KIDS CAMPS
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KIDS CAMPS +
THE UNTAMED EXPLORER CAMP
For curious
minds
AGED 6-14
What to Expect
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The adventure begins! We’ll get to know each other through fun outdoor games before every child receives their Explorer Kit, Explorer Journal and Camp Snap camera. We’ll learn the basics of photography, observation and journalling before heading out on our first local expedition. Along the way we’ll collect interesting natural treasures, begin identifying local plants and wildlife, and learn how to record our discoveries like real explorers.
Together we’ll prepare morning tea, picnic lunch and afternoon tea before ending the day with journal sketches, photography challenges and camp games.
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Today we’ll follow the water. Using nets, trays and magnifying glasses, we’ll investigate what lives beneath the surface and discover how tiny aquatic insects can tell us whether a river is healthy. We’ll test water quality, identify different species, explore river habitats and learn why these ecosystems are so important.
After lunch we’ll cool off with water games, continue our photography project and create artwork inspired by the river before adding our discoveries to our Explorer Journals.
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Today’s classroom has no walls. We’ll head into the forest to discover how trees communicate, identify animal tracks, search for insects and learn basic navigation using maps and compasses. We’ll build shelters, complete nature challenges and photograph the hidden details most people walk straight past.
The afternoon is all about creativity, using leaves, sticks and natural materials to create artwork before documenting everything in our journals.
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We’ll explore somewhere completely new by bike and on foot, stopping along the way for photography missions, wildlife spotting and creative challenges. Campers will learn how photographers tell stories through images while experimenting with perspective, light and composition.
Together we’ll prepare another outdoor picnic before spending the afternoon designing pages for our coffee table photo books and creating artwork inspired by the day’s adventure.
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Our final day is one big adventure. We’ll put everything we’ve learned into practice during a mystery expedition filled with teamwork, navigation, photography and outdoor challenges. There’ll be plenty of time to revisit favourite activities, complete one final creative project and celebrate an incredible week together.
We’ll finish our Explorer Journals, share our favourite photographs and stories, enjoy one last meal together and head home with muddy shoes, tired legs and memories that will last a lifetime.
Important information
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Explorer Camp is designed for curious children aged 8–13 who enjoy being outside, making things and discovering how the world works. Children do not need previous outdoor, photography or English-language experience, but should be comfortable taking part in a full day of group activities.
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Every camp is slightly different depending on the season and location, but adventures may include:
8.00am - 4.00pm of activities
River, forest and mountain exploration
Photography challenges
Nature journalling
Compass navigation
Orienteering
Forest and mountain adventures
Bike rides
Stand-up paddle board relay races
River and forest ecology
Wildlife identification
Bug hunting
Flower pressing
Wildflower seed bombs
Botanical clay art
Campfire cooking
Berry picking
Berryjam making
Australian damper over the fire
Outdoor games
Digital photo editing
Designing a printed photo book
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Five full days (8:00am–4:00pm) of guided outdoor adventures
Morning tea, picnic lunch and afternoon tea each day (prepared together by the children with guidance)
Explorer Journal & Explorer Kit
Camp Snap camera for the week
All creative materials and outdoor equipment
Nature-based arts & crafts
Professionally designed hardcover photo book featuring each child’s photographs and journal entries
Digital gallery of camper and professional photographs
Untamed Mountain Kids T-shirt
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Every day:
Backpack
Water bottle
Extra snacks (if needed)
Hat
Sunscreen
Rain jacket
Closed shoes
Swimmers
Towel
Spare clothes (in a separate labelled bag)
Any required medication (EpiPen, inhalers etc.)
Specific days also require:
Bike & helmet
Warm layers
Gumboots (autumn)
A detailed packing list will be emailed before camp.
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We believe some of the best adventures happen in the rain.
The Untamed Explorer Camp runs in almost all weather.
Light rain simply means waterproof jackets, muddy boots and different photography opportunities.
Only severe weather (lightning, flooding or dangerous storms) will move activities indoors.
Indoor activities may include:
Nature photography editing
Botanical clay art
Nature journalling
Leaf printing
Wildflower seed bombs
Navigation games
Wildlife identification
Designing photo journals
Nature-inspired creative workshops
Take the Scenic Route
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Get curious. Get muddy. Ask questions.
Every day is a new adventure as we explore rivers, forests, trails and open spaces while learning practical outdoor skills and discovering the natural world.
River exploration & freshwater ecology
Orienteering using maps & compasses
Wildlife, insect & plant identification
Outdoor safety & Leave No Trace principles
Nature observation & scientific thinking
Confidence exploring independently
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Turn adventures into stories.
Each afternoon we transform the day’s discoveries into something to keep, combining creativity with nature and technology.
Explorer Field Journal with daily observations
Nature-inspired art & craft projects
Pressed flowers & botanical collections
Campfire cooking, jam making & seed bombs
Digital storytelling in Canva
Professionally printed photo journal to take home
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Every great photographer starts by noticing.
Photography becomes another way of exploring. Through fun daily photo missions, children learn to slow down, observe more closely and tell stories through images.
Camera skills & composition
Daily photography missions
Perspective, light & storytelling
Nature & wildlife photography
Basic photo editing using free software
Creating a digital photo story
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Adventure is always better together.
Whether exploring, creating or solving challenges, children build confidence, make new friends and naturally practise spoken English in a relaxed, supportive environment.
Meet new friends & work as a team
Build confidence through new experiences
Practise spoken English naturally through play
Activities led in English (journal entries may be in English or German)
Communication, leadership & problem solving
Encouraging curiosity, kindness & resilience
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More than memories. A week you’ll never forget.
Every child leaves with new skills, greater confidence and a collection of keepsakes that tell the story of their adventure.
Brand new camp snap camera
Professionally printed Explorer Journal
Digital photo gallery (photos the children took as well as photos of the children
Handmade nature creations
New outdoor, photography & creative skills
Friendships & unforgettable memories
A lifetime of stories to tell
Your camp leader
Elsie Sauer
Hi, I’m Elsie.
I’m an Australian photographer, outdoor guide and environmental educator who recently swapped the mountains of Japan for the rolling hills of South Styria.
I completed a BSc majoring in Environmental Management & Ecology before spending more than eight years working as an environmental consultant, social marketer and educator, delivering hands-on environmental programs in schools and communities across Australia.
I then moved to Japan, where I spent the next fourteen years building an adventure tourism, photography and marketing business in the mountains of Hokkaido, leading outdoor experiences and helping people discover the natural world through creativity and adventure.
As a mum and step-mum to four children, I created The Untamed Explorer Camp because I believe childhood should include muddy shoes, curious minds, scraped knees, campfire stories, creativity and a genuine connection with nature.
Explorer Camp brings together everything I love—ecology, photography, creativity and outdoor adventure—to help kids build confidence, make friends and discover just how exciting the world can be when they step outside.
I hold a current Australian Working With Children Check and am committed to providing a safe, supportive and inspiring environment where every child feels welcome to explore, create and grow.
Your Questions, Answered
Still have questions? Take a look at the FAQ or reach out anytime. If you’re feeling ready, go ahead and register for a camp.
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Explorer Camp is designed for curious kids aged 6–13. Activities are adapted to suit different ages and abilities, with plenty of opportunities for teamwork and independent exploration.
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Camp runs from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm each day. Drop-off and pick-up details will be sent to all families before camp begins.
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Everything your child needs for the week is included, including morning tea, picnic lunch and afternoon tea each day, an Explorer Kit, Explorer Journal, use of a Camp Snap camera, all creative materials, an Untamed Mountain Kids T-shirt, digital photo gallery and a professionally designed hardcover photo book.
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No. Morning tea, picnic lunch and afternoon tea are provided every day. Preparing food is part of the Explorer Camp experience, with children helping to make simple meals and snacks together under supervision.
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A drink bottle, weather-appropriate clothing, sturdy walking shoes, a hat, rain jacket, sunscreen and a small backpack. A full packing list will be emailed before camp.
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Adventure doesn’t stop when it rains! We simply adapt our activities. Rainy days might include photography challenges, shelter building, nature crafts, cooking, indoor creative workshops or exploring the forest in waterproof gear.
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Not at all! Most children have never used a camera before. We’ll teach them everything they need to know, and the focus is on creativity, observation and having fun—not taking perfect photos.
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The Camp Snap cameras are used throughout the camp and returned at the end of the program. Every child receives a digital gallery of their own photographs, and their favourite images are included in a professionally printed hardcover photo book.
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Campers should be comfortable walking several kilometres each day and spending time outdoors. We take plenty of breaks, adjust activities to suit the group and focus on participation rather than competition.
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Explorer Camp is led by experienced outdoor educators with current first aid training. Safety is our highest priority, and all activities are carefully planned and supervised.
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Absolutely. Please let us know about any allergies, medical conditions or dietary requirements when booking, and we’ll do our best to accommodate them.
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After camp we’ll carefully curate each child’s photographs, journal pages and artwork into a beautiful hardcover coffee table photo book. This is professionally printed and posted to your home a few weeks after camp, giving your child a lasting keepsake of their adventure.
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Because kids don’t need another week staring at a screen.
Explorer Camp combines outdoor adventure, creativity, science, photography and storytelling to help children build confidence, curiosity and friendships while spending their days outside. They won’t just come home tired—they’ll come home with new skills, new stories and a new way of seeing the world.
