Published: May 19, 2015 | 10:32 AM

Time to Think About Summer Camp

Summer is just around the corner, so it’s never too early to start planning. Irvine Ranch Water District’s San Joaquin Marsh provides the ideal setting for fun and learning.

Several different day camps are offered for all ages. Sea and Sage Audubon Society will once again host its popular nature camps and Discovery Science Center is back to offer their Summer Smiles and Project Discovery camps. All of these camps fill up quickly.

For more than 20 years, Sea and Sage has offered its programs to youngsters aged 7 through 12. The first offering is Fledgling Camp for seven and eight-year-old campers. Camp is the week of June 22-26, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Beginning birders will sharpen observational skills on daily nature walks and learn to keep a birding journal. They will also have fun playing games, learning nature songs and doing crafts.

Marsh Camp is geared toward the nine-12 year-olds. There are two camp sessions – June 22-26 and July 6-10, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Campers will explore all aspects of marsh bird life. They will also enjoy daily nature walks, see live hawks and owls from a rehabilitator, paint a birdbath, keep a nature journal, do crafts and much more.

Advanced Bird Camp is for campers 11 years and older and requires Marsh Camp experience. Camps takes place July 20-24. Camp will focus on pelagic birding and ocean habitat. There will be field trip to the Dana Point Ocean Institute for a morning of pelagic birding on Friday, July 24. Camp includes a daily nature walk, keeping a daily nature journal, sketching and other art projects. Campers will paint a hand-carved wooden bird.

Visit the Sea and Sage website for more information.

Discovery camps begin with Project Discovery the week of June 29-July 3. Other weeks for Project Discovery are July 6-10, July 20-24, July 27-31 and August 3-7. Duration of camp is 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Campers will enjoy a series of challenge-based activities, such as testing different models of flight, dropping an egg without breaking it and constructing a catapult. They will also investigate the secrets of the solar system and take a close look at Earth, starting with one drop of water. Project Discovery is for seven-10-year-olds.

The five-six-year-old set will enjoy Summer Smiles camp weeks of July 13-17 and August 10-14, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Campers will investigate the world of the plants and animals populating the water, land and sky surrounding the marsh. They will concoct gooey slime, make animal-themed crafts and discover the similarities and difference of the plants, fish, mammals and insects all around us. They will also learn about the marsh’s ponds during nature hikes.

Visit Discovery Science Center’s website for more information.