ABOUT RAINBOW CAMP
Rainbow Camp is a wonderful opportunity for preschoolers to learn in a playful, relaxed summer program that features a wide range of activities. Beginning mid-June, Rainbow Camp offers half-day (3 or 4 hours) and full day (6-½ hour) sessions for children ages 2-½ to 5-½. Placement and length of the program day varies depending on age, class size, and/or developmental needs. Class size ranges from ten children for the youngest group up to 23 for the oldest group.
Camp teachers apply the mission and developmentally appropriate practices of NCRC to a relaxed summer curriculum that nurtures the socialization, self-expression and growth of the whole child. Our program is theme-based. Themes are adapted to each age group, and are used across disciplines to enrich our curriculum. Individual units let campers explore the world around them and engage in special art and science projects. Children’s literature, music and outdoor play are also integrated into the thematic units to further reinforce and teach new concepts.
Join us on our adventures - Let’s Go Camping! Take a Trip to Mexico! Play at the Beach! or Live Under the Sea!
CAMP GROUPS
The RED group is offered to children who are 2-½ years old by June 15, 2018. This means that the camper turned 2 on or before December 15, 2017. Due to the age of the children and size of the class, priority admission for the RED group is given to children of qualified age enrolled in NCRC’s Bunny program for the fall.
This is a great way to help your child transition to an afternoon class for the fall or to supplement their day if you have morning activities scheduled. This is a group of mixed age children and includes 3 to 5-year old children enrolled in the Beehive, Sunshine, Rainbow, and Explorer/Treetop classes in the fall (birthdays falling between May 2013 and May 2015). If you select this class for your child and we do not reach a final enrollment of at least nine students, an alternative camp placement will be found for your child in a different camp class.
8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
This program is a half-day program (for
3 1/2 to younger 4 year olds) with lunch brought from home. Campers with birthdays between May and October 2014 are placed in the VIOLET class. Typically, NCRC students enrolling in the Rainbow class for the fall of 2018 would be placed in the VIOLET group for summer camp.
FULL DAY - 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m
This program is a full-day with lunch brought from home, and an afternoon rest. Campers with birthdays between May 2013 and April 2014 (4 to 5 1/2 year olds) who want a full day schedule should register for the YELLOW class. NCRC students graduating from the Sunshine and Rainbow classrooms can register for the YELLOW group and will be given priority placement until March 15, 2018. Graduating Treetop and Explorer students may also register for the YELLOW group - space permitting.
ACTIVITIES
Music is an integral part of each day at camp, both in the classroom and at camp-wide assemblies. Children learn entertaining and traditional camp songs, often with movement or sign language. Daily assemblies give the children an opportunity to mix with children of other ages and enjoy musical accompaniment while adding to their growing repertoire of songs.
Time for creative expression through art is a must at camp. Art projects often move outside so that campers can enjoy sunshine and fresh air as they explore different media. Whether they experiment with finger paint or tie-dye t-shirts while they study color, or build sand-castles or three-dimensional ecosystems while they study the beach, activities are geared to the age level of campers and are designed to build the children’s confidence and appreciation in their creations.
Both structured and open-ended outdoor play account for up to half of a camper’s day, weather permitting. Climbers, slides, swings and riding equipment help develop motor skills. A garden and wooded area provide opportunities for nature experiences. Water activities abound with splash-pools and sprinklers. Campers also enjoy a special outdoor designated dramatic play space, group games and ball-play.
Campers enjoy sunny, cozy rooms in NCRC’s spacious schoolhouse. Converted from an old Victorian home, it is the perfect setting for small children. Indoor play is structured to provide a balance of project work and free play supporting all areas of development. Sensory tables, easels, science and building projects, and dramatic play areas provide a wealth of opportunities for campers to explore.
Each week, campers enjoy two special activities, as part of their schedule, motor or library. The motor program is designed to develop gross motor skills, stability, balancing, and ball skills. From obstacle courses to water play, motor is a favorite of many campers. In addition to great fun, motor activities foster a sense of accomplishment and self-esteem. Library is the time to listen to stories, relax and let the imagination soar. Literature is carefully selected for each age group and is also a time when parents are invited to be guest readers.
Rainbow Camp is led by teams of teachers including: NCRC faculty, other experienced teachers with credentials in early childhood education, and an energetic group of high school and college age counselors who lend their support in the classrooms and help create informal, dynamic interactions. NCRC’s School Counselor, Speech-Language Pathologist and Occupational Therapist specialists serve as consultants to the Rainbow Camp program director.
ABOUT MI CASA CAMP
Children ages 3-½ to 5-½ may enroll in this half-day program that includes lunch brought from home. The curriculum will incorporate crafts, music, stories, games, and projects, all presented in an exploratory Spanish model. Mi Casa Camp, like our Mi Casa school year program, exposes campers to different Hispanic cultures through themes of learning and play-based activities. There are 15 spots available and will be filled on a first-come-first-served basis.
* Please note that classes the week of July 23-27, including Mi Casa Camp, have a minimum enrollment number of 9 campers; Parents will be notified if insufficient enrollment necessitates a class' cancellation.
ABOUT CREATIVE CAMP
Children ages 3-½ to 5-½ may enroll in this half-day program that includes lunch brought from home. This exciting program offers fun and creative experiences! The following class will be offered this year. (Additional classes are posted if they become available.)
* Please note that classes the week of July 23-27, including all Creative Camp Classes, have a minimum enrollment number of 9 campers; Parents will be notified if insufficient enrollment necessitates a class' cancellation, and we will make every effort to find an alternate Creative Camp placement if desired.
Put on your lab coats and goggles (and bring a change of clothes), because these summer scientists are going to get messy! This Creative Camp will take science out of the lab and into the sun, exploring the process of making predictions and observations through lots fun, hands-on experiments. Have you ever made balloons explode with candy and soda? Gotten elbow-deep in slime to create an oozy-gooey sun-catcher? Sent mini rocket ships into space with nothing more than alka-seltzer tablets? Whether the answer is “no” (or you’re an old pro), join us for lots of squishy, slimy, and scientific summer fun! There are 12 spots available, which will be filled on a first-come-first-served basis.
Kick, swim, throw, run, jump! Come join us for a fun, sunshine-filled week of exploring different sports and motor activities! Each day will focus on a new sport and feature a different obstacle course through which we will work on gross motor skills. Throw on your favorite team jersey as we play soccer, basketball, baseball, and hockey! Through art, movement and science we will learn about the rules of the game, make our own trophies, and discover the importance of teamwork. After a fun day of sweating out the heat and playing hard, we'll rehydrate ourselves with homemade Gatorade! At Sports N' Motion creative camp, everybody wins! There are twelve spots available, which will be filled on a first-come-first-served basis.
What's cooking, kids? There's no such thing as too many cooks in the NCRC kitchen! Come together with fellow young chefs and the masters, to learn how to bake, measure ingredients and, of course, eat! Our NCRC Culinary Institute students will make their own aprons and chef hats, design unique recipes and menus, and learn the basics of how to cook. From entree to dessert to appetizer, the children will explore their own palates to find the perfect meal to please their taste buds! We will have our own dramatic play restaurant, play food games, make fruit and vegetable art, and even beat the summer heat by making our own DIY gourmet popsicles. After a week of "all things food," your child will be inspired to try new things, help with meal prep, and maybe even be a less picky eater! There are twelve spots available, which will be filled on a first-come-first-served basis.
At NCRC’s “Art in Action,” every kid is an artist! The world of art is wacky and wonderful, especially after a week of exciting projects like spin art, milk painting, clay-making, and ice chalk drawing! We’ll conduct science experiments to learn about color, make our own crayons, and build paintbrushes out of recycled materials. We’ll take our projects outdoors, creating and learning in the summer sunshine. Armed with their very own sketchbook, expect your child to come home covered in color and a smile. There are 12 spots available, which will be filled on a first-come-first-served basis.
EXTENDED DAY PROGRAMS
Children enjoy games, stories, snacks and outdoor play. Campers enrolled in the half-day morning and full day classes may extend their time at camp by registering for this program.
A special lunch program from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for children enrolled in the half-day morning (BLUE, GREEN and ORANGE) sessions. Children bring lunch from home to enjoy in a group and participate in a range of activities that support language skills, socialization and independence. There are 14 spots available, which will be filled on a first-come-first-served basis.
JUNE 12 - JULY 20*
*Camp is closed Wed, July 4th
JULY 23 - 27
NCRC closes for weather emergencies or other emergencies that impact the health or safety of our children or staff.
... If you are interested in having your child join the waitlist for a summer camp class that is showing "NOW CLOSED," please contact Mary Farmer at mfarmer@ncrcpreschool.org.
