Each day, your child should bring a water bottle, snack and lunch. You child should wear closed-toe shoes (PLEASE, no flip-flops or crocs except crocs boots) with socks and whatever he or she feels most comfortable in (shorts & t-shirt are typical). Your child should bring on the first day of camp a pair of boots to be worn in the forest, a change of clothes packed in a ziploc bag labeled clearly with your child's first and last name, a bathing suit & towel labeled clearly with your child's name, sunscreen and bug spray. We replenish sunscreen and bug spray at 10:30am each day. Please be sure to label your child's bottles clearly.

We have two age groups at BVF summer camp: ages 3-5 and ages 6-11. Please be sure your preschool child is able to separate from you with ease. We understand some children will struggle some the first day, and our policy is to support children with kindness, compassion and patience. However, if you have never left your child in a school or camp situation before, we encourage you to consider staying with him for at least one full day if you decide to register. We have no problem with parents joining their little one at camp for the day, especially if your presence helps your child feel safe and able to make friends. If you aren't sure what approach is best, call Shelley at 919-360-3280. She is happy to talk with you and help you decide what is best for your family.

We do not offer sibling discounts.

We do not offer a multiple week discount. However, we offer a payment plan to help you ease the burden of summer camp costs. You can split your payments into three installments. The first installment is due at registration. The second is due January 15, 2025. The third is due March 31, 2025.

Please read our refund and cancellation policy attached below.

Poison ivy can also be a problem at the farm, but we constantly work to eradicate it. We learned from a scientist that the best remedy for poison ivy is Dawn Dish Detergent. If your child or a counselor thinks there has been poison ivy contact, staff are instructed to wash the affected area with Dawn within two hours of contact. We have been amazed at how effective this is. If your child does get poison ivy, a light scrubbing 2-3 times per day with Dawn usually takes care of things without much ado.

This is actually pretty common in summer camps. Our counselors are trained to notice quickly when a child may not be enjoying the camp day. If the cause of his unhappiness is a lack of connection with others, counselors will subtly support that child in initiating a connection and building a friendship. Most of the time, children simply need the presence of an adult as added support or they need to know what words to use to make a connection. Counselors are trained to help with this. A note about introverts: Introversion is not a liability. It is a wonderful way of being in the world that can be celebrated. We are very cautious about making "helpful" suggestions to children that they should get involved in an activity. Not every child's involvement looks the same. For some children, observing others' activity is the involvement. Children can experience a tremendous amount of joy and connection simply by being near other children engaged in action.

Nearly every child will find a place for herself at Belle Vie Farm. Shelley has often described herself as "screaming ADHD" and was the typical child who hated school (really, really hated it!). She daydreamed, yearned to be outdoors and paid very little attention to others' ideas about what she should find interesting. She totally "gets" children who feel similarly! Belle Vie Farm, just like Wildflower School, is child-directed environment. Children are the pilots of their own summer camp aircraft! Staff at Belle Vie view our job as one of providing materials and support. Children inquire, and we help them explore and play by giving them the time, space and stuff necessary!

Please see the registration form for more details. Morning camp hours are from 8:30-12:30. The cost for each week is $250. Afternoon Care is available for campers ages 6-11. It lasts from 12:30-4:30 and the cost is $150 per week. The week of July 4 is prorated because camp is closed to celebrate Independence Day!

We offer after care from 12:30-4:30 for older campers. The fee for After Care is $150 per week. We do not offer early care.

No! Please, no! Sometimes parents wish their children were more outdoorsy and less video-gamey. I feel you. However, your child will not become more outdoorsy by being forced into nature. Your child may NEVER become outdoorsy at all - and that's okay. It takes all kinds of people to make a wonderful world! Celebrate all that your child is and let go of what you think (or other people think) your child should be:)

The short answer - nope! We play in mud kitchens, acrylic painting stations and hay pretty much all day long! Dirt (and paint, clay, hay, water) happens - a lot - at Belle Vie! In fact, if your child goes home clean, we feel like we haven't done our job!