Adoption Day Camp

For Adoptees in 2nd-7th Grade

Registration Now Open!

This camp is designed for kids who have a finalized adoption (domestic, international, or foster care). Participants will have the opportunity to get to know other adoptees through exciting activities and age-appropriate discussions about feelings, heritage, personal histories and more! Our Adoption Day Camp is a four-part, in-person series taking place:

January 17^th, February 7^th, March 7^th, and March 28^th, 2026.

Camp Dates & Activities

Learn more about each event below. You may register for one, two, three or all four events! Once registered, you will receive more specific information one week prior to the event.

Day 1 - Creative Play Day with Melon Seed Co.

Saturday, January 17, 2026
10:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Drop off and pick up: Children’s Home Main Office – 1605 Eustis Street, St. Paul, MN

We’re launching our day camp series with a Creative Play Day – right at our own office! Join Melon Seed Co. for three STEM activities that spark imagination, build skills, and deliver nonstop fun. This event will feature Marble Tracks, K’Nex, and Giant Foam Blocks with an earthquake table! Participants will get to design and build towers, mazes, and jump, and construct K’Nex car tracks.

Registration deadline: Friday, January 10, 2026.

Parent Coffee Hour: Saturday, January 17, 2026, 10:30 – 11:30 AM
Adoptive Parent and Adult Adoptee Panel

Day 2 - InnerActive

Saturday, February 7, 2026
10:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Drop off and pick up: Children’s Home Society Main Office – 1605 Eustis Street, St. Paul, MN.

Back by popular demand! Let’s get moving at InnerActive, an indoor playground featuring a large jungle gym, full size basketball court, turf field, kangaroo jumper, building blocks from Imagination Playground and music park. Participants will have plenty of time to explore all that the site has to offer!

Registration deadline: Friday, January 30, 2026

Parent Coffee Hour: Saturday, February 7, 2026, 10:30 – 11:30 AM
The Seven Core Issues in Adoption

Day 3 - Maple Syruping at Dodge Nature Center

Saturday, March 7, 2026
10:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Drop off and pick up: Children’s Home Main Office – 1605 Eustis Street, St. Paul, MN

For our third event, we’ll hop on the bus to Dodge Nature Center in West St. Paul for a hands-on maple syruping experience that blends, science and delicious fun. Participants will celebrate the return of spring by observing the age-old process of turning tree sap into syrup. We will learn how to tap a tree, explore the evaporator, and sample some delicious maple sugar and syrup. Dress for snowy, muddy trails.

Registration deadline: Friday, February 27, 2026

Parent Coffee Hour: Saturday, March 7, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Post Adoption Services and Resources for Parents

Day 4 - Snapology

Saturday, March 28, 2026
10:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Drop off and pick up: Children’s Home Main Office – 1605 Eustis Street, St. Paul, MN

For our final event, we will take a trip to Snapology, a dynamic Discovery Center designed to help kids explore STEM and STEAM through hands-on activities, classes and creative play. An instructor-led session will teach real-world concepts in a fun, interactive way, and the creative play zone will allow kids to build and invent with LEGO bricks, robotics, and more!

Registration deadline: Friday, March 20, 2026

Parent Coffee Hour: Saturday, March 28, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Connected and Attachment-Based Parenting

Cost & Additional Information

The cost of attending is $25 per child, per event. If fee is a barrier, please reach out to our Adoption Support Fund to request assistance.

Cost Detail

January 17, February 7, March 7 and March 28 events: $25 per event, per child
Payment collected upon registration.
Bus transportation is included and will be provided from the Children’s Home Main Office (1605 Eustis Street, St. Paul, MN) to field trip locations.
If cost is a barrier, please email [email protected] to request funding assistance. Please contact us so we can reserve a space while your financial assistance request is processed.

Opportunity for Parents

As part of our Adoption Day Camp experience, parents will also have the opportunity to connect! You are invited to stick around for coffee hour after drop-off. Join us for coffee, connection, and education with other adoptive parents, led by an adoption staff member (childcare not provided).

Adoption Day Camp is organized and run by Children’s Home staff with assistance from community volunteers. The organization strives to provide informed services and desires to include all adoptees to the best of our ability. We recognize that some children may need more support than our staff are able to provide in a group setting. We ask that parents consider the level of support that their child receives in the school setting when considering this program. For children who receive a high level of support during the school day, we ask that a family member or other trusted adult attend Adoption Day Camp to provide child-specific support throughout the day.

Schedule Details

Groups meet on Saturdays from 10:30 AM to 3:00 PM on January 17, February 7, March 7, and March 28.
All events will take place in the Twin Cities Metro area.
Lunch will be provided, but campers are always welcome to pack their own lunch if preferred.
Each morning, kids will participate in emotional skill building and age-based curriculum on a specific topic. This year’s topics are:
- 2^nd and 3^rd Grade – Feelings
- 4^th and 5^th Grade – Heritage
- 6^th and 7^th Grade – Personal Stories
Each day will feature a fun activity or field trip in the afternoon. Transportation for the afternoon portion is included.

Questions?

Please contact Elizabeth Bohlken at [email protected].