Toronto Trekkers Outdoor Adventure Program

Oooh... I like this one for so many reasons. I think this is a neglected market, too: day camps for older kids with an interesting focus other than sports or crafts.

Plus the adventure program at Toronto Downtown Outdoor Trekkers (TDOT) gets campers out and about in the city while teaching them how to get there at the same time. (Some of you may be surprised to learn that a good chunk of children reach teendom without ever having stepped foot on the TTC.)
Double plus, the field trips include visits to the city's great green spaces, such as High Park and Ashbridges Bay.
And triple plus: community engagement is on the agenda.
Jane Jacobs must be smiling somewhere right now.
Added bonus? It's run by a former Palmerston PS student. Here's the scoop:

"I am a former Palmerston student and was there [Mayfest] on Saturday to run a game on behalf of Toronto Trekkers. It is a summer camp program I've developed and am launching this summer that aims to get young people outside and using the outdoor spaces around the city while participating in a variety of fun games, activites and workshops.

...The program is based out of Christie Pits Park and we have collaborated with the Friends of Christie PitsPark on a park cleanup and a community pizza lunch; with the Harbord Village Residents Association neighbourhood cleanup, National Youth Arts Week for a Community Mural and Art in the Park event and more.

... Thanks! 

Simon

  

Toronto Downtown Outdoor Trekkers (TDOT) presents the:

Toronto Trekkers Outdoor Adventure Program for youth aged 9-15.

 More than a typical day camp, it features a fun and exciting schedule that includes: 

• Trekker Training: Outdoor Survival Skills, Bicycle Maintenance, Capoeira, Yoga, Improv Comedy & Drama, and more led by professionally trained instructors. See website for more!

 Trekking Toronto Trips: Travel to many of the best outdoor, green spaces Toronto has to offer; High Park, the Islands, Cherry Beach, Ashbridges Bay and more! Learn navigational skills and more en route! 

• Trekker Teambuilding, leadership games and activities. Fun challenges that will build confidence, trust and communication. 

•  Community Engagement and Collaboration  projects with various organizations and groups. E.g. community gardens, murals etc. 

Our mission is to build and strengthen community bonds through active meaningful engagement in urban outdoor settings and to get young people outside, active and engaged.

Program begins July 30th; one week and multiple week sessions available. Program is based out of Christie Pits Park (Christie and Bloor). 

For more info on the Summer Program, School Programs and Community Events see: 

www.TorontoTrekkers.com 

Contact: Simon@torontotrekkers.com

“These streets are made for trekking”

For The Teens In Your Life: Experiential Learning

I was an abysmal high school student. Bored, restless and impatient. Sitting in a classroom being talked at is not my cup of tea. I would so much rather be out in the world, learning lessons from real life experiences, or at least having a conversation as I learn.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, my children have inherited that trait. So when EduTravel For Credit came into being last year, I jumped on it as a way for my son to earn his Grade 10 Civics and Careers credit (mostly) by travelling.

He went to Ottawa, New York and Montreal for a week and did classroom work for a week (and on the long bus trips). He loved it, got a good mark and had a spare this year. As a bonus, he heard from other students taking Civics and Careers that it's a particularly stultifying course at his school.
This summer, both my kids will be going on EduTravel trips, filling a gap created by having outgrown sleepaway camps. (In an ideal world, they'd be able to work, but 16 seems to be the minimum age for that these days.)
EduTravel For Credit also offers March Break options.

Cheers,

Vanessa

Ballet Creole Summer Camp

This is a little out of our area -- Dovercourt and College -- but I'm a big fan of interesting summer camp opportunities, so if your child is between six and twelve, he or she might want to enjoy Ballet Creole's two-week summer camp.

Running from July 5th to 16th from 9 am to 3 pm each day, the Arts Camp includes dance, music and arts and crafts.
The prices is definitely right, too at $335.
Enjoy!
Vanessa

AGO Camps Opening Up

Summer camp space in T.O. is always at a premium and even more so this year since the city workers' strike has shut some of them down.
Although they're probably happening too late to be of help to parents left stranded by the strike, the AGO actually has space left in two camps.
This was in the latest eNewsletter:
"Design Camp: Spaces still available!
Art camp is almost sold out so we've added another week of camp!
One week: August 24-28, 9 to 4 pm.
Fun and friends in a Surreal world of art making for ages 6-13.
Spaces still available in the AGO/OCAD design camps! An entirely new camp experience for children ages 8-13 years. OCAD faculty lead 2-week design camps in OCAD studios, exploring architecture, environmental design, textiles, graphic design and much more.
To view the full camp schedule, please click here. Call 416-979-6608 to register today.
Cheers,
Vanessa