Horry kids get off the Internet to explore, experience nature

Nineteen students from Heather Lewis’ fourth grade class at Loris Elementary School got a chance to “go wild” on Tuesday at Playcard Environmental and Education Center.

Using nets the students collected animals from the edge of Playcard Swamp, did team building exercises, kayaked through water lillies, and took part in what director Ben Abercrombie called “old school country fun.”

“We want them to have fun with nature and the outdoors so they enjoy it and want to protect it,” Abercrombie said.

William Steele, a volunteer at the center, who visited Playcard when he was about six-years-old, said, “A lot of kids now a days are locked in on social media so they don’t really ever get out and take in the natural beauty the planet has to offer. A lot of kids are missing that.”

Playcard’s 225 acre conservation tract and educational center supported by the Horry County Conservation Foundation and hosts hundreds of school trips a year on site and has provided additional online instruction for Horry County Schools (HCS) students since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Teachers can book day field trips or overnight camps through the online portal on the Horry County Schools web site.

Additionally the center is open to the public during special events throughout the year such as Swampfest in November, astronomy nights, fishing days and for other events listed on their Facebook page.