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Don’t miss the opportunity for your kids to experience summer day camps starting June 1 at the new AWF Delta and Bay Conservation Center (AWF DBCC) in Spanish Fort.
Your young adventurer is going to have a blast exploring the outdoors at six different Expedition Delta Summer Day Camps, created for ages 6-16. They’ll pull away from screens and into wildlife, where experienced, knowledgeable naturalists will lead them on safe hikes and teach them about birding, fishing, identifying plants and animals and more.
Each camp runs Monday through Friday, from 8 AM to 3:30 PM.
What do local moms and kids think of the new center? We’ve already gotten great reviews from field trips and homeschool visits leading up to the recent grand opening:
“They’re out here with the naturalists and love them. Mama is not a naturalist, so we’re thankful for them teaching our kids about biodiversity and the ecosystems in our area. Our kids are learning so much from them.”
Local mom Sharon Johnson
Read on for more about this easy summer solution to keeping kids engaged, learning and having fun. Word’s getting out, and Expedition Delta Summer Day Camps are starting to fill up—register now!
Expedition Day Camps Quick Guide
Expedition Delta Camps for ages 10-16
To get a few more cool details about all of the camps, we checked in with AWF DBCC Director of Camps and Public Programs, Brayden Paulk.
🎣 FISH ON! Camp
Learn casting, knot-tying, tackle basics + even tournament fishing (with prizes!). At this camp, kids will target big catfish, big gar + big buffalo—no stopping at common bluegill, Paulk says.
- When: June 1-5 + Aug. 3-7
- Cost: $235
- Register here
🐦 Birding Camp
Learn how to use binoculars, ID by sight + sound, build birdhouses + spend real field time admiring some of the region’s 300+ bird species. Paulk’s goal is to create a camp that inspires + connects young birders like he once was.
- When: June 8-12
- Cost: $220
- Register here
🔎 Budding Naturalist Camp
Enjoy focused time flipping rocks, identifying minnows, microfishing, live trapping, bug hunts + plant walks. This one’s for the super detail-oriented kids, Paulk says.
- When: June 22-26
- Cost: $220
- Register here
Expedition Delta Camps for ages 6-12
🌿 Delta Camp
Enjoy a sampler of fishing, birding, hiking, archery, survival skills, crafts + more. Paulk calls it the “FOMO” camp, so kids can experience it all + see what they like best.
- When: June 15-19; June 29-July 3; July 13-17; July 27-31
- Cost: $220
- Register here
📜 Expedition Delta: 1807 Camp
Put on your coonskin caps + become a frontier explorer on a fictional expedition into the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, “commissioned” by President Thomas Jefferson + archery becomes hunting for dinner, while birding is for science. Paulk says this one may be his favorite.
- When: July 6-10
- Cost: $240
- Register here
🐍 Slime + Scales Camp
Catch, observe + better understand the value of frogs, turtles + lizards + snakes, including how most aren’t a threat + ways to spot the few that can be.
- When: July 20-24
- Cost: $220
- Register here
How growing up in Alabama inspired the camps
Paulk joined the Alabama Wildlife Federation Delta & Bay Conservation Center team in September 2025 and immediately began work on the center’s camps and programs. Having grown up in Lowndes and Calhoun counties before earning his degree in conservation biology in 2023, he says the camp’s themes draw upon his childhood.
“Alabama is the state where my eyes were opened to the outdoors and really inspired me when I was young. If I can get kids to love the things that I think everybody should love and enjoy, then I believe they will become passionate citizens for conservation, too.”
Brayden Paulk
👀 ICYMI: Check out our coverage of the center’s opening.
To register, head to the Alabama Wildlife Federation website. Sessions fill on a first-come, first-served basis + full payment secures your spot. Register now!
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