EdVenture Camps at Touch of Nature

June 12, 2018

Children’s summer camps at SIU filling up fast, sign up now

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. — While several of the 2018 children’s summer camps at Southern Illinois University Carbondale are booked to capacity, there’s still time to register for numerous other academic, outdoor, artistic, music and athletic camps.

Four are full but options still abound

These four camp sessions have reached their capacity:

  • X-Treme Kids Day Camp Session 1, an eco camp, set for June 18-22 at Touch of Nature Environmental Center.
  • Summer Wings Aviation Camp, providing high school youths the chance to really experience flight June 24-29.
  • Lego Mindstorms Camp Session 13, set for June 25-29, giving children the chance to create customizable, programmable robots using LEGO software, hardware and parts.
  • Mindfulness Camp, a camp to improve awareness and learning for kids ages 6-12, set for July 9-13.

In addition, Touch of Nature’s River Runners Overnight Camp, scheduled for July 16-20, has been cancelled.

It’s not too late for other sessions of X-Treme Kids and Mindstorms Camps

The good news is that there’s still time to sign up for other sessions of two of these camps:

  • X-Treme Kids Day Camp Session 2 takes place July 16-20 at Touch of Nature, giving participants ages 7-10 the chance to enjoy the wilderness with hiking, paddleboat rides, zip lining, rock climbing, nature, art and various outdoor adventures.
  • LEGO Mindstorms Camp has several more sections scheduled. Youngsters ages 10 and older can create their own robots June 18-22 (mornings) or during separate morning and afternoon sessions set for July 9-13 and July 16-20.

Check out the related options

Touch of Nature, SIU’s 3,100-acre experiential outdoor educational facility on the shores of Little Grassy Lake, is also offering numerous other outdoor fun “EdVenture Camps” for children of all ages this summer.

Kids ages 7-10 can enjoy Blue Planet Adventure Day Camp while the Explorers 10-13 age group can participate in Survival 102 Day Camp, Adventures Underway Overnight Camp and Wild Outdoor Week Day Camp. Southern Adventures Day Camp is also open for ages 13-15.

Likewise, there are numerous other LEGO camps for all ages. The options include Beginning Engineering LEGO, Advanced Engineering LEGO and WeDo Robotics Lego camps, in addition to the LEGO MindStorms Camp. There are multiple sessions of each camp scheduled.

Explore the options

There are dozens of chances for youngsters ages 5-18 to attend one or more camps this summer. SIU’s Conference and Scheduling Services is coordinating a diverse camp lineup to assure children of all ages, skills, abilities and interests can enjoy themselves. SIU Athletics and other campus units are coordinating some of the camps.

From architecture to aviation, from piano to bowling, from woodworking to fishing – it’s all happening and then some at SIU this summer. There’s even a camp specifically to involve girls in science, technology, engineering, agriculture and mathematics; Girls STEAM Camp is in July.

Children can enhance their athletic skills

Kids can improve their sports prowess and enjoy themselves at camps this summer. Coming weeks feature sessions that focus on bowling and billiards, fishing, volleyball, baseball, cross country and track and field.

Creative learning and making music at SIU

Numerous camps give children the chance to explore their artistic and creative interests. The Student Center Craft Shop is hosting several art camps, including painting, ceramics/pottery wheel, small metals, woodworking, and sewing and fibers.

The School of Art and Design is also hosting a variety of camps for different ages. Sessions focus on big bugs sculptures, fabrics and fibers, modern masters, mosaics, drawing, sculpture, mixed media, nature glass and more.

Or, check out the numerous sessions of the award-winning architecture camps, with sessions available for elementary, middle and high school students.

Creative writing for all ages and experience levels is the focus of the Writers in Common workshop set for June 23.

For the musically inclined, there’s also Piano Camp.

Camp Little Giant gives people with disabilities a true summer camp

Children and adults of differing abilities and disabilities will also be interested in Camp Little Giant. It’s a therapeutic recreation camp where people with mental, physical or cognitive disabilities get to enjoy a true summer camp experience. Everything there is adapted especially for them, so they “can do” traditional camp activities and more at Touch of Nature Environmental Center.

Register now

Camps are filling up fast so register children now to secure their spots.

For more details and registration for the camps hosted at Touch of Nature Environmental Center, located about eight miles south of Carbondale on Giant City Road, visit https://ton.siu.edu/camps-and-retreats/ or call 618/453-1121.

Find the complete camp schedule for the other SIU camps, along with pricing, online registration, and other details, at http://conferenceservices.siu.edu/camps. You can also register or obtain more information by calling 618/536-7751.