Essex, CT – Spend a week filled with exploration and discovery at the Connecticut River Museum’s Summer Adventure Camps. Travel back in time and find out about life in colonial America; grab a net and see if you can capture critters in the Connecticut River; sail on a 75 foot wooden sailing ship and design your own watercraft; get your hands dirty discovering the past beneath us; and explore Native American lifeways. Each themed week of camps gives kids a chance to learn about science, art and history through projects, games, crafts and hands-on activities. Choose your adventure today! Every year the Connecticut River Museum’s Summer Adventure Camps offer children age 6 to 12 the opportunity to get hands-on in history and have some fun learning about the Connecticut River Valley at two locations, historic Bushnell Farm in Old Saybrook and the Museum’s riverfront campus in Essex.
This year, the widely popular, week-long programs kick off on July 7 with Finding the First Americans for children age 9-12. Bushnell Farm’s wigwam is the base for exploration of Connecticut Native American life in the 1600s. Campers will help prepare a tree to be a dugout canoe, make a wigwam model, create pottery, and cook on an open fire. River Rangers, for ages 9-12, takes place the week of July 28th and is located on the Museum campus. This week of environment exploration includes visits to islands, opportunities to explore the natural habitats along the River, build aquariums and conduct science experiments. For those 9-12 year olds who prefer shipboard adventures, Life At Sea is scheduled for the week of August 4. Campers will learn the skills and explore sailor life on the historic wooden schooner Mary E. They will also design and test their own model boats and even construct a boat that can hold a person. For those 9-12 year old aspiring archaeologists, Digging into the Past is a sure bet for discovery during the week of August 11. River Explorers for ages 6-9 runs the week of July 21st and offers younger campers a chance to discover the Connecticut River through a wide range of activities including using nets to catch critters, sailing on the Mary E, science experiments, history detective activities and lots of arts, crafts and games.
Each program runs Monday –Friday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm with after care available until 5:00 pm. A simple snack is provided, or kids can bring their own. The non-member fee is $250 per week. The member fee is $235 for each week. After Care is $50. Advance registration is required. To reserve a space, download and mail in the registration form from www.ctrivermuseum.org or contact the Connecticut River Museum at 860-767-8269 or jwhitedobbs@ctrivermuseum.org. The Connecticut River Museum is located on the Essex waterfront at 67 Main Street. The camp is licensed by the State of Connecticut.
