Forest Preserves offer outdoor, educational summer camps
If you're looking for a way to provide summer fun and learning, the Lake County Forest Preserves has openings in several youth summer camps. The camps, with a history or nature component, are designed to inspire and develop critical thinking skills, said Environmental Educator Jenny Sazama. "Parents choose our camps because they're not only safe and fun, they're educational," she said.
"Camps are led by our professional educators," Sazama said. A wide variety of topics allow campers to explore everything from gardening to history to discovering nature while canoeing. The camps, many taking place outdoors, are available to children ages 4 to 15. "Research has proven that time spent in nature fosters the healthy development of children," Sazama said.
Summer camps that still have openings include:
- "Little Explorers" is a new three-day camp running various dates from 9:30-11:30 am for ages 4-5 to attend with an adult caregiver. The camp is held at Independence Grove Forest Preserve in Libertyville or Lakewood Forest Preserve in Wauconda. Participants will seek adventure in woodlands, wetlands and prairies, and discover plants, animals and features that make these natural areas special. The cost is $40 for residents and $56 for nonresidents.
- At "Early Settlers Camp" for ages 7-8, participants will return to the 1830s and experience life as an early settler to Lake County. Through crafts, activities and exploration, campers will learn how people made the big move west, started farms, set up homes and lived. The camp takes place 9 am-2:30 pm, June 17-21 at Ryerson Conservation Area in Riverwoods. The cost is $95 for residents and $133 for nonresidents.
- "Time Travelers," for ages 9-10, runs from 9-noon, July 22-26 at the Dunn Museum in Libertyville. Participants will travel back in time by exploring the exhibit galleries and journeying through more than 10,000 years of Lake County history. A variety of activities, games, crafts and explorations are included. The cost is $95 for residents and $133 for nonresidents.
For a list of all summer camps, visit LCFPD.org/camps/.