Children, Youth and Family Programs

Upcoming programs may be viewed in our calendar.

Each July we offer three half-day camps for children. In 2026, the first camp we offer is Watercolor Painting (July 6-8) with local artist Debbie Campbell. This camp covers the essentials of painting nature. Campers, ages 9-13, study painting techniques and express their creativity while learning about color, composition and perspective. In Art in the Garden (July 13-15) campers, ages 8-11, will explore creativity and nature side by side, drawing inspiration from the natural world to produce one-of-a-kind art and craft pieces. Nature Explorers (July 20-22) is for children ages 6-10 and is co-sponsored by the Lake Sunapee Protective Association (LSPA). Campers will learn about nature at the Hay Estate by exploring and playing in the woodlands, meadows, and wetlands. Scholarships are available for all three of our summer camps. To register a camper CLICK HERE , or for more information, please email us at info@thefells.org or call us at 603-763-4789 x3. 

Fairy Village

Visit the Fairy Village, tucked in a woodland niche behind the Old Garden–just off the Wildflower Loop–a special place where families connect with nature. For as long as stories have been told, fairies have captured the imagination of the young and young at heart. Many houses make a village, build yours with natural found objects and leave for all–including the woodland fairies–to enjoy.

Valley Quest

Valley Quests are self-guided mini tours of special places throughout the Upper Valley region of New Hampshire and Vermont. Managed by Vital Communities, a Vermont-based nonprofit organization, there are 120 Valley Quests to engage children, families, adults, and visitors in the region’s unique landscape, ecology, landmarks, and history. The Fells hosts a summer Valley Quest, where guests are given a set of rhyming clues and asked to solve the riddle to find a treasure box. You can find The Fells Quest on the Vital Communities Website. For more information on Valley Quest and Vital Communities, visit www.vitalcommunities.org.

If you are interested in bringing a school group or field trip to the John Hay Estate at The Fells, please contact our Education Director at education@thefells.org or by phone at 603-763-4789, ext 5.