Austin Nature & Science Center Camps & Community Programs

The Austin Nature & Science Center offers nature-based programs for members of the community, such as school break camps, seasonal festivals, animal programs, and more. For questions about a camp or community program, please call Visitor Services at 512-974-3888.

Spring Break Camp is currently full. You can add your name to the waitlist in RecTrac. 

Summer Camp Registration for Nature Based Camps:

• February 18-24, 10:00am: early registration for financial aid, adaptive, and inclusion participants.
• February 25 at 12:00 pm for residents and 2:00 pm for non-Austin residents for Nature Based Camps.

Fall Break Camp

Stay tuned...more information about Fall Camp 2023 will be available in early fall. 

General Information about City of Austin Camps. 

Winter Break Camp

Stay tuned...more information about Winter Camp 2023-2024 will be available in mid-fall. 

General Information about City of Austin Camps. 

Spring Break Camp

Registration available on RecTrac on January 9, 2023, for ages 5-10. Camp runs 7:30am-6:00pm. Spring Break 2023 is currently full, but you can add your name to the waitlist in RecTrac.

March 13-17, 2023: Under the Sea 

Let’s dive into the wonderful world of ocean life! The sea is home to so many unique creatures; how can we help protect them? In the dino pit we’ll work together to uncover signs of a prehistoric giant that once lived in a sea right here in Texas! 

General Information about City of Austin Camps.

Summer Camp

View camp info, dates, and descriptions in our Summer Camp 2023 Brochure!

Registration for summer camp will open soon! See table below for dates of early, regular, resident, and non-resident camps for each site. Once open, registration will be available in RecTrac. 

 

Site(s)	Registration Begin Date	Time
All sites, early registration only* McBeth Recreation Center *Must Qualify	Saturday, 2/18	10 AM for City of Austin residents that qualify for Financial Assistance or Inclusion services
All Cultural Centers	Saturday, 2/25	10 AM for City of Austin residents 2 PM for Non-Residents
Austin Nature & Science Center & Camacho Activity Center	Saturday, 2/25	12 PM for City of Austin residents 2 PM for Non-Residents
All Community Recreation Centers	Saturday, 3/4	10 AM for City of Austin residents 12 PM for Non-Residents

Please note:

EARLY REGISTRATION for participants receiving financial aid or inclusion services will begin on Saturday, February 18^th at 10 AM and will end on Friday, February 24^th at 5PM (or the close of business day, depending on site). Early registration can be done in person or over the phone.Check back soon for camp dates, themes, and other information about our summer camps.

Space in camps is competitive -- please take advantage of online registration in RecTrac. When registering online, please be patient and avoid refreshing your page to ensure you don’t lose your place in line. We also recommend that you log in first before searching for your activities. Please know that calling in to a center does not guarantee a spot. Callers will be placed in a que with people who are there in person.

A non-refundable deposit is required for each week your child is enrolled in camp. You may pay in full when you get to the final payment screen, or if you would like to pay only the deposits, you’ll need to calculate for every week that you successfully enrolled into camp and manually enter that amount for your payment. Deposit amounts vary by location, please check registration details for more information.

Other tips for preparing for registration: 

• Test your password and update your account or create an account to register online:
  • Log in to your account at www.austintexas.gov/parksonline or create an account if you do not have one. Do not create a new account if you have already -- you can reset your password if you forgot it.
  • Once logged in, review your contact information and be sure to update or add any family members who will be registering for camp. 
• See step-by-step instructions and FAQ's about registration.
• Interested in financial aid? Apply now! Youth participants must reside in the City of Austin and receive or be eligible for reduced or free lunches in their school district to qualify for financial assistance.

See General Information about City of Austin Camps for information on Early Registration Eligibility and other helpful City of Austin Camp information.

Check back for upcoming events!

Tiny Tours

Join us on Facebook and YouTube for ANSC Tiny Tours!  Catch a glimpse of our beautiful site and learn all about the animals, exhibits, and natural spaces that surround us.  Videos will be posted daily Fridays-Sundays this fall.

Weekday Wake Up Daily Videos

Visit our YouTube channel for videos!

Join Caroline for Mindfulness Mondays as she teaches you a variety of ways to slow down and engage your body and mind.

Learn with Mary and Emily on TEKS Tuesdays as they investigate TEKS objectives for grades K-3.

Watch Ms. Kat on Wild Wednesdays as she shows you some of nature’s most interesting creatures!

Follow Ms. Elizabeth as she takes you into the Zilker Nature Preserve to read some of her favorite stories for Tales from the Trails Thursdays.

Explore your sense of sight, taste, touch, smell and hearing with Ms. Elizabeth on Five Senses Friday.