Summer’s right around the corner! And, with the change of season and end of school, comes the promise of all sorts of adventures—beach trips, lazy days by the pool, family fun at the baseball field, and, of course, that cherished childhood activity…summer camp. Attending a day camp or residential program allows young people the opportunity to delve more deeply into topics which already interest them, and perhaps to discover and explore brand new passions.
Kaleideum, which was formed in 2016 by the merger of the Children’s Museum of Winston-Salem and SciWorks, will offer a wide variety of both half-day and full-day camps covering themes such as art, music, technology and design, science, and theatre, so there’s sure to be something to interest everyone. Camps are available for children age 3 through rising sixth graders and will take place at both locations: Kaleideum Downtown (formerly the Children’s Museum of Winston-Salem) and Kaleideum North (formerly SciWorks). “Having two campuses has allowed us to expand what were already popular camp programs at both places,” said Elizabeth Dampier, Kaleideum Executive Director, “and we are also offering new age-groupings and additional programming options this summer to provide a wider range of choices for the community.”
Camps begin June 11th and run through August 24th. Those for younger students take place for a half day (9 am-12:30 pm), while others are full-day (9 am-4 pm), and many camps offer single-day options, allowing campers to attend for only a day or two, rather than an entire week. This is a great “ease-in” option for youngsters who may be nervous about attending a whole week of camp, and it also helps accommodate vacation schedules, as well as family budgets. Before-care is available at Kaleideum North, beginning at 8 am, and after-care is available (for full-day campers) at both locations until 5:30 pm.
“All of our camps are very interactive and hands-on,” explains Dampier, “and, in addition to experiments, guest speakers, crafts, and other projects related to the camp theme, all of them also allow time to explore the museum exhibits, play outside, get to know other campers, and much more.”
Perhaps one seasoned camper put it best. “I love going to camp at Kaleideum. We get to do fun things and make cool stuff. Plus, one of my best friends is someone I met at camp six years ago. We’re still friends and go to camp together every summer!”
For topics, dates, prices, descriptions, and other information—or to register online—visit www.kaleideum.org. You may also contact Sarah Evans at Kaleideum Downtown (336-723-9111; sevans@kaleideum.org) or ChristyFerguson at Kaleideum North (336-714-7105; cferguson@kaleideum.org) with questions and to register by phone.