The Camp Season is Well Underway!

The 2010 Jr. Nature Explorers summer camp season is well underway! It's hard to believe that we have already completed 7 of our 11 weeks of camp this summer- time is flying by just like a 'Winged Wonder'!

Our first "Fresh from the Garden" cooking/gardening class was a great big success, with 7 little chefs creating quite a feast for themselves and their families. This is a brand new camp, and we are hoping it will become a regular addition to our schedule.

Five months of FREE "Family Nature Explorers" programs have also brought parents and kids together for wetland walks, child-friendly gardening classes, and more. What a year!

Registration is easy to do and camps are filling up, so check the list below for the camps that best fit your schedule and your child's age! Here's 3 ways to register:

• Online by visiting www.seattle.gov/parks/centers/magnuson.htm
• Via phone by contacting Magnuson Community Center at 206-684-7026
• In person by visiting Magnuson Community Center at 7110 62nd Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98115.

For information on Magnuson Community Center's new field trips programs for schools and preschools, and their other nature activities, visit their website at www.cityofseattle.net/parks/centers/magnuson.htm and click on the nature programs link in the right hand column. For more info on the Family Nature Explorers program schedule, check out the May 2010 posting!

Summer Camp Schedule: (space available as of 8/6/10 listed in red)

• Jr. Nature Explorers Camps for Ages 4-5 Learn about the plants, animals, birds, worms, insects, and frogs that live in Magnuson Park, help grow and harvest organic vegetables, and hike to nearby natural areas in the park. Each day includes nature crafts, songs, games, and picnics. Camp fee includes an official Jr. Nature Explorer bandana, and each camp has a different theme and activities- sign up for one or several! Bring a sack lunch. All camps are from 9:30am-12:30pm. Fee: $90
  

Wiggly World of Worms June 21-23 We had a world of fun! Visit our p-patch to see the beautiful worm compost we harvested from our bin and spread over the soil like a soft blanket. And visit the Children's Garden to see the brand new yard waste compost bin we made!
Roots and Shoots July 5-7 We sprouted up a storm in our p-patch garden! The beans, squash, and radishes we planted have already been showing their grow-power. They'll be some mighty good eatin' on our future "snack walks"!
Winged Wonders July 12-14 Like birds of a feather, we stuck together! Visit the Children's Garden to see the bird baths, dust bath bowls, and puddling ponds we made. And keep your eyes open for all the winged wonders that are flocking to them!
Beetles on Parade July 19-21 We had a beautiful week of beetle-watching, and learning about Ladybugs, Soldier Beetles, and other beneficial insects. Next time you are in the garden, peek under the big tree to see our "Beetle Hotel" and the "Ladybug Land" on the porch post of our garden shed!
Pollinator Power Aug 2-4 We painted bees, butterflies, and flowers on our new garden mural, made a "caterpillar buddy" to take home, and counted all the flowers on our nature hikes that have target or runway patterns on them to point the way to the nectar "prize" in the middle! Next time you are in the garden, look for the moth garden we planted!
The World of Water Aug 16-18 One spot left
Flower and Fruits Aug 30-Sept 1 FULL

• Nature Explorers Camps for Ages 6-7 Due to popular demand, we’ve expanded to 4 camps for the older nature explorer this year, each filled with fun. Help grow and harvest organic vegetables, build nature forts, and follow butterflies and grasshoppers to explore the places that plants, animals, birds, worms, and frogs call home. Each day includes nature crafts, songs, games, and picnics. Camp fee includes an official Nature Explorer bandana, and each camp has a different theme and activities- sign up for one or several! Bring a sack lunch. All camps are from 9:30am-12:30pm. Fee: $90
  

Wiggly World of Worms June 27-29 My, what a wheelbarrow of fun we had! Visit the Children's Garden to see our newly re-bedded worm bin, filled with fallen leaves we collected for the worms. They are now chowing down on our leftovers in splendor!
Beetles on Parade July 26-28 On our nature expeditions, we found bright orange and black Soldier Beetles on every flower of the Fennel and Queen Anne's Lace! Ladybugs landed on us and brought good luck, and we picked bouquets of beetle-friendly flowers to take home. Next time you are in the garden, check out the big garden mural we started painting, and our amazing "beetle village" nearby!
World of Water Aug 9-11 FULL
Roots, Shoots, Flowers, and Fruits Aug 23-25 Five spots left

• Fresh-from-the-Garden Camp Fresh-picked vegetables, fruits, and herbs are a tasty treat, and lots of fun to grow in our organic p-patch garden at Magnuson Park! Have fun harvesting nature’s bounty, planting additional crops, and preparing a delicious lunch using seasonal ingredients. Each camper can invite a guest for the shared meal, and each camp will feature an entirely different menu, take-home recipes, and food-growing tips to try at home. Sign up for one or several! Fee: $30 each
  

“Spring Bling” Fri. June 25th 10:00am-1:00pm What bounty we harvested, and what a yummy lunch the "Garden Diner" chefs made!
Menu was filled with freshly harvested, tender spring vegetables and fruits from our organic p-patch:

• "Baby bib" lettuce salad with edible flowers and herbs. (The Calendula, Bronze Fennel, and French Sorrel were an especially big hit)
  
• Fresh snap peas and carrots in a yogurt-herb dip.
• Country-style "drop biscuits" with freshly-mashed strawberry spread.

Magnuson Community Center is a proud participant in the annual National Environmental Education Week, and hosted several events for school-age children and their families at the Magnuson Community Center Bird-Friendly Landscape and the Children's Garden during that week !

For more info on National Environmental Education Week, visit http://www.eeweek.org