PROVIDENCE, R.I. – July 20, 2011 – Still looking for a summer camp for your children? It’s not too late to sign up for the University of Rhode Island’s Summer Eco-Exploration Camp at the Roger Williams Park Botanical Center.
The program runs for three weeks on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. beginning on August 2.
Open to children ages 7 through 11, the camp teaches children about urban wildlife and how to study them, including learning techniques for collecting insects, tracking mammals, and cataloging the birds that use the garden as habitat. Participants will also play nature-themed games, make arts and crafts projects, and draw in a natural journal.
“The children’s garden at the new Roger Williams Park Community Garden is the perfect setting for kids to learn about growing healthy food and discover the diversity of nature found in urban greenspaces,” said Vanessa Venturini, the coordinator of the URI Learning Landscape Program.
Week one of the camp introduces children to biodiversity and gardening, including a trip to the Roger Williams Park Museum of Natural History, followed by lessons on insects and birds during week two, and mammals and water for the final week.
Each weekly session costs $25 and includes lunch, and there is a $15 discount for those signing up for all three weeks. The program is free to the first six Providence residents who register for all three weeks. Scholarships and other reduced pricing arrangements are provided through a partnership with the Providence Parks and Recreation Department and the URI Master Gardener Association.
For more information or to register for the camp, call Vanessa Venturini at 401-874-7142 or email Vanessa@uri.edu.