by Jo Barnes –
“There’s nothing to do.”
Well … you could wash the car. And Daisy needs to be taken for a walk. And, oh what was that other thing you might do? Oh yes … You could make your own robot!
The start of summer can be stressful for kids and parents, but the diversity of summer camp programs at Panorama Recreation will transform that apathy to adventure and disinterest to delight.
“Panorama’s fantastic staff and diverse lineup of camp activities really sets their programs apart,” says Hannah Nawroth, Assistant Community Recreation Coordinator.
Camp leaders have extensive backgrounds working with youth and work hard to create fun camps that are also valuable.
Says Hawroth: “This year, physical literacy skill development, nurturing of creativity and environmental awareness are key focuses.”
Summer 2016 features popular camps like Sunseekers (ages six to eight) and Adventure Seekers (ages six to 11), which run weekly from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and carry special themes like “Summertime Safari” or “Time Travelers.” Also returning are: Outdoor Pursuits (ages nine to 13) featuring out-trips like kayaking, paddleboarding, or rockclimbing; and Mountain Bike & Dirt Jump and Afternoon Adventures (six to 10), a full-day program on bike fundamentals and safety as well as indoor and outdoor games.
So what’s new this summer? Are you a budding chef aged seven to 12? The half-day Kids in the Kitchen gives participants a chance to prepare and eat delicious cuisine and learn safety skills and nutrition along the way. Are you aged nine to 12 and love biking? In the full-day Mountain Bike & Swim you can navigate challenging trails then cool off with a swim in the pool. For the 11- to 15-year-olds who love excitement and challenge, there’s Extreme Teen Outings featuring a choice of tubing down the Cowichan River or a high wire rush at Adrenaline Zipline Adventure. For the year-round hockey enthusiast there’s Youth Hockey League for ages six to 13.
If sports are what you seek, then Panorama delivers. There’s top-notch coaching from organizations like Eli Pasquale Basketball Camps or Soccertron. And talk about choice! There’s tennis, basketball, gymnastics, power skating, aquatics, dance, ping pong, squash, soccer, kayaking, horseback riding, and rowing.
Passionate about performing arts? With the talented staff from Allegro Performing Arts, you’ll learn all kinds of dance moves in Dance Performance. Serious for science and nature? Budding techies have a chance to learn animation, create videos and build their own robots in Byte Camps. Explore the world of inventions or learn about detective work in Mad Science Camps.
With so many camps, it’s best to check the website for detailed weekly activity schedules: https://www.crd.bc.ca/panorama/programs/camps-pro-day.
Panorama Recreation summer camps are the sure-fire cure for summertime boredom … and it sure beats washing the car!
