McHenry County day camps aim to keep kids outside
“Leave No Child Inside” this summer — have your child get outdoors, explore and connect with their natural world.
What kind of fun do you want to have this summer? Learn how to canoe, explore the wetlands or hunt for critters? How about time travel or camping under the stars? McHenry County Conservation District’s nine different summer day camps provide all these opportunities as well as crafts, activities, games, fun and more. Day camps are available for children, age 6 to 15.
Visit MCCDistirct.org to view the programs in greater detail or sign up to receive the quarterly newsletter Landscapes. Registration is accepted online, by phone, mail or walk-in at Prairieview Education Center, 2112 Behan Road, Crystal Lake, (815) 479-5779. Sign up now to reserve your space and take advantage of the early bird discounts through April 30. Camp information and registration is online at MCCDistrict.org or request your copy of the spring issue of “Landscapes.”
Fishing Camp: New this year, campers, age 8 to 11, can enjoy a Fishing Camp where they will learn the fundamentals of fishing in both moving and still waters at Beck’s Woods in Chemung and Brookdale in Woodstock.
Earth Encounters Mini Camp: Young campers, age 6 and 7, can spend their mornings exploring habitats and the animals that live in ponds, fields or forests during Earth Encounters Mini Camp at Rush Creek in Harvard, Pleasant Valley in Woodstock or Living Land Farm in Cary.
Arts and Nature: Campers, age 8 and 9, will discover nature through the arts in Arts and Nature at Pleasant Valley in Woodstock. They will use their creative energies in paint, clay, music and other ways to interpret nature’s beauty.
Conservation Day Camp: Two camps provide youth, ages 8 to 11, nonstop explorations at Glacial Park in Ringwood and Outdoor Adventure Camp at Prairieview Education Center in Crystal Lake: At Glacial Park, campers will canoe, explore habitats, take part in a conservation work project, play games and decorate T-shirts. At Prairieview, campers will enjoy hiking adventures, outdoor challenges, fishing, canoeing and nature crafts.
Wild Things Camp: Teens, ages 12 to 15, can pursue their natural world interest and get hands-on experience in Wild Things Camp at Glacial Park which concludes with a wilderness camp out. Or for those who want to sample the sciences with hands-on activities and field work Eco-Explorers Camp at Pleasant Valley, another great option.
Other camps: Other popular camps for ages 10 to 12 are Sunset Camp at Pleasant Valley in Woodstock a new twist on a day camp where they will explore nature during twilight and the Time Travelers Camp at Glacial Park where youth experience a different era of history each day including Native American life, pioneer life, and as French explorers canoeing Nippersink Creek.