Two Summer Camps Focused on School Readiness

Designed as culminating summer experiences for Preschool and Pre-K students, Wonders of Pre-K and Wonders of Kindergarten serve as perfect transitions between summer and a new school year. Both camps build on school readiness skills. They provide engaging learning opportunities for children to learn about what happens in the classrooms they are preparing to enter.

Wonders of Pre-K focuses on social and emotional learning skills such as self-concept, self-regulation, and relationships with others. Wonders of Kindergarten focuses on social-emotional development, critical thinking, problem-solving, and the incorporation of language play to promote phonological awareness.

Your child will emerge from these camp experiences feeling empowered and excited about the next step! Here are some of the most-asked questions by parents so you know what to expect:

1.) How do these camps differ from Wondercamp? 
Both camps are an extension of our summer program and follow a similar format. Just like in Wondercamp, the planned activities are open-ended and flexible to encourage children to ask questions, wonder, and construct ideas while making connections between concepts.

• Wonders of Pre-K has language play built into each day to support phonological awareness. Children participate in activities focused on rhyming, sound isolation, and syllables.
  
• In Wonders of Kindergarten, children have opportunities to ask questions and learn more about what to expect in kindergarten. Daily language play supports phonological awareness, which is the foundation for learning to read. Journal writing and a group meeting at the end of the day encourage children to reflect and share their work. 

2.) What does a typical day look like? 
We begin the day with a Morning Meeting. This routine is guided by an open-ended “Wonder Question” to inspire children to share their thoughts or feelings. An example of a Wonder Question could be, “What am I wondering about kindergarten?” This provides an opportunity for children to share their questions, and for the teacher to shape future discussions and activities. Each day includes Guided Play, Wonder Work, Outdoor Exploration, and Language Play.

3.) How does the classroom environment support learning?
We intentionally arrange the classroom environment to facilitate inquiry and exploration. Classroom Learning Centers support small group learning experiences across all learning domains that invite children to research and ask questions about the world around them.

4.) Is there still time to enroll in Wonders of Pre-K or Wonders of Kindergarten? 
Yes! Reach out to your school leaders to ask about camp offerings at your school to see if these school readiness programs are available. (They may vary by location and interest.) Both camps are normally offered during the last week of summer camp programming. 

Planning ahead? Keep Wondercamp in mind for next year, too. Enrollment opens early in the year, so make sure you secure your spot and count on our teachers to give your child(ren) a wonderful summer experience! Talk to school leadership about your options today.