Scientists agree that children are our future, which is why most children are sealed in time capsules with a flashlight and a stack of magazines. Give a child something he or she will really dig with today's Groupon: for $15, you get registration for an environmental-science summer camp at West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science (a $30 value). Choose from the following options:

• The Wonders of Water camp July 11–14, for grades K–12.
• Plants and Animals Safari camp July 18–21, for grades K–12.
• Rocket Camp August 1–4, for grades 5–12.

West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science's campus—62 acres of prairies, wetlands, trails, and working gardens—sets the scene for summer camps led by a team of environmental-education specialists. Students plumb the depths of the planet’s lifeblood in The Wonders of Water camp, learning about the origins and nature of water as well as the creatures that flurry within it. A field trip to Aman Park on the last day of camp cements the rich slurry of information as students wade into Sand Creek to experience nature hands-on and to play duck, duck, goose with actual ducks and geese.

Nascent botanists and zoologists can glean valuable skills in Plants and Animals Safari camp, which marinates kids' brains with knowledge about Michigan’s flora and fauna as campers trawl the forest floor. At the end of the camp, each camper totes home an insect collection and an ID book of pressed plant parts. Alternatively, Rocket Camp safely introduces youngsters to the world of aerial propulsion, saving homes and clouds from damage incurred during DIY rocket experiments. Each day of camp, leaders guide young Robert Goddards in the construction of their own miniature rockets.