Once upon a time, most summer camps had just one recipe — cabin, bunk beds, archery, arts and crafts, chow.
Now, there’s an entire cookbook about camps, broken down into chapters:
• Sports — football, soccer, baseball, lacrosse, softball, you name it.
• Theater — Learn to act, sing and dance, and put on a show. And comedy!
• Dance — tap, ballet, jazz, hip hop.
• Music — orchestra, traditional music, instruction in particular instruments, and lots of performing.
Not to mention gaming, technology, filmmaking, fishing, hunting, environmental conservation, science …
What interests a child? There’s a camp for that.
Here’s a sampling of the wide variety of camping experiences available nearby this summer.
STOWE
Stowe Recreation Department
Stowe has a broad summer day-camp program June 24 to Aug. 16 — sports, arts and crafts, games, robotics, special events, field trips, swim or skate, and lots more, plus before- and after-camp care.
In addition to camp, it has summer camp clubs — fishing, golf, soccer, basketball, survival skills, horseback riding, swimming and Pokemon, among others.
Weeklong adventure camps are available, too.
For detailed schedules and fees: stowerec.org.
North Country Lax Academy
Separate camps for girls and boys ages 10-15, held simultaneously in Stowe July 15-19, July 22-26 and July 29-Aug. 2. Both day campers and overnight campers.
The camp, organized by Bitter Lacrosse, is designed to improve players both on and off the field. Highlights include top-notch lacrosse instruction, hiking, log-rolling and a pond waterslide, Vermont food, overnight accommodations, breakfast and dinner at the Town & Country Resort.
Information: bitterlacrosse.com.
Stowe and Mad River Dance Academy
Stowe and Waitsfield
Among the programs in Stowe:
• Babes on Broadway, ages 2.5 to 5, July 22-26 and Aug. 5-9, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Girls and boys will twirl and leap in ballet, groove to kids’ hip-hop music and sing and snap to Broadway tunes. Story, coloring, snack and outdoor playtime. Waitsfield dates TBA.
• Ballet/Jazz/Tap/Swim, ages 6-10, June 25-29 and Aug. 6-10, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Ballet class for all levels, jazz and tap to experience new styles, ending in a performance.
• Ballet Class/Stay in Shape, ages 11 and up, June 24-28, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
• Two-week intensive on weekdays July 8-19, ballet, pointe, pre-pointe, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, conditioning, choreography and dancer anatomy lessons.
• Hip-Hop/Tumbling/Tap, ages 6-11, June 24-18 from 10 to 1:30, July 15-19 from 9 to 12:30.
Helen Day Art Center
Summer camps for ages 3-17 inspire young artists to explore, innovate and create.
Camps run from June 18 to Aug. 16, with a different focus every week. Examples:
• Art Extravaganza for ages 5-12, action painting, mural design, mixed-media collage.
• Art and Nature for ages 3-5, nature walks, creative outdoor games and art using a variety of media.
• Earthworks on the Rec Path for ages 8-12, taking the art-making process outdoors.
• Rethinking the Artist’s Sketchbook for ages 8-12, learning how famous artists have used their sketchbooks in unusual and surprising ways.
• Sculptural Music for ages 8-11, taking cues from musical history and artists who use music and sound to shape their pieces.
• Invent a Game for ages 5-10, creating art while playing a board game you invent with your friends; design your own board and game pieces.
• Summer Naturalists for ages 5-10, in conjunction with Stowe Land Trust’s Summer Naturalist program. Campers explore outdoors, learn about local flora and fauna.
• Art and Art History for ages 5-10, learning about the best-known paintings and artists from different art movements of the 20th century, then create your own.
• Digital Art for ages 9-13, using iPads and cellphones as digital studios and then creating an online gallery.
• Comics and cartooning for ages 9-13, learning what it takes to be a cartoonist while strengthening their drawing skills.
• Also fashion design for ages for ages 11-17, wearable art for ages 8-10, natural materials in drawing and sculpture for ages 12-17, crankies and animation for ages 10-14, filmmakers workshop for ages 11-17.
Information: 802-253-8358 or education@helenday.com.
Spruce Peak Arts Camps
The Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center at Stowe Mountain Resort has organized summer programs it hopes will inspire, educate and entertain kids ages 6 to 14.
The schedule:
• Fractured Fairy Tales Camp July 15-19, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., create a fractured fairy tale and give a performance at 3:30 p.m. on Friday.
• Jazz, Scat, Spoken Poetry Camp Aug. 12-16, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for ages 8 to 14. Campers will explore their “jazz voice” and give a performance for family and friends on the final day of camp.
Information: sprucepeakarts.org.
Mud City Adventures
The Stowe area’s original adventure day camp is going into its 26th year. Activities include canoeing/kayaking, rope swinging, swimming hole hopping, rock climbing, trekking, river safari and tubing, adventure tool creation, fire building, mountain biking, arts and crafts, sailing, and learning about flora and fauna.
Monday-through-Friday day camps run June 17 through Aug. 30, with Thursday overnights for ages 6-14.
Also, multi-day camping adventures, trips to surf and camp in Maine, plus wakeboarding, and canoeing the Connecticut River.
802-730-4113, mudcityadventures.com.
Rugged Adventures Summer Camp
Educational outdoor adventure summer camp for kids age 7 to 1 in Stowe. Day camp in July and August, weekly special camps, and unique overnight adventure trips in Vermont’s Green Mountains and beyond.
Ski-Racer Ready dry land training camp with Robby Kelley and Paula Moltzan July 8 to 12 for ages 11-14, and July 15-18 for ages 8-11.
Olympic Week day camp July 8-12, Zermatt Adventure nine-day trip to Swiss Alps July 21-29.
Plus Northeast Kingdom bike trip, Berkshire East trip, hike/bike/stand up paddleboarding, and backpack trip, among other activities.
Information: ruggedadventurescamp.com.
Apple Tree Learning Center, Stowe
Summer camp is offered for children ages 5-7 and 8-12 June 17 to Aug. 16.
From the Mountain Road location, activities include swimming, biking, hiking, beading, games, stream discovery and forest adventures. Off-site activities include horseback riding, tennis, rock climbing, gymnastics, canoeing, fishing and mountain biking.
Information: appletreelc.com.
Running camp, dry-land ski camp
Hosted at Round Hearth at Stowe. Operated by the Vigneau family.
The dry-land alpine ski racing camp for boys and girls entering grades 3-10 will be held July 21-27 and July 28-Aug. 3. Because the training is progressive, camp operators strongly suggest participants take a Session I program before taking Session II. Campers will practice, train and learn all over Stowe and Smugglers’ Notch. Director: Danny Noyes, head alpine ski racing coach at Colby College in Maine.
Stowe Running Camp running camp Aug. 4-9, coed for students entering grades eight to 12 and graduating high school seniors. Director is Fran Cusick, head girls outdoor track coach at Tewksbury (Mass.) High School.
Round Hearth also offers preseason camps for athletes, plus hiking and outdoor adventures.
Information: roundhearth.com.
Merry Mount Farm
Shaw Hill Road, Stowe
A horse farm and show barn specializing in hunter/jumpers, kids programs and lessons for all levels. The emphasis is on safety, fun and learning.
Four weeks of pony camps will be offered this summer for children from kindergarten through grade 6: June 17-21, June 24-28, July 8-12 and July 15-18.
Information: facebook.com/merrymountfarm, 802-224-6348.
Stowe Mountain Resort
Details have not been posted yet for this summer, but the Mountain offers an extensive Children’s Summer Adventure Camp for ages 3 to 12 that runs from June to August.
Activities include hiking and climbing on Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak, and in Smugglers Notch. Camp activities include golf, tennis, disc golf, field games, water play, a low ropes course, arts and crafts and many more. Passes are available for the summer season, for five visits, and by the day.
253-3685, kids@stowe.com.
STOWE/WATERBURY/CAMBRIDGE
Vermont Voltage Soccer Camp
June 17-21 and Aug. 19-23, 9 a.m. to noon, boys and girls, ages 5-18, at Memorial Park in Stowe village.
July 8-12, 9 a.m. to noon, boys and girls, ages 5 to 18, at Dac Rowe Field in Waterbury.
July 15-19, 9 a.m. to noon, boys and girls, ages 5-18, at Cambridge Elementary School.
Coaches are top professional, international and college players who play for the Vermont Voltage men’s and women’s teams. Emphasis is on agility, fitness, ball skills and understanding game tactics, while having fun. Sportsmanship, team spirit and cooperation stressed.
Information: voltagesportsclub.com.
STOWE/MORRISVILLE/WATERBURY
Capital Soccer
Soccer camps operate simultaneously July 8-12 at the Stowe Polo Fields and at Peoples Academy in Morrisville for ages 6-15. Stowe camp is 9 to noon; Morrisville is either 9 to 3 or 9 to noon or 9 to 10:30, depending on age.
Waterbury camp is July 22-26 from 9 to noon at Crossett Brook Middle School for ages 6 to 15. Montpelier camp July 9-13. Barre camp June 25-29.
Also, camp programs for goaltenders and strikers, for strength and conditioning, and for middle school preparation.
Programs predicated on good will, sportsmanship, team play and fun. Experienced coaches offer high-level training, with plenty of individualized attention, organized for beginner, intermediate and advanced players. A typical day includes a skills circuit, a skills challenge, tactical training and competition.
Information: capitalsoccer.net.
MORRISVILLE
River Arts
River Arts at 74 Pleasant St. offers summer camps that run from June 24 to Aug. 16.
The schedule: Fantastic Float June 24-28 from 9 to 3 for ages 5-12, design and build a float for the Morristown Fourth of July celebration; Let’s Get Cookin’ for ages 9 and up July 8-12 from 9 to 3, all about food and cooking; Art Ventures July 15-19 from 9 to 3 for ages 5-8; Pottery Projects, Garden Works in Clay July 15-19 from 9 to 3 for ages 9 and up; Art Ventures repeats July 22-26 from 9 to 3; Rock Camp July 29-Aug. 3 from 9 to 3 for ages 9 and up, form a band, write music and play a concert; SK8 The Arts Aug. 5-9 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Johnson Skate Park, for a week of skill-building, tricks and creating rad art; Art in the Barn Horse Camp Aug. 5-9 from 9 to 3 at Hope Grows Horse Farm in Hyde Park; with more camp sessions still in the planning stage.
Information: riverartsvt.org, 802-888-1261.
Lamoille County Nature Center
Summer camps operated by the Lamoille County Conservation District; the nature center is on Cole Hill Road in Morrisville.
Forest Fairy Camp for ages 4-5, July 8-12, 8 to noon. Take to the woods to build fairy houses and gnome homes, among other things; explore trails, meadows, frog pond.
Creature Tales Story Camp for ages 5-8, July 15-19 from 9 to 3. Take cues from the woods to invent tall tales, story stones, tree poems.
Carnivorous Creatures Camp for ages 8-12, July 22-26 from 9 to 3. Focus on how Vermont’s native predators adapt — the stealthy fox, the silent owl, the ungainly dragonfly.
Information: lcnrcd.com.
North Country Animal League
NCAL’s camps help children learn to be voices for animals in the community. Camps are held at the animal shelter in Morrisville.
Humane Heroes camp June 24-28 from 9 to 3:30 for ages 8-11 and July 15-19 for ages 12-15. For children interested in animal welfare and advocacy.
Be a Vet Camp July 23-25 from 9 to 3:30 for ages 8-11 and Aug. 6-8 for ages 12-15. For children interested in natural sciences and veterinary medicine.
Information: ncal.com.
Morristown Recreation
Activities every day from June 25 to Aug. 10, such as field days, tour the town, mosquito tag, fireworks art and shaving cream day.
Organized by Morristown Parks and Recreation.
Information: morristownvt.org.
Lamoille Valley Dance Academy
The academy in Morrisville has not yet posted its summer camp schedule, but it typically offers ballet, lyrical and hip hop classes, workshops and four-day intensives through the summer.
Information: lamoillevalleydance.com.
Musical Theater Production Camp
Vermont Family Theatre offers three summer theater camp sessions in Morrisville — Peter Pan Camp June 17 for ages 6-12, Willy Wonka Camp June 24 for ages 8 to 14, and Mary Poppins Camp July 8 for ages 10-16.
Vermont Family Theatre is in its 21st year of providing performance arts experience to children in the Northeast Kingdom and nearby communities.
Information or registration: vermontfamilytheatre.weebly.com.
HYDE PARK
Water Wanderings
Weeklong summer camps on the Green River Reservoir in Hyde Park. Up to nine campers at a time. Unique opportunities for relationship-building and personal growth. Operated by Sonya Buglion-Gluck, graduate of Lamoille Union High School and the Rubenstein School at the University of Vermont.
Session 1 is July 16-20. Session 2, which covers more advanced topics including orienteering and plant and animal identification, is July 22-26. Camp cost is on a sliding scale of $100 to $850, depending on family income.
Information: waterwanderings.weebly.com or 802-730-9667.
JEFFERSONVILLE
Vermonter Summer Camp at Smugglers’ Notch Resort
Day camp Monday through Friday. Rock climbing, bouldering, cool dips in reservoirs and waterholes, nature exploration, hiking, games, arts and crafts, sound and stage.
Transportation: Camp shuttle runs daily trips to and from Stowe, Morrisville, Johnson, Burlington, Essex, Jericho, Cambridge, Jeffersonville, Fairfax and Georgia.
Information: smuggs.com/vtcamp.
JOHNSON
Northern Vermont University-Johnson
The college’s coaches host many clinics and camps during the year. Here’s a sampling of this summer’s offerings.
• Northern Vermont Hoop Camp June 16-20, residential camp for boys in grades six through 12, and day camp for boys in grades four through 12.
• Lady Badgers Basketball Camp Aug. 4-8. Led by college coaches, college players, and AAU and high school coaches from New England. The camp focuses on improving every player’s skills and working those skills into a game.
• Northern Vermont Girls Softball Camp July 14-18, residential camp for girls in fifth through 12 grades, and day camp for girls in grades four through 12.
• Vermont Soccer School for grades four through 11; boys July 21-24, girls July 28-31.
Information: nvubadgers.com/camps-clinics.
Natural Horsemanship Camps
At the Center for America’s First Horse in Johnson, learn natural horsemanship, caring for horses, and playing with the horses using fun obstacles and games and basic riding skills. Camp details have not been posted yet.
Information: 730-5400, centerforamericasfirsthorse.org.
Green Mountain Youth Symphony Camp
Green Mountain Youth Symphony will hold its creative arts and music residential program for young musicians Aug. 4-10 at Northern Vermont University in Johnson.
Acceptance is by audition. Intermediate and advanced students of all orchestral instruments are welcome to apply.
The program includes chamber music, private lessons, orchestra rehearsals, rhythm studies, informal performances and a final concert.
Download an application at gmys-vt.org.
WATERBURY
Waterbury Recreation
The Waterbury Recreation summer day camp is expanding to kindergarten through grade seven this summer.
The summer day camp starts June 24 and runs through Aug. 16.
Campers in kindergarten through third grade will be based in the rec building at Anderson Field, next to the town swimming pool.
Campers in grades four through seven will be based at the community room at Wesley United Methodist Church.
Eight field trips are planned, one for each week of camp — a Vermont Lake Monsters baseball game in Burlington, and visits to the beach at Groton State Park, to Rock of Ages in Barre, to Elmore State Park, and to the Vermont Antique Auto Show, Ben & Jerry’s and to the municipal departments, all in Waterbury.
Information: waterburyvt.myrec.com.
Country Club of Vermont: Junior Golf Academy
The program for players ages 5 to 18 includes weekly camps, small-group coaching, and elite-level coaching for students who want to play on high school or college teams.
Financial aid, scholarships and grants will be available to juniors or families based on both need and player potential.
Information: jay@countryclubvt.com or 802-279-9889.
Grange Hall Cultural Center
The Grange Hall Cultural Center offers creative camps for children ages 3 to 14.
• Ages 3 to 5: Acting Inside Out and All About features fun with kinetic learning, costumes, songs and mask- or puppet-making. Participants will create their own memorable stories and artwork while building skills of expression, collaboration, and creativity. This camp is offered Wednesdays, May 22 to June 12, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Tuition is $70 for the four-week session, or $130 for two siblings; drop-in days are available for $20.
• Ages 5 to 9: Designed to teach the basics of acting, stage-craft, and theater etiquette, Arts In Action: Creating Performance and Visual Art will result in an entertaining end-of-the-week performance written, built, and performed by the Arts-In-Action participants and presented to an invited audience of family and friends. This camp runs Monday through Friday, June 17 to 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost is $250 for five days.
• Ages 10 to 14: Youth Ensemble Academy: Performance Story Lab. With the help of art, history and the alchemy of the group’s imagination, techniques, tricks and theater magic will be incorporated to build a dramatic story written and told by the ensemble at the end of the week. This camp runs Monday through Friday, June 24 to 28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost is $250 for five days.
Information grangehallcc.com.
Seminary Art summer mini-camps
Seminary Art, 201 Hollow Road, Waterbury Center, has not yet announced its summer schedule, but typically has a busy series of arts-related camps, often involving sculpture, clay, design and creative use of materials.
Information: seminaryart@gmail.com or seminaryartcenter.com.
Green Mountain Performing Arts
GMPA is at 37 Commercial Drive in Waterbury. The center’s mission is to make dance and musical theater accessible and affordable for everyone. Scholarship assistance is available.
Camps for this summer, in addition to normal classes, have not yet been announced, but typically the performing arts center operates camp sessions involving making things, yoga, mindfulness, Celtic dance and other skills.
Central Vermont Gymnastics Academy
Camp information not yet available for this summer at the academy in Moretown, just east of Waterbury village. Camps generally offer a mix of gymnastic skills and activities, plus arts and crafts, swimming, obstacle course. Full-day week, half-day week, plus other options.
Information: 882-8324 or info@cvtga.com.
ELSEWHERE
Fly fishing camp
Vermont Trout Unlimited hosts year nine of its fly fishing camp for ages 13 to 16 June 23-27 at Jackson’s Lodge in Canaan. Learn the sport or improve basic skills among accomplished Vermont anglers. Louis Porter, Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife commissioner, is an enthusiastic supporter of the program.
The five-day, four-night program covers casting, basic fly tying, knot craft, insect identification and imitation, fish identification and behavior, safe wading techniques, angling ethics and coldwater conservation.
Information: bit.ly/vttroutcamp.
ECHO Summer Camp
ECHO, the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, offers weeklong science, stewardship and design day camps for children entering grades one through six from late June through early August.
Topics include turtles, rockets, Minecraft, Legos, pirates, robots and frogs.
Information: echovermont.com.
Conservation Camp
The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department runs summer conservation camps for 12- to 14-year-olds interested in Vermont wildlife and outdoor skills.
The one-week camp programs start June 16 and continue to Aug. 16 at Lake Bomoseen in Castleton and Buck Lake in Woodbury.
There are also advanced sessions for campers who have already completed a basic session and are at least 16.
Tuition is $250 for the week, including food, lodging and equipment.
Information: vtfishandwildlife.com.
Trad Camp
The Summit School of Traditional Music and Culture, based in Montpelier, offers a camp July 15-19 for kids agers 8-16 interested in traditional music — fiddle, guitar, ukulele, drums, songwriting, singing and the like.
Information: summit-school.org.
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