Preschool Summer Camps at Ivybrook Academy

Get ready to make a splash! Water Wonderland is a big, joyful week of outdoor water play. Campers will pour and scoop at the water table, paint sidewalks with water, squeeze sponges, and play active splash games that keep them giggling and moving all morning. Every pour, squeeze and splash is a little science lesson: campers will notice how water moves, where it goes, and how it “disappears” in the sun. Filling and emptying cups builds early math ideas like full, empty, more and less. Splashy relay races and toss games build coordination, balance and teamwork. Campers may also pick up fun new words like drip, trickle and evaporate, and they will come home with big smiles and plenty to tell you about.

Put on your lab coats, because our water heroes are heading into the lab! H2O Heroes is a hands-on science week all about how water works. Campers will pour water through funnels and tubes, test which objects float and which sink, mix colors in water to see what new shades appear, and watch how water flows, drips and moves. Before each experiment, campers will make a guess and then check what really happened, just like real scientists. Sorting objects into “float” and “sink” groups builds early math and reasoning skills, and talking about what they see grows confident communicators. Campers may also pick up fun new words like predict, float, sink and absorb, and they will come home feeling like true water heroes.

Goggles on, little scientists! Little Chemists Lab is a bubbly, fizzy week of safe, hands-on experiments. Campers will mix simple materials to watch them fizz and foam, swirl colors to make surprising new ones, and squish and stretch homemade goo to see how it changes. Before each mix, campers will predict what might happen and then watch closely to see if they were right. Measuring with scoops and droppers builds early math skills and strong fingers, and describing what changed helps campers think and talk like real scientists. By Friday, don’t be surprised if your little chemist is shouting “It’s a reaction!” and asking to dissolve, mix and experiment with everything in sight.

What treasures are hiding in your own backyard? Field Explorers is a week of outdoor adventures where campers become real nature investigators. Campers will search for leaves, rocks, flowers and other natural treasures, then sort and compare them by color, size, shape and texture. With magnifying glasses in hand, campers will look closely at the tiny details most of us walk right past and record what they find with drawings and nature journals. Sorting and counting their collections builds early math skills, and sharing their discoveries with friends builds observation and language skills. Every walk becomes a treasure hunt, and your camper will see the world around them with brand-new, curious eyes.

This week, art jumps right off the page! Shape It, Build It turns our classroom into a busy 3D art studio where campers sculpt, stack and construct. Campers will roll, pinch and shape clay, transform boxes, tubes and other recycled treasures into one-of-a-kind creations, and build towers and structures with blocks and building supplies. Along the way, campers will figure out what makes a tower stand tall, what makes it wobble, and how to fix it when it tumbles. Exploring shapes like cubes, cylinders and spheres builds early geometry skills, and planning and adjusting their designs builds problem-solving and patience. Get ready for proud little artists and engineers, and maybe a few masterpieces that need a special spot on the shelf at home!

Paper, paint, fabric and a sprinkle of nature: put them together and you get magic! Layer & Create is a week where campers discover that art can be built one layer at a time. Campers will tear and glue colorful paper, brush on paint, add soft fabric scraps, and press in leaves and petals to create textured, one-of-a-kind artwork. As they work, campers will explore how bumpy, smooth, rough and soft materials feel and look side by side, and decide where each piece belongs. Choosing colors and arranging layers builds early design and planning skills, and talking about their choices helps campers express their ideas with confidence. Each finished piece tells its own story, so be sure to ask your camper about every layer!

From fluffy clouds to twinkling stars, the sky is full of wonders waiting to be discovered! Sky Watchers is a week where campers explore everything above our heads, by day and by night. Campers will watch clouds drift and change shape, feel which way the wind is blowing, and learn how the sun keeps us warm and helps things grow. They’ll also travel into the night sky to learn about the moon and stars through stories, art and imaginative play. Tracking the weather each day on a class chart builds early math and observation skills, and describing what they see grows strong vocabulary and big ideas. Don’t be surprised if you find your camper pointing at the clouds and telling you what shapes they see.

Boom, shake, tap, jingle! Sound Studio fills our classroom with music as campers become real rhythm makers. Campers will build their own shakers, drums and other homemade instruments, then play them loud and soft, fast and slow. They’ll move to the beat, play echo games, and create rhythm patterns with their friends. Clapping out the beats in names and words builds early reading skills, and repeating patterns like tap, tap, shake builds early math thinking. Making music together also teaches campers to listen closely, take turns and work as a team. Get ready for a few joyful concerts at home!