Camp Howl Blog

Stories from the forest. Practical advice for parents. The science behind outdoor play.

April 10, 2026•5 min read

What happens when it rains at Camp Howl

Short answer: we play in it. Vancouver averages 166 rainy days per year. If we cancelled camp every time it rained, we’d barely run a program. More importantly, we’d be teaching children that rain is...

April 10, 2026•6 min read

Our safety plan: coyotes, first aid, and what we actually do

Parents ask us about safety more than anything else. That’s exactly as it should be. You’re handing us your child and trusting us to bring them back in one piece — happy, dirty, tired, but safe...

April 9, 2026•4 min read

Why we cap our groups at 12 kids (and what that means for yours)

Twelve is not an arbitrary number. It’s a decision we made deliberately, and it’s one we’ll never compromise on — even when there’s a waitlist. Here’s why.

April 2, 2026•5 min read

10 nature activities you can do with your kid in Stanley Park this weekend

You don’t need a camp to get your kid into nature. You just need a park, an hour, and a willingness to let them get dirty. Here are ten activities we use at Camp Howl that you can do with your child...

March 19, 2026•5 min read

Stanley Park with kids: the best trails for ages 5–8

Stanley Park is 405 hectares of forest, beaches, and trails sitting in the middle of Vancouver. It’s also one of the best places in the city to take young children — if you know where to go.

March 5, 2026•5 min read

What to look for in an outdoor day camp in Vancouver

You’ve decided your kid needs more time outside this summer. Maybe it’s the screen time. Maybe it’s the fact that they haven’t climbed a tree since last September. Here’s what to look for.

February 18, 2026•6 min read

The case for mud: what messy play actually does for your child’s brain

Your child is going to come home from Camp Howl dirty. Not “a little smudge on the knee” dirty. Mud-in-the-hair, brown-from-the-elbows-down, shoes-that-need-hosing dirty. This is the program working.

February 1, 2026•5 min read

Why your kid needs to be bored this summer

Your child’s summer schedule probably looks like a spreadsheet. Soccer Monday, art Tuesday, coding camp Wednesday. What if the most important thing you could give your child this summer is... nothing?

January 15, 2026•5 min read

Meet Martha: why I left project management to start a forest camp

My name is Martha Tejeda Lopez. I’m the founder and lead instructor at Camp Howl, and before I spent my mornings hiking forest trails with twelve 5-year-olds, I spent them in conference rooms at CP Rail.