Summer Day Camp Programs at Ellis House & Equestrian Center
Ellis day camps are not just fun and games, they are educational too! Day camps provide children the opportunity to learn all the basics of horse care including -
- feeding
- grooming
- bathing
- behavior
- nutrition
Fun and educational activities include hands on horse handling that teach safe responsible care for horses. Pony rides, games and crafts will be provided each day -
Camp Pricing:
- 1 day camp: $40 Includes riding
- 3 day camp: $135 Includes riding each day
- 5 day camp: $245 Includes riding each day
Availability of camp programs will vary based on interest. Registration is limited to 12 children per camp -
Pony 1-Day Camp for Parent – Tot ages 3-5
2012 Dates: June 18, July 16, August 13
10a – 12p
***Cost: $30 Includes riding***
Spend time with your child learning about horses through grooming, crafts, games, and pony rides
Pony 1-Day Camp for Kids ages 6-8
2012 Dates: June 11, June 25, July 9, July 30
10am – 2pm
Our one day camp for children ages 6-8 is a great way for younger children to learn about and play with the horses. Children are introduced to grooming, feeding and handling horses through hands on activities. Games such as pony leading relay races offer a fun way to test their skills. Kids also get a chance to let their artistic side shine through crafts.
Pony 3-Day Camp for Kids ages 9-12
2012 Date: June 19-21, July 17-19, July 31-August 2
10am – 2pm
Our 3-day camp offers children a thorough introduction into the world of horses. Kids get to experience a variety of activities involved in the daily care and management of horses. Kids learn about and assist with feeding, grooming, handling, saddling horses. A variety of topics are covered including horse shoes, health care, horse behavior and feeding. Each day includes horse games, crafts to bring home, and pony rides.
Pony 5-Day Camp for Kids ages 10-13
2012 Date: August 6-10
10am – 2pm
Our riding day camp gives aspiring horse lovers a chance to immerse themselves in the world of horses for a week. equestrians learn about many aspects involved in horse care. Topics include horse behavior, safe handling, first aid, feeding, grooming, stabling and tack care. Kids assist each day with grooming and tacking up their own horse.
Safety
Children enrolled in camp must wear long pants and sturdy close toed shoes. For safety reasons children wearing sandals, shorts or cloth sneakers will not be able to participate in horse handling activities. Approved helmets will be provided for pony rides and riding activities.
What to Bring to Camp
Please send your child to camp with a sack lunch, sunscreen, hat, work gloves, water bottle and a jacket or any weather appropriate gear. Though activities can be moved indoors in inclement weather, the indoor arena and stable area are still exposed to the elements.
Did you know? There is a coarse ground cover with a high sand content that grows in infertile soils in Illinois called; you guessed it, Horse Tail! Horse's tails are very coarse and when the horse swings the tail at you it can feel like you've been cut. When early settlers had to walk through mounds of this ground cover, they found it's coarseness similar to a horses' tail, and named it such.
Did you know? There are beetles that help the environment by breaking down horse manure! Dung beetles live in our pasture and in the manure and control pests and waste. The manure piles with resident dung beetles have no flies or gnats in them, because the dung beetles eat their larvae!
There are many native mammals, birds and animals at Ellis House and Equestrian Center. Throughout their day at camp, children will see the daily hunting activities of barn swallows, herons, hawks and other animals. Staff will point out wildlife to the students during activities and hikes incorporated into the camp. We also explain how the local wildlife's survival is tied to the horses and the environment created by the horses here at Ellis.