SPANISH FORT, Ala. — Hiking, painting and leaf-pressing were just a few of the activities enjoyed by about 20 area children during Monday’s first day of Gross Out Camp.

Sarah Howell, 9, of Spanish Fort said the art component was her favorite part of the day, while Alex McAdams, 10, enjoyed the hike.

“It’s great,” said Michael Bear, 10, of Mobile. “I’m able to make friends and go outside, and it was a lot of fun hiking.”

Gross Out Camp, an outreach of the statewide nonprofit Fresh Air Family, is in only its second year, and 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center on the Causeway opted to host the first Eastern Shore camp at the request of the South Alabama chapter.

“You can’t ask for a better spot,” said Kimberly Wright-Knowles, one of two directors for the local effort. “It’s a beautiful facility, the view is gorgeous, and when we drove in this morning there were rabbits all over the front lawn and all kinds of birds overhead.”

Of course, the rabbit invasion led to a heated discussion about bunny droppings along the grounds, but what could possibly be a more fitting topic for something called “Gross Out” camp, Wright-Knowles asked.

The morning hike centered on invasive species of plants found along the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, and Wright-Knowles said campers were shown different varieties of “forest candy,” or edible plants and berries, but none were consumed.

They also discussed the medicinal purposes of some plants before adjourning inside for leaf rubbings.

“They also worked on their journals, and we started making paper pulp because making paper from scratch is going to be one of our activities this week,” she said.

Cynthia Blutcher of Eight Mile said she signed up her 10-year-old son, Jeremiah, because she knew he’d get a kick out of learning all about reptiles and insects.

“He needed some vitamin D and some sunshine,” Blutcher said, watching while the kids cleaned up their art mess before adjourning to the grounds for an afternoon snack of fresh watermelon.

The camp continues through Friday, and Wright-Knowles said each day is “packed full of fun activities and fabulous presentations that will gross kids out or get them dirty and learning.”

The lineup includes presenters from 5 Rivers, Weeks Bay Reserve, Dr. Bob the “Snake Man,” a raptor expert from the Alabama 4-H Environmental Science Center and several local artists.

“It’s important to get our children outside into nature and actively learning about their surroundings. At Gross Out Camp, we have provided a safe avenue for kids to explore the natural world and reconnect with nature,” Wright-Knowles said. “By introducing environmental education early with hands-on experience, children are motivated to learn but also care about environmental causes.”

Fresh Air Family Inc. is Alabama’s largest provider of outdoor education programs, offering more than 400 activities a year, 15 day camps for children and youth, two after-school programs and a home school program. The program is in its fifth year and is financed largely by donations from sponsors, corporations and individuals, allowing the statewide nonprofit to offer membership and most “adventures” at no or low cost.

For more information visit freshairfamily.org, or call Wright-Knowles at 251-689-2985.