This summer, SPREE (South Platte River Environmental Education) had the opportunity to partner with Discovery Link at Barnum Elementary and with Sun Valley at Rude Recreation Center, for three exciting days of outdoor environmental education. Through our “Animal Olympics” curriculum, campers explored the incredible adaptations that help Colorado’s wildlife survive and thrive—all while staying active, asking questions, and having fun.
Across multiple sessions, we welcomed students from kindergarten through sixth grade in both English and Spanish programs, giving more than 120 students the chance to discover the amazing world of local wildlife through hands-on learning and interactive games.
Our day together:
The adventure began with a discussion about animal adaptations—the physical and behavioral traits that help animals find food, avoid predators, and survive in their habitats. Campers quickly realized that while humans have their own strengths, Colorado’s wildlife has some truly Olympic-level skills!
Throughout the program, campers rotated through four interactive stations highlighting Colorado wildlife. They compared their own wingspans to local birds, discovered how skunks use unique defenses to avoid predators, explored the remarkable survival strategies of opossums, and tested their sense of smell while learning why bears are some of nature’s best sniffers. Each activity used hands-on games and movement to help students understand how animal adaptations support survival in the wild.
Laughter, movement, and curiosity filled every activity. Interactive games proved to be a wonderful way to help campers connect with scientific concepts while encouraging teamwork, observation, and critical thinking.
Reflection:
As our staff reflected after the program, the experience reinforced the importance of bilingual programming, active learning, and creating opportunities for students to spend meaningful time exploring nature together.
We are incredibly grateful to the Discovery Link staff at Barnum Elementary for welcoming SPREE into their summer program. Partnerships like these allow us to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards by helping young learners discover that the natural world is full of fascinating animals, incredible adaptations, and endless opportunities to ask questions.
We can’t wait to continue bringing environmental education to more Discovery Link sites and helping even more campers discover their own connection to Colorado’s wildlife!
Summer Fun with the Greenway Leadership Corps!