Summer Camp Themes
Week 1 - STEAM, July 10 to 14
Preschool/Kindergarten
Get ready for experiments and investigations galore as we explore big ideas like gravity, momentum, and solar energy, all in a hands-on way. How do you keep an egg from breaking when dropped from a certain height? What’s the best way to suspend your stuffy from our Teddy Bears & Friends Zipline so it can zoom from one end to the other? We’ll explore all of these ideas and more, so come tinker with us!
Elementary
This week we’ll be harnessing the power of the sun to do some amazing things! We’ll make sunprint art using both classic cyanotypes and using photoreactive dyes on fabric. Find out how people have learned to tell time using the sun for thousands of years and experiment with our own sundials. Explore how to use the sun’s rays to make food and distill water, and so much more. Let’s kick off the summer by having fun with the sun!
Week 2 - Summer Gardens, July 17 to 21
Preschool/Kindergarten
Come and play in the garden! We’ll investigate what grows at the Early Learning Community garden and around campus in the summer season, learn from a special guest about farming in our community, and get to know the parts of a plant. We will get to plant in the ELC garden, shop at the farmers market (in creative play), participate in daily art projects, and create our own small garden to take home. We may even be able to create some snacks from the bounty of this summer’s garden!
Elementary
How does our garden grow? Let’s dig into some big ideas about soil, pollinators, seeds, and plants, all while doing fun, hands-on experiments and getting to explore the gorgeous garden spaces at the ELC and Pacific University. What is our soil made of and which creatures call it home? We’ll learn about plant life cycles and test out how different conditions impact what we’re able to grow. Create bee and butterfly-friendly habitats to welcome pollinators at your home. We’ll also make nature-inspired art and with any luck we’ll harvest some goodies to taste as well!
Week 3 - Water & Wind, July 24 to 28
Preschool/Kindergarten
Beat the heat at the ELC with water & wind week! We’ll be playing in the water, both indoors and out. Together we will discover the importance of water, where it comes from, and the water cycle. Each day we’ll explore different aspects of water in our water tables and tubs. What sinks and what floats? What changes when water turns to ice? What happens when water mixes with soap to create bubbles? We’ll also get to delight in the cooling power of water during outdoor water play with sprinklers, spray bottles, and more!
Elementary
Calling all artists and engineers - this week we’ll explore the many different ways we use wind and water to design amazing things. Help create a collaborative sand sculpture or craft a waterway in our engineering sandbox. Design the perfect kite and decorate it so that it’s uniquely yours. Test out different ways to build a boat and make it move. Then cool off in the afternoon with some time in the sprinklers and the chance to play under the shade sail in our outdoor classroom!