Local children participating in Newtown Continuing Education’s Outdoor Explorers Camp are set to experience many adventures outside.

“What’s nice about this particular program is we are going to be outdoors almost all of the time... If we have a chance to get muddy, we are going to get muddy,” promised Henryk “Mr T” Teraszkiewicz, who will be leading the camp with his wife Kelly “Mrs T” Teraszkiewicz.

According to a description for the program, campers will meet and handle live animals and explore woodlands, streams, and wetlands. “This is a hands-on program,” the description reads, “that will bring children closer to the nature where they live, opening up a world to them and giving them life-long skills, knowledge, and experiences that a bevy of studies suggest can make them healthier, happier, and even smarter! Our main goal, though… to have fun outside everyday!”

Outdoor Explorers is being offered in different sessions. The first session is set to run July 13 to 17 for students exiting first to third grade. The second session, for students exiting second to fourth grade, will run July 20 to 24, and the third session, for students exiting first to third grade, will run July 27 to July 31. The fee is $299 per participant. For more information or to register a child or children for the program go to newtown.k12.ct.us/SummerCampsAndPrograms and click “Outdoor Explorers Camp (PDF),” e-mail continuinged@newtown.k12.ct.us, or call 203-426-1787.

Teraszkiewicz worked with the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary (CVHAS), designed its education program, and had a nature program through it in Newtown’s public schools for the last three years.

According to the program description, Teraszkiewicz has been an outdoor educator for 30 years and was formerly the executive director and director of education at the Woodcock Nature Center in Wilton. Mrs Teraszkiewicz teaches fourth grade at Sandy Hook Elementary School and is the troop leader for the all-girl Scouts of America Troop 970 in Newtown.

“This is just what we like to do, and it’s my profession,” Teraszkiewicz said, after explaining that the educating duo began offering programs together roughly 22 years ago.

The program will be based at Sandy Hook School, and the grounds have a range of outdoor environs to explore.

Both Teraszkiewicz and Newtown Continuing Education Director Jennifer Arnold said the state health guidelines will be followed at the camp. Safety measures include having students wear masks and having the instructors wear masks and face shields. Everyone is asked to bring their own lunches, too.

“We’re looking to keep kids outdoors and engaged and having the good old summer fun that they miss and want to join in on,” Arnold said about the program.

Teraszkiewicz said he expects the group, which is limited to ten students, to search for insects and pond creatures as some of the excursions.

“We’re going to be exploring everything,” Teraszkiewicz said.

Children in the program will also learn to use to technology, like apps, to identify some of the things they find, and Teraszkiewicz said he wants all of the things they learn to show them how to explore their own backyards with things that could be used at home.

“My job is to really show them what to look for,” Teraszkiewicz said.

Reflecting on the fact that many people are going outdoors more, Teraszkiewicz said, “Let’s get out there.”