Smoky skies in Delaware County force Tyler Arboretum summer campers indoors

Poor air quality from Canadian wildfire smoke is forcing some outdoor summer camps in the Philadelphia suburbs to rethink their daily routines by moving activities indoors and limiting time outside.

At Tyler Arboretum in Middletown Township, the smoky haze prompted staff to keep all 37 campers off the trails Thursday. The 650-acre property is known for its woodlands, wetlands and meadows, but instead of exploring them, campers spent the morning making chocolate chip zucchini cookies and other activities.

Jack Mattson, 7, said he understands why the camp changed its routine.

"It's really smoky," Mattson said. "Breathing in too much air quality makes you sick."

With the sun glowing orange through the haze, outdoor lunch was moved inside. The day's hike to the creek and visit to the arboretum's giant sequoia tree were canceled and replaced with story time on the carpet.

"On a normal summer camp day, the campers are outside almost the entire time," Chris Lauf, director of education at Tyler Arboretum, said. "So today, it's going to be quite reduced."

After lunch, campers played games, sorted Legos and did arts and crafts. Some staff members wore masks when traveling between buildings.

"We have air-conditioned spaces, we have a beautiful kitchen, so we're really blessed with an abundance of places to be even when the weather is extreme," Lauf said.

Lauf said the change in routine gave kids a lesson they can carry with them beyond camp.

"We try and treat these as educational opportunities for the kids to really model and to help the kids learn how to stay safe outside and how to stay connected to nature," Lauf said.