Summer is an ideal time for activities that nurture the senses. Help your child find opportunities for nature based-play, challenges of the body, and voracious eating of our diverse, locally grown bounty and watch them blossom. Sonoma County’s artisans and farmers offer unique summer camp experiences designed to deeply engage your child through incredible beyond “hands on” activities. Read on for the Sonoma County Parenting Examiner's top picks:
Smiling Tree
Gail Saunders invites parents and children (ages infant – 10; no charge for babies) to a engage in a fabulous parent-toddler summer camp experience. “This parent/child class is a sweet mixture of laid back preschool, a visit to grandma’s house and an outdoor adventure. This is a place for kids to explore and create with paint, glue, play dough and all sorts of art supplies, have fun with real cooking, listen to stories and play with friends,” shares Gail with delight. Read more about Gail’s Smiling Tree on Sono-Ma here.
Registration for Smiling Tree Summer Camp
Marigold Playgarden
Marigold Playgarden is a Waldorf home preschool/ summer camp engaging children ages 3.5 – 6 year old. Waldorf trained teacher, Jennifer Bowen, leads children in a rhymthic day of imaginative play. The children move in and out of indoor or outdoor time, structured activities or open ended play, rest or activity, appetite building or eating organic sancks! Marigold Playgarden’s ideal setting features a lazured living space filled with handmade natural toys and a shady garden full of lush and edible plants. Read more about Marigold on Sono-Ma here.
Registration information for Marigold
Monica Ashley Designs Summer Art Camp
Monica Ashley engages children ages 7 - 10 in a creative art camp at her downtown Sebastopol studio. Monica offers children five week-long sessions (Monday – Thursdays) featuring enchanting themes such as “Under the Sea” or “Dragons and Fairytales.” The camp captivates children on many creative levels through weaving stories, crafting with natural materials such as glass or wool, and spending ample time outdoors. Read more about Monica Ashley Designs Summer Art Camps on Sono-Ma here.
Registration information for Monica Ashley Designs Summer Art Camp
Grandma Mary’s Waldorf Doll Camp
At the closing of each summer, Grandma Mary offers a special doll making camp for children aged 10 and older. Combining a daily rhythm with time for imaginative play, hand sewing, singing, and playing, Mary gently guides children in bringing a traditional Waldorf doll to life while developing strengths such as self confidence. The week-long experience culminates in a sixth day celebration designed for the whole family. This celebration includes clothes making and a birthday party for the dolls. Read more about Grandma Mary’s doll making programs on Sono-Ma here.
See last summer’s brochure here. Be sure to let Grandma Mary know you’d like to be on her list for this summer’s potential camp by emailing her here.
Circus Camp
Summerfield’s Circus Camp invites community members (ages 9 -99) to sign up for a unique summer camp experience this June 2011. Would your son or daughter like to jump on a unicycle or learn to juggle? How about learning to make circus masks or preform magic tricks? Intermediate and Advanced students will even get to take a field trip to Oakland to learn flying trapeze! Read about Summerfield’s Circus Waldissima on Sono-Ma here.
Registration information for Circus Camp
Windrush Farm Summer Camp
Children ages 7 – 12 engage in rich farm-based skill building, crafting, and music making with Windrush Farm Camp. Activities include meeting and caring for chickens, goats, sheep, cows, llamas, and ranch dogs. Kids will gather eggs and work in the garden, while exploring where food comes from (besides the grocery store). They will also explore the creative side of farm life with crafts such as wool working and “barn shaking music” making. Each week ends with a pizza party with pizza baked in a outdoor wood oven. Read more on Sono-Ma here.
Registration information for Windrush Farm Camp
Coyote Camp
Ocean Song, a natural preserve outside Occidental, offers children (ages 5 -12) a chance to explore a wilderness setting through its Coyote Camp(http://www.oceansong.org/coyote_camp.htm). Coyote camp offers “experiential environmental education, with a supportive and nurturing environment for children to learn, create, and grow!” Children spend their days with Ocean Song staff and Coyote mentors (older youth) discovering the diverse ecosystem of the “magical coastal highlands of west SonomaCounty.” Coyote camp kids engage in storytelling, tracking, and other imagination building activities.
Coyote Camp Registration information here
Owl Camp
Owl Camp is a nature-based day camp open to young people aged 5-12. Camp is located at Ranchero Mark West in Northeast Santa Rosa, off St. Helena Road– a 120-acre preserve with a pristine creek, pond, redwood forest and miles of trails all ready for exploring. Location is about 20 minutes from downtown Santa Rosa.Activities include: storytelling, tracking, creek exploration, archery, swimming, music, keeping a nature journal, building things from nature, music, nature games, learning bird calls, hiking, canoeing, exploring redwood & salmon habitat, woodworking and organic gardening. (via Landpaths.org)
Registration information for Owl Camp
Know of another terrific sense engaging summer camp you’d like to share? Leave a comment and link here!
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