community summer 2021
Summer Camps of the South Sound For kids that have been cooped up most of this school year, one way to count down the days until summer is to start planning for summer camp. From hiking to canoeing to coding, summer camp offers many opportunities for adventures and for building new friendships. Programs have been adapted to ensure safe and healthy in-person learning environments this summer. Most camps are operating at a limited capacity, so plan ahead and make it a summer to remember.
DAY CAMPS
Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium pdza.org Ages Vary Let’s go to the zoo! Zoo campers participate in lively lessons about animals, ecosystem exploration, creative crafts, and group games. These camps focus on fostering empathy and respect for wildlife. Kitsap Forest Theater/ The Mountaineers Player foresttheater.com Grades K-4 Kitsap Forest Theater, located approximately seven miles west of downtown Bremerton, is one of the oldest outdoor theaters in the United States. This year’s outdoor summer program features art, singing, drama, play, hiking, exploring the forest, wildlife and creeks — and just plain fun.
City of Olympia olympiawa.gov Ages 4-14 Do you want to get on the water? The City of Olympia offers beginning and advanced sailing. In addition, kids can explore multi-media art camp, yoga camp, and the annual favorite — Camp Olywahoo!
OTHER DAY CAMP OPTIONS Annie Wright Schools aw.org Grades 1-6
Metro Parks Tacoma: Tacoma Nature Center metroparkstacoma.org Ages 4-12 City of Puyallup cityofpuyallup.org Ages 5-12
Cascade Christian Schools THRIVE Hands On Children’s Museum hocm.org Camps Ages 3-10 cascadechristian.org Grades K-8 OVERNIGHT CAMP OPTIONS This summer, THRIVE campers will experience adventures as they explore For many kids, summer means attending traditional overnight camp— the theme of time travel. In addition, staying in cabins, singing around a THRIVE offers sports clinics and camps, enrichment camps and STEM campfire, and making friendships that can last a lifetime. camps. 21
SHOWCASE MAGAZINE
Tacoma Mountaineers mountaineers.org Ages vary Campers will learn climbing, hiking, map and compass training, camp cooking, wilderness first aid, fire and shelter building, and learning about local geology and ecology. In addition to day camps, Tacoma Mountaineers also has two overnight camps at Mount Rainier (Tahoma). Washington State University Extension 4-H Camps at Panhandle Lake extension.wsu.edu Campers spend the week enjoying a myriad of activities, including swimming, hiking, arts, music, cooking, and making new friends! Awaken to birds singing and fall asleep to the stars (or exhaustion). Camp Gallagher in Lakebay campgallagher.org Grades 6-12 Situated on the sunny shores of Case Inlet in South Puget Sound, Camp Gallagher is a place where middle and high schoolers can embrace nature, friendship, adventure and stewardship in a truly spectacular setting. vHILLARY RYAN
