Community News

Environment Nature Center presents Winter Nature Camp

by: Lori Whalen
Posted: December 3, 2018

 

NEWPORT BEACH...The Environmental Nature Center (ENC) will present Winter Nature Camps in three sessions: December 17-20, December 26-28 and January 2-4.  Full day camp is from 9am to 3pm, and half day camp is from 9AM to 1PM. Nature Adventure Camp is for campers in grades K – 6th and Little Naturalist camp is for campers age 3 – 5. Visit encenter.org for more info about Winter Nature Camps.

During Winter Nature Camp, campers will participate in educational, age appropriate hands-on activities. Adventures within the Nature Center will increase their knowledge and appreciation for the natural world.

"This Winter Camp marks one full year since the ENC introduced Little Naturalist Camp," said Sue Bierlich, ENC Nature Preschool Director. "Our Little Naturalist Summer Camp filled up within a few days of opening registration, so we are looking forward to a full Winter Camp. I'm so thankful that parents are just as excited as we are to immerse their children into nature at an early age, when it is most important."

A recent survey found that on average, children now spend only 12.6 minutes a day on outdoor activity compared with 10.4 waking hours being relatively motionless watching TV or computer screens. Another study found that 50% of preschoolers lacked even one outdoor play session per day.

"We are raising a generation of sedentary kids who would rather sit on the couch with a cell phone or game controller than be outside armed only with a stick and their imagination," said ENC Executive Director Bo Glover. "Spending time outside in nature helps children develop spatial awareness and motor skills. It even helps their vision."

For more information call 949-645-8489, or visit www.ENCenter.org. The ENC is located at 1601 16th St. in Newport Beach. Photo:ENC