Darke County Parks Summer Camps

For over a decade, Darke County Parks summer camps have been an annual tradition for families. In the parks continued commitment to get kids outside to learn, appreciate, and enjoy nature, they offer two styles of camps, day camps and mini camps. The classic day camps are similar to the format the parks has done for the last ten years featuring crafts, take home items, lots of nature, and fun.

The day camps include hand on activities, a t-shirt, a snack, and fun take home items. Camps for 6-7 year olds are as follows. “Things With Wings,” a flight themed camp, will run June 19th through 23rd from 10am to 12pm with a $65 fee being charged, and “Rocks,” a geology camp, will run June 26th through 30th from 10am to 12pm with a $65 fee being charged.

The camps for 8-9 year olds include “Trailblazers,” an adventure and hiking themed camp on July 10th through 14th from 10am-12pm with a $70 fee, and “Ocean Explorers,” a sea themed camp on July 24th through 29th from 10am-12pm with a $70 fee.

The 10-12 year old camps are “Let’s Paddle,” a canoe and kayak camp on June 12th through 16th from 1pm to 4pm with a $75 fee, and “Survive the Ohio Territory,” a survival themed camp on July 31st through August 4th from 10am-12pm with a $75 fee.

The final day camp offering is “Adventure Zone,” an action packed camp for 13-15 year olds on July 17th through 21st from 10am-4pm with a $125 fee.

The two mini camps for 6-9 year olds offer a condensed program with three days of camp involving hands on activity, take home crafts, and lots of time outdoors. The sessions offered are “Stamp into Nature,” a letterboxing camp on Monday, June 12th through Wednesday, June 14th from 9:30am-12pm with a $30 fee, and “Christmas in July,” a Christmas themed camp on Wednesday, July 5th through Friday, July 7th from 10am to 12pm.

For more information about any of these camps or to sign children up, please contact the Nature Center at (937) 548-0165 or email info@darkecountyparks.org.

Darke Parks
Down to Earth Book Club

The Darke County Park District would like to remind everyone of the Down to Earth Book Club’s spring selection. For their sixth season, they will read The Moon by Whale Light: And Other Adventures Among Bats’ Penguins, Crocodilians, and Whales by Diane Ackerman. In a rare blend of scientific fact and poetic truth, the acclaimed author of A Natural History of the Senses explores the activities of whales, penguins, bats, and crocodilians plunging headlong into nature and coming up with highly entertaining treasures.

This season’s book club will meet on Monday, May 1st at 6:30pm at the Shawnee Prairie Preserve Nature Center. Each quarter the Down to Earth Book Club has featured a different book, some by well-known nature writers, some about outdoor adventure, and even some about pioneers settling Ohio. Everyone is invited to read the book and join them at the Nature Center to discuss the work, enjoy some yummy treats.

Please call ahead to let them know you plan on participating in the book club discussion. The Darke County Parks Nature Center can be reached at (937) 548-0165.

Did you know? Crocodiles jaws have 24 teeth that are meant to grasp and crush, not chew. They swallow stones that grind food inside their stomachs and also act as ballast.

Darke Parks