What is Ohdaka?

🌿 Outdoor Happiness Deepens Awareness, Kinship, and Adventure 🌿

At Ohdaka Day Camp, every day is rooted in outdoor exploration, creativity, and connection. Campers engage in hands-on experiences that blend science, art, engineering, wilderness skills, and imaginative play, all within a supportive, nature-based environment.

Our goal is simple: help campers grow more confident, curious, and connected—to themselves, to others, and to the natural world.

🔍 Learning Through Exploration

Campers learn best by doing. Activities at Ohdaka are designed to spark curiosity and encourage problem-solving through direct experience, including:

Outdoor exploration using age-appropriate scientific tools
Nature observation and discovery
Games and challenges that introduce science and engineering concepts in a playful way
Creative projects inspired by the natural environment

Activities are flexible and responsive to camper interests, group dynamics, and daily conditions.

🔥 Wilderness Skills & Outdoor Confidence

As campers grow, they are introduced to practical outdoor skills that build confidence and responsibility, such as:

Fire building and campfire safety (with and without matches, age-appropriate)
Preparing simple campfire snacks
Shelter building and basic tool use
Introductory lessons in navigation, knife safety, and wilderness first aid

These experiences are always supervised, developmentally appropriate, and grounded in safety and respect for nature.

🎨 Creativity & Imagination

Creative expression is woven throughout the camp day. Campers explore:

Nature-inspired art and craft projects
Engineering challenges using sticks, logs, and natural materials
Open-ended play that encourages imagination and innovation

Creativity at Ohdaka is less about a finished product and more about the process of exploration and self-expression.

🤝 Community, Teamwork & Growth

Ohdaka emphasizes cooperation, communication, and shared problem-solving. Campers are encouraged to:

Work together and support one another
Practice decision-making and leadership in small ways
Build friendships through shared experiences

These skills are intentionally modeled and supported by staff throughout the week.

🌟 Age-Responsive Camp Groups

Ohdaka serves campers ages 4–15, with activities and expectations adapted to each stage of development.

Mini Stars (Ages 4–6)

Our youngest campers are supported through gentle, nurturing experiences focused on curiosity, creativity, and comfort in the outdoors. Activities emphasize sensory exploration, songs, crafts, games, and foundational outdoor skills.

Planet Pioneers (Elementary Ages)

School-aged campers dive deeper into exploration, skill-building, and collaborative challenges. Activities balance fun and learning while encouraging confidence, independence, and social growth.

Comet Crew (Tweens)

Designed for older campers ready for increased challenge and responsibility, the Comet Crew focuses on teamwork, leadership-building, and more complex outdoor and creative projects.

Galaxy Guides (Teen Leadership Program)

Open to returning Ohdaka or Camp Two Roads campers only, Galaxy Guides participate as Junior Counselor Interns, gaining hands-on leadership experience while supporting younger campers.

👉 Learn more about the Galaxy Guide program

Ages 13–15 require pre-approval from the Camp Director.

🛟 Supervision & Staff Support

Ohdaka Day Camp is led by experienced program directors with backgrounds in education and youth development. Our leadership team has worked with a wide range of ages across organizations such as OMSI, the Oregon Zoo, Outdoor School, and summer camps throughout the Portland Metro area.

All staff are First Aid and CPR certified and complete a background check process prior to camp. We maintain small group sizes, with an approximate camper-to-staff ratio of 5:1, to ensure campers are supported, engaged, and safe throughout the day.