Posted by: Jessie Maxwell, Education
Greetings from the desk of the Alpha Dog! We are almost finished with camp preparations since summer camp is—if you can believe it—only weeks away! I can’t wait to see all of the new and familiar faces arrive through our doors!
One of our most popular camps is Kinder Camp, designed for campers aged 3-5. Together, the camp staff and the children explore either the north or the south end of the zoo and use games, exploration and play to discover zoology and school-readiness around every corner!
 |
| Kinder campers using their feet like mountain goats! Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo, 2014. |
Woodland Park Zoo’s summer camps are curricular-based, and Kinder Camp is no exception. Our highly trained staff is supplied with a compilation of activities, songs, games and crafts designed to achieve specific objectives outlined. Each day not only has science content objectives, but also social and emotional growth, gross and fine motor skills, and imaginative play objectives based on Washington State Early Learning and Development Benchmarks.
The best part about it is when everything gets put together it turns into an amazingly good time! Kinder campers can be seen singing as they move from place to place, pretending to catch their prey (bubbles!), making bumpy toad crafts, hearing stories while they eat their snack, building with tree blocks, and a myriad of other playful and educational activities designed to spark their minds.
 |
| Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo, 2014. |
“When we treat children’s play as seriously as it deserves, we are helping them to feel the joy that’s to be found in the creative spirit.” – Fred Rogers
 |
| Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo, 2014. |
“Play is the highest form of research.” – Albert Einstein
 |
| Photo by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo, 2014. |
Comments
Post a Comment