THE SHIRES IS HOME TO GREAT SUMMER CAMP OPTIONS
The Shires of Vermont is home to several great summer camp options for your kiddos. Whether your child is into discovering new things in nature, athletics, creating art, horses, or growing as a person here are some great options to fill those summer days with memories for a lifetime.
All the write-up's are from the camp websites to preserve the language of the organizations. Read some and click on the buttons to read more and/or register!
DISCOVERY / NATURE
One World Conservation Center | BENNINGTON
Camp will be enjoyed at the One World Conservation Center's Education Center and our 96 acre Greenberg Reserve (July 10 -Aug. 11). Camp is primarily for elementary age campers with CIT opportunities for middle school age campers. Sessions: July 10-14 It All Starts With The Sun, July 17-21 Bird Exploration, July 24-28 Wild About Flowers, July 31- Aug. 4 Wetland Wonders, Aug. 7-11 What's Down Under?
Price includes all materials $150.00 week per child $100.00 for each additional child per week. $50.00 non-refundable deposit with registration per child per week. Sign up for all five weeks and receive an additional $10.00 off per week per camper. $100.00 Middle school age CIT campers reduced rate. Internship opportunities.
PLAY / CREATIVE
LONG TRAIL SCHOOL | DORSET
LTSummer offers a range of camps for children ages 3-13 broken down into appropriate age groups. LTSummer extends Long Trail School’s commitment to academic curiosity. Summer classes enable children to develop skills, gain confidence in their abilities, and work and play cooperatively with others.
ATHLETICS / HEALTH
BENNINGTON REC CENTER | TOWN | BENNINGTON
BERKSHIRE FAMILY YMCA’S CAMP GREEN MOUNTAIN is now accepting applications for their Summer programs. Camp Green Mountain is located at the Bennington Recreation Center, 655 Gage Street, Bennington, VT. The camp is open for youth and teens entering 1st-9th grades July 3- August 18.
TV / FILMING
GNAT | MANCHESTER
Studio Production Camp is a two day camp where the campers will learn the basics of scripting, HD video camera and audio equipment operation, filming and show development. This camp is July 25th and 26th, open to ages 10-14.
ART / CREATIVE
VERMONT ARTS EXCHANGE | BENNINGTON
photo courtesy VAE
Earth, Wind and Fire, Ages 8+, July 17-21
This camp explores the elements of nature including water and an array of art materials. Campers will be using the outdoors as their studio, creating sand and rock sculptures, making molds of the earth with plaster and building kites & flags. Fire is on the menu with safety first… read more
Artology, Ages 6-9, July 31-August 4
This week sees campers engaged in mind-bending activities. They’ll be experimenting and creating like they never have before. They’ll make things that fly, float and may never come back. Ever make an edible print? Or paint plant graffiti? What about driving a printmaking machine? How about creating messges outside that… read more
Open Studio, Ages 6-9, August 7-11
In this VAE Camp favorite, one truly discovers a great deal about what they are actually capable of. Through a combination of tools, materials and mediums, campers go from their imagination to creating 2 & 3 dimensional artworks. Materials explored include drawing from the start to get your ideas down… read more
Making Art and Getting Messy Pre-school Camp, Ages 3-5 & out of diapers, August 14-18
Based out of the VAE Art Studio at the Village School of North Bennington Prepare to get messy and dig into sand, water, clay & paint. We’ll work inside and outside on group and individual projects such as painting and printing and building. Material from nature will be available to… read more
Old-School Woodworking, Ages 8+, August 14-18
Seatbelts Not Required! Pile into the back of a station wagon and warp back to a week of old-school discovery through the math and basic physics of woodworking. Channeling a time of hands-on learning, this week will focus on building contraptions like stilts, rubber band guns and catapults out of… read more
Camp Danger, Ages 8+, August 21-25
Back by popular demand! This week we take risks and explore being creative by challenging ourselves outside our usual zones. Be prepared to get messy, throw some paint around (literally) and work with elements while making fires, and discovering water slides. An array of power tools and equipment will be… read more
HORSEBACK RIDING / FARM
Kimberly Farms | SHAFTSBURY
Send your child to savor summer in Vermont at our friendly, individualized, horseback riding camp. We emphasize not just riding, but building a holistic relationship with each horse. Our horse camps also encourage personal growth for each camper. Learning new skills and connecting with people and animals builds self esteem, and for many of our students horsemanship becomes a driving interest for many years. We limit the number of campers to preserve this individualized approach.
We offer both day camp, and girls-only overnight horse camp to kids of all ages and every level of riding ability, including the first-time beginner. Overnight camp is available as a one week program and up to five weeks. We offer affordable rates for overnight camp and day camp that make Kimberly Farms accessible to all families. If you bring a friend or sibling you will also receive a discount! Camps fill fast so call us today.
Activities at camp include: Riding lessons every day, trail rides, horse care, arts and crafts, nature walks, flashlight tag, off-site field trips, late night cookouts, and more.
All the certified riding instructors and staff at Kimberly Farms strive to maximize the learning experience of all of our campers.
COMMUNITY / NATURE
Spirit Hollow | NORTH BENNINGTON
Share your special child or teen with us this summer! Our mission is to honor the unique, beautiful, creative soul in each child (and to do it in a way that is fun!), to foster love of self, community and nature and to create meaningful experiences that build confidence and inner light and life-long friendships. This is our 13th year!
Spirit Quest for Kids (age 7-12): June 26-30
Goddess Camp (girls 9-16): July 10-14
Warrior Camp (boys 8-15): July 17-21
Spirit Quest for Teens (age 13-17): July 23-29
Our summer camps continue to grow in popularity and depth. We feel, in many ways, that these camps–these heart-opening and expansive circles–are some of the most important work Spirit Hollow does: nourishing and enhancing the souls of our children.
Cost is $260 per camper, for all weeks of camp, except Teen Spirit Quest A myriad of crafting and art materials are provided. We provide nutritious snacks every day, dinner on Thursday night and breakfast and lunch on Friday; add $40 per week per camper if you wish Spirit Hollow to provide daily lunches. The week will culminate with a Thursday night sleepover; so your camper should bring a sleeping bag or bedding gear
DANCE / ADVENTURE
The ULTIMATE VT Dance Camp! | STRATTON
At ADTC in VT, you'll take 4 - 5 dance classes per-day, Mon through Fri. Classes are taught by our professional choreographers. The core dance disciplines you'll take are contemporary, hip hop and jazz (styles vary and may include Bwy or lyrical). Elective dance classes include ballet, tap & world dance.
No matter what your dance level or background, our curriculum is designed to challenge you. You'll be organized into groups by age & ability and get to perform in a big Friday Show.
MUSIC / ART
MAGICAL EARTH RETREATS | READSBORO
Heard the wind rustle the leaves? Enjoyed a birdsong as the sun set? At Magical Earth Retreats, we want to make sure that children and adults get the chance to do all of those things. Our programs connect children with nature through art, music and outdoor adventure.Located in Readsboro, Vermont, our programs either take place on our property at Camp Fernwood or they can come to you. For our summer day camps, after school programs and birthday parties, all we need is the great outdoors and our programs come to life.
Magical Earth Retreats is a non-profit that raises money to fund our programs and provide scholarships to children in need. In this digital age, we are passionate about reconnecting children (and adults) and families back to nature.
EXPLORER / OUTDOORS
2017 Equinox Explorers Summer Camp | TOWN | MANCHESTER
June 26-August 11, 2017 Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM-4:00 PM The 2017 Equinox Explorers Camp will discover the best of what the region has to offer for summer activities. The camp will run Monday thru Friday from 9:00 AM-4:00 PM for seven weeks starting on June 26 and ending on August 11. Early morning and afternoon supervision will be available for an additional charge.
Campers will actively participate in programs that will introduce a variety of skills in hiking, sports, nature, arts and crafts, trail riding, swimming and more. Friday is field trip day! Parents will receive a schedule of activities before the beginning of camp in order to prepare campers. Please note: Some days will require an additional fee to cover special activities. MPR Camp Staff will escort your child(ren) to and from swim team practice during the MPR Summer Camp. Location: Dana L. Thompson Memorial Park Activity Rm.
GOLF / ATHLETIC
Equinox Golf Course | MANCHESTER
The Parks and Recreation Department, in conjunction with the Equinox Golf Course is offering a junior golf camp for all levels of play. If your child is interested in learning the game or fine tuning their swing with some top level golf instruction this is a great opportunity for kids ages 8 to 16. The camp teaches players all aspects of the game from basic fundamentals, rules, etiquette and daily on course play regardless of skill level. The campers are placed in small groups according to age and ability with an emphasis on having fun!
OUTDOOR / ART
THE DOWNTOWN SCHOOL | MANCHESTER
Our summer camps provide your child with a fun-filled, active, safe, creative environment for warm-weather antics. Our school and camp philosophy is focused on community, supporting one another, and making sure we all have the opportunity to be our very best selves. We hope you will join us!
Please click here to register for camp. BONUS — if you register for more than one camp, you’ll get $10 off your additional camps. This includes registering for one camp each for several siblings, or more than one camp for one child. To receive this discount you need to sign up for all the camps during one transaction.
You can find bios of our camp staff below the camp listings.
If you have any questions, please call us at 802-768-8769 or email us at info@thedowntownschool.org.
June 26th-June 30th – 9am-3:00pm – Sensory Adventure Camp
For campers entering Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten. Join Ute Patrick for an exciting week exploring the world with all our senses. Our environment is full of exciting spaces and magical things that we can discover by using our senses of touch, seeing, hearing, smell and taste. Finding a treasure with friends, making a fruit salad for snack and using sticks and cans to make music are just a few adventures planned for our group of sensory explorers. Our young campers will also learn about their “inside” senses that help them use their bodies to become climbers, dancers, runners, readers and everything in between. The sense of balance, our perception of “where is my body in space” and “what does my body feel like right now” are essential systems in our development and are wonderful to explore and understand at an early age. The Downtown School offers the perfect setting for our young sensory explorers to discover their inside world during fun filled outdoor activities. $220. Bio.
June 26th-June 30th – 9am-3:30pm – Pixie Tricks Adventure Camp
For campers entering Kindergarten through 2nd Grade. Alexandra Langstaff is back again at The Downtown School this summer with her famous Pixie Tricks Adventure Camp! Mornings will be spent in classic camp fun including nature exploration, group games, songs, crafts, and water play. After lunch, campers will enjoy Pixie Tricks Adventure featuring “YoDaGaMo” – yoga, dance, games and more including a variety of Hullabaloo favorites– with early childhood creative movement specialist Alexandra Langstaff. In a nutshell it’s casual, calm, yet energetic old time fun! $220. Bio.
July 10th-July14th – 9am-4pm – Birds of a Feather Art Camp
For campers entering Kindergarten through 3rd Grade. Local art teacher extraordinaire, Stacy Gates, owner of Manchester Arts Studio and Gallery leads campers on an artful exploration of our feathered friends. Mornings will be spent in classic camp fun including nature exploration, group games, songs, crafts, and water play. After lunch, Stacy dives in with a “bird’s eye view”. With over 10,000 species of birds, we will have many choices for inspiration this week. Parrots, penguins, owls, eagles, flamingos and chickens are just a few that we can learn about, ask questions about and, of course, make art about. $220. Bio.
August 21st-August 25th – 9am-4pm – Art of Indigenous Cultures
For campers entering Kindergarten through 3rd Grade. Local art teacher extraordinaire, Stacy Gates, owner of Manchester Arts Studio and Gallery facilitates an exploration of the art created by native cultures. Learning about the incredible art created in different countries is a fantastic way to teach our children about diversity. We will use this as our inspiration as we create a variety of art projects and learn about the history, culture, language, food, music and games of people from around the world. Mornings will be spent in classic camp fun including nature exploration, group games, songs, crafts, and water play. After lunch, Stacy guides campers through artistic adventures around the globe. $220. Bio.
BASKETBALL / ATHLETIC
SOUTHERN VERMONT COLLEGE | BENNINGTON
Boys & Girls Basketball Camp SVC Men’s Basketball presents the 2017 Summer Boys & Girls Basketball Camp to be conducted Monday through Thursday (August 7-10). Each session runs from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and is open to boys & girls entering grades 2-11. Individual participation and instruction in all phases of skill development and team play will be maximized. Campers are asked to please bring a lunch; concessions and pizza sales will also be available for purchase.
- Free Camp Shirt
- Personalized Evaluation from Camp Staff
- Championship Games