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Kinder Kritters explore Ford Nature Center
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .On the first day of Kinder Kritters day camp, Olivia Vosandvich (left) and Dominic Cross showed off artwork that displayed a collection of animals that often live in field habitats.
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .The intrepid explorers of Mill Creek Park's Kinder Kritters camp settled on the back steps of Ford Nature Center on July 20 to show their excitement for two days of games, crafts, learning, and hiking.
By SARAH FOOR
The 5 and 6-year-old boys and girls dropped off at Ford Nature Center on July 20 and 21 were excited to learn and explore, but a bit nervous to be away from mom and dad. For many, the two-day Kinder Kritters day camp was their first experience with an independent summer camp.
Kinder Kritters organizer Carol Vigorito wanted to make sure that the camp’s mix of games, crafts and hikes around Ford Nature Center made all of her little campers find their own bravery and exploratory spirit.
“Kritters camp is all about introducing kids to new things. At this age, I don’t think they’ve ever purposely went outside and looked for animals or turned over a log to see what they’d find, but I want them to do that. I want them to explore with purpose.”
For her two-day camp, Vigorito taught the kindergarten-age campers about different habitats in Mill Creek Park and the animals that live in each. The first day explored field critters and the second, forest critters.
On July 20, camp began with a coloring craft and a short puppet show by Vigorito and her fellow camp counselors. Then, with plastic bug boxes and butterfly nets in hand, the group headed to Ford Nature Center’s backyard to catch, observe, and then release, insects.
“At this age, I love that they love to get their hands dirty. Some haven’t decided to be afraid of certain animals or insects quite yet, so they’ll try absolutely anything and approach nature with an amazing sense of wonder,” Vigorito noted.
The young campers, who hailed from Poland, Austintown, Warren, Canfield, Hubbard, Struthers, Boardman and Youngstown, took to catching grasshoppers, caterpillars and spiders with zeal.
Camper Olivia Vosandvich returned to the Ford Nature Center camp for her second year.
“I like doing the nature walks during camp. I do them at home now and explore my backyard with my sister all the time,” Vosandvich shared.