Summer Camp Fun For The Kids at River Bend Nature Center

River Bend Nature Center Summer Camp registration is open.

I realize that it might be a little too soon to start thinking about summer, but it's not too soon to start making some summer activity plans for the kids while they're on break from school.

My kids always enjoyed summer camps of one kind or another. It got them out of the house and involved in fun activities with their friends, and they got to make new friends as well.

Right now the River Bend Nature Center is inviting parents to sign their children up for "Summer Camp" at River Bend Nature Center! Summer camps are available for children and youth ages 3-17 and are offered in half-day, whole-day and overnight off-site camps. Plus new this year: "Wet & Wild" and "Intro to Rock Climbing" camps! Also, the popular "Adventure is Out There!" camp returns with new activities added such as zip lining, a ropes course and canoeing. They are also offering Explorers Camps, which include overnight camping at River Bend.

If you're interested in getting your children into these programs, half-day camps run from 9 a.m. to noon, and whole-day camps run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. River Bend offers early drop off and late pick up for children in any of their full-day camps and they run Monday through Thursday, June through August.

By the way, the River Bend Nature Center Partners Scholarship Program is available for families who want their children to attend the summer camp programs but cannot afford to pay the entire program fee. For families who qualify, the Partners Scholarship Program provides a 50 percent matching scholarship. As a partner, River Bend pays one-half of the program fee and the family pays the other half of the program fee. Scholarships are available for children 15 and younger. All scholarships requests are confidential and will be handled exclusively by River Bend Nature Center staff.

For camp schedules and to register, visit River Bend’s camp website at www.rbnc.org/summercamp, pick up a Summer Camp brochure at the Interpretive Center, or call the Nature Center at (507) 332-7151.