Wild Child
Join us this spring for Wild Child, a skills-based program offered to local students in grades 3-6. Students will be organized into teams and taught how to build campfires, make shelters, cook in Dutch ovens, read a compass, layer for different weather conditions, prepare for a hike, and more!
This school year brought on a number of new challenges for students. Studies prove that spending time in nature is good for a number of reasons, and Wild Child is a great opportunity for your child to become a kind, confident, and safe explorer. With a highly experienced staff team, open space, hidden trails, mountains and river access, Camp Bighorn is the perfect place to let your child run wild.
Age Range
Pricing
Build Great Memories
As a mother of two and avid adventurer herself, Wild Child founder Bethany Meaden wanted to share her love for the outdoors and create something fun for the children in the Plains community. In today's day and age, many kids spend the majority of their time indoors looking at screens. Children were made to explore the world around them, and it's no secret that running wild comes naturally to them. Wild Child is designed to provide them with the skills to harness this sense of adventure.
Our hope is that your student will make their own great memories and look back on this season with pride the same way that Bethany looks back on her childhood in Western Washington. For one glorious year, she spent her Wednesdays horseback riding and taking pioneer living classes. She still carries fond memories from this season, taking pride in saddling her first horse, drying her own venison jerky, baking cherry turnovers on a campfire, and returning home each afternoon with the smell of campfire in her hair.
Complimentary Shuttle
A complimentary shuttle will be provided on all four days Wild Child is offered this spring (dates provided in the schedule below). The shuttle stops at the Plains School playground, and a photo ID will be required to pick up your child. If a family lives within walking distance of the school, parents can give permission for their children to walk to/from the shuttle stop. To RSVP for the complimentary shuttle, simply select this transportation option when registering.
Per Montana state law, parents must provide a safety restraint (car seat or booster seat) if a child is under 6 years old and weighs less than 60 pounds.
Finances
The full cost of the program is bought down by grant money, enabling Camp Bighorn to offer this to campers at a much lower price. Campers can now attend Wild Child for just $85. If finances are still tight, please fill out a scholarship application, now available as an optional form within registration. Once completing the registration form, a $40 deposit (non-refundable) will guarantee your child's space in the program. If your child becomes sick or is exposed to an illness prior to Wild Child, or during Wild Child, please call the front office at (406) 826-3144 to update our staff about your situation.
From Our Campers
Darian — Age 16
Nancy — Age 34
Rob — Age 30
Availability
Registration opens November 20, 2024. Scholarship applications are now available through the registration form.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for, feel free to reach out! We're here to help and will get back to you as soon as we can.
From all the compliments we receive about our Food Service, we can confidently say the food tastes great!
No! Our staff aims to make every adventure great, regardless of age or experience level.
Great question. Packing lists vary by the time of year and corresponding adventures. Please contact us for the right list.
Camp Bighorn works hard to serve quality meals for all our guests. While it is our desire to meet every person's dietary needs, we are limited and can only guarantee accommodating dairy free, gluten free, nut free, and vegetarian diets. Dietary restrictions must be communicated in advance in order for our kitchen to plan adequately. For individuals with more restrictive diets, please contact our office to discuss alternatives. Have a specific question? Visit the 'Contact' page to send us a message.