WFC Camp

Camp Activity Schedule

Adventure is around the corner in Oyster Bay!

"Education through recreation" is the defining feature of our Marine Explorers program as it presents exciting water-based activities set against the backdrop of Long Island's diverse ecosystems. Only in Oyster Bay can your child explore salt marshes atop kayaks, encounter wildlife in their natural habitat, and conduct experiments on a historic oyster sloop and oyster dredge.

The curriculum for all the programming at The WaterFront Center facilitates our goal of building a community of stewards that will ensure that Oyster Bay, New York, and the surrounding ecosystems remain an available resource for generations to come.

  • Description:
    Bay Buccaneers discover and explore beach habitats and meet marine animals as they develop an awareness of the ecosystem around them. Thematic-based learning, enhanced by stories, crafts, and outdoor exploration highlights marine life and activities including seining, marine scavenger hunts, and STEM-based programs. Bay Bucs enjoy a sailing experience aboard Christeen, our historic Oyster Sloop.

  • Description:
    Sound Swashbucklers explore the estuary on kayaks, engage with marine animals, and participate in fun and educational outdoor activities. STEM-based programs focusing on alternative energies, windmill blade building, and water quality round out a fun-filled week of programming and exploration. Sailing experiences include Oceanography sail on Christeen, our 1883 historic Oyster Sloop.

  • Description:
    First Mates build on their science foundation by participating in immersive STEM-based activities on Beekman Beach, Building Remote Operated Vehicles (ROV’s), and Kayaking to different locations within Oyster Bay. While on Christeen, first mates will learn about the health of the harbor and how we can keep it clean for all organisms. Dredging and use of a plankton tow will showcase two different environments within the harbor. Games and group activities foster an appreciation for the natural world all while having plenty of fun and building new skills.  

  • Description:
    Skippers gain a greater understanding of the marine environment through a variety of hands-on experiments that dive into oceanography, marine chemistry, and wildlife ecology. Students discover new frontiers with underwater ROVs, paddle excursions, and research activities as they develop a comprehensive understanding of the estuary.

Summer Camp Descriptions

The activities for our Marine Explorers Program are themed around the

7 PRINCIPLES OF OCEAN LITERACY

THE ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES AND FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS OF OCEAN SCIENCE

Ocean literacy is an understanding of the ocean’s influence on you—and your influence on the Ocean. Our expansive curriculum introduces new topics based on the Seven Principles of Ocean Literacy each week. Developing our students' understanding of the Ocean is essential to protecting our planet and cultivating the next generation of environmental stewards.

Explorers Program: Activity Schedule

Our Explorers Program offers hands-on, age-appropriate marine science experiences that inspire curiosity, confidence, and stewardship of our waterways. Activities are grouped by age level and designed to build skills progressively through fun, inquiry-based learning.

Age Groups:
Bay Buccaneers (Grades K–1) · Sound Swash (Grades 2–3) · First Mates (Grades 4–5) · Skippers (Grades 6–7) · Mariners (Grades 8–9)

All activities are facilitated by experienced Waterfront Center educators and adapted for weather and group needs.

🌎 Blue Planet — Session 1

Dates: June 29 – July 3 (5-day session)

What Your Child Will Learn

Campers will explore the fundamental properties of water and the ocean’s role in shaping Earth. Through hands-on STEM investigations, they will learn how water moves through our planet, how density and temperature affect oceans, and why these systems matter in everyday life.

Skills & Experiences

  • Scientific observation and experimentation
  • Problem-solving through engineering challenges
  • Understanding Earth systems and cycles
  • Collaboration and critical thinking

Bay Buccaneers

  • Density of water
  • Glaciers and formations
  • Water cycle
  • Water cycle diorama

Sound Swash

  • Water everywhere
  • Paper clip challenge
  • Water temperature
  • Water cycle
  • Water cycle diorama

First Mates

  • Water everywhere
  • Water quality
  • Water cycle and watersheds
  • Density of water
  • Sea level rise

Skippers

  • Water cycle and watersheds
  • Density of water
  • Water quality
  • Long Island formations
  • Sea levels and plate tectonics
  • Physics: Egg drop challenge
  • Ocean currents

Mariners

  • Water quality experiments
  • Plate tectonics
  • Long Island formation
  • Physics experiments
  • Ocean currents
  • Data collection
  • Stream table

🐚 Beaches & Coasts — Session 2 (Week 1)

Dates: July 6 – July 10

What Your Child Will Learn

Campers will discover how waves, wind, tides, and glaciers shaped Long Island and continue to change our coastlines today. Through beach exploration and engineering challenges, they will connect geology, weather, and ocean science.

Skills & Experiences

  • Coastal observation and data collection
  • Engineering and design thinking
  • Understanding erosion and landforms
  • Teamwork and creative problem-solving

Bay Buccaneers

  • Permanent sand castle craft
  • Beach walk and exploration
  • Sand art
  • Create a coastline and erosion
  • Pet rocks

Sound Swash

  • Build a dam
  • Coastal erosion
  • Long Island formation and glaciers
  • Permanent sand castle craft
  • Make a volcano

First Mates

  • Make a volcano
  • Build a dam
  • Long Island formation and glaciers
  • Tides and the moon

Skippers

  • Earth’s layers
  • Design a functional dam
  • Coastal erosion
  • Long Island formation and glaciers
  • Tides and the moon

Mariners

  • Rock types and formation
  • Design a functional dam
  • Long Island formation and glaciers
  • Microscope study of sand structure
  • Bathymetry boxes
  • Beach profiles
  • Plate tectonics demonstration

🐚 Weather & Climate Change — Session 2 (Week 2)

Dates: July 13 – July 17

This week explores how oceans, weather, and human activity interact. Campers experiment with storms, currents, renewable energy, and climate systems while learning how the ocean helps regulate Earth’s climate.

Bay Buccaneers

  • Puffy cloud craft
  • Water cycle diorama
  • Cloud in a jar
  • Hurricane in a bottle
  • Make your own cloud

Sound Swash

  • Hurricane in a bottle
  • Ocean currents and climate trays
  • DIY anemometers
  • Water everywhere
  • Recyclable boats and water currents

First Mates

  • DIY anemometers
  • Ocean currents and climate trays
  • Design a wind turbine
  • Watersheds and stream table
  • Natural disasters

Skippers

  • Design a wind turbine
  • Ocean acidification experiment
  • Sail cars and wind currents
  • El Niño, La Niña, and seasons
  • Solar still

Mariners

  • Advanced wind turbine design
  • Ocean acidification experiment
  • Carbon in our oceans
  • Ocean currents experiment
  • Solar still
  • El Niño, La Niña, and seasons

🐬 Shapes of Life & Life Under the Sea — Session 3

Dates: July 20 – July 31

Campers explore marine life, food webs, adaptations, and habitats in Oyster Bay. This session includes Shark Week, highlighting the science and importance of sharks in ocean ecosystems.

Shark Week Highlights (All Ages)

  • Shark species and anatomy
  • Bony vs. cartilaginous fish
  • Shark measuring and fossils
  • Senses, trivia, statistics, crafts, and experiments

🌊 The Ocean Is Our Friend & Into the Abyss — Session 4

Dates: August 10 – August 21

This final session focuses on human–ocean connections and deep-sea exploration. Campers learn about conservation, fisheries, pollution, renewable energy, and deep-ocean technology like ROVs.

Activities include beach cleanups, water quality testing, renewable energy design, navigation challenges, and deep-sea science experiments.

How the Explorers Program Works

Each session is designed to stand alone, allowing campers to join for a single week and still have a complete, meaningful experience. At the same time, sessions are intentionally connected—building knowledge, skills, and confidence as campers move through the summer.

Campers who attend multiple sessions will deepen their understanding of marine science, environmental stewardship, and scientific inquiry while tackling more advanced challenges appropriate to their age group.

Helpful Notes for Families

  • All activities are hands-on and age-appropriate.
  • Outdoor exploration is a core part of each session—please dress campers for weather and water activities.
  • Schedules may adjust slightly based on tides, weather, or group interests.
  • Safety, curiosity, and environmental stewardship are emphasized throughout the program.