Limited space still available in Delaware Nature Society summer camps

Preschoolers can catch tadpoles and learn about aquatic creatures at the DuPont Environmental Education Center. Seven- and eight-year-olds will have the opportunity to care for butterflies in Ashland Nature Center’s Butterfly House. Teens and tweens can canoe the waters of Milford Millponds Nature Preserve and other Sussex ponds.

These are just some of the experiences awaiting youth at Delaware Nature Society’s camps this summer. Limited space is still available in select sessions, according to Helen Fischel, associate director of education for the Delaware Nature Society.

“Each year we serve more than 1,000 children, and many of these campers return year after year,” says Fischel. “Parents tell us that what sets our camps apart is the high-quality educational experience. The programs are innovative, the student-teacher ratios are low, and the staff is well-trained. But what the youth tell us is how much fun they have.”

Delaware Nature Society offers half-day, full-day and overnight summer camps for 3- to 15-year-olds at locations statewide, including Ashland Nature Center, Coverdale Farm Preserve, DuPont Environmental Education Center, Cooch-Dayett Mills and Abbott’s Mill Nature Center. Off-site adventure camps are offered at the Granogue estate, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Laurel Highlands in western Pennsylvania and other locales.

Camp prices start at $65, and extended care is available at some locations. A limited number of scholarships is available for individuals needing assistance.

Go to www.delawarenaturesociety.org/programs.html for a list of camps with available space. Delaware Nature Society members can register online; nonmembers can register by calling 302-239-2334.