Academy in the Wild summer enrollment is now open

Posted on May 28, 2026 by Sunny South News

By Heather Cameron
Sunny South News

Enrollment for the Lethbridge and Magrath chapters of Academy in the Wild: A Forest and Nature School is now open. 

Academy in the Wild Founder Angelina Robillard stated that the Lethbridge Camps will run throughout July with ‘Survive This!’ running on July 3 for kids aged 9 to 14, ‘Wild Imagination’ running from July 6 to July 9 for kids aged 4 to 9, and ‘Wild Adventure’ running from July 13 – 16 for kids aged 9 to 14.

The camps in Magrath, Robillard said, will run in June, with ‘Wild Imagination’ running from June 22 – 24 for kids aged 4 to 9, and ‘Survive This!’ running on June 25 for kids aged 8 to 14. Robillard said that fees for the summer camp start at $85 and go up depending on whether or not it’s a one-day or multi-day camp.

Robillard also said that enrollment information for all the camps can be found at https://academyinthewild.com/.

“The goal is simple for all our programs throughout the year in that we want kids of all ages to have a space where they feel safe to explore, grow their creativity and confidence, and really just fall in love with nature, and to truly just be kids again, almost like stepping back into the ‘80s where imagination, adventure, and muddy shoes were the main agenda for the day!” said Robillard.

Robillard explained that activities in the camp can range from shelter building, foraging, fire starting and cooking, nature exploration, whittling, wildcrafting, to being part of enchanted tea parties or building a base from your shipwreck. Lots of group games, storytelling, teamwork challenges, and free exploration. Every camp day looks a little different, Robillard added, because nature, weather and kids tend to have their own plans.

“Outdoor time is incredibly important for everyone but especially children’s mental, emotional, and physical development!” said Robillard. “When kids are outside, they’re constantly learning without even realizing it. They’re building complex stories together, solving problems, negotiating, learning to articulate and set boundaries… all while navigating terrain challenges, climbing, balancing, creating, and exploring. One minute they’re making mud cakes, the next they’re engineering an entire stick village with a functioning ‘security system’. At the end of the day, we want parents to feel like they’ve found a safe, welcoming village for their kids, and we feel very honoured every time they trust us with that role!”