Western Educational Adventures believes that youth need a strong, well-rounded up-bringing in order to be successful members of today’s society. We believe children need more than what our current education system offers, particularily in the way of life skills. That’s why at WEA we take academic and life skill education one step further than most summer camps. No matter the program, kids summer camps or winter ski camps, our participants have lots of fun, learn to think for themselves, manage conflict, accept responsibility for their actions and learn who they are.
Life is not as simple as it once was, in today’s technology driven world, children spend a large amount of time indoors playing on electronic devices and participating in scheduled indoor activities. Kids are not often exposed to the outdoors as they once were and are becoming increasingly less familiar with nature, less active and given less opportunities to play and explore. Even at many summer camps for kids, they are often in a community field or indoors and not out experiencing nature.
Outdoor play is vital to a child’s development and learning, children should be active throughout the day and encouraged to play outdoors, to breath fresh air and explore. Our camps for kids focus on hands-on, fun-filled, playful learning in nature that stimulate a child’s senses and facilitate learning through touch, sight and sound. Like all our programs, our camps for kids are based outdoors. WEA’s summer camps in Victoria BC and other programs are focused on getting children outside, allowing them to experience the beauty and wonder of our local Victoria and Vancouver Island natural environment.
1. Sunshine. Everyone benefits from some sun exposure to produce vitamin D, which plays a crucial role in body processes, from bone development to immune system strength. Sun exposure also plays a role in healthy sleep. It does wonders for our moods too. When we get some sunshine every day our bodies work at optimal levels. WEA’s kids summer camps and spring break camps are perfect places to catch these important rays!
2. Exercise. Children (and adults) should be active for at least an hour every day. Getting outside and participating in various camp activities is a great way to make that happen. Fun outdoor activities encourages active play, the ideal exercise for children. WEA’s camps and programs get children running, hiking, canoeing, fire building, learning about archery, and much more!
3. Executive function. These are the skills that help us plan, prioritize, troubleshoot, negotiate, and multitask. Creativity is extremely important - using our imagination for both problem-solving and to entertain ourselves. WEA helps kids learn, practice, and hone these skills. Part of this process is providing children with unstructured time, both alone and with other children. There should be opportunity for kids to invent their own games, figure things out and amuse themselves. Being involved in WEA outdoor camps and programs gives children these opportunities - to learn and practice these significant life skills.
4. Taking risks. Children need to take some risks. As parents, this makes us anxious. But if we shield our children from all risks, we may be preventing them from gaining the confidence and bravery needed to face life’s inevitable risks and challenges as they grow. They may never know what they can achieve themselves. Further, the lessons we learn from failure are just as important as those we learn from success. By participating in one of WEA’s summer camps or other outdoor programs, children develop new skills themselves. They learn to hike, fire build, canoe and more. One of our summer camp activities might even become a central focus of your child’s life.
5. Socialization. Children need to learn how to work together. They need to learn to make friends, how to treat other people, how to share and cooperate. If they are restricted to interacting in very structured settings, such as school or community sports teams, they may only develop a few of these skills. WEA’s outdoor camps and other outdoor programs provide children with the opportunity to develop all of the socialization skills they will need in life.
6. Appreciation of nature. So much of our world is changing. Imagine what a child would lose by not walking in the woods, digging in soil, seeing animals in their natural habitat, climbing a mountain, playing in a stream, or staring at the endless ocean. Our children are the future of our planet. It is vital that they appreciate it. WEA summer camps and other outdoor programs gives kids the opportunity to appreciate nature and their natural surroundings.
"Excellent program. My son is an active 10 year old with more energy than I know what to do with. He came home exhausted but happy and is looking forward to this summer!"
-Stacey Reay
"I am an 11 year old girl who attended camp last summer. I learned how to start a fire with just a match and what I could find on the forest floor, I improved my archery skills and I experienced canoeing for the first time. We helped cook and set up shelter. Landon was very funny and nice. He made me feel welcome. It was super duper fun."
-Ciana, Age 11
We believe the outdoors is just as important for adults as it is for children. It helps people come together, gain new perspectives, learn about our environment, be challenged, build confidence, get fit and just have fun! If you are from the Island and have been doing outdoorsy things for years, you probably already have a great network of adventurous friends with skills to match yours. However, if you are new to the island, just getting into the outdoors, don't have a 4x4 and aren't comfortable taking the risks of doing things alone, the island can be a very challenging place.
On our adult programs, WEA focus on not only getting you out into the wilds of Vancouver Island but also on getting you back safe and sound. We offer a wide range of events in Victoria, Sooke, Duncan, Nanaimo, the Comox Valley, Campbell River, Tofino, Port Renfrew, Woss and more where you can learn new skills and make new friends. Before signing up for a multi-day program, you can try us out for a weekend, a day or even an evening on one of our unique and exciting outdoor events, tours or courses. Try fun activities like hiking the Juan de Fuca trail, winter camping in Strathcona Park, skiing at Mount Washington, kayaking in desolation sound, learning how to set up a tarp in Saanich or strenth training to prepare for your next adventure.
1. Fun. We know it should be obvious but we have to mention it. Above all WEA adventures are all about fun! We absolutely love getting that high of being outside, pushing our boundaries or observing some amazing view. We want to share that with you. Vancouver Island has so much to offer and we want you to get to experience all the fun you can!
2. Social Opportunities. OK let's face it, the Island, especially Victoria is brutal when it comes to meeting new people and making new friends, let alone friends your own age! While all our adult programs are social in nature, our adventure social club is all about making new social connections. We offer age sepcific programs and everyone welcome events so you have all the options in the world. Whether you are new to the island or looking for new friends that are willing to push the adventure that much further, you have come to the right place. Join us an make some friends that will hopefully last the test of time.
3. New Skills. At WEA we beleive in empowering you to do your own adventures. You are always welcome to join us for the social aspect, but we want to help you build your outdoor skills toolbox and be able to adventure on your own. We also want you to be able to do bigger and bolder adventures with us! As such, we will teach you valuable outdoor and desicion making skills, we won't just guide you like other companies will (unless that's what you want). Come learn how to navigate, set up tarps, pack a backpack, roll a kayak, portage a canoe, pack food, plan trips and more with WEA!
4. Safety. Our programs are run at a very high standard with emotional and physical safety in mind. Safety is a big deal and WEA takes it seriously. Don't feel comfortable going on a paddle alone or on a random Facebook hike with a group of strangers or learning a higher-risk activity from a friend? Don't feel you have the skills or ability to arrange a trip on your own? We get that and we have you covered! We feel that adventure is at the heart of every outdoor experience, it is why most of us are drawn to the wilderness. Without risk, there would be no adventure, without adventure, there would be no risk. We can never fully remove risk from the outdoors, instead, the trick is being able to manage risk effectively. Our staff have years of training and experience doing things like managing risk, travelling on logging roads and leading people in the outdoors. We rely on these certifications and experiences to help manage risk effectively and teach our clients the skills to do the same.
5. Low-Hassle Adventure. While our goal is to teach you ooutdoor skills so you can gain confidnece on your own, we get that most people work 9-5, Monday to Friday. Sometimes the last thing you want to do is try and figure out what logging road you need to take to access that amazing hut on 5040 peak or figure out what gear you need for an overnight. But don't worry, WEA can help you out and handle these logistics for you. We can arrange transportation, food, equipment, permits, accommodations, rentals, guides, instructors you name it, we can do it. Sit back, relax and enjoy your experience on your world-class, Vancouver Island adventure.
If you live in Victoria, BC no need to search for “camps near me” because you’ve landed yourself in the right place with Western Educational Adventures. We run youth day programs (day camps), multi-day programs (multi-day camps) and overnight programs (sleepaway camps), school programs, educational canoe, kayak and hiking expedition camps for children, youth and adults as well custom outdoor programs in and around Greater Victoria and Vancouver Island. Whether you are a 9-year-old looking for something fun to do this summer, an adult new to Victoria and looking to make new connections, a teacher looking for educational camps for a class trip, a company looking for a teambuilding venue or a family wanting more than just a kayak tour, look to us for a one of a kind outdoor educational experience!
Join WEA on one of their fun-filled, outdoor educational summer camps in Victoria, B.C.! Try our day camps, overnight camps and exciting wilderness expedition programs! Program activities include swimming, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, archery, geocaching, fire-building, shelter-building, camp cooking, running games and more! All of our camps and programs are experiential and educationally focused. Your child will have a blast learning important life and wilderness / outdoor skills! We have people searching for “camp BC” come to us for one of the best summer experiences BC has to offer!
WEA offers outdoor private swim lessons for kids and adults in Great Victoria, Sooke and Shawnigan Lake (sometimes other island locations as well). Let your child learn to swim in a local lake or in the convenience of your own pool at home. Our swim instructors are very experienced and trained through mentorship. Looking for your child to progress to that next level and want more personalized customer service and convenience? Our swim lessons are for you! We offer privates, groups and daycare swimming lessons.
Aside from our awesome summer camps in Victoria, keep your children & teens active during the school year! Western Educational Adventures (WEA) offers spring break camps, surf camps, Pro-D Day camps, an outdoor children's fitness program & a teen leadership program in and around Greater Victoria, B.C. Activities include hiking, kayaking, camping skills, geocaching, navigation, orienteering, fire building, forest running games, surfing, survival skills & more. WEA also offers custom program camps for school groups, organizations, individuals and families year-round.
Are you an adult looking to get more knowledge about the outdoors or you want to experience the wilderness and have someone else handle the logistics? Or maybe you are new to the island and want to meet new people that love the outdoors as much as you do?! In any case, WEA offers many exciting outdoor adventure opportunities for adults in Victoria and on Vancouver Island. We offer a unique, one-of-a-kind outdoor scoial club for adults. Come join us on our weekend hiking adventures, ski trips, outdoor fitness training, outdoor skills workshops and make some exciting new connections with amazing people. Maybe you love our Victoria Outdoor Social Club and are wanting something even more adventuroues? Try our wilderness expeditions to places like the Juan de Fuca trail, canoeing in Campbell River or kayaking in desolation sound. Check out all the adult programs we have today!
Are you a teacher in Victoria or on Vancouver Island looking to do something fun outdoors with your class? Why not give Give WEA's school group programs a try. We offer partial, full and multi-day programs at your school, one of our facilities or elswhere on Vancouver Island! Programs include snowshoeing, forest ecology, predator-prey, outdoor survival skills, winter skills, orienteering & geocaching, marine biology, overnight wilderness expeditions, custom programs and more! Like all our programs, Vancouver Island and Victoria school group programs are facilitated by highly skilled and qualified outdoor instructors. Your class can have a great time outside on almost any budget!
Join us on some fun, active, educational and exciting family camps program! Western Educational Adventures Inc. offers a range of outdoor programs tailored specifically for small and large private groups like families, friends corporate groups and more in and around Greater Victoria, B.C. These custom outdoor tours include snowshoe tours, hiking tours, outdoor private swimming lessons, birthday parties, ski lessons & trips, wilderness navigation courses, camping skills courses & more. Some of the tours and courses offer activities that include: snowshoeing, hiking, canoeing, geocaching, navigation, orienteering, archery, bouldering, camping, knot-tying, fire building, swimming, forest running games and survival skills.
Western Educational Adventures believes that youth need a strong, well-rounded up-bringing in order to be successful members of today’s society. We believe children need more than what our current education system offers, particularily in the way of life skills. That’s why at WEA we take academic and life skill education one step further than most summer camps. No matter the program, kids summer camps or winter ski camps, our participants have lots of fun, learn to think for themselves, manage conflict, accept responsibility for their actions and learn who they are.
