Camp FUNset is known for offering kids in first through sixth grades the chance to explore the many features of Sunset Hill Farm County Park. Campers get to learn about nature and investigate wildlife, while making new friends and enjoying the outdoors.

And camp is not just limited to the summer months. The Porter County Parks and Recreation staff has created Holiday Camps that will be available during the school year as well.

The first of these programs, the Camp FUNset Fall Camp, is set to take place on Thursday, Oct. 25, and Friday, Oct. 26, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Kids are invited to enjoy their fall break at Sunset Hill Farm County Park with a variety of activities. The cost of the camp is $40.

Campers will have the chance to learn how to fish, take nature hikes with an experienced naturalist, play games, meet the farm animals, enjoy arts and crafts, and much more.

Camp FUNset Director Katie Rizer said fall was a perfect time for kids to visit Sunset Hill Farm.

“The colors in the landscape are incredible, wildlife is abundant and the farm animals are very active,” she said.

Rizer said Holiday Camps were a great introduction to Camp FUNset and Sunset Hill Farm for new campers. She added that the program also would serve as a “homecoming” for kids who have participated in the Camp FUNset Summer Camps and have developed a fondness for the park.

“Camp FUNset is often the first opportunity kids have to visit Sunset Hill Farm to enjoy hiking the trails and learning about the park,” Rizer said. “Many camper parents say they never knew how much we had to offer with our trails, and love the idea of coming back with their kids to check out the newly discovered beauty of our 238-acre park.”

Another Holiday Camp will be offered from Jan. 2 to 4 at Sunset Hill Farm, during Winter Break, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The cost for this three-day camp is $60, with a $5 sibling discount for each additional camper from the same family.

The park takes on a whole different look during the winter months, becoming a great place to sled, hike, spot animal tracks in the snow and play outdoors. The Winter Holiday Camp also helps kids and their parents realize that there is always something active to do outdoors, regardless of the weather, Rizer said.

“We love hearing the kids tell their parents about the winter hikes and outdoor games they've experienced during camp because so many parents are surprised that their kids actually enjoy being outside in the winter,” she said. “There's so much to discover and our team gets to introduce campers to a new thinking – playing outside in the winter.”

Space for Holiday Camps is limited. For more information, or to register, contact Katie Rizer at 219-309-0680 or krizer@porterco.org

Posted 10/5/2012