By Rebekah Hall
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
As Arkansas families set their schedules for the summer, the Cooperative Extension Service will offer several opportunities for day camps and overnight camps throughout the season.
The C.A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center will offer a variety of day camps and overnight camps for 4-H members and the public throughout the summer.
Shannon Caldwell, Arkansas 4-H Center programs director for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, said she and program staff are looking forward to a summer filled with diverse activities for youth.
“We are excited for a busy summer at the 4-H Center filled with our favorite camp activities, from swimming and paddleboarding to rock climbing and archery,” Caldwell said. “We will also offer camps focused on science activities, nature-inspired arts and crafts, wildlife education and more.
“Whatever your child is interested in, there will be something for them here at the 4-H Center,” she said.
Arkansas 4-H Camps offers overnight camps open to 4-H members and non-members for youth ages 5-19. Registration for 4-H members will be available through ZSuite, and non-members can register through links posted on the Arkansas 4-H Camps page on the Arkansas 4-H website. Registration opens approximately one month prior to the registration deadline, which varies depending on the camp.
State Camp — June 30-July 2 and July 13-15
- Session 1: June 30-July 2
- Session 2: July 13-15
- Open to youth ages 5-15
- Registration deadline is June 1
- Registration is $135 for 4-H members, $315 for non-members
- Registration will open soon. 4-H members will register on ZSuite, and non-members will register on the Arkansas 4-H camps page.
Artisan Camp — July 6-8
- Open to youth ages 5-19
- Registration deadline is June 1
- Registration is $185 for 4-H members, $415 for non-members
- Registration is open now. 4-H members will register on ZSuite, non-members will register on Arkansas 4-H camps page.
“State Camp is our traditional camp,” said Creenna Bocksnick, Arkansas 4-H camping coordinator for the Division of Agriculture. “It does not have a specific focus like some of the others.”
The Arkansas Outdoor School at the 4-H Center offers nine weeks of themed day camps from June through July. Registration for the camps will remain open throughout the summer, but most camps have a maximum enrollment of 25 campers.
Day camps are open to all youth ages 9-13. The program offers a three-tier pricing system, where parents can pay based on what is most affordable for their family.
Visit the Arkansas Outdoor School Summer Day Camps page to learn more and view dates for all sessions.
Program staff at the 4-H Center will also offer a session of Wilderness First Aid training, which is open to the public.
Wilderness First Aid — May 16-17
- Open to ages 16 and up
- Registration fee is $425
- Limited spots remain
- Register online
Extension county day camps
Extension county offices in Crittenden, Lawrence, Pulaski and Sebastian counties will offer day camps from May through August. Many of the camps are open to the public. Arkansas youth can join 4-H at any time by signing up in the Arkansas 4-H enrollment system, ZSuite. For 4-H members, registration for the summer day camps will be available in ZSuite.
Sebastian County
The Sebastian County Extension office will offer a School’s Out Pirate Bash for all youth ages 19 and under on May 29. Registration is open on ZSuite and closes on May 20.
For youth who are not 4-H members, families can RSVP for the event by calling the extension office at 479-484-7737 or contacting Megan Adkins, Sebastian County extension 4-H agent, at [email protected].
“We do a ‘school’s out’ event open to everyone at the end of May every year at our office,” Adkins said. “The day will include a book reading, crafts, games, STEM challenges, food education and more.”
Adkins said this year’s theme is pirates and potatoes, based on the book “Potatoes for Pirate Pearl” by Jennifer Concepcion.
Sebastian County Extension will also offer two themed day camps for 4-H members in July and August. Both events are open to members ages 8-19. Registration will later be available on ZSuite.
Adkins said the Geography Camp on July 8 will be based on learning outdoor skills, navigation — such as roadmaps and topography — and about regions of the United States, including cultural distinctions such as food, weather and agricultural industries.
Strawberry Day on Aug. 4 will be a combined event with Sebastian County Extension 4-H, family and consumer sciences and horticulture staff to teach youth about the crop.
“We’ll talk about planting and growing them, the kids will get to cook them or preserve them, and we’ll do games and crafts focused on strawberries, including STEM education with activities such as DNA extraction,” Adkins said.
All three Sebastian County events are free to attend.
For more information about Arkansas 4-H, contact your local county agent or visit 4h.uada.edu.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station at aaes.uada.edu.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 22 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact one of the numbers below as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
- For Sebastian County events, call Megan Adkins at 479-484-7737.
