Contact: Dorothy Payton, Bellevue State Park, phone: (302) 793-3046
or Joanna Wilson, Public Affairs, phone: (302) 739-9902

Summer Camp Registration to Begin Feb. 3 at Bellevue State Park

Though winter winds are blowing through the First State, you might feel a breath of warmer air at Bellevue State Park, where it’s time to think of registering your children for the park’s 2007 Day Camps, which offer an opportunity to explore nature and enjoy traditional camp activities or to specialize, building skills in photography, art, sports, fishing and performing arts.

The park will begin accepting camp registration from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 3 at the park office in Wilmington. Registration deadline is one month prior to the start date of the camp, with registration accepted after that date on a space available basis. Early registration is recommended, as slots fill quickly.

To preview the park’s summer camp offerings, the Bellevue Arts Center will also host an open house from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, April 18, with prospective campers and their families invited to meet the camp staff, ask questions and register on the spot.

Here’s a closer look at Bellevue State Park’s 2007 Day Camps:

• Young Explorers – 9 a.m. to noon Monday-Friday, June 11-15, June 18-22, July 9-13 and Aug. 13-17
Designed for budding naturalists ages 4 through 6, each week-long session will feature a different nature topic theme for the children to explore through a hands-on hike and nature craft. Activities are documented for parents to see on the “Look What We Did Today” wall. Weekly themes are: “Let’s Explore Our Senses,” June 11; “Nature’s Rainbows,” June 18; “Habitats,” July 9; and “Let’s Look at…” Aug. 13. Cost is $90 per child per week, with before care available for an additional fee of $25 per week.

• Specialty Nature Camps – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, Junior Naturalists I, ages 6-7, June 25-29; Junior Naturalists II, ages 8-9, July 30-Aug. 3; Senior Naturalists, ages 10-12, July 16-20
Modeled after Young Explorers Camp but more advanced, these camps include outdoor exploration, discussion, a hands-on activity or craft and creation of a science journal, plus a different nature theme every day. Cost is $200 per camper per week.

• Recreation Camp – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday- Friday, beginning June 11 and ending the week of Aug. 20, for ages 7 through 12
A well-rounded camp including nature activities, arts and crafts, sports and a weekly field trip outside the park, each week features a different theme as follows: “Wild Wild West,” June 11-15; “Magic & Mad Science,” June 18-22; “Earth Explorers,” June 25-29; “Survivor,” July 9-13; “Pirate’s Cove,” July 16-20; “Out of This World,” July 23-27; “Codebreakers,” July 30-Aug. 3; “Around the World in Five Days, Aug. 6-10; “Amazing Animals,” Aug. 13-17; “Under the Sea,” Aug. 20-24. Cost is $175 per camper per week.

• Volunteerism Camp – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, June 18-22
Students ages 9 to 15 will spend the week involved in various service projects to help improve the quality of life throughout the community. Some of the organizations Volunteerism Camp visited and worked with last summer include the SPCA, the Delaware Food Bank and Habitat for Humanity. The cost is $200 per student for the week.

• Art Camp – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, June 25-29
Designed for children ages 8 through 12 with a creative flair, this camp will feature various art projects using a variety of media. Themes include nature, animals and the environment, and campers will incorporate recycled and found objects into their creations. Cost is $200 per camper for the week.

• Fishing Camp – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, July 9-13
Designed for children ages 7 to 11 years old who enjoy fishing or who want to try fishing for the first time, this camp is appropriate for children of all skill levels. Campers will travel to different fishing sites each day, and will learn about fresh and saltwater fishing, fly fishing, fishing ethics, safety and techniques. All necessary equipment and supplies are included in the camp registration fee of $225 per camper for the week, but campers may bring their own equipment if they wish.

• Performing Arts Camp – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, July 23-27
Campers ages 7 to 10 years old who like to ham it up will explore aspects of the performing arts including theatrical performance, improve skills, dance, comedy and voice projection. The cost is $200 per camper for the week.

• Extreme Sports Camp – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, Aug. 6-10
Campers ages 10 to 14 with an active sense of adventure will enjoy exciting activities including kayaking, mountain biking, skateboarding, surfing, rock climbing and team building at different sites each day. No experience necessary. The cost is $250 per camper.

• Introduction to Photography – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday, Aug. 6-10
Designed for 7- to 10-year-olds who are interested in taking great pictures but have little or no experience, this camp offers the opportunity to explore different photography techniques each day through hands-on experience. Parents are invited to a photography show highlighting the campers’ work on Friday afternoon at the park’s Arts Center. All supplies and photo printing costs are included in the camp registration fee of $225 for the week.

Before and after care is available for all camps except Young Explorers, which does not offer after care. Before care begins at 7:30 a.m. and after care ends at 5:30 p.m. The fee for each is $25 per week or $50 per week for both before and after care.

For more information, or to register for camp, please visit www.destateparks.com, call the Bellevue Arts Center at 302-793-3046 or stop by the park office at 800 Carr Road in Wilmington.
 

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