Register Soon for Selby Gardens 2023 Summer Camp

May 5, 2023 – Sarasota

Registration is open and spots are filling quickly for Camp Lookout, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ fun-filled summer camp for young nature lovers. Designed for children entering first through fifth grade, camp sessions will teach attendees about the science of plants, local marine life, and even wilderness survival skills through a variety of hands-on activities.

Camp Lookout 2023 will offer four one-week sessions (Monday–Friday) from June 5 through June 30. The first two weeks take place at Selby Gardens’ Downtown Sarasota campus; the third and fourth weeks are held at the Historic Spanish Point campus in Osprey. Camp days begin at 9 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. Weekly camp tuition is $230 for Selby Gardens members and $250 for non-members. Campers may sign up for individual weeks of their choice or all four sessions. Registration is limited to 30 campers per week.

“We love helping kids engage with the outdoors in active and exciting ways,” said Anastasia Sallen, director of environmental education at Selby Gardens. “Whether they’re wading in our waters or exploring our forests and plant life, they’re getting out into nature, observing the local ecosystem firsthand, and learning about some of the things we study here at Selby Gardens. This is a great experience for the next generation of nature lovers and future scientists.”

The individually themed sessions of Selby Gardens’ 2023 Camp Lookout are:

Session 1: PLANT POWER

Become a junior botanist, learning about the science of plants and practicing setting up camp like a real field scientist! 

June 5 to 9

Downtown Sarasota campus

Session 2: MAGICAL MARINE LIFE

Learn about Sarasota Bay, its plant life, and a different kind of fascinating marine life each day.

June 12 to 16

Downtown Sarasota campus

Session 3: SCIENTIFIC SURVIVORS

Learn how to survive in the wilderness via activities like building and testing a shelter and doing a plant scavenger hunt.

June 19 to 23

Historic Spanish Point campus

Session 4: FACTUAL FLORIDA

Learn about native Florida wildlife and the Indigenous cultures who lived at Historic Spanish Point.

June 26 to 30

Historic Spanish Point campus

For more detailed descriptions of each week’s theme and to register online, go to selby.org. A limited number of need-based scholarships are available; email camps@selby.org for more information.