Camp Corlears

ABOUT

At Camp Corlears, we make classic summer fun the focus, with plenty of outdoor play, arts and crafts, and fun with friends at the heart of it all.

Camp Corlears counselors are primarily Corlears teachers. Thanks to their many expertise in nursery, preschool, and elementary classrooms, they not only know how to keep children engaged, but are exceptional at facilitating growth through play and creating nurturing environments for discovery and friendship!

Registration for 2024 will open sometime in January; until then, you can browse 2023 programming and prices, which may be subject to change.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Super Saplings

Half- and Full-Day Camp for Ages 3–4

Every day with Super Saplings is a chance to learn, explore, and grow. Staffed by Corlears teachers, our Super Saplings campers will spend their days playing in our beautiful yard, engaging with art and music activities, and building their own vibrant community.

Super Sapling 3s is intended for children who will turn 3 by October 1, and Super Sapling 4s for children turning 4 by October 1.

Click for FAQs.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Budding Branches

For Ages 5–6

In Budding Branches, rising kindergarteners and first graders get all the joy and adventure of Camp Corlears! With our amazing Corlears counselors and daily art, play, and investigation activities based around fun weekly themes, Budding Branches is the perfect way to keep your 5- or 6-year-old happy and growing over the summer. (Plus, swimming at the Y!)

Budding Branches is intended for children entering Kindergarten or first grade in the coming school year.

Click for FAQs.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Two-Week Mini Camps

For Rising 2nd–4th Graders

Our two-week mini camps offer children the classic day camp experience — including outdoor play, swim, and more! — combined with a project-based activity they can work on throughout the session with guidance and encouragement from our expert faculty and assistant counselors.

Mini camps are intended for students entering second through fourth grade for the coming school year. Each mini camp has a maximum of 12 campers, and is taught by a Corlears teacher and a college-aged assistant counselor. Read more details about our mini-camp offering below.

Camp Corlears - cheering on fellow campers

SESSION 1

Full STEAM Ahead

Dates: June 20–June 30 (closed Monday 6/19 in observance of Juneteenth)

Does your child want to build Lego robots? Code their own video game? Dive into animation or claymation? In this mini-camp taught by Corlears technology teacher Zach Brewer, your camper will pick up STEAM through a number of creative projects that will stimulate their computational thinking skills and more.

SESSION 2

Art Explorers

Dates: July 5–July 14 (closed Monday 7/3 and Tuesday 7/4 for July 4)

Calling all artists! In Art Explorers, campers will sample a variety of art-making processes including painting, collage, textiles, and sculpture. This camp, taught by Corlears studio art teacher Sara Nixon, is the perfect opportunity for young artists to experiment with different mediums and create unique works of art.

SESSION 3

Food for Thought

Dates: July 17–July 28

Cooking is a science all its own! Taught by Corlears science teacher Theresa Law, your child will make a variety of different desserts and even take some home to share with the family! Campers will explore how we can harness the power of the sun by creating solar-powered ovens to cook s'mores, and learn how we can use the same ingredients to make butter, whipped cream, and ice cream!

PROGRAM DETAILS

2023 Session Dates and Pricing

Hours

All camps take place between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., though Super Saplings campers have a half-day option that ends at noon.

We also offer extended care until 5:00 p.m. for an additional fee.

Dates

Each Camp session is one week long. Families can register for one session or multiple sessions. Multiple sessions do not need to be consecutive, and all sessions are pro-rated for the days off outlined below.

Week 1: June 20–23 (closed on Monday 6/19 in observance of Juneteenth)
Week 2: June 26–30
Week 3: July 5–7 (closed Monday 7/3 and Tuesday 7/4 for July 4)
Week 4: July 10–14
Week 5: July 17–21
Week 6: July 24–28

Pricing

The cost of a week of camp will be in proportion with a family's TEAM tuition level for the following school year. The maximum camp cost is $940 per week; the half-day rate, available for Super Saplings only, is $620 per week. Two-week mini camps are offered at $1,880 per session.

We are also offering extended care for full-day campers until 5:00 p.m. at a maximum rate of $25/day, also commensurate with TEAM tuition.

Full payment is due at the time of registration. Corlears will grant a refund of 50% for the cost of camp up until March 31 for any sessions that a child is unable to attend. After March 31, no refunds will be granted.

Lastly, please note that TEAM pricing for camp is only available to families enrolled at Corlears for the following school year.

FAQ

General Camp Corlears FAQ

Does my child need to be enrolled at Corlears School to attend Camp Corlears? Nope! Camp Corlears is open to all families.

What are the birthdate cut-offs?

Our Super Saplings program is split into 3s and 4s programs. Super Sapling 3s is intended for children who will turn 3 by October 1, and Super Sapling 4s for children turning 4 by October 1.

Children entering Budding Branches must be entering Kindergarten or First Grade for the following school year.

Can I request that my child be placed in a camp group with their friends?

Each camp program — Super Sapling 3s, Super Sapling 4s, and Budding Branches — will most likely contain multiple camp groups. Families may request one or two friends that they would like to be placed in their child’s camp group. Corlears will do their best to accommodate these requests, with the goal of at least one of those requests being granted. Please know that even if children are not in the same camp group, there will be plenty of group overlap and connection throughout the day, such as in the play yard, at special activities, and, for Budding Branches campers, at swim.

What if my child is unable to attend a registered camp week?

Families should notify camp@corlearsschool.org if they need to make any changes to their camp registration. Up until March 31, a 50% refund will be granted to families. After March 31, no refunds will be granted.

A child’s inability to attend a camp week for any reason, including due to illness, will not result in a refund. If possible, Corlears will consider requests to switch a child’s registered camp week to a week later in the summer. These requests will be considered against camp group availability and programmatic needs, and may not always be granted.

Corlears will also not grant credits towards future summers if children are not able to attend their registered sessions.

Will my child receive an awesome Camp Corlears T-shirt?

They sure will! Though unfortunately we only have shirts made available for campers, not parents.

Super Saplings FAQ

How many campers and counselors will there be in a Super Saplings group?

Super Sapling 3s and 4s groups will have a maximum of 10 campers, and a minimum of two counselors.

What does a typical day in Super Saplings look like?

Each day at Super Saplings will bring a new set of adventures! After arriving, campers will begin each day with a morning meeting — a chance to greet one another and welcome everyone to the community. From there, there will be time for art projects, choice activities, music and movement time, and plenty of outdoor play in our natural playground. Super Saplings will also have soccer class each week in our school gym, led by the wonderful coaches at SocRoc!

There will be a mid-morning snack as well for all students. Half-day friends will dismiss at 12:00 p.m., when full-day friends begin their lunch.

The afternoon will bring a brief rest, more play in the yard, choice time, and a read-aloud and end-of-day meeting.

Each week will also have an engaging and developmentally appropriate theme that will guide classroom activities. You’ll hear more about those themes in the weeks leading up to camp!

What should my child bring to camp each day?

Children should arrive at camp each day with a water bottle, nut-free snack, and, for full-day campers, a nut-free lunch that does not need to be heated up or refrigerated.

We also ask families to apply sunscreen before the day begins (to prepare for play in our sunny outdoor natural playground!), and also pack their child with sunscreen for later reapplication if necessary.

Counselors may also ask that children come dressed in a bathing suit and water shoes, and bring a labeled towel, so they can engage in some water play outside.

At the beginning of your time at camp, counselors will ask that you bring in a full change of clothes to be stored in the classroom. For full-day campers who will be resting during the day, counselors will ask that you bring in a twin-sized sheet and stuffed animal or lovey to help your child rest successfully.

Does my child need to be potty trained?

Yes, we ask that all campers attending Super Saplings are potty trained. Each child will be asked to bring a change of clothes along for the occasional accident.

For families enrolled at Corlears School, please note that the level of potty training support that exists in the Seedlings Blue and Red classrooms during the school year is not a feature of Camp Corlears.

What if my child is new to a separation-based program?

For children who are new to separation, our counselors will provide resources and guidance for how to make separation successful in the lead-up to camp. Counselors will greet children when they arrive at camp each morning, either in front of the school or in our natural playground, helping to ease their transition to camp.

Counselors will be in touch as the summer approaches with guidance on how to successfully separate each morning. For now, we have some resources that might help: Top Tips for Helping Toddlers with Separation Anxiety, written by one of Corlears School's early childhood head teachers, offers tips on separation. Be sure to take a look at the video at the bottom of the page!

Plus, check out Corlears School's Guide to Early Childhood, which is provided to families in our early childhood school programs. The bottom of page 16 outlines helpful separation strategies for families, but please note that our resources and staffing picture is slightly different for Camp Corlears than it is for Corlears School.

Budding Branches FAQ

How many campers and counselors will there be in a Budding Branches group?

Budding Branches groups will have a maximum of 12 campers, with a minimum of two counselors.

Will Budding Branches groups be separated between rising Kindergarteners and rising First Graders?

This will depend a bit on the breakdown of camper enrollment, but it is likely that Budding Branches groups will contain both rising Kindergarteners and rising First Graders. Our counselors will ensure that activities are developmentally appropriate, fun, and engaging for all campers!

What does a typical day in Budding Branches look like?

Each day at Budding Branches will bring a new set of adventures! After arriving, campers will begin each day with a morning meeting, a chance to greet one another and welcome everyone to the community. From there, there will be time for art projects, cooking activities, music and movement, plus plenty of time for outdoor play in our Corlears yard. Budding Branches will also have soccer class each week in our school gym, led by the wonderful coaches at SocRoc!

There will also be a mid-morning snack at around 10:00 a.m., with lunch at 12:00 p.m. The afternoon will bring more play in the yard, as well as choice time, a read-aloud, and an end-of-day meeting.

How does swim work?

Budding Branches campers will go to swim each week at the nearby McBurney YMCA, which is about a 10-minute walk from Corlears. Swimmers of all abilities are welcome, with lessons taught by the YMCA’s Red Cross-certified swim teachers. More details on frequency and timing of swim class will be shared as the summer approaches.

What should my child bring to camp each day?

Children should arrive at camp each day with a water bottle, nut-free snack, and a nut-free lunch that does not need to be heated up or refrigerated. We also ask families to apply sunscreen before the day begins (to prepare for play in our sunny outdoor natural playground!), and also pack their child with sunscreen for later reapplication if necessary.

Counselors will also inform families of what days children should come dressed in a bathing suit and water shoes — plus a labeled towel — on days we have swim at the Y. At the beginning of your time at camp, counselors will also ask that you bring in a full change of clothes to be stored in the classroom.

Will Budding Branches campers take field trips?

Yes! Budding Branches campers will travel to nearby parks for outdoor play and recreation, as well as utilize public transit for trips around the city. More information on specific trip destinations and days will be shared before the start of each camp week.

Program Overview

Super Saplings

Half- and Full-Day Camp for Ages 3–4

Budding Branches

For Ages 5–6

Two-Week Mini Camps

For Rising 2nd–4th Graders

Mini Camp Details

Full STEAM Ahead

Art Explorers

Food for Thought

2023 Session Dates and Pricing

Hours

Dates

Pricing

Stay in Touch

General Camp Corlears FAQ

Super Saplings FAQ

Budding Branches FAQ

Connect with Admissions