Join us for our Outdoor Discovery Camp Open House!

This is a great opportunity for spring and summer campers and their families to explore the Arboretum, tour our facilities, meet camp staff, and connect with other camp families.

Get the camp experience with hands-on activities!

We'll be serving up hamburgers, hotdogs, chips, and drinks - please us us know about any dietary restrictions or preferences when you register. 

Registration is not required but appreciated! 

Get ready for a summer of adventure, exploration, and hands-on learning at Viles Arboretum Outdoor Discovery Camp! Designed for ages 7-14, our day camp runs from 9 AM to 3 PM, offering kids the chance to immerse themselves in the natural world through guided activities that spark curiosity and creativity.

Campers will explore diverse ecosystems, hike scenic trails, investigate wildlife, and engage in hands-on science, art, and outdoor skills. Each week features unique themes and activities, from pond dipping and nature journaling to shelter building and botanical discoveries. Led by experienced educators, our program fosters a sense of wonder, teamwork, and a deep connection to the environment.

We believe that outdoor exploration should be accessible to all families, which is why we offer a sliding scale tuition model based on annual household income. The price will be adjusted after completing the registration.

• Up to $30K - $125 per week

• $30K - $75K - $225 per week

• $75K and up - $325 per week

Join us for an unforgettable summer of discovery, adventure, and fun in nature!

Outdoor Discovery Camps Family Handbook

This program is part of the L.L. Bean Outdoor Discovery Program. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

How many species can you spot? L.L.Bean’s skilled guides have teamed up with a local birding expert, Casey Hynes, to lead you on a quiet, slow-paced hike through one of Maine’s top birding locations. After a quick refresher on how to tune your binoculars, you’ll embark on an easy walk through woodlands and open fields, listening and looking for the many birds that make these areas home – with plenty of educational narration along the way.

Participants with all levels of birding experience are welcome. Binoculars will be provided.

Months of Operation: May-October

Duration: Approximately 2 hours

Begins: Varies

Age Requirements: Minimum Age: 12 (17 & under with parent/guardian)

Registration: This program is part of the L.L. Bean Outdoor Discovery Program. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Join us for a guided, nature walk that will encourage you to slow down and reconnect with nature. During each forest bathing walk you'll be invited to engage in activities like silent observation, mindful breathing, and guided reflection, designed to promote relaxation and rejuvenation. 

These walks are designed for everyone, regardless of fitness level, and no prior experience is necessary—just a willingness to embrace the calming and grounding benefits of nature. Walks are 15+ unless indicated that it is a family walk. Children over the age of 4 must be registered.

Location: Meet at the Trail Map Kiosk

About the Instructor

Constance Woodworth is a certified Forest Therapy Guide from the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Program based in California and is currently studying to become a Maine Master Naturalist.

Project Wild K-12 Terrestrial Guide Training

Join us for a walk on the wild side and learn about Project Wild.

Project WILD is an activity based, experiential learning, curriculum guide. It provides wildlife-based environmental education activities that are hands-on, easy to use, and fun. This award-winning curriculum teaches the fundamentals of wildlife ecology, conservation, and ecological issues. While also developing natural science knowledge and critical thinking skills across several different discipline areas. The activities complement existing curricula, Maine state standards, and national academic standards.

This workshop is great for classroom teachers, homeschoolers, scout leaders, nature center educators, conservation leaders, and more.

The class will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., including a lunch break. Lunch will be provided and is included in the registration price. (Please note your dietary needs on the registration form.) 

Workshop participants will...

- Be introduced to activities that focus on Maine-specific wildlife and habitats.

- Try example activities from the Project Wild K-12 Terrestrial Guide.

- Receive a copy of the Project WILD K-12 Terrestrial Curriculum & Activity Guide (only available through workshops).

- Receive teacher professional development credit hours.

This event will be held both inside and outside so dress for the weather.

Learn more on the Maine Project Wild website or the national website at www.projectwild.org

Check out these two videos to learn more about Project Wild.

Project WILD in the Classroom

Outdoor Learning with Project WILD

Growing Up Wild

Join us for a walk and a ramble through the pre-K world of Growing Up Wild.

Growing Up Wild (GUW) is an activity based, experiential learning curriculum guide. Designed for exploring nature with young children, GUW is an early childhood education program that builds on a child’s sense of wonder about nature and invites them to explore wildlife and the world around them. There are over 20 activities that are specifically designed for children ages 3-7. These lessons can be used in pre-schools, child development centers, and kindergarten classrooms.

The class will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., including a lunch break. Lunch will be provided and is included in the registration price. (Please note your dietary needs on the registration form.) 

Growing Up Wild:

• Is written especially for early childhood educators of children ages 3-7.
• Features 27 field-tested, hands-on, nature-based, ready-made thematic units and over 400 experiences in a full-color activity guide.
• Includes outdoor explorations, scientific inquiry, art projects, music and movement, conservation activities, reading and math connections and "Healthy Me" extensions.
• Involves social, emotional, physical, language, and cognitive domains to help foster learning and development in all areas.
• Supports developmentally appropriate practice allowing children to learn at levels that are individually, socially, and culturally appropriate.
• Is correlated to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Standards and the Head Start Domains

 This workshop is great for classroom teachers, homeschoolers, scout leaders, nature center educators, conservation leaders, and more.

Workshop participants will...

• Be introduced to activities that focus on Maine-specific wildlife and habitats.
• Try example activities from the Growing Up Wild.
• Receive a copy of the Growing Up Wild book.
• Receive teacher professional development credit hours.
• This event will be held both inside and outside so dress for the weather.

Learn more on the Maine Project Wild website or the national website at www.projectwild.org

Join Pat Friedman of Fearless-Foodies (www.Fearless-Foodies.com) for a fun afternoon of prepping and cooking 

$125 per person includes take-home recipes, all ingredients needed for preparation, tools and equipment. 

This lively workshop will feature a local August-season bounty of tomatoes, cukes, peppers, kale, celery, corn, zucchini, green beans, herbs, and edible flowers. We'll also share growing and harvesting ideas, while expanding our culinary horizons with renewed flair for serving great food on a budget.

The meal includes:

• Awesome Appetizer ~ Zesty salsa with homemade tortilla chips and taco seasoning.

• Standout Salad ~ Featuring unique vegetable cuts, herbs and edible flowers along with a homemade herbed vinaigrette.

• Tuscan Kale Soup ~ A creamy and delicious, gluten-free, simply made soup with veggies, beans and herbs. We’ll also make a quick no-yeast focaccia to dip in the soup.

The class includes tasty add-ons such as adding seasonal fruits to the salsa, quick pickling, and ways to prepare the soup that will appeal to both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. 

Accessibility Information

We aim to make this class as inclusive as possible:

• Viles Arboretum is wheelchair accessible, with accessible restrooms. • Tables and chairs are provided

• Participants will be standing and moving around, with some light lifting and handling of equipment. Please reach out if you have mobility concerns or need accommodations.

• Instructions will be provided verbally and visually.

NOTE: Please include any dietary restrictions and allergies in advance, at the time of registration, so your needs can be met. Thank you.

About the Instructor

Pat Friedman was born into her family’s New York deli on Long Island. From the age of nine, when her family moved to the Poconos, she worked in their remote Pocono Mountains General Store. There she prepared and served from-scratch salads, bakery goods and deli favorites including specialty foods for the local Scandinavian community. Since moving to Maine, she has been the founder of Sout to Nuts Coffee House, an organic café in Waterville, and currently operates Fearless Foodies, an online cooking and healthy food focused business. A lifelong healthy gourmet chef and avid organic gardener, Pat is also the publisher of the digital Life Recipe Magazine and is writing an international foods cookbook.

Join herbalist, homeopath, and flower essence practitioner Debra Bluth for a guided walk through Viles Arboretum, where you'll meet a variety of medicinal plants and trees along the way. Discover key identifying features, folklore, and traditional uses of these plants from herbal, homeopathic, and flower essence perspectives. Ages 16+

Each walk will feature different plants, so you're welcome to join one or all three for a unique experience every time. Wear sturdy shoes that can handle a bit of dirt!

Potential Plants for Each Walk (subject to change):

Walk #1: Plantain, burdock, dandelion, sumac, yarrow, elder, lungwort, white oak, bloodroot, violet,Solomon seal

Walk #2: Red clover, ginkgo, iris, Japanese knotweed, hawthorn, rose, comfrey, horse chestnut, catalpa,poison ivy, lesser cinquefoil

Walk #3: elecampane, mugwort, lesser periwinkle, goldenrod, Queen Anne’s lace, boneset, gravel root,jewelweed, blue vervain, white cedar, white pine

Register for all 3 walks and use promo code THREE to save 10%