Fun in the Sun: There’s a bounty of summer camp choices in Cape Coral
Registration is now open through the city of Cape Coral and Lee County Public Schools for a variety of summer camps for children of all ages.
The last day of school for Lee public school students is May 24.
The city’s Youth Services Division is offering several Summer Recreation Camps from May 28 through Aug. 2. Designed for children ages 3 to 15, the camps take place at locations like the William “Bill” Austen Youth Center.
Jodie Mascari, a recreation specialist with the city, said the camp at the youth center runs weekly from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The cost is $89 a week for residents and includes a morning snack and lunch on non-travel days.
There is no registration fee.
“Each week we provide a field trip for them,” she said, adding that the children must bring a lunch on travel days. “Each week is themed.”
Some are Aloha Summer, Stars and Strips Celebration and Hollywood Hits.
“Each week is planned so the counselor has its own group,” Mascari said. “They’re each divided by grades. They have their own instructor for each.”
Guest speakers from organizations like the Fort Myers Miracle and J.N. “Ding” Darling Wildlife Refuge are also scheduled as part of the program. The children will take part in indoor and outdoor activities, crafts and more.
The center also is offering a day care for children ages 3 to 5.
The program runs from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The day care costs $89 a week for residents – no registration fee – and includes breakfast, lunch and a snack. The children will travel once a week, as well.
The city also is offering camps at Rotary Park, the Cape Coral Arts Studio, Sun Splash Family Waterpark, the Cape Coral Yacht Club, Four Freedoms Park and other locations. For more information, visit online: www.capeparks.com.
The Rotary Park camp is for ages 7-13 and runs May 28 through July 26 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. According to Mascari, each week is themed like at the youth center and the fee to attend is $100 per week for Cape residents.
The arts studio hosts a Fine Arts Camp from June 3 though July 26 for children ages 7-12. It runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and costs $115 per week for residents. An additional $15 will cover early drop off or late pick up.
Sun Splash features a Junior Lifeguard Camp, Splash-ca-teer Camp and Junior Splash Camp, among other programs. The Junior Lifeguard Camp runs May 28 through July 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is for ages 10 to 15.
The Junior Splash Camp also kicks off May 28 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for children ages 5-9. The Splash-ca-teer Camp – designed for ages 10 to 15 – will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 3 to July 16, Mascari reported.
The weekly costs range from $85 to $130 for Cape residents.
“They’re all speciality camps, so there’s a camp out there for everyone,” she said.
Parents can print out an enrollment form for any of the city camps online, as well as pay for registration. They can also register at the locations.
Lee County Public Schools announced that Patriot Elementary, Trafalgar Elementary, Gulf Middle School and Challenger Middle School are some of the public schools offering camps or programs over the summer for children.
Patriot is hosting Patriot Pals from May 28 to July 26 from 6:45 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Designed for pre-kindergartners to recent fifth-grade graduates, the camp costs $105 per week per child and includes breakfast and lunch.
To attend on a daily basis, the cost is $25 per child per day. For those attending part-time due to summer school, costs are reduced to $50 per week per child or $12 per day per child. Deadline to register is May 17.
There is a registration fee of $30 per family.
Camp director Nancy Eggeling said it is the first year that Patriot has offered the camp. The school’s new principal was very open to the idea.
“Very eager to help the community and provide services to our families and any others in need of summer care,” she said of the principal.
The cost covers two field trips per week to the movies, Cape Coral Yacht Club pool, bowling and Sun Splash Family Waterpark. The activities will include caring for plants and trees, arts and crafts, outside water fun and more.
“Academics to keep their skills on par, leadership training for some of the older kids, and then the normal PE activities,” Eggeling said.
To register or for information, call (239) 242-1023.
Gulf will host Summer Blast 2013 from May 28 through Aug. 2 from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The camp is open to Lee County students from kindergarten to eighth grade. The fee to attend is $95 a week per child or $30 per day.
The cost includes breakfast, lunch and a weekly field trip to bowl or swim.
There is no registration fee.
“We try to help our parents and offer a safe, supervised home-style environment for our students,” camp director Vickie Daley said.
The school began offering the camp in 2000.
“We’re the only non-structured type of program,” she said, adding that students get to use their imagination and pick their own activities.
“We don’t force them to do crafts. It’s a very laid back environment,” Daley said. “Not all kindergartners have to hang out with all kindergartners.”
Things to do range from outside athletics and team sports, like basketball and dodge ball, to inside activities like board games, Legos and crafts. There are PlayStation 2 and Wii consoles, as well as a pool table for the children.
“The students are very active,” she said.
Daley noted that the student-to-counselor ratio is low.
“All of our counselors are Lee County school board members,” she said.
To register, call (239) 549-0162 or visit: www.gfm.leeschools.net.
Trafalgar Elementary is hosting “Voyages Summer Camp” from May 28 through July 26 for children ages 5 to 11. Participants must be registered as a student with the Lee County School District, according to officials.
There will be two field trips each week and a weekly theme.
Daily activities include arts and crafts, computers, Spanish, individual and team sports, reading, cooking, fitness and science activities, and more. The school plans to offer talent shows and guest presenters for the program.
To register or for more information, call (239) 283-3043.
Challenger Middle is hosting its “Performing Arts Camp” from June 3 until June 14. The cost is $200 per student to attend, according to officials.
To register or for information, call (239) 242-4331.