Park Specialty Camps
For Campers Ages 10-15.
Check Out Our Offerings for
Kids Ages 10-15 This Summer!
*New* Hands on, Minds On Specialty Camp
for Ages 10-13
Program Overview:
During Summer 2024, we are excited to expand the specialty camp concept that we introduced last summer. Our new “Hands on, Minds On” experiences for older students age up the traditional day camp that many enjoyed as younger children. As students develop their passions, they are eager to have more immersive experiences in topics that challenge and inspire them, and our specialty camp program is designed to do just that.
In our new program, students come for the full day, pairing a morning camp with an afternoon one. The camps are designed and taught by Park teachers, marrying teacher passions with student interests. Each full-week session costs $475 (prorated for shorter weeks) and includes a wide range of experiences across disciplines (arts, sciences, technology, outdoors, and athletics).
Camp Details – Prices and Schedules:
Ages: 10–13
Dates: June 24 to July 26
Full Day: 8:30 a.m.–3:45 p.m.
Cost: $475 per week (full day, 5-day week)
Time: 8:30 a.m.-3:45 p.m. (Campers can be dropped off as early as 8:15 a.m. Afternoon carpool ends at 4 p.m.)
| Middle School Specialty Camps |
|---|
| Week 1: June 24 to June 28 |
| Week 2: July 1 to July 5 (camp is closed on July 4) |
| Week 3: July 8 to July 12 |
| Week 4: July 15 to July 19 |
| Week 5: July 22 to July 26 |
Create Your Own Camp Experience!
For each week of camp, select a morning and afternoon session from the options provided. (Find descriptions below.) Campers will also enjoy pool time and Challenge Course adventures each day in between sessions.
Week 1: June 24–June 28
| Morning Session Options (select one) | Afternoon Session Options (select one) |
|---|---|
| LEGO Robotics (full day) | LEGO Robotics (full day) |
| Park Ranger: Wilderness Survival | Intro to Entrepreneurship |
| Outdoor Art | Sew Beautiful |
Week 2: July 1–July 5 (camp is closed on July 4)
| Morning Session Options (select one) | Afternoon Session Options (select one) |
|---|---|
| Adventure Camp | Five Days of Art |
| Intro to Entrepreneurship | Engineer Design Challenge |
Week 3: July 8–July 12
| Morning Session Options (select one) | Afternoon Session Options (select one) |
|---|---|
| Creative Writing + Nature Fun | Outdoor Art |
| Adventure Camp | Engineer Design Challenge |
| Broadway Showcase | Rotten Tomatoes: Promoting and Advertising Movies |
Week 4: July 15–July 19
| Morning Session Options (select one) | Afternoon Session Options (select one) |
|---|---|
| Five Days of Art | Dungeons and Dragons |
| Storytelling and Art: Writing Stories and Designing Their Covers | Creative Writing + Nature Fun |
| Park Ranger: Wilderness Survival | Mission in the Kitchen: Breakfast Favorites |
Week 5: July 22–July 26
| Morning Session Options (select one) | Afternoon Session Options (select one) |
|---|---|
| Multi-Sport: Outdoor Sports | Multi-Sport: Indoor Sports |
| Dungeons and Dragons | Mission in the Kitchen: Snacks and Desserts |
| Broadway Showcase | Sew Beautiful |
Session Descriptions
LEGO Robotics
Participants will use Robot Inventor kits to build robots with a computer brain, sensors, and motors. Then, they will code the robots to move and complete tasks using a simple drag and drop programming interface. No experience necessary!
Park Ranger: Wilderness Survival
Are you ready for a week of adventure and exploration? If so, then Park Ranger: Wilderness Survival is the camp for you! Campers will engage in hands-on activities, including shelter construction, navigation, foraging, and fire-building. With a focus on environmental stewardship, campers will gain the skills and confidence needed to thrive in the wild.
Sew Beautiful
Jump start your sewing journey! Learn the basics of machine and hand sewing, as well as tips and tricks for making any sewing project go smoothly. During the week, campers will make three different projects: a tote bag, a pencil case, and pajama pants. We’ll focus not only on sewing skills, but we’ll also practice using good problem solving strategies, hone our fine handiwork abilities, and explore our creative side! No prior sewing experience required. Note: Students should plan to bring a working sewing machine from home to leave at Park to use during their week at camp. Park has a few machines to lend on an as-needed basis.
Dungeons and Dragons
This camp is dedicated to learning to play tabletop roleplaying games such as Dungeons & Dragons, Mice and Mystics, or Pathfinder. It is our goal to create a safe and fun environment for campers to explore their creativity regardless of the familiarity with this genre of game.
Campers will use collaborative storytelling to engage in puzzles, quests, and social interactions with their peers. By the end of camp, they will have the tools to design and build their own worlds and continue to foster a culture of inclusion, exploration, and confidence.
Introduction to Entrepreneurship
Introduction to Entrepreneurship will inspire the next generation of trailblazers and visionaries. Campers will ignite their passion for innovation and business in a collaborative and hands-on environment. After learning about key concepts related to business strategy and marketing, campers will participate in a “Park Tank,” pitching their ideas to fellow campers and camp staff.
Outdoor Art
Outdoor Art combines artistic expression with outdoor adventure, utilizing Park’s beautiful campus as its inspiration and studio. Campers will embark on nature hikes, sketch during snack time, and find inspiration in the flora and fauna around them. Campers will have the opportunity to experiment with different art forms, using the outdoors as the inspiration for their projects.
Adventure Camp
Adventure Camp is for outdoor enthusiasts who are excited to immerse themselves in Park’s campus. Campers will participate in a range of activities that expose them to Park’s natural beauty. Campers will push their limits, conquer challenges, and develop leadership and collaboration skills as they adventure through the school’s surroundings.
Broadway Showcase
Campers in “Broadway Showcase” will bring their personalities to the stage, receiving comprehensive training in musical theater arts from our enthusiastic teachers. The camp will provide a fun space for campers to sing and dance, participate in acting exercises, and learn techniques to create a dynamic ensemble of performers. The week will culminate in a showcase performance for families on Friday.
Storytelling and Art: Writing Stories and Designing Their Covers
Are you interested in writing and doing your own illustrations? This camp will provide a space for aspiring writers and artists to express their creativity through storytelling. Over the course of the week, you will be given the opportunity to create short stories based on your interests. They can be a series of short stories, a graphic novel, or the start of your own novel. Along with some creative writing, you will also be creating the art that will accompany your writing. This can include cover art, promotional materials, chapter title designs, and art throughout the story. You will be embarking on your own creative journey.
Creative Writing and Nature Fun
Each day, we will enjoy multiple ways to get our creative energy flowing for our writing including notebook-making, music, games, yoga, and cooking. We will explore the beautiful, wooded 100-acre campus by walking the trails, enjoying the stream, and drawing inspiration from the beauty around us. Excerpts from both favorite and new-to-us writers of fiction, poetry, drama, and non-fiction will serve as models and inspiration. We will bring the ideas, experiences, and materials of our outdoor living into our writing. Campers will grow as writers by experimenting with different forms and designing their own solo and collaborative writing projects. Each camper will have one-on-one conferences with a writing educator, as well as the chance to share their writing with peers in a supportive, upbeat atmosphere.
Five Days of Art
This “arts sampler” camp engages campers in a variety of mediums with daily projects that expose them to new themes and artistic approaches. On Thursday and Friday, campers will pursue an independent project that mixes mediums and/or builds upon the themes from earlier in the week, culminating in a gallery walk for artists and their families on Friday.
Engineer Design Challenge
Creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving are front and center in this dynamic camp, which presents campers with a new challenge that they have to solve each day with a limited set of materials. Students will design bridges, build towers, and put gummy bears in parachutes, thinking strategically about how to win a challenge with limited resources.
Mission in the Kitchen: Snacks and Desserts
Tired of goldfish and pirates booty? We are too! In this cooking camp, we will expand our snack horizons by making healthy, delicious foods that make everyone in the family happy. Our snacks will also satisfy your sweet tooth, learning important baking skills that expand the dessert possibilities at home.
Mission in the Kitchen: Breakfast Favorites
Aspiring chefs and breakfast enthusiasts unite! In this cooking camp, we will make pancakes, french toast, omelets, and more. Campers will also learn about meal preparation, presentation, and clean-up, as well as essential safety features related to cooking.
Multi-Sport Camp (Outdoor Sports)
This camp is for the recreational athlete looking to build their skills in a variety of sports. Each day will spotlight a theme that crosses sports (i.e. how to play great defense) that campers then practice in a variety of sports (soccer, lacrosse, etc.). Grounded in Park’s PE philosophy, Multi-Sport Camp is a great way to be active, build skills, and develop new friendships.
Multi-Sport Camp (Indoor Sports)
Just like the Multi-Sport Camp in the morning, this camp is for the recreational athlete looking to build their skills in a variety of indoor sports. Each day will spotlight a theme that crosses sports (i.e. how to make great passes) that campers then practice in a variety of sports (basketball, volleyball, etc.). Grounded in Park’s PE philosophy, Multi-Sport Camp is a great way to be active, build skills, and develop new friendships.
Rotten Tomatoes: Promoting and Advertising Movies
Have you ever really loved or despised a movie? Do you remember the trailers, posters, online reviews, etc. for that movie? Did the movie live up to those exact expectations? This is a camp for movie lovers interested in learning how movies get promoted. You will watch a movie or two and be able to design some of the advertisements and promotional materials for that movie. You will also have the opportunity to review movies and promotional materials made by your peers. Do the advertisements work? You decide.
Leadership Development/Counselor in Training (C.I.T.)
Ages: 12–15
Date: June 24 to July 5
(camp is closed on July 4)
Time: 8:30 a.m.– 3:45 p.m.
Cost: $475 / 2-week camp
*Campers can be dropped off as early as 8:15 a.m. Afternoon carpool ends at 4 p.m.
Calling all young people interested in working with kids! Do you want to learn more about childcare, train to become a counselor at Park Camps, or do you have dreams of one day working with young people?
During the morning sessions of Park’s Leadership Development Camp, campers will receive extensive training in childcare, including discovering fun games and activities to do with kids, what to do in an emergency, and even tips on how to get a babysitting job. During the afternoon sessions, campers will have the opportunity to apply their training from the morning workshops by working directly with younger kids. In addition, campers will be asked to process their experiences with each other and a lead instructor. Through the CIT Program, campers will learn to become stronger leaders. After completing the two-week Leadership Development program, campers may apply to intern for the remainder of the summer. ** Completing the Leadership Development Program does not guarantee participants will be hired as future paid counselors at Park Camps.
