7/11/25

Girls Inc. here to report our Week 4 agents’ mission debrief:

🖌️🧬 Crafts and STEM activities were combined this week—each mission required both creativity and science! Campers camouflaged hand cut-outs to match their shirts, created and revealed invisible ink (using turmeric, baking soda, vinegar, and a clothing iron), launched straws across a zipline using balloon power, and explored how “germs” and DNA transfer using gloves and hand-drawn germs.

🔍 For deductive reasoning practice, campers cracked “The Case of Camp Chaos” using top-secret case files, puzzles, and hidden clues around the room. They also tackled a mystery box challenge—no peeking allowed! Just hands-on investigation to guess the item inside.

🧘🏽‍♀️ Mind and Body activities with our Wild Orchid Wellness intern sharpened spy skills like communication and listening. In one challenge, they solved a case using only verbal communication and careful use of words, while in another, they stayed silent and relied on sound clues.

🕵🏽‍♀️ Campers came dressed in their stealthiest spy and detective outfits—ready for any undercover assignment!

👟 Physical activity each day turned the gym into spy agility training for skills like running, jumping, crawling, and balancing. On Thursday, campers used these skills to navigate a tricky “laser” course in the Bold Room. While the pool was closed Monday and Tuesday, agents stayed cool with a water slide (Monday), splash pad fun (Tuesday), and earned a pool party on Friday.

🚴‍♀️ Bold Adventures campers kicked off the week at IT Adventure Park for climbing, balancing, and strength-building. At Puzzle Theory Escape Room on Tuesday, they became the first Girls Inc. group to escape! On Wednesday, they hiked Spiderweed Preserve to practice real-world detective observation and agility.

📢 Leaders-in-Training joined the mission to It Adventure Park on Monday.

NEXT WEEK – WEEK 5 “COLOR WARRIORS”🎨

Kick off the Summer with a colorful blast! Prepare to get messy as we toss, play, and mix all the colors of the rainbow in all types of ways. Tie Dye galore, splatter paint, watercolors, and the ultimate capture the flag are just a few of our color event to start the summer.

This week is all about color and will get MESSY! Please make sure to send your camper in clothes that are ok to get stained/dirty—this goes for Wednesday’s wear-all-white day, too!

Learning Focus: Art, Physical Development

Wednesday Dress-Up: Wear all white clothing to get messy!⚪🫟

FIELD TRIPS (UNIT 7/8 and UNIT 9+)

Bold Adventures (U7/8) Field Trips:

Due to the nature of field trips this week, there are fewer for Week 5. 

• Monday – NO TRIP – Specialty activities at Program Center
• Tuesday – NO TRIP – Specialty activities at Program Center
• Wednesday – NO TRIP – Specialty activities at Program Center
• Thursday – Penthouse Pour (Hartford, CT)
• Friday – Lake Compounce (Bristol, CT)

Leaders in Training (U9+) Field Trip:

• Friday – Lake Compounce (Bristol, CT)

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.
• LATE PICK-UP FEE
  • In order to account for staffing and maintain smooth operations, families will incur a late pick-up fee of $25 if your camper is picked up more than 10 minutes after their scheduled pick-up time. We understand that delays can happen, and we appreciate your effort in picking up your child on time. If you anticipate being late, please notify us as soon as possible.
• 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-toe 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)