Dear Reader,
This summer, the Nature Net team (Brenna, Betsy, and I) decided that we would like to take some time to highlight all of the wonderful things our member sites do to promote environmental education and to share many of the exciting programs and events offered to families like you. With 16 member sites, it is often difficult to keep up with all that each site has to offer, they’re doing so many incredible things! My goal is to visit each of our member sites throughout the summer months so I can get a better idea of what opportunities exist for families at each site. I will be posting “Nature Net Site Spotlight” blog posts throughout the rest of the summer. I hope that you and your family will find this helpful in planning activities for the summer months and beyond.
Enjoy,
Kelsey
Nature Net Intern
UW Arboretum
My Visit:
During my visit to the UW Arboretum, I spent some time shadowing the Earth Focus Day Camp program. This program offers week-long day camps for kids ages 3-14. The camp activities include many outdoor and science exploration activities. There are five programs which correspond with the child’s age and learning level. These include: “Learning Together”–focuses on families with kids ages 3 through entering Kindergarten, “Young Explorers”–for children K-1, “Explorers”–for kids entering grades K-5, “Young Naturalists–for grades 4-8, and “Eco-Trekkers”–for kids entering grades 6-8. The different levels of camp allow the children to learn and explore nature at their own pace with activities appropriate for each age level. When I visited, it was “Builders Gone Wild” week for the Explorers group.
Earth Focus Day Camp–“Builders Gone Wild”
The focus of “Builders Gone Wild” was to introduce the kids to the wonders of natural designs. The group learned about how various animals build homes, how birds can fly, and were able to work together and independently on building their own projects. The day I visited, the group was given the task to build their very own beaver dam to stop water from running through. The kids had a blast working together and getting a little dirty along the way. They even made little rafts and boats to send down the “river” to see how the dam was working. When they were finished, the kids were told to draw a picture and write about what they learned from the project. It was great to see how excited they all were about working together, discovering, and creating.
More information about the Earth Focus Day Camp program can be found here.
Interesting Fact
This woven fence was built by students in a past summer camp group. With the help of volunteers and UW Arboretum staff, these kids wove a fence out of sticks and twine. Talk about “Builders Gone Wild”!
Programs and Events offered at the UW Arboretum:
Volunteer for restoration activities, take a nature walk, or drop in for a family-friendly class. Check out what the UW Arboretum has to offer!
Events:
Tours:
Classes:
Volunteer: