CAMPS
With a mission of connecting children to nature through farm-based education, Sugar Sweet Farm has served thousands of local children through farm tours, parties, and farm camps. Each day on the farm brings new topics for ever-changing exploration and fun. Campers grow, learn, and play through creative, hands-on projects, hikes with llamas, horseback rides, crafts, games, gardening, hanging out with and caring for the animals, gathering eggs, swimming, and much more. We offer camp sessions on a daily basis in order to create flexibility for your complex schedules. Though the daily rhythm is consistent with horseback riding, animal visits, and swimming each day of camp is unique so most families select several days of camp and aftercare that fit their schedule.
FARM CAMP SUMMER 2021
Farm camp enrollment opens on March 15! Be sure to subscribe below to be the first to know when enrollment opens. Camps generally sell out in a day or two!
Summer 2021 Farm Camp Dates
Monday, Tuesdays and Wednesdays June 21 - August 18. We will release additional dates on Thursdays when the other days become full. Please subscribe to our farm camp interest list to be notified as soon as they become available.
Learn more about our camp by watching this video or browsing our FAQs.
Frequently asked questions about Camps
Are you still having in camps this year?
Yes! Every summer at Farm Camp is extraordinary so we are ready for lots of sunshine, 100% outdoors, with small groups of campers. We'll have extra handwashing stations and a few extra sanitation protocols in place. It's gonna be awesome! Every camp day ends in the swimming pool so campers come home sparkling clean. Please call me if you'd like to learn more about our special protocols during this extraordinary year.
How do I sign up my child?
Click on the "SIGN UP" button and register online. If you have any trouble registering online, please send us an email and we will happily help you. You may also email us to be placed on the waitlist for sold out sessions.
How much does it cost?
Each day of camp from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. is $120/day
We are offering an early bird discount -- save $10 when you register by April 1st.
Who is eligible to participate in Farm Camp?
We welcome children ages 6 to 12, in good physical health, not suffering from any medical condition which would limit their participation.
Are there refunds?
We do not offer refunds. When you register, we hold a spot for you and turn away other families. Please be sure you are ready to commit to these dates when you sign up. Should your child be unable to attend your reserved dates, please let us know so we may offer your spots to one of our scholarship families.
Are there refunds in the event of a Covid related closure?
Yes, in the event we are ordered to close camps due to the pandemic, we will refund our families. However, we will not offer refunds because you changed your mind in light of rising numbers of cases, media reports, changing science etc. Please call us before you sign up to answer any questions you might have about our Covid Protocols.
What if there is inclement weather?
While we generally enjoy perfect weather at Sugar Sweet Farm, occasionally Mother Nature needs to help her flowers grow. In the event that the weather is below 50° (too cold for humans), above 90° (too hot for goats), or raining, we will cancel class by notifying you via email about 2 hours before class time. We will then help you transfer your registration to a future class on a pretty day.
May I stay at camp and watch or take pictures?
Sugar Sweet Farm is the perfect place for your child's independent adventure to begin with fun, friendship, and exploration. Our loving and nurturing environment as well as our low staff to camper ratio ensure that your child will have a safe and positive experience at Farm Camp. Having a parent or two present disrupts the environment for other children at camp. We promise to take some pictures of your child at camp and share them with you.
Is your farm open to the public? May we stop by and pet animals?
No. We are a private family farm and do not have staff for drop-ins or other visitors that are not prearranged. Goat Yoga, Farm Camp, and all visits to Sugar Sweet Farm are by Private Appointment Only.
Where is Sugar Sweet Farm?
Our family farm is in Encinitas, CA which is in north San Diego County. All visits to Sugar Sweet Farm are by Private Appointment Only and the address is top secret. We protect our address to keep the farm safe for your children. After you register we'll send you a confirmation email with our farm address and camp details.
May I bring a friend to walk around the farm or take pictures?
No. It is not o.k. to bring a friend or child who is not registered to hang out, walk around the farm, or be on the property.
What is your philosophy?
Everything we do at Sugar Sweet Farm has to pass this three-pronged test:
"Is it beautiful?
Is it good?
Is it true?"
From crafts to snacks, games to activities, we have carefully created a program that meets each child right where they are. And we love sharing our passion for nature, animals and farming with children.
If you are interested in saving a spot for your child, please register right away. The last camp sold out in a day, so please do not wait to sign up.
What does a typical day at camp look like?
We begin at 9:00 each morning with llama brushing and then a llama parade. Throughout the day, we lead trail rides on our gentle horses. We play cooperative games on the lawn and in the garden. After sharing a healthy snack together, we play in Bubba's Treehouse and Sissy's Playhouse. Then, we gather eggs, visit the barnyard animals, and milk the goats. Campers love to join the "Kid's Club" by being brave enough to have goat's milk squirted directly into their mouths just like a real "kid." We play in the garden and enjoy a farm craft project. Then we eat lunch together and play and swim some more before meeting the parents at 2:00. We pepper this basic framework with all sorts of other farm learning and play (by the way, this is all top secret -- don't spoil the surprises).
Do you have a waitlist?
Yes. Our camp sessions sell out quickly. Email us the session dates you are interested in and we will add your child to the waitlist. We will reach out if there are any openings.
May I enroll my 5 year old who is super awesome?
We would love to have your children at Farm Camp. After many summers of sweet farm camps, we have decided that 6 is the magic age developmentally to welcome young children to the farm for a full day of farm fun.
What should my child bring to camp?
Please apply sunscreen at home. Send your camper with a sun hat and a nutritious lunch with a water bottle. In a separate bag, pack a swim suit, towel and flip-flops (goggles optional). Please dress your camper in farm attire: long pants and close toed shoes. Remember we will be riding horses so we need to protect their legs with long pants. We'll provide a healthy snack and drink the fresh orange juice that the children make. I keep a list of allergies/medical concerns on my clipboard but feel free to remind me again at drop-off.
When does enrollment open for Farm Camp?
We will open enrollment on March 15, 2021. Please subscribe to our mailing list if you'd like to receive our newsletter announcing Farm Camp Enrollment.
What happens in AfterCare?
Each day we host an AfterCare program from 2:00 to 4:00. Aftercare is super fun because it is with a smaller group of campers and they decide which of their favorite camp activities to revisit. Generally campers remain in the pool for more swimming fun with water balloons. Then they enjoy a snack and head back into the barnyard to visit their favorite animals. In this intimate setting, the AfterCare campers may choose which animals they want to visit and sometimes create their own activities (like stories in BunnyBerg, Goat Yoga in the chicken yard, or Guinea Pig Obstacle Course, to name a few). Parents pick up children from the garden playground. AfterCare programming is rich and animal packed.
What is Your COVID-19 Protocol?
Campers come to enjoy the sunshine, breath the fresh country air, and meet our amazing farm friends, while we quietly incorporate Covid protocols to keep everyone safe and sound. Most of these handwashing and sanitation practices have been a part of our program at Sugar Sweet Farm for years, because we are handling animals. Our programs are 100% outdoors with lots of hand washing opportunities and plenty of room to spread out.
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We scan the temperature of each staff member and camper upon arrival
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Campers and staff wash hands upon arrival
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We require all visitors to the farm to wear a facial covering upon arrival
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We provide all campers with a little zipper pouch/nametag on a lanyard to wear around their neck to keep their facial covering safe when not in use (eating, swimming, high intensity activities, social distanced outdoor activities, overheating concerns etc.)
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All staff wear masks and all campers are asked to wear facial coverings when indoors and not able to socially distance.
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When outdoors and socially distanced, campers may choose to remove their facial coverings and keep them safe and clean in their pouch
Feel free to call Elizabeth with additional questions 760-815-6616
Sugar Sweet Farm Covid Practices, as recommended by the CDC:
Encourage staff to take everyday preventive actions to prevent the spread of respiratory illness.
- Wash hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
- Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
- Remember to supervise young children when they use hand sanitizer to prevent swallowing alcohol.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
- Cover cough and sneezes.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a mask when you have to go out in public.
Require sick children and staff to stay home
- Communicate to parents the importance of keeping children home when they are sick.
- Communicate to staff the importance of being vigilant for symptoms and staying in touch with facility management if or when they start to feel sick.
- Establish procedures to ensure children and staff who come to the farm sick or become sick while at the farm are sent home as soon as possible.
- Keep sick children and staff separate from well children and staff until they can be sent home.
- Sick staff members should not return to work until they have met the criteria to discontinue home isolation.
- Monitor and Plan for Absenteeism Among Our Staff
- Develop plans to cover classes in the event of increased staff absences, by hiring additional staff and training substitutes
Additional considerations:
- Implement social distancing strategies
- Intensify cleaning and disinfection efforts
- Modify drop off and pick up procedures to limit nonessential visitors
- Implement screening procedures upon arrival
- Maintain an excellent ratio of staff to children to ensure safety.
- When feasible, staff members and children should wear masks within the facility.
According to the CDC recommendations, CDC recognizes there are specific instances when wearing a mask may not be feasible.
- If you work in a setting where masks could increase the risk of heat-related illness or cause safety concerns
- Do not wear a mask when doing activities that may get your mask wet, like swimming. A wet mask can make it difficult to breathe and may not work as well when wet.
Parent Drop-Off and Pick-Up
- Hand hygiene stations are set up at the entrance of the farm, so that children can clean their hands before they enter.
- Curbside drop off limits direct contact between parents and staff members and adheres to social distancing recommendations. Parents must wear mask at pickup and maintain social distancing.
- Counselors greet children outside as they arrive.
Screen Children Upon Arrival
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Persons who have a fever of 100.40(38.00C) or above or other signs of illness will not be admitted to the farm. Encourage parents to be on the alert for signs of illness in their children and to keep them home when they are sick. Screen children upon arrival.
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Make a visual inspection of the child for signs of illness which could include flushed cheeks, rapid breathing or difficulty breathing (without recent physical activity), fatigue, or extreme fussiness.