The days are getting longer and the sun is beginning to make a much needed comeback. This all means spring has sprung! As the season of new growth arrives, feed into nature’s cues by having your child spend Spring Break away from the couch and instead learning and growing in one of the many Thurston County Spring Break Day Camps.
Indoors, outdoors and everything in between, students can take their week off and turn it into a learning experience beyond the doors of their classrooms. No matter which camp you choose, your child is bound to take away new ideas, knowledge and memories. For more spring break activities, check out ThurstonTalk’s event calendar.
The Hands on Children’s Museum
The Hands on Children’s Museum is always our first stop in the search for new learning opportunities. The Spring Break Camps at HOCM are bringing a wide variety of exciting educational opportunities in science, art and nature for children ranging from Pre-K to fourth grade.
Ages 3-Kindergarten can explore the world of bugs in the morning offering with an up close encounter with butterflies, millipedes and the museum’s own Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches. In the afternoon, these kids can join in some egg-citing adventures when they discover the mysteries of oviparous creatures.
For older students ranging from grades 1-4, the morning camp shows the world through nature’s lens. Children can learn about native plants, weave natural materials and create amazing works of art. The afternoon camp brings energy and science together in understanding rollercoaster science! Students will get to build, design and test out toys while learning about the science of motion. This is a great option for even the youngest innovator.
Along with these focused camps, students enrolled will get to enjoy all of the exhibits of the museum daily. Museum members do receive a discount on their child’s enrollment fee. Spots are limited and they do tend to fill up fast so be sure to get your child enrolled early.
YWCA Bio-Blast
Middle school girls interested in STEAM need to check out this year’s Girls Without Limits camp through the YWCA , Bio-Blast. Since 1998, the Girls Without Limits has been encouraging curiosity in science, technology, art and math amongst young women in our area. The goal of this camp is to build confidence in each camper’s future about STEAM based careers. This year’s camp allows girls to explore how biology connects in our world. Along with hands-on activities and field trips, campers will be visited by professional female mentors in the STEAM field.
Lacey Parks & Recreation
Lacey Parks & Recreation recently released their spring activities catalog and there is a lot to choose from inside. From dance classes to day long trips to places all over our state, there is something in there for just about every Spring Breaker.
First, if you are looking for the classic combination of activities and field trips, their Spring Break Camp is a great fit. This daily camp is offered to ages 6-12 and includes arts and crafts, swimming, skating, trips to local parks and guest speakers. It’s sure to keep the kids busy all day long.
Olympia Parks & Recreation
Explore the outdoors during Spring Break with Olympia Parks & Recreation’s Variety Camp. This camp includes experienced leaders and expert guides for ages 9- to 13-years-old. Activities will take place at Lincoln Elementary School and offers experiences in hiking, kayaking, swimming and rock climbing. This is a great option for the more adventurous student.
Get Outside Olympia!
Finally, outdoor exploration takes shape for campers at Get Outside Olympia. Campers ages 6- to 12-years-old will experience the outdoors like never before with trips to the WET Science Center, Garden Raised Bounty (GRuB), the Procession community art studio, as well as a restoration project at Priest Point Park. Founder Perri Rae Davis builds the camp around what the student’s say they want to do before creating each adventure – turning ideas into a lasting memory for campers.
GRuB Spring Break Day Camp
GRuB is welcoming kids aged seven to 10 onto the farm for two “Seed to Table” day camps this Spring Break including full days of farm and food fun. The first will be held April 2 and is entitled Bread Baking and Farm Fun. The second is on April 4 and is called Farm and Food Science. Both sessions will include active play, making snacks from harvested food on the farm, and for the baking session, a field trip to 8 Arms Community Bakery. Camps run 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with a 20 minute drop off and pick up period on both ends of the day. Find more information on both camps and links to register here.