By Darlee S.
I have a great job at Old Salem Museums & Gardens. I work with the tens of thousands of school kids that tour our museums each year. I have to say, though, that one of my favorite things is helping organize the summer camps at Old Salem. I truly believe that Old Salem has some of the best summer camp options for kids in the Triad. We’ve been offering them for more than 30 years and, yes, kids learn at Old Salem Summer Adventures, but they also have tons of fun as well. We offer unique and interactive summer day camps for rising 1st graders through rising 8th graders. They are one-of-a-kind learning experiences that tickle young minds and chase away boredom.
In the words of one mom of a camper, “It’s a great chance for kids to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the 21st century world and take a step back in time. They get to go back to a world where technology didn’t dominate and life was simpler.”
Another said, “It’s a fantastic opportunity to see history in action! It’s so important to understand where we come from, and the hands-on aspects of the camps make it enjoyable for the kids. They learn without realizing they’re learning.”
For younger kids (rising first and second graders) The “3 Yesterdays Camp” runs for three days (June 24, 25, 26) from 9 a.m. until noon. Young campers join Sister Maus and discover what it was like to be a kid who lived in Salem long ago, including how the children worked, learned, and played. Activities include making and playing with 18th century toys, hearth cooking, gardening, and learning what school was like. They’ll also get to enjoy a puppet show.
Older kids can attend “5 Yesterdays Camp,” which is a week long, hands-on camp that focuses on crafts, trades and the lifestyles of the Moravians who lived in Salem in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Activities include working with textiles, pottery, hearth cooking, and other early American skills and trades. It meets from 9 a.m. until noon Monday through Friday. On the last day of each camp week, campers attend a traditional Moravian Love Feast dressed in Moravian costumes. Grades 6-8: July 7-11. Grades 3-5: July 14-18 or July 21-25.
If your kids have aged out of that. Don’t despair, there’s an apprenticeship program for high school aged kids. Plenty of kids who have gone to the Three Yesterday and Five Yesterdays camps have gone on to take part in the Apprenticeship Program. This year, first year apprentices can attend from July 14 – 23 and second year from June 30-July 9. Applications for Apprentices are due by April 1.
Get all the details for Summer Adventures and register at www.oldsalem.org/summer-camps.
*Sponsored by Old Salem Museums & Gardens
