Children at a winter camp watch a tank. Telegraph picture

Ranchi, Dec. 28: It was all about tanks, weapons, trekking through a jungle and children. Yes, kids had their day out at a winter camp organised by the army at Khoja Toli.

The seven-day camp was organised by the army to keep the children busy in the winter vacations. As many as 51 students — all between 10 and 17 years — participated in the camp.

The children were accommodated in dormitories — separate for boys and girls. Participants were charged Rs 1,500 for the camp which was inclusive of fooding and lodging.

The adventure, which will conclude tomorrow, was open to all children.

Colonel Sunil Bhatt, in-charge of the camp, said all the kids loved the tank ride.

“Normally, a child never gets to see the interiors of an artillery tank and to have a joyride on a tank got them very excited,” Bhatt said.

Rishab, a Class VIII student of the Army School and a participant in the camp, was amazed at the sight of the tanks.

“It was awesome! The tanks can run at a high speed. They look as if they are difficult to manoeuvre but on the contrary they are rather easy to negotiate and with an expert driver, one can overcome any kind of obstacle,” he said.

Kids also took part in a treasure hunt where they were given clues to reach their “target”.

In another game, kids were divided into groups and each group was given various activity tasks to help them develop leadership skills, said an army officer.

The kids also came close to nature while pursuing the jungle trek.

Navigating through the jungles of Tupudana was an eye-opener for many, especially those who had never ventured into the wild before.

“Kids learnt about many kinds of trees and animals, which cannot be easily spotted inside the capital,” Col Bhatt said.

The army personnel escorted the children as they braved the thorns and bushes.

“I have never trekked in my life before. It was interesting to explore the jungle with so many people. Army officials also showed us how to be careful and avoid flowers and bushes, which might cause rashes,” said Ananya, another participant at the camp.

The children will stage a cultural show before their parents tomorrow, followed by a bonfire and dinner.

“The camp was organised to keep the children busy and at the same time teach them something new. The children have learned to be together and have develop- ed leadership skills,” Col Bhatt said.