Summer Camp

Program

This summer, the kindergarten classroom will be transformed into a studio for children and teachers to explore science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) concepts. Informed by our experiences on study tours to programs that inspire our practice in the schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy, and the Boulder Journey School, we are curious about how offering children 21st-century materials (projection devices, cameras, light and sound materials, computers, tablets, etc.) allows children to create with these materials, rather than simply consuming media through them. Relationships, play, place-based learning, and rich project work are values that will drive our summer programming, remaining consistent with over-all ELC programming. We are approaching the Campus Kids program with fresh eyes and are excited about the possibilities!

Age-Eligibility:

In 2020, Campus Kids will only be open to children that completed a kindergarten program during the 2019-2020 school year. Please note that this is different from previous years in which age-eligibility was rising 1st-3rd graders. To read more about this decision, follow this link to the original announcement.

Registration Process:

We will utilize a tiered system to manage the flow of camp applications. When your family’s application window opens, an application will need to be filled out for your camper and a $50 application fee will need to be submitted via check to the ELC. We will let you know which weeks we are able to enroll your child on the Friday your registration window closes. If you need a cancellation/transfer form, click here.

Tiers:

Tier 1: Currently enrolled ELC Kindergarten children 

Application window: Monday, January 13th – Friday, January 24th

Tier 2: Siblings of currently enrolled ELC children that meet age-eligibility requirements

Application window: Monday, January 27th – Friday, January 31st

Tier 3: Alumni of the ELC program that meet age-eligibility requirements

Application window: Monday, February 3rd – Friday, February 7th

Tier 4: Community families children that meet age-eligibility requirements

Application window: Monday, February 10th – Friday, February 14th

Weekly Tuition:
5-day camp weeks: $265
4-day camp weeks: $215

Camp Weeks:
Week One: June 8-12: FULL
Week Two: June 15-19: FULL
Week Three: June 22-26: FULL
Week Four: June 29-July 2 (4-day week): FULL
Week Five: July 6-July 10: FULL
Week Six: July 13-17: FULL
Week Seven: July 20-24: FULL
Week Eight: July 27-31: FULL 

Please read on for a peek at what we might get up to during a typical week this summer!

• This portion of the day is flexible as children will arrive throughout the morning. Children will be invited to engage in a variety of activities as they arrive for camp and wait for the group to be complete for the day.

• Morning Meeting is an important part of the day as we welcome one another and get to know what the day is going to look like. Campers will sing songs, play games, and make plans for how they will be spending their mornings. Children will be invited to weigh in on current investigations and will participate in documenting their camp experience together, likely needing to have some time to resolve conundrums or pose suggestions for the group to investigate.

• The ELC will provide a morning snack for children.

A week could look like the following but is flexible to meet the group’s needs and interests.

• Monday: Morning STEAM activity/Studio work (child-driven, adult supported)
• Tuesday: Visiting Expert (perhaps an artist to teach us about an art medium the children have been exploring, or an engineer to help us think through design/building challenges- the possibilities are endless!)
• Wednesday: Farmer’s Market excursion
• Thursday: Morning STEAM activity/Studio work, then water day (pool, fountains, water day at the ELC)
• Friday: Wild Card (this could be a field trip, a visiting artist or expert related to a concept the children are interested in, or work time to finish projects they want to wrap up before the end of the week)

• The ELC will provide family-style lunch each day. The menu will correspond to the ELC-wide summer menu.

• Everyone needs a little downtime after a busy camp morning! Activities for quiet time could include journaling, reading, drawing, a group chapter book reading, an audiobook session, or just simply resting.

• Campers will have the entire White Ave. playground to themselves as the preschoolers nap in the afternoon! Free play, group games, and gardening jobs are common camp afternoon activities.

• This meeting will serve as work time in the classroom studio. Children will explore different digital media, work on projects that interest them, and seek understanding about concepts that interest them. Teachers will provide support for children’s learning by ensuring they have the right materials available to work through their inquiry.

• Campfire is when we wrap up and reflect on the day. This meeting gives teachers some understanding about what seems important to the children and how we might proceed in the coming days. This time is also a cue to children that the camp day is winding down and aftercare is about to begin.

• The ELC will provide an afternoon snack. Aftercare will give children lots of time for free play in the classroom, time in the garden, and time on the playground with the preschoolers. This is an open-ended time for play as children will leave sporadically.

The schedule of the day is designed to be dynamic to meet the needs of the group as their interests develop and questions emerge that need investigation. We anticipate that some projects might span the entire summer and some might wrap up within a week. We imagine that it will be an engaging experience for children whether they attend one week or all eight! Some topics and concepts we are hoping to explore this summer include simple robotics, coding, movie making, sculpture, physical science, and lots and lots of digital media projects. We envision it being fine for children to attend for a single week or all eight weeks and still have an excellent, fulfilling time with their peers! While we will, of course, have lots of planning and ideas for the summer completed well before the children come to us, we want to remain open to their questions, inquiries, and ideas about what and how to investigate STEAM concepts.