Winter is coming. But in a twist of calendar oddity, it arrives after the start of school’s winter break. Brace yourself for the solstice and holiday season by signing your students up for educational and fun winter camps.
1. Learn
‘Ocean Adventure’: Undersea crafts and activities for ages 3-kindergarten at the Hands On Children’s Museum.
‘Kinder Kitchen’: Cooking and cookbook crafting for ages 3-kindergarten at HOCM.
‘Art Adventure’: Papermaking, crayons, stamps, and more for ages 3-kindergarten at HOCM.
‘Tinker Time’: Tools galore for ages 3-kindergarten at HOCM.
‘Wearable Art’: Make bandanas, jewelry, and t-shirts at the HOCM. Grades 1-4.
‘Cold Chemistry’: Use chemical reactions to make fake snow and liquid nitrogen ice-cream. HOCM, grades 1-4
2. Play
‘Under the Big Top’: Animals, clowns, and circus fun for ages 6-12 at the Briggs Community YMCA.
‘A Very Merry Star Wars’: Star Wars, need we say more?! Ages 6-12 at Horizons Elementary in Lacey and Michael T. Simmons Elementary in Tumwater, hosted by the South Sound YMCA.
‘LEGO Masters’: Bring LEGO creations to life at the HOCM for grades 1-4.
‘Camp Chills and Thrills’: Crafts, sports, daily field trips, and fun for ages 6-9 thanks to the Olympia Parks and Recreation Department.
‘Fairy Tale Camp’: Explore magic, heroes, and fairy tales at this theater camp for ages 5-6 from Olympia Family Theater.
‘Magical Journey Camp’: Dragons, princes, princesses, knights, and castles fill the days for Olympia Family Theater campers aged 7-12.
3. Get Your Wiggles Out
‘Winter Sports Camp’: Basketball, football, baseball, and more for ages 6-12 at the Olympia Downtown YMCA.
‘Jump, Slither, Fly’: Animal movement in art and engineering for grades 1-4 at HOCM.
‘Sports Camp at the Valley Athletic Club’: Ages 6-13 can enjoy half or full day active fun including soccer, basketball, swimming, tennis, sproutball, arts and crafts, and science projects.
‘Winter Break Variety Camp’: Swimming, rock climbing, tubing, sledding, snow shoeing, skating, and more for ages 9-12 with the Olympia Parks and Recreation Department.
‘Winter Break Camp’: The Lacey, Tumwater, and Rochester Boys and Girls Clubs of Thurston County welcome students aged 5-18.
4. Teen Options
‘Girls Without Limits’: Saturday winter camps sponsored by the YWCA include a wide range of activities, games, workshops, and fieldtrips concluding with a panel discussion of professional women from the community.
‘Teen Musical Theater’: Acting, singing, dancing, and the lure of Broadway for teens 13-18 thanks to the Olympia Family Theater.
‘Teen Improv’: Practice techniques and tools for public speaking and confidence-building. Olympia Family Theater, ages 13-18.
5. Registration Information
South Sound YMCA Camps take place December 21-23 and 28-31. Register in person with this form, or by calling 360-753-6576.
Hands On Children’s Museum camps run December 21-23 and 28-31. Full and half day options are available. Find details on pricing here and call 360-956-0818 to register. Options fill up fast.
Olympia Parks and Recreation camps run December 21-24 and 28-31. They take place at Lincoln Elementary School and the Olympia Center downtown. Register by calling 360-753-8380.
Olympia Family Theater camps happen December 21-23 and 28-30 in downtown Olympia. Find registration and scholarship forms online and call 360-570-1638 to register.
The Valley Athletic Club camp runs December 21-23 and 28-30. Find registration forms online and call 360-352-3400 to register.
YWCA/Girls Without Limits camps run one Saturday a month for middle and high school girls. They feature STEM topics and you can read more online or register by calling 360-352-0593.
Boys and Girls Clubs of Thurston County camp runs from December 21-31 at their Lacey, Tumwater, and Rochester locations. Contact each club directly for registration specifics, dates, and times. Extended hours are available.
