Halloween Howl (PA Day) – Friday, October 11, 2013 ($45)
Come in costume, experience a haunted house, and create your own candy-gathering receptical for the big day! Includes pizza lunch.

Santa’s Workshop – Saturday, December 7, 2013 ($45)
Our super-popular annual event. Come and make gifts for your family while your parents get some Christmas shopping time. Includes pizza lunch.
(This was so popular that it “sold out” last year – we will be expanding into two age groups this year to accomodate the increasing popularity. Save your spot early!)

Gingerbread Town (PA Day) – Friday, December 20, 2013 ($45)
Today it’s all about gingerbread. Not just a house… a whole town! Make and decorate your own city block and take it home when you’re done… If there’s any left. 🙂 Includes pizza lunch.

Cabin Fever (PA Day) – Friday, January 31, 2014 ($45)
Winter blahs making you crazy? Spend the day at MKDC and we’ll bring back the magic of summer. Includes pizza lunch.

Duct Tape Mania (PA Day)  Friday, March 7, 2014 ($45)
Have you seen all the fancy duct tapes they sell now? Now you’ll know what to do with it! Learn to make flowers, bags, wallets, & more! Includes pizza lunch.

March Break – March 10 – 14, 2014 ($160)
Your vacation at home! Daily rates also available.

Let’s Go Fly A Kite (PA Day) Friday, May 30, 2014 ($45)
Make and decorate your own kite that will actually fly! What better way to welcome spring? Includes pizza lunch.

Let the professionals do it!
This doesn’t have to be you.

Let’s be honest:

Is day camp an excellent place for children to spend their days while their parents are at work? YES.

Does day camp solve the “child care” problem while kids are out of school for the summer? YES.

BUT!!!! Parents, please don’t stop there.

Camp is so much more than that! Even if you don’t require full time child care for the summer, there are still many reasons to consider trying summer camp, even if it’s just for a week or two. I encourage you to think beyond babysitting to the many developmental benefits available for your child:

1) Camp provides social opportunities.

For kids who will be starting school in the fall, camp is a great way for them to practice making new friends and getting along with others. For older children, it gives them an opportunity widen their social circle and meet different peers than those in their regular school cohort. A well-trained camp staff can help children practice healthy social skills through guidance and modelling as they develop these new friendships.

LOOK FOR: A camp that keeps camper groupings consistent, at least over the course of a week. If different kids are dropping in on a daily basis, it is much harder to form strong friendships, or feel a sense of security. Ideally, campers should be grouped carefully by age. Deduct points if the camp puts a wide range of ages in one group. Older children don’t want to hang around with “little kids”, and younger children can be intimidated by the size and attitude of older campers.

2) Camp provides structure & routine.

We’ve all been there – the first week of rest & relaxation is great, but then the kids start sleeping in later and later, eating at random times… The next thing you know it’s September, and trying to get them back on a regular schedule is like pulling teeth. For young kids and for those with special needs (such as ADHD or ASD) a schedule isn’t just a perk but a necessity.

LOOK FOR: A camp that has a detailed, consistent daily schedule that indicates specific activities for each block. Be wary of large blocks of time with vague descriptions. Bonus points for offering a variety of activities over the course of the week, rather than the same activities occurring daily.

3) Camp keeps kids healthy & active.

With the ever-increasing allure of technology, studies have proven that kids today just aren’t getting enough exercise, or time outside. Organized team sports are only one type of activity, so we need to be aware of offering active programming for kids who prefer individual sports, but also other types of programs that offer physical activity without specifically being a sport – such as dance, nature hikes, games, etc.

LOOK FOR: A camp that balances indoor and outdoor play, with a variety of opportunities to be active – not just sports. Bonus points for providing programming that extends skills that may not be fostered in the education system (arts, music, dance, etc)

4) Camp prevents summer learning loss by providing stimulating, inquiry-based learning.

Studies have shown that children who don’t engage their brains in meaningful activity over the summer months actually LOSE some of their progress made during the school year. The trick is that “meaningful activity” DOESN’T necessarily mean school-type work – it can be anything that offers an opportunity to think critically, problem solve, be creative, or expand their social interactions.

LOOK FOR: A camp that has a variety of activities that stimulate a child’s development. Bonus points if the camp also allows campers to make some choices to pursue specific topics that interest them. Deduct points if they regularly use “fillers” that don’t stimulate learning, such as watching movies.

5) Camp exposes kids to non-relative role models.

The 40 Developmental Assets have outlined for us how important it is for children to have role models outside of their family. While teachers are certainly a popular and worthwhile example, the type of role models a child encounters at camp is completely different. Camp staff tend to be younger (late teens & twenties) and the relationship is less formal, making them very relatable to children.

LOOK FOR: A camp that screens staff at the highest possible level. Ask about their application process, staff return rate, and the training process.

Day Camp can be an amazing, memorable addition to your child’s summer, regardless of your child care needs – but it’s important to search for the right camp that will make the difference in your child’s life.

Never been to camp? There’s nothing else quite like it! Here’s a play-by-play of what our campers get to experience during a day at MKDC.

PERTH & SMITHS FALLS, ONTARIO (June 18, 2013) – The summer break is a wonderful opportunity to foster a child’s skills and interests that may not be fully addressed by the school system – particularly in the arts. If your child has a love of the arts, whether visual or performance related, Maple Key Day Camp is offering a program for them.

One of the pillars of Maple Key Day Camp’s success is the opportunity for older children (those 9 years of age and up) to choose a “major” for their time at camp, allowing them to concentrate on an area of interest for a large portion of the day. While the sports major is a popular option, the Fine Arts program at MKDC has experienced a strong increase in enrollment in recent years.

“The Fine Arts program is a wonderful introduction to a wide variety of art forms,” says Kristen Widenmaier, owner & director of Maple Key Day Camp. “We’ve covered everything from scrapbooking to clay sculpture to film making. Every week we take on a new medium.”

As a result of the success of the Fine Arts major, MKDC has added an additional ‘Performing Arts’ major for two weeks in August. Coming at the end of the summer camp season, the campers majoring in Performing Arts will study a variety of skills including improvisation, puppetry, voice, and dance, culminating in a presentation during MKDC’s talent show on the second last day of camp.

“We do our best to keep topics broad within the ‘performing arts’ and ‘visual arts’ genres,” explains Widenmaier. “It’s important that kids are able to explore their interests without having to hyper-focus on one specific element at such a young age. Rather than study JUST painting or JUST dance or JUST vocal, our campers have the opportunity to expand their range of experiences and skills.”

Maple Key Day Camp, established in 2009, is the only privately owned and operated day camp in Lanark County. Their goal is to contribute to the future of our community by providing high quality care and programming specifically designed for the needs and interests of school-aged children. For locations in both Perth & Smiths Falls, the summer session runs July 2^nd through August 16^th and spaces are still available in most age groups and sessions. For more on their programs, or to register, visit www.maplekeydaycamp.com or call (613) 464-2468.

SMITHS FALLS, ONTARIO (June 10, 2013) – Thanks to the Canadian Camping Association and the Charitree Foundation, campers at Maple Key Day Camp will have their chance to leave a mark on the world by planting a tree and making a wish for the planet.

On Wednesday, July 3^rd, campers at both Perth & Smiths Falls locations of Maple Key Day Camp will each plant their own “Wish Tree”, provided through a partnership by the Canadian Camping Association and the Charitree Foundation.

The program sources seedlings native to each province and coordinates delivery in the first days of camp each year, with the hopes that children will experience a deeper connection with nature.

In the pilot project in 2009, twelve camps in the Parry Sound/Muskoka district of Ontario planted 2,300 trees. Since then both the number of camps participating and the number of trees planted has increased exponentially. In 2012, campers planted more than 23,000 trees across Canada. Thousands more are expected to be planted in 2013.

Charitree is pleased to partner with The Canadian Camping Association for the fifth year. “I deeply value the efforts of camp staff to get kids outside, especially now when kids seem to have fewer and fewer opportunities to connect with nature,” said Koehle Jones, Executive Director of The Charitree Foundation. “This is a real loss because research shows that contact with nature makes kids feel better about themselves.”

“Camps really get this and I think the world would be a better place if more children had the opportunity to attend camp – and of course plant a tree.”

This tree-planting initiative is just one of the ways that Maple Key Day Camp is seeking to teach campers to be stewards of the earth. While nature activities have always been part of the schedule, they will also be bringing in a nature specialist three mornings a week this year to help improve the overall quality of the program.

Maple Key Day Camp, established in 2009, is the only privately owned and operated day camp in Lanark County. Their goal is to contribute to the future of our community by providing high quality care and programming specifically designed for the needs and interests of school-aged children. The summer session runs July 2^nd through August 16^th and spaces are still available in most age groups and sessions. For more on their programs, or to register, visit www.maplekeydaycamp.com.

Join us at Maple Key Day Camp for our last PA Day Camp of the school year, and last event before the summer!

What: “Countdown to Summer” PA Day Camp

Who: Ages 4 – 12

When: Friday, May 31, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

Where: GTPC (MKDC’s Perth Location)

How: Register online at www.maplekeydaycamp.com or call us at (613) 464-2468

Cost: $45 includes pizza lunch, snacks, and all activities/supplies

Hope to see you there! 🙂

Despite her young age, Emma Houlahan has already established herself as a mature, seasoned performer, having performed nearly countless times in local productions. She has proved herself capable of performing lead roles alongside much older, more experienced cast members – to the point that audience members are often surprised to discover she is still in highschool. Some of Emma’s recent performing credits include Polly Baker in Crazy for You, Rona in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (performing alongside MKDC’s director!), Paulette in Legally Blonde, and Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady. With training and experience in all three major discliplines (singing, dancing, AND acting) as well as a natural way with children, there is no one better suited to spearhead our new Performing Arts program.

MKDC’s Performing Arts program will be offered in weeks 6 & 7 only. During the other weeks of camp, Emma will be contributing her expertise to our existing Fine Arts Program.

• All students experience learning losses when they do not engage in educational activities during the summer.
• On average, students lose approximately 2.6 months of grade level equivalency in mathematical computation skills during the summer months.
• Low-income children and youth experience greater summer learning losses than their higher income peers.
• Students may not have the same structured meal schedule and access to nutritious meals during the summer.
• Studies show that out-of-school time is a dangerous time for unsupervised children and youth.

Ruth A. Peters, Ph. D

There are a lot of child care options available in the summer – a private babysitter, daycare, a community or church program, or an independently run program. Regardless of what type of care you choose there are options at a variety of quality levels. Here are a few key things to consider when speaking with a potential care provider:

1) Are children grouped according to their age, or are they lumped together?
Children should be with their peer group, in order to provide the most appropriate activities for their stage of development and for maximum social enjoyment. Ten year olds don’t want to be in the same group, doing the same activities as six year olds! Ideally, the range of ages in a single group shouldn’t be more than 2-3 years.

2) How are your staff trained (and for how long, and by whom)? What are their qualifications?
Regardless of whether they are paid or volunteer, they should receive training in activity programming and behavior management – not just first aid! They MUST have prior experience working with groups of children. The staff member(s) in charge should have qualifications that prove a sufficient level of experience to not only supervise children but also to lead and train other staff.

3) How big are the camper groups? What is the maximum ratio?
A large group of 20+ kids does not allow for individual attention, regardless of how many staff there are. The ratio of staff to camper should be low for ALL ages, not just the youngest campers. Also be aware of “overall” vs group ratios. Does the ratio include staff who are not working directly with campers?

4) Is there a schedule posted? What assurances can be made that this schedule is adhered to?
For example, are staff required to prepare and/or hand in their plans in advance? Does the schedule simply list a theme for each day, or an actual breakdown of what happens at each point during the day? (A calendar with one special item on it per day is not the same as a full schedule) Is there an overall daily schedule that provides consistency for campers?

5) How often do the same activities get repeated? If my child registers for multiple weeks, will they be doing the same things over and over again? How often do they watch movies (or other passive activities)? How much variety is in the program?
While its ok to repeat a type of activity (sports, arts & crafts, etc) campers should be provided with a lot of variety to hold their interest. Watching TV/movies on a regular basis is not high quality programming.

6) Do the children leave the property during the camp day? How are they transported? What safety measures are taken?
Anytime children are transported off-site, there is increased risk. How thoroughly a program prepares for and manages this is important. Also, how much time will the children spend in transit? Will they be spending a significant portion of their day sitting on a hot bus or walking long distances?

7) Can you provide me with references? Do you have a current customer that I can talk to about what you have to offer my child?
Any quality program should be able to easily provide you with several references.