The Scene
Tucson’s blazing hot desert summer; two active, imaginative boys; one restless mom wanting time with the boys but also to work; one dad working full time from home and hoping for a quiet house.
The Goal
Find time for the mom to plan and teach several Nature to You desert gardening classes AND find several special-interest camps to occupy the boys for part of the summer. This mom is really picky – can the camps provide hands-on, nature-honoring, well-supervised, caring experiences for my own children while I work at providing the gardening equivalent to other families?
The Results
Over the last five years, one or both of my boys have attended day camps at seven different venues around Tucson, AZ. For our family, this has been in the form of 1-day or 1-week at a time based on the kids’ interests and my willingness to pay. Myself and my husband stay home or travel with the boys the other hours and weeks, plus get a baby-sitter now and then. Based on the kids’ stories and my mom-gut at drop-off and pick-up, the day camp WINNERS are…
- Humane Society of Southern Arizona (HSSAZ)
Hold and feed furry animals, play animal doctor, see and smell the real kennels, hear inspiring stories from animal workers – and also get some coveted screen time watching animal-themed movies. This is the one camp that both boys have BEGGED for, and one or the other has received, three years running. Campers do stay inside, but use good chunks of that time handling real guinea pigs, rabbits, rats, cats, dogs, and snakes. Kid 2 was bawling at the end of camp because he couldn’t take the animals home. Kid 1 has a growing understanding of the role different volunteers and staff play in rescuing, fostering, and caring for Tucson’s population of animals in need. The relationship between kids and counselors is clearly kind. Back at home, I also love referring to Humane Society camp activities when caring for our own menagerie of pets.
- Art + STEM = STEAM @ Steam Pump Ranch
Digging in the mud, watching ground squirrels, practicing archery – this is truly an outdoor camp I just discovered, and just 20 minutes from our home. Steam Pump Ranch is the location, a historic ranch in Oro Valley. Huge old trees shelter picnic tables for crafts and snacks; kids have free time to construct miniature canals (shown in title image), play gaga ball, or pull out their Pokemon cards if they wish. My boys attended the week with the bird theme and came home with paper airplanes, decorated birdhouses, and wire roadrunner sculptures. A real wild roadrunner inspired the latter project. The ground squirrel sightings were at the nearby public pool, included in the extended day fee. One BIG caveat on this Oro Valley Parks and Recreation camp is that it starts at 7:00 a.m. – a minus for getting ready after many slow summer mornings, but also a plus for making outside activities enjoyable.
- Reid Park Zoo
An oldie but goodie. Kid 1 attended this camp back in 2016 but still remembers it fondly. Highlights were cleaning out the giraffe enclosure, making pinatas for the bears, meeting the rhino up close, and other behind-the-scenes explorations. Part of each day took place indoors in the beautifully designed education center, and part out and about in the zoo. My son was a pretty shy kid at the time but felt safe and included with the experienced staff. He still feels a connection to the animals and place when we go to the zoo as a family. Reid Park Zoo happens to be the farthest from our home among our favorite camps, but I’d send either kid again if he asked.
- St. Mark’s Early Childhood Center
This age 3-8 camp is a favorite for Kid 2, though he has just about outgrown it. St. Mark’s ECC (the one on Magee and La Canada) was home to both boys for preschool. So it’s fun to return. It’s also fun that last summer Kid 2 got to make gloopy science projects and learned that he loves to cook. This summer, cooking camp was full, but he bounced back when he learned one of his favorite teachers was leading ROCK camp! I had no problem getting him out the door each morning to see which fossils or minerals he would find – and keep. A new rock collection lives under his bed, and he’s proud to teach us about his treasures too. Most activities are inside, though the kids also get recess on the newly refurbished playground.
Next?
Summer vacation 2019 comes to a close this week. Camps, slow mornings, and family trips will become storied memories as the school year builds new adventures and renewed friendships for my kids. Come next spring, though, my scheduling brain will appreciate this list as a starting point for Summer 2020. I’ll also be in search of multi-week options in case Steam Pump Ranch is full. What winners would you add?