The Arboretum at James Madison University - Arborheim Arborheim , The Arboretum at James Madison University's children's nature day camp, has drawn 100 rambunctious rising fifth and sixth graders into a week long educational adventure each June since 1996. Watching birds, seining streams, observing insects, creating herb vinegars and expanding and enhancing an Arborheim garden in the Arboretum are some of the favorite things campers do during the week.
Children keep journals to record their insights and reflect about what they have learned.
Operating from its base in the Arboretum, the camp has taken children on excursions to Smoke Hole Gorge, WV, Shenandoah National Park, the Virginia Wildlife Center, Reddish Knob and Endless Caverns. As the campers progress through the week, they learn respect and appreciation for the living organisms they encounter and for the environment as a whole. They also begin to understand the important roles nature's resources play in their everyday lives. But mostly, these day-campers enjoy getting wet. At the end of each day, parents arrive to pick up children who sometimes are muddy and, miraculously, even tired after a day packed with fun ways to learn about nature.