nd grade
Dates: June 9-11 or July 14-16
Time: 9am - 3pm
Cost: $95 (t-shirt, snacks and lunches included)
Stomp, roar, and explore! Campers will step into the shoes of paleontologists as they uncover fossils, learn about different kinds of dinosaurs, and go on outdoor adventures.
Fish Camp - 1st - 3rd grade - June 8, July 7 or August 6
Age: Students entering 1st - 3rd grade
Dates: June 8, July 7 or August 6
Time: 9am - 3pm
Cost: $25
At this partnership camp with ISU Extension, campers participate in a day of outdoor fishing fun! Investigate underwater invertebrates and learn about the parts of a fish. Then try to reel in as many as you can catch! Please bring a life vest and sack lunch.
Tadpole Camp - 3rd & 4th grade - June 15-18
Age: Students entering 3rd & 4th grade
Dates: June 15 - 18
Time: 9am - 3pm
Cost: $125 (t-shirt, snacks and lunches included)
*This camp includes field trips off site
Where's the best place to look for tadpoles? How do these wiggly creatures survive in their habitat? Get ready to romp around local wetlands in search of these alluring critters. Lunches included.
Nature Detectives - 3rd & 4th grade - July 21 - 23
Age: Students entering 3rd & 4th grade
Dates: July 21 - 23
Time: 9am - 3pm
Cost: $95 (t-shirt, snacks and lunches included)
Put your detective skills to the test as we explore mysteries hidden in the natural world! Campers will investigate animal tracks, find clues, and use real field tools to uncover what’s happening outdoors.
Wizarding Workshop Camp - 3rd - 5th grade - June 17 or July 8
Age: Entering 3rd - 5th grade
Date: June 17 or July 8
Time: 9am - 3pm
Cost: $20
This camp, in partnership with ISU Extension and Dickinson County Nature Center, combines magic, wonder, and learning about nature and science. Click here for more information.
This camp will be hosted at Horseshoe Bend, North Side (2372 190th Ave, Milford, IA 51351)
*Please register Feb 16th at https://www.extension.iastate.edu/dickinson/
Frog Camp - 5th & 6th grade - June 22-25
Age: Students entering 5th & 6th grade
Dates: June 22 - 25
Time: 9am - 3pm
Cost: $125 (t-shirt, snacks and lunches included)
*This camp includes field trips off site
Did you know frogs use their eyes to help them swallow their prey? They also absorb water through their skin! Be prepared to get wet and muddy as we head to the wetlands to learn more about these fantastic creatures!
Junior CLAMP-ologists Sailing Camp - 5th - 9th grade - August 3-5
Age: Students entering 5th - 9th grade
Dates: August 3 - 5
Time: 9am - 3pm
Cost: $155 (t-shirt, snacks and lunches included)
Join the Cooperative Lakes Area Monitoring Project (CLAMP) as a Junior CLAMP-ologist! At this collaborative camp between Lakeside and Okoboji Sailing Center, spend time on both land and water while learning about water quality in the lakes area! Campers spend mornings at Lakeside and afternoons sailing with OSC instructors.
Girls in STEM PJ Party - 6th - 9th grade - August 30 -August 31
Age: Girls entering 6th - 9th grade
Dates: August 30 - August 31
Time: 9am - 9am
Cost: $50 (all meals and snacks included)
*Please note this is an overnight camp
Lakeside, ISU Extension, and Dickinson County Conservation are excited to bring you an all-girls overnight camp focused on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Girls will engage in hands-on activities, team-building challenges, and meet local women working in STEM fields.
Wild Boys Overnight - 6th - 9th grade - July 24-25
Age: Boys entering 6th - 9th grade
Dates: July 24 - 25
Time: 9am - 9am
Cost: $50 (all meals and snacks included)
*Please note this is an overnight camp
Join us for an all-boys, overnight camp focused on survival skills in the wild! This camp offers boys hands-on activities, team-building, career exploration, and a chance to meet local natural resources professionals. Learn water purification, fire building, navigation, and more to see if you can survive in the wild.