Best kids' nature programs

These are programs with meat on their bones -- whether it's a daylong school field trip or a two-week summer camp, the kids involved are truly there, participating and learning as they go. One of the best and most novel is Women Afield, a series of daylong workshops designed to encourage an interest in science among girls ages twelve through eighteen -- a group that traditionally shuns such studies. But there's also a three-hour Bird Studies Extreme birdwatching trek for kids in grades four and up, as well extended camps for teens, featuring classroom instruction and hands-on field training right alongside the pros.