Insects were all the rage at the first Camp Bugs N’ Blooms held at The Gardens at Texas A&M University recently. 

The three-day camp, offered by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Junior Master Gardeners program, provided attendees with a chance to learn about the fascinating lives of insects, their behaviors and their roles in our ecosystem through hands-on and experiential activities and volunteer projects.

The camp for youth ages 8-10 focused on plants and pollinators, and participants received a Junior Master Gardener Insect Golden Ray certificate at the end. 

A woman with a group of children looking for insects on plants
Lisa Whittlesey, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service program specialist and international coordinator of the Junior Master Gardener program, with participants at the first Camp Bugs N’ Blooms at The Gardens at Texas A&M University, as they look for insects on plants. (Sam Craft/Texas A&M AgriLife)

The campers also had the opportunity to hear from industry leaders who shared information about careers in the “green” industry and answered questions about their jobs and businesses as well as plants and gardening. 

“Children get excited learning about where their food comes from, seeing science in nature up close and getting their hands in the dirt,” said Lisa Whittlesey, AgriLife Extension program specialist and international coordinator of the Junior Master Gardener program. 

“Children are often disconnected with nature because they spend so much time inside or on screens,” Whittlesey said. “This program is a fun, interactive way for them to learn in a hands-on, engaging way.”

A young girl reaching into a butterfly net.
A silhouetted child walking with a butterfly net with a cloudy sky in the background
An individual using a microscope to look at bugs
A grasshopper in a container
A young boy looking into a butterfly net
Participants at the first Camp Bugs N’ Blooms at The Gardens at Texas A&M University had a chance to learn about the fascinating lives of insects, their behaviors and their roles in our ecosystem through hands-on and experiential activities. (Sam Craft/Texas A&M AgriLife)

Valuable partnership

Kat Grier, The Gardens educational programming and outreach coordinator, praised the partnership between the Junior Master Gardeners program and The Gardens. She believes the lessons from Bugs N’ Blooms can be something children carry throughout their lives.

“The curriculum and activities are what bring The Gardens to life for so many youth and allow them to explore horticulture, agriculture and ecology in a meaningful way,” Grier said. “What is so great about programs like these is that the students are not just learning about horticulture or gardening, they are also learning about responsibility, patience and problem-solving.

About Junior Master Gardeners

The Junior Master Gardener program, which has programs in all 50 states and 10 foreign countries, is an international 4-H youth gardening program headquartered in AgriLife Extension and the Texas A&M Department of Horticultural Sciences. 

The mission of the program is the “grow good kids” by igniting a passion for learning, success and service to their communities. 

Want to explore more opportunities to inspire a life full of passion and appreciation for learning, success and service? Visit the Junior Master Gardner website to explore more fun, hands-on programs like Camp Bugs N’ Blooms.

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