Camp History & Philosophy

Rappahannock Nature Camp (or Rapp Nature Camp) for children was established in 1986 as one of at least eight “Natural History Day Camps” that formed part of a regional environmental education program initiated by the Piedmont Environmental Council. Operating continuously since that time, Rapp Nature Camp has become an important part of the nature-loving identity of Rappahannock County and has been called “a Rappahannock County treasure” by parents of campers (some of whom are themselves former campers!).  Our Educational Philosophy is rooted in our motto “Nature Lessons are Life Lessons.

Several properties in Rappahannock County have hosted Camp, including Holschuh’s Shaw House in Rock Mills (1986-1989), Hazel River Camp (1990-1991), the Sharp Family’s Mountain Green (1992), and the Bird Family’s Horseshoe Hollow Farm (1993-1994).  In 1995, Camp moved to Singing Creek, the home of Founding Camp Director Lyt Wood on the Hazel River.  

In 2016, Rapp Nature Camp incorporated as an independent nonprofit organization and obtained tax-exempt status as a 501(c)(3) public charity.    

Since 2017, our Perennial Campers series of nature outings for adults has introduced adults to beautiful places in the surrounding area.  

In 2022, Rachel Bynum joined the summer day camp staff and became Camp Director in the fall upon Lyt Wood’s retirement from this position.  Continuing the tradition of the Camp Director’s hosting of Camp, Waterpenny Farm will begin hosting Camp in 2026.  Waterpenny is an ecological vegetable farm owned and operated since 2000 by Rachel and her husband, Eric Plaksin, on the North Fork of the Thornton River just east of Sperryville on Route 211.

Educational Philosophy

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination circles the world.” — Albert Einstein

At Rapp Nature Camp, we have discovered that “Nature lessons are life lessons.” Plants and animals, stars and clouds reveal something to us of our own nature. But this is only true if we take the time to observe living plants and animals in their own habitats. All of our natural history lessons are aimed at motivating children to observe the real things of nature in context. This kind of observation is the only means of allowing children (and all of us) to come closer to the question, “What is life?”

Language skills, living as part of a community, and “Work can be fun” are some of the life lessons gained from our time at camp. If we hear a bird singing, we might ask, “What kind of bird is that?” To answer that question, we will of course have to listen intently; then it will perhaps not be such a great leap to learn to listen–really listen–to our fellow human beings. This is a simple example of an all-important “life lesson.”

Another example is Quiet Time. Every year, we choose and make our own special individual Quiet Spots, where we spend time observing nature. No one is allowed to communicate with other campers, nor can we read books. Outside of those guidelines, campers spend Quiet Time as they choose, and later they may or may not share their observations, along with poems and drawings they may have created. This activity has very real implications related to personal freedom and sense of self. Moreover, it involves respect for our neighbors–if we don’t follow the rules by remaining quiet, this impinges on the freedom of others. We are convinced that many “life lessons” are touched upon during this one simple activity. What’s more, the campers love it!

We teach by example. We all share our experiences with the group. We write songs, play in the river, and participate in all activities.

Two important elements of our educational program are as follows:

• The phenomenon is primary

We do not rely on books (though we occasionally consult our library) and we do not allow any electronic devices. We encourage study and direct observation of the phenomena themselves. “The theory is the phenomenon.” (Goethe)

• Imagination (with a capital I)

What Goethe called “Exact sensory Imagination” is not fantasy, but a means of perception. For example, Goethe described a plant as a leaf in the process of metamorphosis. The whole plant may be visualized as a flower. The leaf changes form, then contracts into sepals, then expands into petals and so on through fruit and seed and new plants. Yet the process does not happen on a physical, sensory level; not a single leaf undergoes metamorphosis in this way. The process can only be observed Imaginatively, not in space but time.

Metaphor, song and story are some of the ways to nurture the spark of Imagination. We can imagine that we are coyotes, and learn to walk in the woods silently, with our eyes up. We can learn something about how a pattern of coloration appears on a butterfly’s wings, and we can imagine how those patterns appear to a butterfly. We can observe a cloud, and imagine how it was formed and what shape it will have five minutes from now. For the young child, Imagination is a spark that can awaken an interest and kindle a lifelong love for the living world around us.

All of the above is of course only an ideal towards which we strive. Reasonably, we only can hope to achieve it in a small way, given that our campers are here for a limited time each year. But it is our ideal, nonetheless, and we have seen that it will help our campers to come closer to the all-important question: “What is life?”