How kids can get involved with nature this summer
Join University of Illinois Extension to get up close and personal with dirt during a special interest 4-H Club - Messing Around in the Dirt - this summer.
Led by trained Master Gardener volunteers, this six-session program will feature interactive activities to learn about dirt, bugs, plants, trees and more. Designed for youth entering third through fifth grades, each week will highlight different topics and projects:
• I Speak for the Trees: Find out what plants do for you and how you can help protect the environment.
• "Me and My Plant": Learn the parts of a plant and pot your own plant to bring home.
• "Don't Bug Me": Discover insects in the garden, find out how they eat, and understand why they are important.
• "Dino Diet": Learn about primitive plants that were around with the dinosaurs and create your own fossil.
• "The Dirt on Worms": Meet Herman the Worm and learn what worms do for the environment.
• "Tiny Gardens": Create your own miniature garden and bring it home.
"This SPIN club is designed to encourage members to learn and grow while getting down and dirty with nature," said Sarah Fellerer, Master Gardener program coordinator. "Our volunteers teach through fun, hands-on activities to build an understanding of trees, plants, insects and, of course, soil."
The group will meet from 10 to 11:15 a.m. Thursdays, June 25 to July 30, at The Growing Place, 2000 Montgomery Road, Aurora.
Cost is $60 per youth, which includes the annual $20 4-H program fee and a $40 materials fee.
Current year 4-H members pay only $40, with a previously paid 2014-15 4-H program fee. Space is limited. Financial assistance may be available.
To register online or learn more, visit web.extension.illinois.edu/dkk. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate, call the Kane County Extension office at (630) 584-6166 at least two weeks prior to the program.
For information on the University of Illinois Extension programs, visit web.extension.illinois.edu/dkk.