MIDDLER UNIT

SPECIALTY CAMPS

Each day, campers in specialty camps participate in a recreational swim and one traditional camp activity, such as archery, boating, or nature, along with the specialty activities. 

Magic Camp - Level 1

(For beginners) One-week sessions: Weeks 4 & 5

Magician Pat Farenga will teach campers close-up magic using sleight of hand and other techniques, including presentational and theatrical skills. Whether it’s a card trick, mind reading, or making something disappear, this week offers a wide variety of fun activities to keep everyone entertained. Videos of professional magicians performing some of the tricks taught will be discussed. At the end of the week, campers will showcase their magical skills for their fellow campers in a performance. All magic props will be supplied or constructed at each class. 

Magic Camp - Level 2

(For advanced magic students who took Level 1 last summer)

Middlers and Seniors

One-week session: Week 5

Building on the skills learned in Level 1, this class explores more complex magic sleights and techniques, some of which require memorization and simple math. It also includes how to perform tricks for large audiences, basic stagecraft, and working as a team/assistant to make the magic happen. All magic props will be supplied or constructed at each class. Videos of famous magic performances will be shown and discussed as models of techniques and showmanship.

Creative Kitchen

Entering Grades 3-5

One-week sessions: Weeks 3, 4, 6 & 8

Your camper will enjoy a week of imagination, teamwork, and creativity as they practice “garden to table” cooking using produce from our garden beds in our Teaching Kitchen. Campers will prepare summer recipes highlighting specific fruits and vegetables each day while gaining confidence in their culinary skills. An example recipe may include a “build your own pesto pasta salad” where campers will make their own pasta and pesto! Parents with campers who have allergies are strongly encouraged to reach out to Karley, Director of Nutrition Education: kdoray@metrowestymca.org prior to registration.

Art Explorations - Cartooning & Comics

Entering Grades 3-5

One-week sessions: Week 3

During this program campers are bused to the Hopkinton Center for the Arts in the afternoon for art classes lead by HCA staff. They return to the camp for dismissal. Designed for the artist who wants to tell a story with text and images, this popular program invites students to explore cartoons, comic books, and graphic novels. Students will try their hand at single-panel cartoons, short comics, and caricatures, as well as writing stories to go along with their drawings.

Art Explorations - Mixed Media 

Entering Grades 3-5

One-week sessions: Week 8

In this program, we’ll try out lots of techniques such as acrylic painting, collaging, drawing, and layering. We’ll work with painting tools and everyday objects to learn how we can make art out of anything! During this program campers are bused to the Hopkinton Center for the Arts in the afternoon for art classes lead by HCA staff. They return to the camp for dismissal.

Ceramics

Entering Grades 3-5

One-week sessions: Weeks 4 & 6

This workshop will focus on hand-building and sculpture techniques, giving students the skills to create both functional and decorative pieces. Students will learn a variety of ways to build structurally sound vessels and small to medium-sized sculptures. Students will be able to paint their projects but will have to wait until they are glazed and fired in the HCA kiln to pick up their projects. During this program campers are bused to the Hopkinton Center for the Arts in the afternoon for art classes lead by HCA staff. They return to the camp for dismissal. Note: In this workshop, no wheel throwing will be taught.

Magic and Mayhem Theater 

Entering Grades 3-5

One-week sessions: Week 7

Magic and Mayhem: Vicious and Delicious Villains 

This program is designed for fantasy and adventure enthusiasts to delve into the theater, using books and the world around them as inspiration. Campers will learn a play or short scenes inspired by those we love to hate… villains! During this program campers are bused to the Hopkinton Center for the Arts in the afternoon for art classes lead by HCA staff. They return to the camp for dismissal.

Improv Acting

Entering Grades 3-5

One-week sessions: Week 5

In this session, students will explore theater through improvisational games and activities meant to build confidence, voice, and spatial awareness. Students will gain basic acting skills individually and in a group setting. During this program campers are bused to the Hopkinton Center for the Arts in the afternoon for art classes lead by HCA staff. They return to the camp for dismissal.

Champs Sports Camp 

Entering Grades 3-5 

One-week sessions: Weeks 3-8 

Play hard. Play fair. Everyone wins! Campers will learn the values of teamwork, fair play, respect, and hard work while being exposed to a variety of sports. Our YMCA staff will instruct campers in soccer, basketball, street hockey, Gaga Ball, Badminton, Disc Golf, lacrosse, whiffle ball, and NEW this year: Cricket! The focus is on fun, skills, drills, and playing time, where campers will be introduced to athletic training concepts in a fun way. Participants will also take part in traditional camp activities such as high and low ropes, archery, and swimming. 

Pathfinders Wilderness Survival 

Entering Grades 3-5 

One-week sessions: Weeks 3, 5 & 7 

Each day will be a new adventure in our camp forest! We will work as a team to learn and utilize basic safety and survival skills while gaining a greater understanding of our camp home and the use of hand tools! Campers will also design and build basic shelters and forts such as ground-level forts, lean-to-forts, leaf huts, and more! We partner with Owl Eyes Wilderness Survival to offer this program. 

Heels Down Horseback Riding and Ranch Camp 

Entering Grades 2-8 

One-week sessions: Weeks 3-8 

After a morning of traditional camp activities, campers will board the bus to experience riding and ranch life at Willow Brook Farm in Holliston! 

This year, campers combine horseback riding with ranch life at Willow Brook! On Monday/Wednesday/Friday, campers will learn to ride on one of Willow Brook’s 30 horses in small group riding lessons with a trained Instructor. Along with mounted riding, campers will learn to lead, care for, tack, bathe, groom, and ride bareback with their sweet ponies and horses. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, campers get a taste of ranch life which includes hands-on interaction with adorable farm animals! Campers will learn to handle, feed, and care for goats, sheep, alpacas, donkeys, miniature horses, and more! 

Willow Brook will supply a required ASTM riding helmet and riding boots for all campers. Campers will be required to wear long pants/leggings for riding, socks and closed-toed shoes/ sneakers for unmounted horse/animal interaction. 

Live Action Flix Entering Grades 3-5 One week sessions: Week 3 

Discover your filmmaking talents! You don’t have to be an actor to take part, as we’ll guide you through the Hollywood process to create, direct, film, act, and more. You won’t just make an incredible movie; you’ll have the skills to make your own movies with friends. Note: A $35 Production fee is included in the price. Flix emailed within a month after the program ends. We partner with Incrediflix to offer this program. 

Claymation Flix 

Entering Grades 3-5 One-week sessions: Week 3 

Love The Nightmare Before Christmas, Wallace, and Gromit, or Boxtrolls? Then join us to create your own claymation movie! You’ll even get to create your own clay character to star in a movie you’ll film, direct, and voice-over in small groups. Note: A $35 Production fee is included in the price. Flix emailed within a month after the program ends. We partner with Incrediflix to offer this program. 

Special Effect Movie Flix 

Entering Grades 3-5 

One-week sessions: Week 7 

Explosions, tornados, meteors! In these high-intensity live-action movies the special effects will blow your mind! You’ll get to direct, act, and even add special effects as you work with your group to make a movie that will surprise all your friends and family. *$35 Production fee is included in the price. Flix emailed within a month after the program ends. We partner with Incrediflix to offer this program.