Photo courtesy of Aldridge Gardens.
Aldridge Gardens Summer Camp
Teen volunteers assist the Aldridge Gardens Summer campers in creating personal projects such as birdfeeders.
Your child may be artsy, a junior Sherlock Holmes, have a favorite doll buddy or lean toward the mad scientist type. Regardless, he or she can find a niche at next month’s Aldridge Gardens Summer Camps.
Audrey Ann Wilson, gardens education coordinator, said campers are once again “in for some really amazing times.”
“Depending on which camp you’re in, you might build houses for gnomes or fairies in the Secret Fairy Garden, conduct experiments with ‘Bursting Baggies,’ play Duck, Duck, Squirt games, or go on scavenger hunts,” she said.
The week-long camps, tailored for those entering kindergarten through the fourth grade, run 9 a.m.-noon, Monday through Friday in June and are conducted by Alabama certified teachers, she said.
According to Wilson, the camps are carefully formatted to make sure everyone — children, parents and staff — get the most from the experience.
“We include same-age children into groups of no more than 20 per camp and activities change each year,” she said. “One of our most important assets is having carefully screened and teacher-recommended teen volunteers from nearby high schools, thus ensuring our campers individual attention.”
Miller Rice, 6, a rising first grader at South Shades Crest Elementary, said he’s excited to be signed up for his second summer.
“Last year I was in Space Camp and we went to the Fairy Gardens and made moon rocks and a moon with gray and white paint and a poster with planets and some stars,” Miller said.
Miller signed up for Find Hidden Treasures at this year’s camp and an array of activities that could include cooking up snacks in a solar oven to fashioning a natural paintbrush to create his own work of art.
Miller’s mom, Meredith Rice, said she couldn’t be more pleased with the gardens camps.
“The week-long session is perfect and very affordable for the time and wonderful activities,” she said.
Elizabeth Sharpe’s daughters, Cassidy and Reagan, both Prince of Peace Catholic School students, are also second year campers.
“It’s so well run and the teachers and volunteers are great,” Elizabeth Sharpe said. “Most importantly my children love it and when they’re happy, I’m happy.”
The Sharpe sisters both took part in American Girls in Aldridge Gardens Camps last year and Cassidy also participated in Nature Sleuths, while Reagan took part in Critter Detectives.
This year, Cassidy, 8, has signed up for the Painting, Pounding, Picking, Pressing Camp, in which she’ll use paints, fabrics, foliage and flowers to create unique projects inspired by the gardens.
“I’m excited because I just love art,” Cassidy said.
Reagan, 6, is returning to “her favorite,” American Girls Camp, this June.
“Last year they made the dolls hot air balloons and had little easels and drew pictures,” Reagan said. “I know this summer will be fun, too.”
Linda Cronican, a first grade teacher at Hoover’s Deer Valley Elementary School, will be in charge of some of that fun as she oversees two of the American Girls Camps for her second summer as a session leader.
“The campers will bring their favorite dolls and we’ll build their own personal swimming pools and beach chairs,” she said. “We’ll also create original straw hats and scarves for everyone and top it all off with a Friday tea party complete with homemade sandwiches and decorated cookies.”
Cronican said she is so taken with the Aldridge Camp because it’s “based on what children are interested in these days.”.
“Hikes around the lake, the Fairy Gardens, feeding the turtles, ducks and fish in the Lake House,” she said. “It’s a beautiful setting where the children are outdoors, having fun with friends and taking part in fascinating activities. This is wonderful, positive experience for everyone.”
For more information on the camps and how to register, go to aldridgegardens.com.
Entering 5K – second grade
June 1 – 5 Painting, Pounding, Picking, Pressing
June 8 – 12 American Girls in Aldridge Gardens
June 15 – 19 American Girls in Aldridge Gardens
June 15 – 19 Find Hidden Treasures
June 22 – 26 American Girls in Aldridge Gardens SOLD OUT
Entering second – fourth grade
June 1 – 5 American Girls in Aldridge Gardens
June 1 – 5 Chemistry and Construction Kids
June 8 – 12 American Girls in Aldridge Gardens
June 8 – 12 Painting, Pounding, Picking, Pressing
June 15 – 19 American Girls in Aldridge Gardens
June 22 – 26 Chemistry and Construction Kids
June 22 – 26 Find Hidden Treasures
