2012 Specialty Camps
	Give your child the opportunity to learn about a specialized topic in our safe and fun camp environment! Note: If you wish for your camper to attend camp for a full (9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. or longer) day, check below to see whether your chosen specialty camp is full-day or half-day. If it is a part-day camp, you must also register for part-day Traditional Camp.    Pre-Camp (June 12-14)    Planet LEGO (ages 6-8) 9 a.m. - noon $90  Shoot for the stars as you design and build a community on your very own LEGO planet! LEGO Rides 'n' Slides (ages 8-12) 1-4 p.m. $90  Join your friends to design and build a Theme Park out of LEGOs. Step aside, Disney!   Week 1 (June 18-22) Earth Science (ages 6-8) 9 a.m. - noon $215 Building Play Doh mountains, campers will develop an understanding for contour lines and contour intervals as they build their own topographic map. We’ll ride on the rock cycle, looking at the changes from metamorphic to igneous, igneous to sedimentary, and sedimentary to igneous. Campers have the option of writing a diary, creating a cartoon, or making a children's book. Build an earthquake-proof home! Construct your own weather log and weather equipment to use for measuring temperature, wind speed/direction, air pressure humidity and precipitation. We will explore plate tectonics and volcanoes, as well as the earth and its layers. Forensic Science (ages 9-12) 1-4 p.m. $215 Mystery-loving campers will explore the various types of physical evidence that can be found at a crime scene, and learn how they are used to help investigators. We’ll learn what physical evidence is, and then spend time investigating several kinds in detail. We’ll analyze fingerprints, impression evidence, hair and fibers, chromatography blood evidence, and DNA! Week 2 (June 25-29) Gymboree (ages 3-5) 9-11 a.m. $199 This special week of summer camp focuses on cooperative play, following direction, and gross motor movements. We will also introduce foundations for various sports including racquet sports, volleyball, basketball, gymnastics, hockey and baseball. We’ll encourage curiosity and build self-confidence in your child through art, science exploration, play and more. Teachers read children's books that explore and nurture key social and emotional skills, engage in activities that require cooperation and self-awareness, and encourage communication with peers. Fabric Art (ages 7-10) 9 a.m. - noon $215 Repurpose old wool sweaters by felting the fabric -- shrinking the wool until it's thick and ravel-proof -- and then it's a cinch to create a bevy of stylish bracelets! Take the shirt off your back, and turn it into a bag you can wear. Turn a tin can into a simple, homemade version of the Knitting Nancy or spool knitter -- a great way to work with bright yarn on a rainy day. Become a textile artist with us! Soccer (ages 8-10) 9 a.m.-noon $205 Dribble, pass, shoot, trap, defend and have a week of full-tilt fun in this soccer camp led by Physical Education teacher Adrianna Chichonska. Work on skills, practice with friends and try out different positions as you become an even better player than you already are! Video Game Design (ages 9-13) 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. $320 Video Game Camp introduces the use of the Scratch Game Programming language. Scratch is a drag-and-drop environment which enables students to experience the logic of programming unencumbered by the frustrations and complexities of syntax. We are able to design and execute simple games within a reasonable time frame. We also focus on work habits: how to take breaks, alternate activities, and keep a balance between close sedentary work and active large motor play. Week 3 (July 2, 3, 5 & 6) Archery (ages 9-13) 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. $225 Ever wonder why what goes up, must come down? Join Mark, our archery guy, and find out! Spend a week learning about the science of flying objects, while honing your missile skills. Build a model catapult, learn to throw a boomerang and darts, use an atlatl, do some trick shooting, and more! Could you have been one of Robin Hood’s Merry Men? Join us and find out! Week 4 (July 9-13) Ultimate Claymation & Stop Action (ages 8-10) 1-4 p.m. $199 Love Gumby and Chicken Run? Make your own original film out of nothing but an idea and a piece of clay! Clay and equipment provided. Student films will be available online to share with friends and family.  Ultimate Claymation & Stop Action (ages 11-14) 9 a.m.-noon $199 See description above. Gymboree Toddler Afternoons (ages 18-35 months) 3:45-4:45 p.m. $80 “Up and Down,” “In and Out” or “Over and Under!” By using concepts like these, children can develop a new understanding each day with emphasis on gross motor movement. Children at this age are also very interested in imagination and creative play, so we will incorporate various themes such as “Gymboree Circus,” “Down on the Farm,” or “Teddy Bear Picnic.” This allows children to use their imagination while fostering physical, social and cognitive development. Arts & Crafts Studio (ages 8-13) 1-4 p.m. $215 Join Delaware College of Art & Design professor Christine Tate to play with color and form in a variety of mediums. Learn Japanese shibori dyeing, using river rocks to create a spectacular effect. Design and create in 2-D and 3-D, turning paper, paint, dye and even cement into signature works of art! Tee Ball (ages 5-7) 9 a.m. - noon $220 Get your young ball player off to a great start with a week of half-day Tee-Ball camp. Join Gerry McVey, veteran sports camp and program leader, to work on basic skills, rules of the game, teamwork and lots of fun! Week 5 (July 16-20) LEGO Films (ages 11-14) 9 a.m. - noon $199 Make your LEGOs come to life! Bring in your favorite action figures or LEGOS to create a short film with your friends. Whether you want to recreate a scene from Star Wars or design a world of your own, this camp brings your dreams to the screen. Student-created films will be available online to share with friends and family.  LEGO Films  (ages 8-11) 1-4 p.m. $199 See description above. Culture Detectives (ages 9-13) 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. $299 What do the Great Sphynx, a taco salad, and Harry Potter have in common? Join Sarah Green to learn about how culture shapes individuals and societies, and how that is expressed through music, art, food, and literature. We’ll cook Philipino loompia, taste North African couscous and Indian samosas, and put on a Brazilian Carnival. We’ll even take a field trip to explore the fascinating collections of The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology! Chemical Magic (ages 6-11) 9 a.m. - noon $205 Learn to make batteries from fruits or potatoes; make a fantastic crystal tree. Work with invisible ink and with our powerful magnets! Look into our microscopes to see the wonders of the world beyond normal human sight. Learn about the different types of rocks and minerals from our extensive rock and mineral collection. Be a chemical detective! Make glob from glue and use paper chromatography to separate colors. Hands-on experiments lead to scientific conclusions, and the teacher will help campers understand the laws behind each result. Week 6 (July 23-27) Dance Dream Discovery (ages 4-6) 9 a.m. - noon $205 This camp taps into children’s natural desire to move, sing and make believe. Creative movement, ballet, and jazz instruction is rounded out with stories, hands-on music making, and a huge variety of costumes and props. Join us for an action packed week as we make a magic wand and crown, explore an enchanted garden and have tea with Tinkerbell! The week culminates with an informal performance for family and friends. Volleyball (ages 9-13) 1-4 p.m. $205 Players will learn fundamentals of serving, serve receive, setting, hitting and digging. Techniques will be practiced during individual and group drills and with daily scrimmages that are designed to be fun for all players. Players will learn specific volleyball techniques and compete against other players of similar ability levels. Players will also participate in goal-setting, leadership activities and activities to improve teamwork and group dynamics. Players will leave the camp with stronger skills and increased confidence! StoryQuest (ages 9-13) 9 a.m. - noon $215 What is it about a book that makes you never want to put it down? That's just what we're going to find out! How does an author craft a gripping story? What makes the characters come to life? We'll explore all of those things that we like or dislike in writing, sampling many different authors, styles, and genres to learn how to express ourselves effectively through writing. Reading the novel The Schwa Was Here by Neal Shusterman as well as excerpts from other works will go hand in hand with our experiments in using various writing techniques to produce our own work. Week 7 (July 30-Aug 3) Gymboree (ages 3-5) 9-11 a.m. $199 This special week of summer camp focuses on cooperative play, following direction, and gross motor movements. We will also introduce foundations for various sports including racquet sports, volleyball, basketball, gymnastics, hockey and baseball. We’ll encourage curiosity and build self-confidence in your child through art, science exploration, play and more. Teachers read children's books that explore and nurture key social and emotional skills, engage in activities that require cooperation and self-awareness, and encourage communication with peers. Junkyard Warriors (ages 8-10) 1-4 p.m. $199 In this eco-friendly S.T.E.M. program students will recycle common, everyday items to create motorized mechanisms and racers. The program is divided into a series of challenges in which students will compete to accomplish specific tasks and goals. Each challenge combines environmental principles, physics, and basic elements of design and engineering. After mastering the basic concepts, students will face a final challenge to earn the title Junkyard Warrior and become protectors of the environment.  Junkyard Warriors (ages 11-14) 9 a.m.-noon $199 See description above. Weeks 7 & 8 (July 30-Aug 10) Bean Counting 101 (for rising first-graders) 9 a.m. - noon $395 (2 weeks) Using real beans and proprietary MathTree® templates, campers develop counting, place value, and the naming of numbers. Campers also work on basic addition including addition facts, with a focus on numbers that add to 10. Princess KrisTen, one of the mathical characters that populate MathTree camps, leads children through the Land of Ten. Campers explore patterns and sorting and enjoy children's stories involving math. Bean Counting 201 (for rising second-graders) 1-4 p.m. $395 (2 weeks) Campers solidify their understanding of the concept of place value using real beans. They proceed to addition and subtraction, with and without regrouping, using proprietary MathTree® templates. They explore patterns and sorting and enjoy children's stories involving math. Multiplication Matters (for rising third-graders, very advanced younger children,or fourth- and fifth-graders who have had difficulty learning multiplication facts) 9 a.m. - noon $395 (2 weeks) Multiplication facts are the roots from which much of the rest of math grows. In this camp, children learn their facts through a variety of "tricks" with exotic names such as "6 x Even" and "Thumbs Up," many using hand configurations. All are deeply mathematically based. Campers are not plagued with flash cards, but connect to the multiplication facts by creating a proportional set of fact cards that engage them physically, visually and auditorially. Campers play plenty of math games and use manipulatives to make multiplication rock solid. Divide and Conquer (for rising fourth-graders) 1 - 4 p.m. $395 (2 weeks) Participants must have fluent knowledge of multiplication facts. Campers conquer the concept of division in multiple modes: in real-life situations, with physical objects, through drawings, and as spoken and written narrative. All contribute to understanding when division is presented using traditional symbols. Campers develop an appreciation of fractions as another form of division. Campers develop their skill with long and short division and learn shortcuts that enable them to recognize when a number can be divided evenly by single-digit divisors. Campers also begin the Roots level of the MathTree®, our proprietary skill system that customizes children's pursuit of math. Week 8 (August 6-10) Passion for Fashion (ages 8-10) 1-4 p.m. $199 Whether you are on the catwalk, in a major motion picture, or walking down Main Street, fashion is part of our daily lives. The critical role of the stylist and designer drives how we look and what we wear. This new program is tailored to those with an eye for design and fashion. Learn the key facets of the industry and study trends in styles, colors, and cuts to create your first original digital clothing lines and accessories. Each fashionista will leave with a digital portfolio of his or her work. If you’re into fashion, this program is for you!  Passion for Fashion (ages 11-14) 9 a.m. - noon $199 See description above. Yoga (ages 4-8) 9 a.m. - noon $205 Say om, and join yoga educator Keren Portia for a week of yoga and fun! Basic elements of yoga practice are breath, sound, movement and stillness. Children will learn how to focus, balance, energize and calm themselves. We will have brief lessons in yoga language and geography, art activities, outdoor play, stories, songs and meditation time. Week 9 (August 13-17) Probability Rocks: Math & Science for Girls (ages 9-13) 1-4 p.m. $215 Learn about probability, by tossing a coin, and about basic genetics by conducting simulated “genetic crosses” with mice that differ in eye color. Puppets will be used to illustrate the transfer of genes for eye color from parents to offspring, allowing students to visualize the inheritance of a single trait (eye color) in their simulated mice. Learn all about what probability means, why we study it, and how to express a probability on paper. Using dice as an example, learn how to determine the number of possible outcomes in a random event! You’ll even learn how to use a grid to figure out probabilities in more complex situations. Probabilities aren’t just for predicting dice rolls -- the principles you’ll learn are the basis for predictions in all kinds of complex systems, from the stock market to the weather! Engino Building Workshop (ages 7-12) 9 a.m. - noon $205 Work with an advanced 3-D construction kit that is yours to keep and take home. Get your own 3-volt geared motor to power up a mobile Radar Surveyor! See how many other ways you can make your motor work for you, working with rods and connectors to join six sides at once. You can build a vehicle, chopper, robot, buildings and much more! Dance Dream Discovery (ages 4-6) 9 a.m. - noon This camp taps into children’s natural desire to move, sing and make believe. Creative movement, ballet and jazz instruction is rounded out with stories, hands-on music making, and a huge variety of costumes and props. Join us for an action-packed week as we make a magic wand and crown, explore an enchanted garden and have tea with Tinkerbell! The week culminates with an informal performance for family and friends. Gymboree Toddler Afternoons (ages 18-35 months) 3:45-4:45 p.m. $80 “Up and Down,” “In and Out” or “Over and Under!” By using concepts like these, children can develop a new understanding each day with emphasis on gross motor movement. Children at this age are also very interested in imagination and creative play, so we will incorporate various themes such as “Gymboree Circus,” “Down on the Farm,” or “Teddy Bear Picnic.” This allows children to use their imagination while fostering physical, social and cognitive development. Week 10 (August 20-24) Dance Groove (ages 6-8) 1-4 p.m. $205 This highly entertaining camp will have you singing, acting, and dancing to music from Radio Disney, Camp Rock and Lemonade Mouth. Aspects of jazz, hip hop and break dance will be incorporated into the routines. Beginners are welcome! Jump on our giant piano keyboard, create your own signature dance moves and get your groove on with a variety of rhythm instruments. Activities are designed to develop performance skills, encourage self-expression and the capacity for collaboration. There will be ample opportunities for prop-making, karaoke and dress-up. The week culminates with a dance party jam for family and friends. So start thinking about your stage name because soon it will be time to step into the spotlight and be a star! Hola Espanol! (ages 4-7) 9 a.m. - noon $205 ¡Verano en El Bosque! Summer in the Forest! Join us while we explore the forest and the animals that make their homes in the forest! We will use art, music, science, cooking, reading, outdoor play and math to learn about El Bosque, all while learning Spanish!