Nature camp offers hands-on learning

MARCELLUS, N.Y. » From just after the Fourth of July to the last week of August, Baltimore Woods, located at 4007 Bishop Hill Road, Marcellus, will host a summer day camp for children in preschool to eighth grade.

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., registered children are invited to week-long sessions of hands-on education and outdoor activity.

Baltimore Woods has offered camp for local children for more than 30 years. Throughout the 182- acre grounds, kids will explore forests, ponds, streams, and more. Not only do they observe nature at Baltimore Woods, they are immersed in it. They are free to search the water for fish and build forts out of the earth. By learning about nature through experiencing it, children develop a positive relationship with the natural world that will last their entire lives.

Swamp Day, a camp favorite, lets kids get into the mud and have fun in the dirt. There are fun classics like games of kick the can, candle making, tug-o-war, and Camouflage, which is hide and seek with a spirit of nature. Spending time hiking the trails, building forts, and climbing trees provides opportunities for physical activity. While offering a fun-filled week, summer camp also promotes problem-solving skills, social interaction, and awareness through direct contact with the natural world.

In addition to Traditional Camp, Nature’s Little Explorers Camp, for ages 4 and 5, gives young campers a half day outdoor experience with themes such as Water, Insects, Fairy Land, Birds &

Butterf lies, and Frogs & Toads. For older kids in grades 5-8, Voyager Camp focuses on topics that delve deeper into natural history and science concepts, with themes such as Wilderness Survival, Raiders of the Lost Woods, and Reptiles & Amphibians.

Campers are overseen by trained environmental educators and local certified teachers in groups of 12. Each counselor is trained in first-aid and CPR.

Parents must have a membership to Baltimore Woods to register their children. Registration is done completely online from the Baltimore Woods website. For more information, visit www.baltimorewoods.org/camp.

PHOTO COURTESY BALTIMORE WOODS NATURE CENTER Summer campers at Baltimore Woods spend their days outside exploring 182acres of nature, even finding special spots along the trail to share lunch with a friend.

PHOTO COURTESY BALTIMORE WOODS NATURE CENTER At Baltimore Woods Summer Nature Day Camp in Marcellus, campers discover nature, use their imagination, and make new friends.

PHOTO COURTESY BALTIMORE WOODS NATURE CENTER Nature immersion takes on a whole new meaning for summer campers at Baltimore Woods in Marcellus.