Written by

Beth Farrah, SMT Writer

Cape Girardeau, Missouri – There are many fun summer events coming up at the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center for people of all ages. With this great Missouri weather, it is the perfect time of the year for days spent in the outdoors with family and friends.

The Conservation Nature Center will be hosting Outdoor Adventure Camp on Thursday, June 6^th at 8:30am to 4:30pm on Friday, June 7^th. The Adventure Camp will give children ages seven through eleven a chance to explore the outdoors with expert tour guides. The camp will include fun activities like hiking, canoeing, and fishing at local areas. The groups will visit local conservation areas so they can discover wildlife such as birds, flowers, and other animals. The children involved will get a chance to study habitats and ecosystems that they can find in their own backyard in Southeast Missouri.

Children that attend are required to bring sack lunches for both days and are required to register and attend both sessions on both June 6^th and 7^th. Registration began weeks prior, but is currently still open until the session takes place. You can register your child (age 7-11) by calling the Conservation Nature Center at 573-290-5218.

If the Outdoor Adventure Camp is currently full, there is a second session that will take place the following week on June 11^th and 12^th. The same information and guidelines apply for the second session.

Another great activity that the Conservation Nature Center is offering is the First Aid Basics Course. For families or individuals who enjoy hiking, bike riding, or being outside, this would be a great course to attend. The course will include the details of basic first aid taught by a professional so hikers or families never have to worry about any accidents that may take place outdoors. Attendees of this course will learn about splints, how to control mild bleeding, and care for other minor injuries that may take place outside. This hands-on course will get children and their family prepared for upcoming summer activities. This course is for anyone who is seven years old or older and you can register for this event that takes place on June 6^th, by calling 572-290-5218.

For families that love nature and would love to teach their children more about it, the Conservation Center is offering Families in Nature Day, which will take place this Saturday on June 8^th at 8am to 4pm. Attendees will learn about habitats, nature in Southeast Missouri, and discover new things at local conservation sites. The families that attend should plan to stay all day and should bring a picnic lunch, bug spray, sunscreen, and other items that may be needed for a day spent outside. The idea of Families in Nature is to stop the sudden growth of nature deficit disorder, which is a massive study proposed in the early 2000s that many behavioral problems found in children today are caused by the lack of nature in their daily routines. Many children spend time indoors playing video games or watching TV, so Families in Nature Day will help get families outdoors and help them spend time together as a group.

One week from today, on Wednesday, June 12^th, there will be an Outdoor Hazards seminar held at the Conservation Nature Center. This activity will allow people of all ages to learn different scenarios that will help them use correct precautions to keep them safe outdoors. The main idea is to teach people about common hazards here in Missouri and how to handle them properly in safe manner. There is no registration required for this and youth, young adults, and adults are all welcomed to join this event.