good-natured camps
Houston Arboretum takes kids on virtual hike with summer camps
With summer in full swing and most public entertainment options closed, local parents are in the hunt for enriching virtual options for bored and cooped-up kids. To the rescue comes a beloved Houston nature center, which is chipping in with some added virtual camps.
The Houston Arboretum & Nature Center has announced that it will offer four additional weeks of its highly popular Virtual Summer Camp, starting August 10 and running through September 4. Interested parents can register for each week of camp by the Friday before at noon. The camps cost $125 and up, with member rates available.
Here at the newest additions to the virtual camp schedule, per the arboretum.
Spiders & Arachnids: August 10 – 14
What do the Green Lynx, Brown Recluse, Golden Orb ,and Black Widow have in common? They are all spiders. Spiders can climb the tallest buildings and creep through the tiniest of cracks. Their silk is stronger than the strongest steel or any other man-made fiber. No wonder they are heroes of lore and literature from mythology to the movies. Join us for a week of exploring spiders through stories, hands-on crafts, games, and field investigations.
Survivor: August 17-21
Come and experience the skills that animals, plants, and people need to survive. Learn how to build a basic shelter, use echolocation to find food, and find out how to navigate with a compass. Enthusiastic instructors will ensure that everyone succeeds in our Arboretum tribes.
WOW! The Wonders of Water: August 24 – 28
Explore the wonderful world of water. Water is practically everywhere on Earth, from inside the planet’s rocky crust to inside the cells of the human body. Water cycles, a wetland safari, water creatures, and water labs will make this week a splash.
Creative by Nature: August 31 – September 4
Explore the connections between art and nature as campers use the world around them for creative inspiration. Go for hikes to study Arboretum organisms, and then see how nature will inspire your works of art. Explore the use of natural materials to create projects like hiking sticks, mud paintings, and flower presses.
“We have been overwhelmed by the interest and demand for additional Summer Camp virtual programming,” says Debbie Markey, Houston Arboretum executive director, in a statement. “This alternative to our in-person camps has proven to be a huge draw for children and parents who are looking for compelling and engaging activities outside of video games and devices. Crafts, home laboratories and field investigations have all been big hits.”
Need more options? The Houston Zoo is also offering up at virtual Zoofari for kids this month.
