Summerfun 2023 Registration will open Feb 6th at noon!

The Common School Summerfun programs keep kids physically active and intellectually engaged. Programs for ages 5-12 require a 5 day per week commitment and run from 8:30am-3:30pm. We offer a full day and half day 8:30am-12pm option only for our youngest campers ages 3 and 4. 

Down on the Farm

(Two programs will be run simultaneously, Green and Blue)

Ages 3-4
June 26th – July 28, a one week option is available the week of June 26th, after that, we ask families to sign up for at least two weeks to help support campers’ adjustment to the program. (*no camp July 4th)
8:30am-3:30pm (half-day option 8:30am-12pm available for our youngest campers) 

Our youngest campers will learn about skills related to homesteading and sustainable living through play. The children will go to learn at Bramble Hill with Farmer Robert twice a week to explore day-to-day life on a farm and to help with farm and garden projects. Camp days will include artistic projects, gardening, singing, stories, visits to the conservation area at Larch Hill, and splashing in the wading pools.

Ecosystem Adventures 1

Ages 5-6
June 26 – July 28, one week to five weeks optional (*no camp July 4th)
8:30am-3:30pm  

Come explore the ecosystems in and around our school, including pond and stream life, forest flora and fauna, field habitats, and local animals. Using The Common School’s grounds, Larch Hill Conservation Area, and Bramble Hill Farm as our laboratory, we will visit, study, and research the local habitat and reflect on it through artistic activities. Each day will also include time for free play, stories, games, and water games.

Ecosystems Adventures 2

Ages 6-7
June 26 – July 28, one week to five weeks optional (*no camp July 4th)
8:30am-3:30pm  

In this group, we will broaden our experiences exploring the ecosystems in our community. We will visit habitats in close proximity to The Common School and around Larch Hill. We will study the cause and effect of different inputs in our environment such as weather, water, erosion and changes in animal life. We will take hikes and excursions and engage with nature daily. Additionally, we will learn about our own impact on the land. Each day will also include time for free play, arts and crafts, stories, building activities, and of course water play. 

Dungeons and Dragons

Ages 8-13
June 26- July 14 (*no camp July 4th) one to three weeks optional.
8:30am-3:30pm

Let your child be a hero for a day! Dungeons and Dragons is a fantasy pen and paper role-playing game with epic heroes and legendary dragons. Imagination, role-playing, social skills, problem-solving, and cooperation are a few of the skills that can be developed from playing Dungeons and Dragons. Audio, visual, kinesthetic, and writing activities will give all types of children their own way to enjoy and learn from this experience. No prior knowledge of Dungeons and Dragons is necessary, and stories in the games will remain appropriate for all children attending. This camp will have the opportunity to visit the Groff Park splash pads and/or the Mill River during some afternoons to cool off and have some water fun.

Magic The Gathering: Trading Card Game Camp

Ages 8-13
July 17-28, two week preferred, one week optional
8:30am -3:30pm

This camp is all about the popular trading card game Magic The Gathering! Magic is an exciting fantasy based strategy card game featuring powerful wizards, fearsome dragons, amazing heroes, and tactical spells. In this camp we will learn the fundamentals of Magic The Gathering by applying our math, reading, and critical thinking skills. Counselors will lead introductory groups where new players can learn the game alongside their peers. Campers will be provided with all of the needed cards and materials to play and even take home with them at the end of camp. Our final day will feature a series of mini-events where campers can show off the skills that they developed in a variety of classic Magic The Gathering formats.

This camp is made possible in part by a generous donation from MagiKids, a non-profit organization that supports the intellectual growth of children through the Magic The Gathering card game.

Collaborative Art Making

Ages 8-13
July 10-14
8:30am -3:30pm

Does your child like to make art with friends? In this course campers will create collaborative and socially engaged art with peers in a dynamic group setting. Campers will have opportunities to work together in both small and large groups to develop their painting, drawing, building and sculpting techniques. We’ll focus on three main aspects of art making, experimentation, demonstration, and collaboration. In addition to daily and ongoing group art projects, each day will also include time for outdoor excursions and organized group play to foster a community of makers. 

Painting and Mixed Media

Ages 8-13
June 26-30
8:30am -3:30pm

Is your child a curious maker? In this hands-on art making course campers will build, draw, paint, cut, and design their own multimedia creations. We’ll explore a myriad of different ways to make art from across artistic disciplines including 2D and 3D elements. Campers will be able to draw inspiration for their own artwork from a series of mini-lesson featuring a variety of contemporary multimedia artists. In addition to creating art, part of our day will also include a guided discussion time where campers can engage in dialogue with peers about their art.

Outdoor Art Making 

Ages 8-13
June July 3-7 (*no camp on July 4)
8:30am -3:30pm

This camp is all about making art in the great outdoors. We’ll focus on two main approaches to making art outside, drawing en plein air, meaning drawing in the open air, and land art or site-specific art. Campers will learn about the famous artist Andy Goldsworthy and other Land Artists as well as engaging with the rich and diverse history of landscape portraiture. Each day we will take our pencils and paper out of the classroom to explore nature both on and off the page. Campers will develop their drawing, observation, and building techniques while experiencing the surrounding wilderness through hikes, outdoor activities, and art making. 

Summer Olympics!

Ages: 8-13
July 24-28
8:30am -3:30pm

Welcome to SummerFun Olympics, where we play some favorite sports and exciting new games too!  While competition can be engaging, cooperation is crucial to our growth as team players.  Throughout the week, we will introduce age-appropriate activities which teach us that not every game has to be about winning and losing (but they do still have to be super fun!).  Campers will also work together to develop their very own games that we’ll test and tweak so they are safe, fair, and inclusive to all!  Whether it’s our classroom, a designated indoor play space, the forest trails, or Groff Park nearby, there are plenty of opportunities for us to explore and cool down too.  Rain or shine, our SummerFun Olympics team will be creating and celebrating the joy in play!

Design Squad

Ages 8-13
July 10-14
8:30am-3:30pm

Design Squad introduces kids to engineering and invention activities focused on environmental sustainability through fun hands-on activities.  Throughout the week, we will design, invent, and build projects that help solve environmental problems in a spirit of risk-taking and collaboration. Your child will have a great time while strengthening their problem-solving skills, creativity, confidence, and ability to collaborate with new friends. Children who have participated in this camp before may have some opportunities to build on the knowledge they’ve gained in the past as well as apply their skills to new challenges.

Clay in Nature

Ages 8-13
July 17-21
8:30am-3:30pm

Experience clay where it came from, in nature! Your children will be making projects that include the beauty of the natural world while learning about the fundamentals of ceramics. Kids will make pinch pot chia monsters, press flora and foliage into slabs of clay, and make coil vases (for the rest of those beautiful flowers we find!) and then they will be able to take what they’ve learned to make their own creative masterpiece. In addition to hikes and explorations to appreciate and be inspired by nature, this camp will have the opportunity to visit the Groff Park splash pads and/or the Mill River during some afternoons to cool off and have some water fun.

Sew Plush

Ages 8 – 13
July 3-7 (*no camp July 4)
8:30am -3:30pm  

This week you can dream up, design, and create your own fiber art creations. Learn how to use needle and thread for a variety of projects – freehand embroidery, cross-stitch, and creating stuffed creatures and other creations! What will your imagination dream up? Along with crafting and creating, we will explore the outdoors, and have the opportunity to visit the Groff Park Splash pads and/or the Mill River during some afternoons to cool off and have some water fun.