This educational and fun four mornings at the MK Nature Center will keep your child learning what a healthy freshwater habitat looks like and why salmon are essential to Idaho’s ecosystem. Collect aquatic insects, crayfish and have fun making several crafts.

Nature Detectives at the Idaho Botanical Garden Camp

Enjoy a summer morning with interactive science lessons, creating a related craft, playing a game and taking a nature walk all while learning something new! 

Garden Wildlife           Wednesday, June 10  9:30am-10:30am or 12pm-1pm

A World of Color        Wednesday, June 17  9:30am-10:30am or 12pm-1pm

Plant Power                 Tuesday, July 1           9:30am-10:30am or 12pm-1pm

Butterfly Camp          June 11       9:30am-10:30am or 10:30am-11:30am

Have your child experience the life cycle of the magical butterfly and create a craft at this fun filled yet educational class. Go on a walk around the Nature Center to spot the many kinds of butterflies that make their home in the garden.

Science Bug Camp     June 15-19                10am-12pm                               

Your little entomologist will enjoy discovering what is living in a square foot of weeds and grass.  Insects will be eyed up close and personal as they experience the fun of constructing their own insect, learning songs and making fun insect food that can be eaten by the campers!  Claudia Farnsworth, from the Foothills Learning Center, will keep your little bug lover interested all week.

Shakespeare Camp    June 15-19                  9am-12pm     

Is your child a little thespian in the making?  This camp will introduce meaning, beauty and versatility to the language of Shakespeare.  Students will explore what it was like to live during the Elizabethan times and sample scene and costume design, creative writing and movement.  Juliet Noonan, a teacher and actress herself, will guide the week. The camp will end with a performance from the play “The Tempest” by William Shakespeare.

Pirate Camp               June 22-26      10am-12pm      

It’s time to give your little swashbuckler a chance to explore his/her creative side!  Steeped in dramatic play and literature, your pirate will have the chance to create  sea-faring projects such as a Pirate Ship, hat, sword, eyepatch and his/her picture in a Pirate frame to make any rival Pirate envious!

Flower Pollination, Composting and the Water Cycle Camp

June 30, July 1 and 2        9:30am-10:30am or 10:30am to 11:30am

Enjoy this class as the Nature Center comes alive with flowers and their pollinators. The children will learn about composting, pollination and the water cycle.  This hands on class will take the children all over the Nature Center as they explore the Community Garden, the compost pile and make observations about the water that we use. Crafts related to the subject will be made during the outing.              

Spanish Camp                        July 6-10 or August 10-14         9am-12pm

Your child will spend mornings enjoying an immersion Spanish experience.  Campers will have a hand in preparing native food, making a craft, learning songs and enjoying the outdoors all while learning new words and phrases with new friends.

Bird Camp       July 13-17       9am-12pm   

Your little camper will regale you with a new “Birding Experience” every day.  We will be constructing bird houses, gathering nesting material for nesting boxes, learning about bird habitats along the Boise River from the MK Nature Center, making a concrete birdbath basin for our feathered friends and bird sun catchers for your windows.          

Musical Summer Days Camp                        July 20-24       10am-12pm

The course will focus on learning basic music skills through games and songs as well as building instruments from basic household materials (included in camp fee). We will end the week with a short performance using the instruments and songs we’ve learned during the week.

Princess Camp                        July 20-24       10am-12pm    

Cultivate creativity and watch imagination take flight when your little princess joins this craft-based, fun filled camp.  Children will create a theme-based project every day that ties in with literature and dramatic play. Glittering tiaras and sparkling tutus become even more special when they make ‘em themselves.

Sport Camp    July 27-31       10am-12pm    

Does your little athlete love to hit a ball and run?  This is the camp for you.  We will concentrate on T-ball for the week and learn how to play the game. Come and cheer for the team at our game on Friday.  Team baseball hats will be issued for Camp Parkside!

Tracks, Scats and Signs         July 28-31       9:30am-10:30am

This class offers the children up close encounters with the tracks, scats and signs to look for while enjoying the great outdoors.  They will do a related craft, learn to identify the scats of various animals and the signs to be aware of that an animal is near.

Idaho Shakespeare Family Night     August 2^nd   Show at 7pm

“12^th Night”

We must know by May 1^st for seating.

Swim Lessons - Parkside School/Gem State

All swim lessons are in 2 week blocks, 4 days each week, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

Lesson Time    2:55pm all Summer

Session 1        June 8 to June 18 (waiting list)

Session 2        June 22 to July 2 (waiting list)

Session 3        July 6 to July 16 (waiting list)

Session 4        July 20 to July 30 (waiting list)

Session 5        August 3 to August 13 (waiting list)

Session 6        August 17 to August 27