New Fischer Farm Discovery Camp experience complements traditional Under the Sun programs
Bensenville, Ill.— Buoyed by a brand-new Fischer Farm Discovery Camp experience, Bensenville Park District summer camp programs are filling at a rapid pace. The district offers three distinct summer camps for children ages 6 to 10 in addition to a teen camp for those ages 11-15 and Tot (age 2) and Sunshine Camps (3-to-5 year-olds).
“Spring is in the air and summer camps are on everyone’s minds,” explains Bensenville Park District Customer Service Manager Laura Borshell, cautioning prospective campers not to wait. “Bensenville camps are the place to be this summer, and registrations have been coming in fast and furious, so don’t wait until the last minute to register.”
The all-new Fischer Farm Discovery Camp allows children ages 6-10 to explore and enjoy farm life. Participants will interact with farm animals and learn about working and living on a farm. Participants also hike, churn butter, take care of goats and feed chickens.
“Participants will learn about farm animals by interacting with them and get to play with old fashioned toys and take-home crafts,” says Fischer Farm Program Supervisor Maris Rosenfeld. “Through farm chores, creative crafts and adventurous field trips, they’ll travel back through time and have an amazing summer.”
Adventure Camp—based at the Deer Grove Leisure Center (DGLC), 1000 W. Wood Street, Bensenville—emphasizes fun, making new friends and trying new activities. Campers aged 6-10 will have a summer full of adventure, cool crafts, games, new discoveries about their surroundings, fantastic field trips, afternoon swim time and nature exploration.
All skill levels are welcome at Sports Camp at the DGLC. The focus of this camp for 6-to-10-year-olds is having fun, learning good sportsmanship, practicing new skills and developing athletic abilities. Participants learn the rules to a new sport each session, then compete against their friends near the end of the session. Campers will also enjoy field trips and swim time.
Teen Leadership Camp, for those aged 11-15, teaches responsibility, respect and cooperation as campers take on the role of counselors in training. Teens will enjoy interesting crafts, cool games and sports, afternoon swim time, exciting field trips and opportunities to help lead the younger campers in activities. They will also take field trips on their own.
“The Bensenville Park District offers so many different kinds of camps,” says Recreation Supervisor/Program Coordinator Leslie Monarrez. “Here, you have the option to choose a different camp to meet various interests of individual children. Sessions are only a week long, so children can explore multiple interests throughout the summer and families have more flexibility to take vacations.”
Tot Camp offers a caring and gentle introduction to the camp experience for two-year-olds with a new and exciting theme presented each week. Campers meet in the Nursery Room from 9 to 11:15 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and enjoy nature exploration, vegetable gardening, water play and visits to the splash pad on hot days. They also play games, get messy with sensory craft projects and have story time.
The Sunshine Camp caters to children aged 3-5 and is designed to foster children’s growth and independence through exploration, guest speakers, sports, camp songs and playground time in addition to visits to the splash pad. The camps run from 9 a.m. to noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays or Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Tiny Tot Room. Registration for both Tot and Sunshine Camps begins Tuesday, April 4.
“We enjoy outside and nature—we sing, we dance, we play,” says Cindy Banazynski, the park district’s lead preschool teacher. “It’s a lot of fun. We try to engage with nature with our youngest group in a safe way.”
Camps begin Monday, June 5. Before- and after-camp experiences are also available for those ages 6 and older. Registration can be completed in person at the DGLC, and payments may be made with cash, credit card, money order or check payable to the Bensenville Park District. Save $10 per session by registering on or before May 5.