Dan's Papers - March 21, 2008 - Short Term Camps: A Quick Burst of Summer Fun

While many parents opt for the 2-month long summer camp, there are many other options that are targeted to a child's special interests or needs. Some short-term summer day camps offer a weeklong blast of fun for East End kids and teens; others teach children coping skills for more serious life experiences A short-term camp provides kids the chance to make local friends and have a great experience without the time commitment, or financial investment that a summer-long session demands. Of course, just because these camps are short on length doesn't mean they're short on the depth of experience. From a science adventure that gets kids in touch with local ecosystems, to a farm where kids can spend the morning tending ponies and the afternoon on jet-skis, to a chance for bereaved youngsters to build coping skills that will last a lifetime, these short term specialty camps prove that a lot can happen in a week.

The Marine Museum Ocean Fun Days Camp offers local youth from ages 6-12 an opportunity to learn about the local marine environment and the history of native ecology on the East End. Activities include on-site programs at the Marine Museum in Amagansett as well as hiking and beach activities that bring kids into touch with the natural environment. The camp fee is $200 per week-long session. Campers ages 6-8 can attend the week of July 7-11 or July 21-25. Campers ages 9-12 can attend July 14-18 or July 28-August 1. For more on the Museum, visit easthamptonhistory.org. For camp registration and information, contact the East Hampton Historical Society at (631) 324-6850.

The Art Farm in Bridgehampton offers a variety of programs ranging from a Mommy & Me playgroup to a water sports intensive for young teens. Campers at the Art Farm are treated to arts and sports activities, and given chances to interact with animals in an idyllic farm environment. In the Riders program, kids ages 8-15 learn and practice water sports like waterskiing and skatesurfing with trained instructors at local beaches. Students ages 8-11 can combine the Riders program with the on-campus Art Farm day camp for a half-day at each site. Camp starts June 30 and goes through August 22. Kids can sign up for sessions as short as one week in length: a week at the Art Farm costs $835, and a week in the Riders costs $1160. With both programs, campers who sign up for longer stretches pay less per week. For more, visit theartfarms.org, or call (631) 537-1634.

Camp Good Grief is a summer day camp for children and young teens who have experienced a loss. The bereavement camp is free, and children between the ages of 4-16 who have lost a person or persons close to them are eligible to attend. Each day, the 100+ campers attend sessions of group therapy and art therapy, choose from electives in sports and the arts, and come together for a camp-wide special event. Camp Good Grief is held at St. Gabriel's Spiritual Retreat for Youth on Shelter Island, and busing to the facility is provided. Every staff member at the camp, including social workers, therapists and volunteers, has hospice training, and camp coordinator Sarah Zimmerman says the camp strives to teach children "a model of grief they can use for their whole life." The 2008 session will run from July 21 through July 25. To read more, visit the camp's website at eeh.org/campgoodgrief.html, or contact East End Hospice Bereavement Coordinator Sarah Zimmerman at (631) 288-8400 for enrollment.

For older teenagers coping with loss, Time 4 Teens is another safe space for fun and counseling. Run by Southampton therapist and social worker Laraine Gordon, Time 4 Teens is for youths aged 12-17, and offers a mixture of classic camp activities like sailing and kayaking alongside an innovative mix of therapy techniques including group discussion, transformational breathing, psychodrama, and other outlets for feelings and thoughts. Like Camp Good Grief, Time 4 Teens is at the St. Gabriel's facility on Shelter Island, with busing available. The camp will take place over four days in August, with hours from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day, and the participation fee is $25 per family. For more information, including pictures and video from last year's camp, visit time4teens.org, or contact Laraine Gordon at (631) 338-7258 to register.