Arkansas Outdoor School, county day camps promise adventure and learning for youth and teens throughout summer
May 1, 2026
By Rebekah Hall
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts
- Extension will offer themed summer day camps in four counties
- Arkansas Outdoor School day camps coming to the C.A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center
- Themed camps include focus on sewing, geography, horticulture and more
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Download photo of Arkansas 4-H Center camp
LITTLE ROCK — As Arkansas families set their schedules for the summer, the Cooperative Extension Service will offer several opportunities for day camps and overnight camps throughout the season.
The C.A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center will offer a variety of day camps and overnight camps for 4-H members and the public throughout the summer.
Shannon Caldwell, Arkansas 4-H Center programs director for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, said she and program staff are looking forward to a summer filled with diverse activities for youth.
“We are excited for a busy summer at the 4-H Center filled with our favorite camp activities, from swimming and paddleboarding to rock climbing and archery,” Caldwell said. “We will also offer camps focused on science activities, nature-inspired arts and crafts, wildlife education and more.
“Whatever your child is interested in, there will be something for them here at the 4-H Center,” she said.
Arkansas 4-H Camps offers overnight camps open to 4-H members and non-members for youth ages 5-19. Registration for 4-H members will be available through ZSuite, and non-members can register through links posted on the Arkansas 4-H Camps page on the Arkansas 4-H website. Registration opens approximately one month prior to the registration deadline, which varies depending on the camp.
State Camp — June 30-July 2 and July 13-15
- Session 1: June 30-July 2
- Session 2: July 13-15
- Open to youth ages 5-15
- Registration deadline is June 1
- Registration is $135 for 4-H members, $315 for non-members
- Registration will open soon. 4-H members will register on ZSuite, and non-members will register on the Arkansas 4-H camps page.
Artisan Camp — July 6-8
- Open to youth ages 5-19
- Registration deadline is June 1
- Registration is $185 for 4-H members, $415 for non-members
- Registration is open now. 4-H members will register on ZSuite, non-members will register on Arkansas 4-H camps page.
“State Camp is our traditional camp,” said Creenna Bocksnick, Arkansas 4-H camping coordinator for the Division of Agriculture. “It does not have a specific focus like some of the others.”
The Arkansas Outdoor School at the 4-H Center offers nine weeks of themed day camps from June through July. Registration for the camps will remain open throughout the summer, but most camps have a maximum enrollment of 25 campers.
Day camps are open to all youth ages 9-13. The program offers a three-tier pricing system, where parents can pay based on what is most affordable for their family.
Visit the Arkansas Outdoor School Summer Day Camps page to learn more and view dates for all sessions.
Program staff at the 4-H Center will also offer a session of Wilderness First Aid training, which is open to the public.
Wilderness First Aid — May 16-17
- Open to ages 16 and up
- Registration fee is $425
- Limited spots remain
- Register online
Extension county day camps
Extension county offices in Crittenden, Lawrence, Pulaski and Sebastian counties will offer day camps from May through August. Many of the camps are open to the public. Arkansas youth can join 4-H at any time by signing up in the Arkansas 4-H enrollment system, ZSuite. For 4-H members, registration for the summer day camps will be available in ZSuite.
Crittenden County
Ali Salisbury, Crittenden County 4-H agent for the Division of Agriculture, said the county is excited to offer four sewing-themed day camps in June and July.
“I believe sewing is becoming a lost art that our youth are not learning,” Salisbury said. “It is a skill that is transferable across many levels of life.”
The camps will take place June 9, June 10, June 30 and July 1. Camp will take place from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. each day. All youth ages 8-18 are welcome to attend. The cost is $40 per person.
The deadline to register for the June 9 and June 10 camps is June 1, and the deadline to register for the June 30 and July 1 camps is June 26.
Crittenden County 4-H will also offer a calligraphy for beginners camp on June 29 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The camp is open to all youth ages 11-18, and the deadline to register is June 26. The cost is $25 per person.
Lunch and supplies will be provided for all day camps. Salisbury said families must make a ZSuite account to register for the event.
Lawrence County
From June 8-10, the Lawrence County Extension office will offer a 4-H Summer Day Camp for students entering third through sixth grade. The camp is open to the public, and the deadline to register is May 21. 4-H members must register through ZSuite, and non-members can contact the county office at 870-886-3741. The cost is $35.
Each day will begin at 8:45 a.m. and run until 2:30-3:00 p.m. at Lake Charles State Park.
“The theme for camp is surviving in the wilderness,” said Courteney Wall-Sisk, Lawrence County Extension agriculture agent for the Division of Agriculture. “We will go over Dutch oven cooking, crafts using outdoor supplies, scavenger hunts and more. And at the end of each day, kids will be able to go for a swim in the lake.”
Pulaski County
All Pulaski County youth from ages 8-19 are welcome to attend the Extension Explorers Day Camp from June 29-July 2, hosted by the Pulaski County Extension office. The camp will take place from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. each day and will feature cooking and nutrition classes through the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program, visits to local farms, gardening workshops and more. There is no cost to attend.
Anna Grace McCarty, Pulaski County Extension agriculture agent for the Division of Agriculture, said the camp is limited to 10 spots, and the deadline to register online is June 15.
“Our Teen Leaders Club will help lead activities, so it will be all hands on deck,” McCarty said. “This is a fantastic way to experience many new things that are available to you, right in your county. You can find new interests and learn more about your community through four days packed with fun.”
Sebastian County
The Sebastian County Extension office will offer a School’s Out Pirate Bash for all youth ages 19 and under on May 29. Registration is open on ZSuite and closes on May 20.
For youth who are not 4-H members, families can RSVP for the event by calling the extension office at 479-484-7737 or contacting Megan Adkins, Sebastian County extension 4-H agent, at madkins@uada.edu.
“We do a ‘school’s out’ event open to everyone at the end of May every year at our office,” Adkins said. “The day will include a book reading, crafts, games, STEM challenges, food education and more.”
Adkins said this year’s theme is pirates and potatoes, based on the book “Potatoes for Pirate Pearl” by Jennifer Concepcion.
Sebastian County Extension will also offer two themed day camps for 4-H members in July and August. Both events are open to members ages 8-19. Registration will later be available on ZSuite.
Adkins said the Geography Camp on July 8 will be based on learning outdoor skills, navigation — such as roadmaps and topography — and about regions of the United States, including cultural distinctions such as food, weather and agricultural industries.
Strawberry Day on Aug. 4 will be a combined event with Sebastian County Extension 4-H, family and consumer sciences and horticulture staff to teach youth about the crop.
“We’ll talk about planting and growing them, the kids will get to cook them or preserve them, and we’ll do games and crafts focused on strawberries, including STEM education with activities such as DNA extraction,” Adkins said.
All three Sebastian County events are free to attend.
For more information about Arkansas 4-H, contact your local county agent or visit 4h.uada.edu.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station at aaes.uada.edu.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 22 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact one of the numbers below as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
- For camps at the Arkansas 4-H center, call Creenna Bocksnick at 501-821-6884.
- For Crittenden County events, call Ali Salisbury at 870-739-3239.
- For Lawrence County events, call Courteney Wall-Sisk at 870-886-3741.
- For Pulaski County events, call Anna Grace McCarty at 501-340-6650.
- For Sebastian County events, call Megan Adkins at 479-484-7737.
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Media Contact:
Rebekah Hall
rkhall@uada.edu
501-671-2061