Camp registration requires a $50 non-refundable deposit. Full payment is due April 30th. (Payment plans can be arranged, please contact the business office at juliej@westsideschool.org)
All camps are from 9-4pm. You may extend the day and start at 8am and end at 5pm, if needed.
For Current Grades 2-5
Our camps are guided by best practices in environmental education. Life skills and core values including teamwork, self-confidence, problem solving, and respect for nature and ourselves are seamlessly integrated into camp activities. Awareness and patience are practiced as we creep up on the wild animals living in ponds and streams. When the group must build a shelter together, cooperation and communication are central. Games, stories, art, and adventure come together in a meaningful way to create a memorable and exciting camp experience that builds skills to last a lifetime.
Week 1: Discovering Urban Habitats, July 6-9
Have you ever wondered what kinds of critters are lurking just outside your front door? Our neighborhood is home to a variety of urban habitats. Explore a different habitat each day and discover the many plants and animals who also call Seattle home.
Price: $250
Week 2: Water Worlds, July 12-16
There’s water, water everywhere! Especially here in Seattle! Get your feet wet, cool off, and discover what makes the Puget Sound region so unique. Search for salmon, wonder at a wetland, and when the tide is out we’ll hit the beach to discover all the fascinating creatures living just beneath the surface.
Price: $300
Week 3: Exploring the Past, July 19-23
Travel back in time to the age of the dinosaurs…and beyond! This week we’ll visit the Burke Museum to check out their awesome fossil collection. You’ll also get the chance to build your own dinosaur, discover rocks and minerals, and search for fossils! Who knows? You might even uncover the missing link!
Price: $300
Week 4: Off the Grid, July 26-30
Leave your cell phones and GPS units at home because this week we’re going Off the Grid! Join us for an entire week of classic summer camp activities and discover what it takes to survive in the wilderness with just the bare necessities. Navigate your way through the forest using only a map and compass, build a shelter to keep you warm and dry, cook up a snack in a solar oven, and learn which northwest plants are safe to eat!
Price: $300
Week 5: At Home on the Duwamish, August 2-6
The Duwamish River runs through West Seattle, it is a vital link between the land and Puget Sound beyond and yet many don’t realize it’s even there. Spend a week exploring the river, and the people who call it home. Meet members of the Duwamish tribe and uncover Seattle’s rich history. We’ll hear the legends of local peoples and explore the ancient art of storytelling.
Price: $300
Week 6: Arts in Nature, August 9-13
Have you ever critiqued a caterpillar’s spots? Or been fascinated by a fungus’s gills? Find art in nature and help create some Westside originals! We will play games to awaken your creativity, get up-close with some local animals and let loose, using mud, plants, sticks and anything else we find to make a masterpiece. Keep a drawing journal each day and create your own works of art to be added to nature.
Price: $300
For current grades K and 1
Our camps are geared for the younger student, with the idea that games, art, and history can create a memorable and exciting camp experience.
Week 1: Song of Africa, July 6-9
Immerse yourself in the rich culture of Africa. Explore the continent through traditional music and dance. Learn how to play Mankala, create a batik painting and build a Galimoto. Taste sweet Banana Bake, African fruit salad, and other traditional African dishes. A truly authentic African Experience awaits you.
Price: $200
Week 2: Life on the Oregon Trail, July 12-16
This is your chance to live history and experience firsthand what it would be like to travel west on the Oregon Trail. Build a covered wagon, try your hand at quilt squares, prepare your own flapjacks, and learn to square dance. Relive the pony express, and have some old-fashioned fun with pioneer toys and games.
Price: $250
Week 3: Secrets of Ancient China, July 19-23
Explore the wonders of Chinese culture; make lanterns, kites and dragons. Prepare your own traditional Chinese cuisine including moon cakes, Fu young and Chinese salad. Learn the art of using chop sticks and test your agility and wit with traditional Chinese games.
Price: $250
Week 4: Medieval Adventures, July 26-30
Ladies-in-waiting, Knights of the Round Table, and chivalrous quests are ahead. Create your own crown or tiara, craft a family coat of arms, and make your own stained glass art. Test your knightly skills with squires’ games, hear the tales and legends of knights and kings, and join in traditional songs and dances of the middle ages.
Price: $250
Week 5: La Vida Bella, August 2-6
Explore the rich cultural heritage of our neighbors to the south. Craft your own Ojo De Dios, Papel Picado and Sun Pottery. Taste warm homemade tortillas, traditional Mexican hot chocolate, and other Mexican favorites. We will hear songs from around the country and play traditional games including fútbol and Patolli.
Price: $250
Week 6: Winaawayáy the Chinook Wind of Summer, August 9-13
Discover the beauty and mystery held within native cultures. Write your own stories in pictographs, make a Kachina Doll, and weave a burden basket. Taste traditional native foods including hominy, wild rice and journey cakes. Play ancient games that have been passed down through generations to become a swift, clever and skilled hunter.
Price: $250