UA’s Moundville Park Offers Summer Day Camp

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. —The University of Alabama’s Moundville Archaeological Park will once again offer its Indian Summer Day Camp to children ages 9 through 13.

The week-long program combines fun, hands-on activities with tours and other educational learning opportunities in topics ranging from archaeology and basic Native American food to ways of weaving, flintknapping and pottery making.

Camp participants will complete a variety of art projects, go on nature hikes where they will learn how to identify useful plants, visit a Native American garden, play different Native American games, try their hand at throwing an atlatl and rabbit sticks, and visit with an archaeologist while he shows them how to analyze artifacts, said Betsy Irwin, the park’s education outreach coordinator.

“Campers will take away a better knowledge of what archaeology is, who the Southeastern Indian people are and the Moundville people were and an ethic of preservation and conservation for both past cultures and of the environment, and the importance of humans taking care of it,” she said.

There are two camp sessions offered — June 3 through 7 and July 29 through Aug. 2. Campers can be dropped off at 8:30 a.m. at Smith Hall on UA’s campus for van transportation to the park or taken directly to the park at 9 a.m. Afternoon pick-up is 4 p.m. from the park or 4:30 p.m. at Smith Hall. The cost is $200 per child ($175 for museum members), which includes all materials, transportation and snacks; campers need to bring a sack lunch with a drink and wear old clothes.

The deadline to register for the June session is May 27; the deadline for the July session is July 22. Space is limited. For more information, visit moundville.ua.edu.