Wilderness Experience Teaching Kids About Pioneers Through Camp

DULUTH, Minn.– Wilderness Experience in Duluth is a locally focused outdoor ministry, offering summer camp programs that teach kids about nature, the woods, and faith.

Pioneers Camp for kids in kindergarten to 2nd grade helps youngsters learn how to explore and work in the woods like the pioneers did.

The lessons include working with farm animals and preparing garden beds for planting.

A big goal is developing children both socially and actively but being outdoors is a key component too.

“Getting out in the woods and being comfortable out there is a pretty big piece for us,” Brian Hard, the Director of Wilderness Experience, said.

While being outside and learning about nature is a large part of these camps, Wilderness Experience also wants to teach youth about what, or who, created it.

“There’s definitely some hard skills that we want kids to take away, but also just taking away that God is their creator, and made all this cool stuff for them to go experience,” Hard said.

“We’ve been taking hikes and learning about what god has made,” Micah, a 7 year old camper, said.

Wilderness Experience director, Brian Hard enjoys many parts of these programs, but getting to see the kids have fun, is at the top.

“I think my favorite thing about Wilderness Experience and what we do for me, is just seeing the joy in kids, they come out here and watching them grow through the week, and just they really feel comfortable out here, and it is about the relationships for us too, so watching them grow those and getting to meet the kids myself too,” Hard said.

While for Micah, he enjoys a different part, “I really like making all the crafts and stuff,” he says.

Wilderness Experience offers different camps throughout the summer.

Northwoods Campcrafts is going on next from July 12th till the 16th for children 3rd through 5th grade who will learn how to build shelters, cook food over a fire, and harvest materials from the woods to make bow and arrows and baskets along with a daily bible story.

Fall and winter programs are offered as well.