GROWING up on the North Shore means kids have access to the wilderness and mountains, and we certainly see them take advantage of it on their skis and snowboards in winter.
But what about in the summer?
Mount Seymour is again offering a series of EcoAdventure Camps this year that are designed to get kids away from their video games and computers and into nature.
"There's such a shortage of time spent in nature and we really think it's important to get kids back into nature and really connecting with it as well," says Janey Chang, outdoor education manager at Mount Seymour Resorts.
The five-day camps include different themes such as nature awareness and hazards, mammals and tracking, mountain mystery and history, navigation and shelters, and Seymour Survivor Challenge Day. Kids will be able to make plaster casts of animal tracks, explore pond life such as salamanders and frogs, and try geocaching - a navigational game where GPS is used to seek out hidden treasures.
There will also be a focus on safety and survival skills.
"The backcountry and the wilderness, they're here for people to enjoy. We don't kids to be afraid but we want them to be prepared, it's in their own back yard," explains Chang.
All of the children will be introduced to 10 essentials they should bring with them into the forest and how to spot hazards, while the older kids will learn about how to start a fire without matches, build shelters and find edible plants and trees. The RCMP Hug a Tree and Survive program will participate in a guest workshop as well.
Last year was the first time Mount Seymour rolled out the full program and Chang says the feedback was positive from parents and kids alike.
"A lot of what we heard from parents was when their kids got home they couldn't stop talking about what they learned," says Chang.
"From the kids, they really loved the free play," she adds. "It wasn't a playground. We were exploring, we were hiking, we were always discovering new things, and they loved making fire and the survival aspect of it."
Mount Seymour EcoAdventure Camps are available for 5-12 year olds, with the first camp starting on July 9. The cost is $220 for a full week, or $50 for a drop-in. A shuttle service and lunch are available for an additional cost.
For more information go to www.mountseymour.com.
