Nestled on 52 acres of woods, trails, fields, and aquatic areas of the Cleveland Metroparks, Camp Cheerful offers the perfect opportunity to take the classroom outdoors! Our program offers school groups a wide variety of classes and activities that are fully customizable to meet your specific needs and goals. Hiking, canoeing, horseback riding, and fishing are just a few of the “classes” that students can take in our “school.” All our activities are adaptable for children with special needs.
Facilities and Attractions:
- Nature Center
- Amphitheatre
- Horseback Riding (indoor & outdoor)
- Natural creek with fishing pond and canoeing
- Outdoor pool (season)
- Basketball Court
- Dining/Multipurpose hall & picnic pavilion
- Teacher’s Cabin
Fully Customizable Education Program:
- Unique flexibility to build every aspect of the program to your school’s needs and budget.
- Select any amount of time from a couple of hours in the afternoon to a full week overnight at camp.
- Choose existing classes or help develop new classes to meet your goals.
- Meals are available upon request, or you may bring your own staff and food to prepare on-site.
Bring twelve high school students for an afternoon of team-building and leadership training, or bring the entire sixth grade class for a week of environmental education! Either way, Camp Cheerful fosters valuable lessons while having fun and creating lasting memories!
A Supplement for the Ohio Proficiency Test Curriculum
In addition to providing a fun, alternative learning environment, our Outdoor Education curriculum is also designed to fulfill some of the Ohio Proficiency Test curriculum.
Examples of classes offered and portions of the proficiency test they complement:
Science:
- Animal Habitats: Food chains, webs, and life cycles of animals that are local to the area as well as the impact human activity has on ecosystems.
- Pond and Stream Study: Identify characteristics and/or patterns in rocks and soil as well as how bodies of water differ and their origin.
Citizenship:
- Pioneering: Customs and traditions of western settlers and their contributions to the cultural heritage of the U.S. Children will learn how the pioneers created their own supplies by making their own the way the pioneers did.
Mathematics:
- Math in Nature: Learn about distances, converting, comparing and computing with common units of measure.
- Orienteering: Learn how to read and actively use a compass around a predetermined course. Identify needed and given information in a problem situation.
Writing:
- Journal Writing: Children will write about their experiences at camp or create a story based on a setting in nature. Children will learn to keep their writing focused and organized.
Achievement Centers for Children is an authorized licensee of the Cleveland Metropolitan Park District. Inquiries regarding the cooperative relationship may be directed to the Chief Executive Officer, Cleveland Metroparks, 4101 Fulton Parkway, Cleveland, Ohio 44144; 216-635-3200.
