Camp K has enjoyed partnering with several organizations in the community for our “Partner Camps”. Each week, we have welcomed campers from these organizations, including the Natural History Museum, Tanner Dance, Bad Dog Arts, and the University of Utah Youth Programs, and Red Butte Gardens.
The campers have the opportunity to participate in our classic Camp K activities, including swimming, horse back riding, high and low ropes course, fishing, hiking, water games, arts and crafts, skits, and making s’mores at the campfire. They also participate in some activities with Camp K’s Day Camp program, which gives them a unique opportunity to interact with our campers with special needs. We have seen some amazing success stories come from this interaction. Part of Camp K’s mission includes educating our community about the needs and special abilities of people with disabilities. Through this interaction at Camp K, these children are fortunate to learn that people with disabilities are just like them – everyone wants to have fun, be included, and just be a kid at camp.
In addition to participating in Camp K Activities, these campers were able to participate in activities designed by the partner organizations. Tanner Dance and Bad Dog Arts each offered an opportunity for the camper’s parents to visit Camp K at the end of the week, to see first-hand what their campers had learned during the week. Tanner Dance showcased their new skills in a dance performance, and Bad Dog Arts displayed all of the art projects.
The University of Utah Youth Programs offered “specialty weeks” at Camp K. The first was “Horse Camp”, where they spent extra time in the barn, and were able to groom, bathe, and ride the horses. They also learned about equestrian anatomy, and were able to paint some of our horses.
The next week was “Science Camp”, where they used binoculars and magnifying glasses to explore the nature and wildlife that visits us at Camp K. They also learned about the layers of the soil, and the anatomy of the leaves around us. They also were able to learn about fish anatomy by observing the dissection of a fish from our pond.
We look forward to seeing the campers from Red Butte Gardens in August.
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