Contact with nature and environmental education are two essential aspects of any person’s full development — and even more so for those who live in Madrid and other large cities, since isolated in the urban environment we often forget where we come from and why it is so important to care for our surroundings. Nature camps in Madrid are a great way to enjoy and appreciate the value of our environment.
It is vital to instil these values in children from an early age, building awareness within them and helping them grow up knowing how serious it is not to look after their surroundings. Environmental education is not based solely on knowledge of the biosphere; it also involves integrating the relationships between natural processes and the changes introduced by human beings. In nature summer camps this happens spontaneously, as the camp facilities are often located within natural areas and every effort is made to keep the impact on the environment to a minimum.
Camps and Environmental Education
Respecting the environment, learning to care for it, and making good use of resources without wasting them is, today, an obligation. These kinds of issues require ongoing awareness and learning from both children and adults. Although the reality is that new generations have developed a greater sensitivity to these topics, there is still much to be done and taught — and a summer camp is the best way to integrate this into their daily lives: recycling, caring for wildlife and flora, minimising impact on the environment, and so on. Spending 10 or 15 days living in a natural setting brings about an enormous change in young people’s awareness, and guided by the team of activity leaders, they will learn to change their habits and even share that knowledge with friends back in the city.
Environmental education is a pedagogical movement that aims to reveal the richness of our surroundings and teach us to protect them. It promotes sustainable everyday behaviour, eco-friendly habits, and conscious attitudes towards the use of resources and against waste.
Benefits of Nature Summer Camps
The best way to educate about the environment is to lead by example. When young people spend days alongside activity leaders and fellow participants who are mindful of good environmental behaviour, there is a natural «contagion» effect and an increased sensitivity to this important topic. Living in the heart of nature, discovering the local wildlife and flora, understanding the importance of resources… All of this provides fundamental learning and a lasting change of attitude in participants.
At nature summer camps they will learn the key principles of biodiversity and caring for the environment in a relaxed, natural way — integrated into their daily activities and workshops. Madrid’s nature camps offer a wide range of educational options for learning through play and fun, covering topics such as:
- Caring for and making good use of water
- Recycling — which can become a game for younger children
- Reusing resources
- Not wasting electricity in order to reduce pollution
- Sharing materials, books and toys with fellow campers who need them
- Respecting the environment and all living beings
- Taking an active role in the fight against climate change — action is needed!
Multi-Adventure Activities and Hiking
Just a few kilometres from Madrid there are extensive natural landscapes that we must preserve as Madrileños. At Natuaventura we have the facilities of the Sierra Norte Hostel to run our regular multi-adventure camp in Madrid. Here, young people learn the value of the Sierra that surrounds the great city and how to care for its wildlife and flora. This place becomes their home during the summer camp, which makes them very aware of how important it is to look after and respect their surroundings.
The facility features wooden cabins in a location full of possibilities for a full programme and a highly successful summer camp: large meadows, a football pitch, a multi-adventure area; and nearby there is a municipal swimming pool and a beautiful setting for hiking routes — the Atazar reservoir, Buitrago de Lozoya… Our activity programme includes mountain walks, climbing, abseiling and zip-lining, kayaking, archery, camping, bivouacking, Humor Amarillo gymkhanas with inflatables, gymkhanas, wild swimming in the Río Sequillo, camp games, craft workshops, evening activities, and more. A dream for any child who loves adventure and nature!
In addition, as already mentioned, environmental education plays a key role in Madrid’s nature camps:
- We recycle paper and other materials such as packaging or glass for workshops.
- We care for wildlife through awareness games and teaching about ecosystems and animal behaviour.
- We save resources and reuse what is needed.
- We run games, evening activities, bivouacs and nature routes.
Guide to Summer Camps in Madrid
At Natuaventura Ocio y Tiempo Libre we know that choosing a summer camp in Madrid can feel overwhelming. That is why we have put together this practical guide so you can find all the information about summer camps by theme.
- Summer camps in Madrid
- Nature camps in Madrid
- Transfer service for summer camps from Madrid
- English-language summer camps in Madrid
- Technology camps in Madrid
For more information about all our summer camps in Madrid, write to us at info@natuaventura.es or call 91 714 06 36.
