6/20/2025

Kicking off our first week of the Summer, campers traveled around the world in 4 days! 

🖌️Crafts this week included all different kinds of flags! They made “Heritage Flags” to highlight their own ethnic heritage, created their own unique flags representing their personality (led by our intern from Wild Orchid Wellness), and creating flags for their units as a group. 

🧬STEM activities this week included creating 3D models of famous landmarks as a group, using abstract materials.

👟 Campers enjoyed ladder ball and water games this week, among many other activities. Of course, campers enjoyed time in the pool this week and began swim lessons!

🌍 Summer campers and staff dressed up to represent different cultures around the world, wearing traditional clothing or outfits branded with a country’s name/flag while learning about different cultures for their special dress-up day this week.

🚴‍♀️Bold Adventures campers explored Polish cuisine at “Taste of Poland” restaurant in New Britain on Monday, spent their rainy Tuesday at the movies to see Lilo & Stitch at AMC Plainville, and dove into Native history at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum on Wednesday!

📢 Leaders-in-Training also got to kick back and relax at the movies for Lilo & Stitch on Friday.

NEXT WEEK – WEEK 2 “UNDER THE SEA”🪸

It’s o-FISH-al: you never know what type of aquatic life you’ll run into when you’re at the beach! Mermaids, pirates, and deep-sea divers welcome to explore. Starfish, whales, and all things fishy come out to play this week as campers discover the beautiful, bizarre, and truly odd goings-on in the deep blue sea. Explore the ocean, play water games, and live like a pirate.

Learning Focus: STEM

Wednesday Dress-Up: Your favorite underwater creature or character! 🐙🐳🧜‍♀️

Week 2 Bold Adventures (U7/8) Field Trips:

• Monday – Submarine Force Library & Museum (Groton, CT)
• Tuesday – Mystic Aquarium (Mystic, CT)
• Wednesday – Hammonasset Beach State Park (Madison, CT)
• Thursday – Hike at Highland Pond Preserve (Middletown, CT)

Week 2 Leaders in Training (U9+) Field Trip:

• Friday – TBD (either Submarine Force Library & Museum OR Mystic Aquarium)

Please make sure Field Trip campers pack appropriate items for the trips, including cold lunch, water bottle, a light jacket or sweatshirt, bathing suit (when applicable), towel, sunscreen, and closed in shoes for all trips (flip flops can be carried in a bag).

SWIM SCHEDULE 🏊

REMINDERS:

• LOST AND FOUND
  • Please LABEL all of your child’s belongings, so we may reduce the number of items that end up in the Lost & Found. Please check the Lost & Found throughout the week for any items your child may be missing. Unclaimed items will be donated or disposed of at the end of each camp week.
• SWIM LESSONS
  • Please be advised, that during free swim time, beginner swimmers do have the opportunity to use life vests. However, during swim lessons, our swim instructor does not allow use of them for the following reasons:
    • They prevent proper learning of swim skills and managing body position.
    • They create a false sense of security. It’s important during lesson time that they create trust with the instructor in the water.
    • They interfere with learning water confidence!
  • All swim lessons are taught with an Water Safety Instructor (WSI) in the water with the camper at all times, and a lifeguard supervising from outside the pool.
  • If your camper expresses that they are not comfortable getting into the water, our WSI always allows them to opt out when it is time for their lesson.
• FOOTWEAR
  • To ensure the safety of every camper please make sure they are coming to camp with closed in shoes (No open-toed or open-back sandals).
• UNIT 7/8 and 9+ LUNCH
  • Unfortunately, lunch is NOT provided by Meriden Schools for Unit 7/8 or 9+ field trips for the duration of Summer Camp. Please send your camper with a cold lunch on their field trip days. Free lunch is available for their days on-site at our Center.
    • Unit 7/8 – Lunch provided on Friday ONLY (Field Trips on Mon-Thu)
    • Unit 9+ – Lunch provided on Monday-Thursday (Field Trip on Friday)