The Temple Ambler Campout, which will be held at Temple Ambler from 2 p.m. Saturday, September 21 through 10 a.m. Sunday, September 22, is not only a night of camping, stargazing, orienteering, "scary" science and stories around the campfire. It's an opportunity to connect people and groups with one another and the natural world around them.

Registration is still open for the Campout and the Science of Scary! This family-friendly event is for all ages! During the Campout, spend the evening outdoors without having to travel hours from home. Experience tent camping in the relaxed atmosphere of the Ambler Campus. Registration is just $30 per campsite for visitors and $20 per campsite for Temple students, faculty and staff (six people per campsite).

"The goal of the Temple Campout is to provide a welcoming camping experience for beginning and experienced campers alike. Our campout is designed with families in mind who may have never tried camping and want to get that experience without having to trek out into the wilderness," said Kevin Orangers, Temple University Ambler Deputy Director and Temple Ambler Campout Coordinator. "For experienced campers, this is a way to explore a different type of camping — how often do you get to camp on a college campus — and, hopefully, share their knowledge with our more novice campers."

Campers will also have the opportunity to explore the Ambler Arboretum and the Tyler School of Art and Architecture Greenhouse Education and Research Complex, stargaze, hear a fascinating astronomy talk presented by College of Science and Technology Dean Miguel Mostafá, learn about orienteering, take a stream walk, have a sing-along, listen to campfire stories from the Lenape Nation, and, of course, make s'mores!

Comfortably Connecting with Nature

At Temple Ambler, while participants will be able to enjoy camping under the stars, they won't need to worry about "roughing it" too much, said Ambler Arboretum Director Kathy Salisbury.

"It might not be 'glamping,' but for those new to camping they can ease into the experience with mentors to help them with putting up their tents, and there be flushing toilets and a place to charge their devices nearby. We've also shared detailed instructions about what to bring to the campout," she said. "I think this is part of what makes this event special. It takes some of the discomfort out of a new experience and allows people to focus on connecting with nature." 

Camping, said Salisbury, "brings you closer to nature and helps you build connections with the world as a whole."

"One of the great things about holding this event on campus is that we have an opportunity to help people understand what plants are a little better, what plants do, and their role within the greater system," she said. "We can't exist without plants. Our future depends on how we interact with the world around us."

A new exhibitor this year, 4 Elements Earth Education will invite campers to connect with nature with their Please Touch Nature Museum. Experience hides, arrowheads and animal skulls firsthand, guess who's who in the nature quiz and create crafts using natural materials.

"All of our programming centers around what most people would call survival skills — it's really all done in a way to develop personal relationships with nature. At the Campout, we want to present things in nature that people can touch and have a hands-on experience with," said 4 Elements Earth Education Program Director Jamie Coyle. "For people coming to the Campout, I think it will be a lot easier to take a step into something new when they are doing it with a group of people around — it's not so daunting when there is community support. I think the schedule that Temple Ambler has put together provides a great diversity of outdoor experiences for everyone to engage in."

Programs like the Temple Ambler Campout, Coyle said, are helping to build momentum in the region "around getting folks outside and having a great time."

"It's promoting the benefits of being outdoors to improve your mental and physical health while pushing people outside of their comfort zone a little without pushing them so far that they won't want to do it again," he said. "It's about facilitating personal growth. For us as presenters, when there are other organizations and groups on that same journey it's easier to get people excited about these experiences and interested in learning more."

Fired Up for the Campout

At the Temple Ambler Campout, students from the Tyler School of Art and Architecture Ceramics Program will construct a "pit" with cinder blocks on Saturday, September 21, and load it with combustible material for a big fire — different materials create different effects on the ceramics. Tyler students will then place ceramicware they have made within the "pit" — including some items created from clay from the Ambler Arboretum.

On Sunday, the students will pull out their creations and show them to our campers! Ceramics students and faculty members Lauren Sandler, Associate Professor and Program Head of Ceramics, and Natalie Kuenzi, Adjunct Professor of Ceramics and a program alumna, will be on hand to talk about the process during the Campout. (Please Note: The Ceramics Pit Firing is weather dependent. Heavy rain might prevent the firing.)

"I've been wanting to do something with Temple Ambler for the past five years," said Sandler. "It's a different experience, a different learning process and there will be different effects on the objects and materials."

Being part of this program, Sandler said, "I think serves many positive purposes."

"One is getting us out of our studio, which is always good, and having new experiences — something we might not be able to do otherwise," she said. "It's also a great opportunity to collaborate with other people, getting to know the community at Temple Ambler, what is happening there and what we might be able to do together. I think that just makes teaching and learning creative work more engaging and just more interesting for all of us — it makes it more dynamic." Learn more about the Ceramics demonstration here.

Students Lend a Hand

Student involvement is one of the cornerstones of the Temple Ambler Campout. During the Campout, Temple University student EcoReps, part of the Office of Sustainability, will provide important information about Leave No Trace. The 7 Principles of Leave No Trace provide an easily understood framework of minimum impact practices for anyone visiting the outdoors. The principles can be applied anywhere — from remote wilderness areas to local parks and even in your own backyard. 

For anyone needing a little help with their tent, assistance will be provided by students in the College of Public Health's KPAP (Kinesiology Physical Activity Program) Backpacking and Camping class, a program that is open to every major at Temple. The students will also facilitate outdoor games near the campsite.

"The goal of the Backpacking and Camping class is to help introduce a student who has little or no experience in the outdoors and camping out overnight or going on a hike to the basics, things like how to plan a trip, whether it's an overnight camping trip, or if it's a day hike," said Jack Sears, Program Director of the Kinesiology Physical Activity Program and Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. "We also incorporate the leave no trace principles, which are important to anybody who is in the outdoors. We teach them how to pack and what to pack for a day trip; for instance, how much water to take, do you bring first aid kit, what do you pack for food."

For an overnight trip, Sears said, "we teach them how to set up a tent and how to use a portable type of backpacking stove."

"It's about taking students step-by-step through these processes. We usually try to begin with, something easy, like a car camping experience much like what we're going to be doing at Temple Ambler," he said. "It's not out in the back country where you're hiking 10 miles. What we want to do is make sure everyone has a great experience and learn some basic fundamentals so that later they can go anytime that they want to — they can venture out to a state or national park and they'll feel confident that they know how to set up a tent, what to do if it rains, what kind of stuff to pack and how to build a fire."

The Temple Ambler Campout, Sears said, will provide his students with the opportunity to not only practice what they've been learning in class, but share that knowledge with other participants.

"I want all of our students to have an opportunity to interact with the community and I think our students are looking forward to that. I think that they see it as 'this isn't just something for me, but here's a way I can give back to the community.' There's satisfaction in knowing that they were able to help people who've never done this before or who have only had limited experience camping," he said. "For our visitors to the Campout, I anticipate that they will really have a great time interacting with the Temple students. I think that sometimes there is a disconnect between the people in the community and the Temple students but when the interact together, it's a positive experience for everyone."

Getting Ready for the Campout

The Temple Ambler Campout is being held in tandem with The Science of Scary this year, which will be held from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. on September 21! Connect with the world around you by learning about animals and insects such as arachnids, snakes, carnivorous plants, lizards, and "monsters" of the deep! Learn more. 

For participants of the Temple Ambler Campous, registration includes a tent site — 15' x 15' (bring your own tent), the Science of Scary, guided walks, workshops, campfire, stargazing, s'mores and more. View the whole schedule of activities here!

Guests are invited to bring their own food to the Temple Ambler Campout. It's the perfect evening for a picnic dinner! The El Toro Serrano Food Truck will also have food available for purchase at the Campout from 5 to 7 p.m.

Please Note: Cooking at the event is prohibited. Refrigeration is also unavailable. Coffee, juice, and cereal bars will be provided the morning of September 21.

Want to explore more? Discover a treasure trove of Campout content online!

The Temple Ambler Campout is being presented with support from The Goddard School.

For additional information, contact 267-468-8108 or duffyj@temple.edu.