Enrollment Opens For Summer Escape Day Camp

Parents can now enroll their children for Summer Escape, a day camp that will run this year from July 2 through August 10 at JFK Middle School.

All Enfield children entering grades 1-8 in September are eligible to enroll in Summer Escape.  The camp will operate from 8:15 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday.  Extended day hours until 5 p.m., and afternoon only sessions are also available.

This year, Summer Escape includes field trips to Lake Congamond in Southwick, MA and a New Britain Rock Cats Baseball game. Summer Escape will also hold Family Fun Fridays and an end-of-year barbecue.

ERfC Executive Director Claire Hall urges families to sign up early this spring.  “Space is limited in all age groups, and busing is on a first-to-enroll basis. Financial assistance is available, but limited,” she noted.

According to Hall, Summer Escape has expanded from four to six weeks this year in response to requests from parents. Summer Escape, a licensed summer camp, is designed to provide a safe and fun environment for children to be with friends throughout the summer. Through innovative, hands-on activities, learning is continued all summer long.

Hall said all children will participate in Summer Escape’s Performing Arts Program, complete with music, dance, and a talent show.  Arts and crafts activities will include making keepsake books, homemade stamps, candy play dough, and pillows.

Summer Escape will also highlight STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) activities. These activities will feature creating a perfect ecosystem, building race cars, exploring how food is digested, making slime, and learning just how much dancing and running affects your heart rate.

Classic outdoor sports and games will include wiffleball, soccer, tennis, flag football, and kickball. Kids will cool down from the summer heat by playing water games, including squirt bottle barber, bubble pie, and the ice cube melt relay. 

All activities at Summer Escape are designed for individual age groups.

Family Fun Fridays will return to Summer Escape, said Hall.  Families are invited to join their children for special events on Fridays between 1-3 p.m. Kids will showcase their projects, and performances will be held during this time.

Parents can sign up their children for any combination of weeks.  The cost for one week is $140 and includes breakfast, a morning snack, lunch, bus transportation, and field trips.

Hall said families who qualify for free and reduced lunch during the school year will also be able to enroll their children at a reduced rate: $40 for free lunch and $50 per week for reduced lunch.

Hall also noted that there are discounts being offered to families with more than one child enrolled and discounts for attending multiple weeks.  For an additional $30 per week per child, families can take advantage of “Extended Day” hours until 5 p.m. There is no late-day bus transportation for the extended hours, and parents must pick up their children at JFK Middle School at 5 p.m.

Hall said, “The ‘Afternoons Only’ program gives children an opportunity to participate in other morning activities such as summer school.” For $55 per week, kids can join Summer Escape at noon for lunch and all afternoon activities.

For more information about Summer Escape and registration deadlines, please visit www.erfc.us, call 860-253-9935 or email info@erfc.us. 

ERfC, a community-based non-profit organization, has been providing innovative after-school and summer programming to Enfield children since 1994. ERfC is a member of the CT After School Network, the National After-School Alliance, the National Institute of Out of School Time (NIOST), and the North Central Chamber of Commerce. All ERfC Centers are licensed by the CT Department of Public Health.