Dan's Papers -February 27, 2009 - Planning for a Summer of Fun, Learning, Whatever

If you're looking for a truly unique summer camp experience for your child, you might want to consider The Art Farm in Bridgehampton.

The camp's founder, Mari Linnman, founded the camp in 1995 with just three campers. Now, on any given day, the camp is bustling with more than 300 children. A native of Sweden, seeing how competitive other camps, particularly sports camps, could be, Linnman decided to start The Art Farm to offer children a more relaxed and nurturing environment, especially for those children whose strengths weren't in sports. "The idea was to give kids a choice, an alternative to sports camps," she said.

The Art Farm, which also has a Manhattan counterpart, offers children the same activities other camps offer - arts, crafts, sports, water activities - and then some, all with the camp's unique bent. There's something for every age group too, from infants to children through the age of 18. Also, campers ages 8 and up are also allowed to schedule their days so that they are centered around their favorite activities. "Basically, they can design their own day," Linnman said.

But the real heart of the camp is in its fully functional farm, with everything from horses, a donkey, goats, pigs, rabbits and chickens, as well as an indoor animal room with more domestic animals, such as gerbils, guinea pigs, hamsters and various reptiles and amphibians. "Definitely the most popular thing we have are these farm animals," said Patti Robinson, who takes on many different roles at the camp, including responsibilities in the office and teaching art classes. "They love being with the animals...... Somehow the animals just make us different and center the camp."

The camp is also eco-friendly and works to teach children about recycling and other ways to take care of the environment. The art center utilizes recycled materials, and throughout the summer, local artists work on a large-scale outdoor recycled sculpture.

And another key component of the camp is it teaches children to have compassion for others and to help those in need. The Art Farm is closely connected with Linnman's charity organization, Mari's Children, which reaches out to children in need both around the world and also close to home. The organization raises money primarily in two ways. One is through the large scale end of the year carnival, which is open to the public and an affordable and fun family event. The other way campers raise money is by selling baked goods that are made in the cooking classes at the local farmer's market. Because Linnman promises to match and double whatever money is made at the farmer's market, the bake sale usually generates around $10,000 by the end of the summer.

Mari's Children has donated money to local charities and also offers scholarships to the camp to local children in need. But the global outreach aspect of the organization forces the campers to look beyond their own backyard. The organization has donated money towards the renovation of a school for the deaf and blind in Sri Lanka, rebuilt a day care in Thailand for children whose families have been affected by HIV and AIDS and have donated soccer balls to children in Costa Rica. Typically, Linnman seeks out the projects she wants to support, even travelling to different areas to see them with her own eyes. This year, though, she plans on doing things differently, by allowing a panel of older campers decide where the money will be donated at the end of the summer.

Also new this year will be the addition of a sports camp. The Art Farm has always offered sports, but Linnman is looking to strengthen that aspect of the camp. So, throughout the summer, each week will focus on a different sport.

For more information about The Art Farm, go to theartfarms.org or call 631-537-1634.