Fascination with the dinosaur era aside, the most interesting things in the world for young children may be bugs, dirt and plants.

Garden Camp, a program sponsored by Ames Park and Recreation Services and the Story County Master Gardeners Association, plays upon the fun kids have growing plants and learning about nature and the environment.

The camp recently received the 2002 National Youth Garden Grant from the National Gardening Association. The camp didn’t receive a financial gift, but it got tools, seeds and other supplies from companies that support the award, Naeve said.

“We had to have an established program, community involvement and demonstrate that our program was not only a learning experience but a fun experience,” she said.

“What they were really looking for was a program where there was a community working on it.”

The week-long program, which takes place in June, started about six years ago as a pilot project in Rieman Gardens, and has since moved to the Ames Community Gardens, said Linda Naeve, horticulturist and director of the program.

“Kids today just don’t have the experience with the garden that they used to,” she said.

The curriculum for the program originally was written by Janet Anderson, youth and 4-H Extension program specialist.

“After much research and so forth, we decided that it would be beneficial to put together a curriculum to educate people about agriculture, natural resources and food,” she said.

The parents and volunteers from the Story County Master Gardeners Association help out with the camp, Anderson said.

During the eight-week summer program, the kids plant the garden, maintain it by watering and mulching and eventually harvesting their vegetables. They also learn about insects and plant diseases, Naeve said.

The kids make healthy snacks that come from the garden, such as salsa and vegetable stew, right at the garden, she said. They also press flowers and do other crafts.

“Kids really learn a lot of cooperation,” Naeve said. “It’s a lot of sharing and group cooperation.”

The children get to take home some of the produce they grow, and they also do some of the activities they learn at the camp in other settings, Anderson said.

“Their favorite subject is the insects that they find in the garden and in other people’s gardens,” she said.

Insects are one focus of the camp, and to further the knowledge that kids have of insects, Donald Lewis, professor of entomology, has been going to the camp for four years to help teach the children.

“Working with youngsters is always a treat because of their enthusiasm and their vigor,” he said, “and one of the responsibilities that I feel as a scientist is to make sure we enthuse the next generation.”

The kids usually find some examples in the garden for Lewis to talk about, he said.

“It’s a review what an insect is, how are they different from spiders and other relatives, what they do in our gardens as far as pests and beneficials and what some things we can do about insects are,” Lewis said.

“I think it’s a great chance for them to learn in a different setting, to be outdoors, to learn by doing . and to be exposed to environmental education at a young age should help them in later courses.”