ESTEVAN - Summer is coming to an end, and with it, camps are wrapping up at the Estevan Early Years Family Resource Centre (EEYFRC).
Sara Saigeon, who is the executive director at the centre, said all of their camps were full this summer. They have had a camp each week this summer, and sessions are offered twice a day Monday to Friday.
Up to 20 kids could attend the camp each week, with 10 in the morning and 10 more in the afternoon.
Camps started the first full week of July, and they had a different theme or age group for each week the camps. The final camp for the summer wraps up Friday.
Themes have included science, arts, super summer challenge, mystery, animal planet, space, chopped, and bugs and butterflies.
“The kids definitely have a blast. We have a lot of the same kids come to multiple camps, because it’s a really good environment to learn in and to have fun. We’ve never had a complaint from a parent. Everyone seems to love them,” said Saigeon.
The science camp was definitely popular camp, she said, and the chopped week drew lots of people, too. Chopped camp involved food.
Activities varied based on the theme, but typically included a warm-up game, an introduction to start the day and a craft. If it’s the science camp, they will work on an experiment, and if it’s chopped, they might make cookies. Sports were part of the super summer challenge, and the arts camp had extra crafts.
Saigeon noted they have had two summer students, Rachelle Stephany and Kishi Rioferio, both of whom are in university. They have been very busy this summer, and Saigeon said the two did a great job of running the camps.
The EEYFRC continues to offer the camps each year because they are great, free activities for children during the summer. It provides kids with a safe place to go during the day.
“If they’re getting ready to go to kindergarten or pre-kindergarten, it’s a good place for them to come and have that interaction with other kids and have a little time without their parents to get them used to being alone with other kids and new teachers,” said Saigeon.
“It’s a lot of fun. It’s a great learning opportunity, and it’s always a super popular thing with the community that we’ve always offered and will continue to offer.”
