Putting Country Back in Kids

Riding horses, zip-lining into a lake, and rolling in a mud pit…does this sound like your child’s idea of heaven? If so, Country Kids Summer Camp is just the ticket!

Country Kids, owned by Shelley and Kevin Shelnutt and operated on their property off of Center Hill Church Road in Loganville was the brainchild of Shelley, who saw the differences in children from her generation in comparison to her daughter’s.

“When we were kids, we played outside,” said Shelley. “My daddy took me fishing every week, and my momma let me play in the mud. Kids today stay inside and play video games.”

There’s not a computer in sight at Country Kids Summer Camp, where children can build dams in a creek, splash in the on-site pond and ride horses and chase chickens to their heart’s content. The mud pit is a perennial favorite, especially when followed up by a roll in the wood shavings pile, causing kids to come out looking like a coconut macaroon.

“Everybody loves the mud pit,” said Shelley. “It teaches the kids that dirt is good for you, that getting dirty isn’t going to hurt you.”

Students from Loganville High School fill in as camp counselors, and can even earn school credit if they participate for at least 150 hours. Members of the LHS Archery team, which is coached by Shelnutt, instruct campers on how to properly use a bow and arrow. A student nurse is on-site to provide first aid, and a lifeguard stands watch at the pond. An art major comes in once a week to provide art lessons, which take place in a tree house among the leaves.

Guest speakers regale campers with stories and lessons, including a recent visit from a herpetologist, who taught the children about venomous snakes.

Camp takes place three days a week, Tuesday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There are usually 35 kids per day, who are broken up into age groups ranging from 3 to 14 years old.

Fore more information about Country Kids Summer Camp, check out their website or follow them on Facebook.