Naomi Ribeiro is poised to see a life-long goal come to fruition: Offering a summer camp to local children that will feature rescued animals on her home farm.

“I love helping animals in need, and I love helping children,” said Ribeiro, a school social worker for Milford Public Schools.

Ribeiro owns Abbotts Hill Farm & Rescue in Newtown, where she lives. And she is gearing up to offer Nurture With Nature Summer Camp at the location, on Abbotts Hill Rd.

As she started taking in rescued animals, Ribeiro explained in a recent phone interview, she wanted to offer therapy with the animals, in the home setting.

So far Abbotts Hill Farm & Rescue has rescued seven goats, four sheep, seven pot-bellied pigs, 25 chickens, a rooster, six guinea fowl, two barn cats, two dogs, and fish. And Ribeiro wants to combine the rescued animals with her school social work knowledge in the summer camp.

An announcement for the camp reads, “Parents we have ‘goat’ just the thing for your kids this summer! Join us for a unique, fun-filled outdoor camp experience with friendly farm animals, yoga, mindfulness, arts and crafts, and more!”

The camp is being offered for children between the ages of 5 and 12. The cost is $300 per child, and it will be due at the time of registration.

There are six sessions over three weeks, starting July 11 and ending August 12. A morning and an afternoon session will be offered each week, from 9 am to noon and from 12:30 to 3:30 pm. Each child should bring water and a small nut-free snack.

Parents and guardians are asked to make sure sunscreen is applied to their children before they arrive at the camp, and each child should bring a towel. Children should also wear comfortable clothing and closed toed shoes/sneakers.

Educational opportunities, according to the announcement, include connecting with nature, learning about respectful animal interactions, animal and nature-related arts and crafts, coping skills, friendship skills, emotional regulation skills, social problem solving, meditation, mindfulness, and yoga.

Ribeiro started and owns NDR Counseling Services, LLC. As a licensed clinical social worker, Ribeiro has been working with children and families for over 20 years and has been helping animals in need since she was a child, according to the announcement.

With public schools generally emphasizing social and emotional learning, Ribeiro said her camp “is a nice extension of that.” Also, pre-pandemic she said there was a need for students to learn social skills and the pandemic increased that need.

“This is a fun camp experience, and it will also be targeting those core skills that kids are missing,” said Ribeiro.

Campers will learn about friendships, rejections, and foundational social skills.

And there will be plenty of interaction with the farm’s rescued animals, including petting, grooming, and feeding the animals.

Ribeiro is also reaching out to local businesses to set up potential scholarships for children to attend the camp.

Registration for the camp is available online at docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSclkev3q_g7EgKYsf1CvbNYV03Uzbis1Ln0-UWUwUlS4DDxQw/viewform.

More information about Abbotts Hill Farm & Rescue is available on its website abbottshillfarm.com, and on its Facebook page “Abbotts Hill Farm And Rescue.”

Education Editor Eliza Hallabeck can be reached at eliza@thebee.com.