Summer Camp

Garden’s youngest campers learn and explore in a warm and nurturing environment. The focus at this age is on group dynamics, navigating one another and the world, and exploring a range of activities from basic arts to early academic concepts, and developing social skills all while having fun and using their imagination. To ensure each Honeybee’s arrival is smooth, we have a pre-camp orientation which parent and child attend together. At the orientation, Honey Bees meet one another, their counselors, and walk spaces where they will spend camp without the hustle and bustle of the first day of camp. Then on day one, Honeybees arrive early and head right into “The Hive” where they are eased into those first days.

Honey Bees have fun filled days with water play, age-appropriate curriculum, introduction to a variety of sports and gross motor activities and explore the arts, music, and other creative expression. Honey bees spend most of their day in and around our Nursery classroom with separate bathroom facilities, and special entrances so their first days on campus can be as unintimidating as possible. Each day has time for music, gymnastics, guided water play (not in the pool), lunch, rest, playground, gross motor activities, snack, arts and crafts, and story time.

In the Caterpillar (ages 3-5) or Butterflies (ages 5-7) campers learn and explore with a focus on understanding their role in the group and exploring a range of activities from arts to academic enrichment, and developing social skills all while having fun and using their imagination.

Youngest groups like the Caterpillars also come in for a pre-camp orientation and we may decide to do that for the Butterflies too depending on the specific children who enroll. Like the Honeybees, at orientation, parent and child attend together to meet peers, counselors and key adults, and walk the spaces where they will spend their summer. This helps get them settled prior to the busy start of camp. Early arrival for the first few days of camp also make for a calm and smooth transition to camp.

Caterpillars spend most of their day in and around “The Cocoon” – our Pk3/4 classroom with separate bathroom facilities and lots of room to spread out, learn, and explore. A typical day includes “Cocoon Time” which is a camp version of morning meeting, Music Class, Gross Motor, Swim Instruction, Lunch, Rest, Water Play, Playground & Games, Snack, Arts & Crafts, Story Time, and Science exploration.

While Butterflies have a similar typical day, there are some modifications and adjustments as the older students can do a bit more independently and have more motor skills to engage in other activities. For example, rhythm and movement class becomes Ukulele, Arts & Craft becomes beginner Fine Arts and we also add in a Dance and Theater component.

The Monarchs and Swallowtails are grouped by ages in a more independent and mature camp program. This allows for increased opportunities for choice and student agency to help shape their actual program. 

All Monarchs and Swallowtails have daily swim, mixed athletics, and enrichment classes in visual / performing arts, guided journaling!