Summer camp is still a long way away but Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary is giving kids some outdoor fun during winter vacation.

From Feb. 15 to 18, Allens Pond offered kids a chance to unplug for the week and enjoy the great outdoors while learning about the local wildlife. Now in its fourth year, the winter camp keeps things fresh even as familiar faces come back each year.

According to Property Manager and naturalist Lauren Miller-Donnelly, nature is constantly changing enough that each outing is unique.

There was a different theme for every day of the camp, from birds of prey to native trees. During the week, campers made bird feeders and bird houses, went searching for songbirds and dissected owl pellets.

“I think the funnest thing I’ve done this week is breaking apart owl pellets,” said Alasdair Bowen, 9, whose brother Myles, 7, was also attending. “I found three skulls and lots of other different bones.”

On Wednesday, the kids were in Stone Barn Farm demanding more paint and glue as they decorated green foam cones during an arts and crafts session. Wednesday had the campers learning about trees, so they decorated the cones with moss and twigs collected from outside.

However, some were feeling more inventive, painting the cones red.

“It’s a gnome hat,” Alasdair said.

“I’m gonna keep it in my room,” Myles said.

“They have a lot of fun playing outside and discovering new things,” said Allens Pond volunteer Amanda Palmer. “There’s a lot of ‘Hey, what’s that?’ ‘Don’t touch that!’”

Reinaldo Blacks, 8, a first-time camper, enjoyed hiking and looking for songbirds best.

“We saw a little bird, and my friend over here, Myles, scared it away,” Blacks said.

This week’s sunny weather has been a marked improvement from last winter when it was so cold and snow was piled so high, campers were essentially trapped indoors, Miller-Donnelly said.