Nature Summer Camp

By Lonnie Lorenz

At Swift Nature Camp, in Northern Wisconsin, children play outside while learning about Nature and Science. Here are some helpful hints we do at Summer Camp that you can try at home,

Being Observent is the most important aspect of enjoying the outdoors. How often do kids run through the woods never stoping to notice what they are passing.

Walking or hiking through the woods is a regular part of camp. However, many times staff and campers merely walk along the trail without really noticing what is around them. They overlook the sounds, sights, textures and diversity of the ecosystem.

Please read these simple programs that can be done while walking through the woods. You may need suppliesbut it will take only a few minutes to get them.

One you feel you have a feel for these activities invite your childrens friends to come along, I'm sure they too will enjoy being away from their scheduled lives and enjoy the peace of nature,

Look Down
Supplies: Yarn and scissors
Ahead of time: Cut the yarn into 15-inch pieces, have one for every two campers.
Assignment: Move off the trail, and make a square on the ground with the yarn. Study what you find within the square. What lives there? What is the soil like? What grows there? Use a stick and dig into the ground a little. What do you see?
Conversation: What did you find in the square or circle that surprised you?

Changes
Supplies: Clipboard and writing utensils
Ahead of time: think or research how things would be different if the land was developed
Assignment: Stop along the trail and look into the woods. Imagine that the land had sold this plot of land to a developer to build. How would that development changethings? What effect would it have on the habitat and food supplies of the animals living there? What would happen to the soil if the trees were cut down? How would the plants in the woods change? How would the threat of erosion increase?
Conversation: How have ecosystems near your home been destroyed? What changes have happened to the land?

Take A Wildflower Hike
Supplies: Wildflower field guide
Ahead of time: Try to do a little reseach what might be blooming in your area.
Assignment: Stop at any wildflower, observe it, and try to figure out how it grows, how it produces seeds, and what type of soil it grows in. Use the field guide to identify the flower. If you have extra time even draw it in nature.
Conversation: How are the flowers alike? How are they different?

Swift Nature Camp hopes this information give you few a simple projects we do at our camp out in Nature. If you child is interested in these sorts of activities Please look at our website and see if we might be part of your summer plans,

If this is your first time thinking about Summer Camp look at Summer Camp Advice a free website that helps parents fing the right camp for thier child. - 31490

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