Hawarden, Iowa — It’s spring. That means summer can’t be far away. Sioux County Conservation Board folks have announced their upcoming summer camps and they’re advising kids and their parents to sign up now.
Signup for the camps starts on Friday, April 1st, at 8 a.m. You can sign up at www.mycountyparks.com/county/sioux/aspx. Conservation staff advise that all programs are free of charge and space is limited. All camps will take place at Oak Grove Park near Hawarden. If you have questions, they advise that you can call (712) 552-3057.
Camps will include opportunities for all ages, beginning with Budding Naturalists for ages 3 and 4. Staff say these little naturalists will have a hands-on introduction to nature. A parent or an adult must attend. The camp will include games, crafts, and trail hikes. It will be offered from 8:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. on several dates, including June 4, July 18, June 14, and July 26th.
Kids who are a little older — ages 5 and 6 will have an opportunity to be Animal Detectives. Kids will investigate animal clues in the wild, from tracks to scat. This camp includes hands-on activities, games, and fun. We’re told it will run June 11th and 12th from 9 a.m. to noon OR from 1 to 4 p.m. and June 18th and 19th from 9 a.m. to noon OR from 1 to 4 p.m.
Ages 7-9 will find out How Nature Works. Staff members say they will transform the Oak Grove Lodge into their own nature laboratory, as they do a variety of nature experiments. They say they’ll spend times on the trails, play games, and explore hands-on. The two-day camp is offered four times this year from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 25th and 26th, July 10th and 11th, June 27th and 28th, and July 23rd and 24th.
For ages 10-12, they’ll focus on Wilderness Survival. Campers will learn how to make a shelter, tie knots, make a campfire, learn to use a GPS unit, and other survival tips at this camp. This camp is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Oak Grove Park on July 16th and 17th, and July 18th and 19th;
Ages 13- 15 are invited to take part in an Overnight Camp. Sioux County Conservation staff say this overnight camp at the cabins will be full of outdoor fun with night hikes, archery, and campfire fun. Meals will be potluck. Camp will start at 9:30 a.m. on July 30th and end at 1:30 p.m. on July 31st. Each child must attend full length of camp.
For more information on any of these opportunities, you can call (712) 552-3057.
