Summer Garden Camps
Our Summer Garden Camps give campers the opportunity to spend time learning, creating, exploring and playing in the gardens of the JCRA. Week-long camps allow campers to unplug and spend time outdoors making friends and exploring while growing their appreciation of nature.
Looking for more details about our camp offerings? Find more about each camp week through their descriptions and more general information in our FAQs .
Camps range from preschool to rising eighth graders.
Preschool
Garden Critters
June 15 – 19, 2026
9:00am –
12:30pm
July 20 – 24, 2026
9:00am –
12:30pm
Preschool campers delight searching for a different critter each day. Camp days include garden investigations and games, stories and art projects.
4 and 5 year olds.
Elementary
Nature Detectives
June 22 – 26, 2026
9:00am –
3:30pm
A mysterious Mixed-Up Gardener is in the gardens leaving funny mysteries for our detective campers to solve.
Rising 1st through 3rd graders.
Elementary
EcoExplorers
June 29 – July 1, 2026
9:00am –
3:30pm
A three day adventure camp exploring the natural world.
Rising 4th through 6th graders.
Elementary
Nature Adventures
July 6 – 10, 2026
9:00am –
3:30pm
Explore, imagine and uncover the wonders of the garden.
Rising 2nd through 5th graders.
Elementary
Artists in the Garden
July 27 – 31, 2026
9:00am –
3:30pm
Let nature be your inspiration as we explore the garden and create daily art projects.
Rising 1st through 3rd graders.
Elementary
Garden Chefs
August 3 – 7, 2026
9:00am –
3:30pm
Learn how to grow vegetables and cook tasty treats using fresh produce!
Rising 4th through 6th graders.
Elementary
Garden Discovery
August 10 – 14, 2026
9:00am –
3:30pm
Each day a new theme will ignite campers' curiosity and drive camp activities.
Rising 2nd through 5th graders.
Middle School
Cultivating Science
July 13 – 17, 2026
8:30am –
4:00pm
Dive into a week of ag-ventures exploring the natural world.
Rising 6th through 8th graders.
2026 Summer Camp Registration Information
- Tuesday, January 27, 2026 at 12:30pm — Registration for JCRA Members at the Family/Dual level or above
- Monday, February 2, 2026 — Public registration
Registration is completed through our online system, Reporter. Full payment for camp will be due at the time of registration. Camps are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. When a camp fills, a waitlist will be started.
You must have an active JCRA Family/Dual level or above membership by Monday, January 26 at noon to gain access to early registration. Become a JCRA Member or renew your membership today!
JCRA Members at the Family/Dual level or above will receive an email the morning of Tuesday, January 27 with registration links and instructions. Emails will be sent to the email address on file in your membership record. If you have not received the email by 11:00 am on January 27, check your spam or junk email and search for an email from jcraprograms@ncsu.edu. If not there, please contact Elizabeth Overcash at elizabeth_overcash@ncsu.edu or 919-513-7011 before noon on January 27 to gain access to the registration links.
A JCRA Family/Dual level or above membership does not guarantee a spot in camp. If the camp you want is full, we encourage you to join the waitlist.
Registrations received during the members-only period (January 27–February 1) not associated with a current Family/Dual level or above membership will be refunded minus a 15% administrative fee. To make sure your registration is completed, join or renew now !
Registration links will be posted to each camp page when registration opens to the public on Monday, February 2.
Waitlist
When a camp session fills, a waitlist will be started in the registration system, Reporter.
During the members-only registration period (January 27–February 1), only JCRA Members at the Family/Dual level or above will be placed on the waitlist. Others who join the waitlist during this time will be placed after all JCRA Members (Family/Dual level or above) who registered for the waitlist during the members-only period.
If a space becomes available, families will be contacted and given the opportunity to accept or decline the space. The open camp spot will be held for 24 hours. Upon accepting the open space, payment will be due within 24 hours of acceptance.
Cancellations and Refunds
Participants wishing to withdraw from a camp must provide a written request by Friday, May 22, 2026 to Elizabeth Overcash, at elizabeth_overcash@ncsu.edu. If the withdrawal request is received by May 22, a refund will be processed minus a 15% cancellation fee per child per camp. No fees will be refunded if registration is canceled after May 22.
If the JCRA cancels a camp, a full refund will be made.
Memberships purchased in association with a camp registration are not refundable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions about our summer camps? Try our Frequently Asked Questions to get more information. If you still have questions, please contact the Education Team