Let your child experience the wild side of Mercer County this summer! The Mercer County Park Commission’s Nature Programs will host four thrilling and educational summer camps for children ranging in age from pre-K to eighth grade. These camps will have your child immersed in the wonders of our natural world. Spots are filling quickly, so visit www.mercercountyparks.org/environment/summer-nature-camp to register.
After a wildly successful premiere last year, Ultimate Camp Experience will return for its second year and is sure to be a hit. Campers will enjoy a half day at each park facility, sampling the many activities the Park Commission has to offer. A day of passive fun might include hiking the rugged trails of Baldpate Mountain, a picnic lunch, kayaking, fishing or potato harvest, potato chip making and eating at Howell Farm. Excited to experience our active recreation? How about a morning of tennis lessons and drills, horseback riding, or expert instruction at our golf academy? Ultimate Camp does it all and much more. Ultimate Camp Experience is for children entering grades 5 through 7. This camp will be held the week of Aug. 15-19 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Drop-off and pickup will be at the Historic Hunt House in Hopewell Township.
If your child loves being on the water and learning about nature, then Aquatic Adventure Camp will be a perfect fit. Designed to balance the fun of summer with science, Aquatic Adventure Camp will have your child diving into fresh water ecology, testing Mercer Lake’s water, kayaking creeks and coves, and observing wildlife. Always a favorite, Aquatic Adventure Camp also includes activities such as fishing, taking a ride on the pontoon boat, hiking and a cookout. Campers will memorialize their week by making a Gyotaku T-shirt. Aquatic Adventure Camp is held at Mercer County Marina the week of Aug.1 through 5 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Baldpate Mountain Nature Camp is a weeklong camp packed with hands-on nature explorations, science experiments, hikes through the forest and unstructured nature play. Camp days are devoted to a nature-specific topic and may include bugs, forest ecology, birds and tracking. Baldpate Nature Camp I is for children entering grades 1 through 3, and two weeklong sessions are available: July 11 through 15 and July 18 through 22. Baldpate Nature Camp II, for children entering grades 4 through 6, will run July 18 through 22. This camp is held at Baldpate Mountain in Titusville from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
If you are looking for a half-day camp your preschool-age child, check out Wild Discovery Camp. Specifically designed to capture the curiosity and energy of children entering pre-k and kindergarten, Wild Discovery is a playful introduction to the wonders of nature. Story time, nature-themed art projects, walks and explorations will make up your child’s morning. Hunts under rocks and logs for crawlies and visits with live animals will increase campers’ awareness of the wonderful wild world. Wild Discovery Camp will be held the week of Aug. 8 through 12 from 8:30 a.m. to noon at Baldpate Mountain in Titusville.
All camps are programs of the Mercer County Park Commission and are led and taught by naturalist staff. Camps are filled on a first-come, first-served basis and spots are limited. At this time, the Park Commission is unable to provide before or after care for children attending camp. For more information and to download registration forms, please visit www.mercercountyparks.org/environment/summer-nature-camp.
