In our Deep Ocean Explorers theme, campers will uncover the mysteries of the Mariana Trench on a voyage to the planet’s deepest point. They’ll craft art depicting extraordinary ocean dwellers including creatures like nudibranchs, basket stars, and bioluminescent jellyfish. Campers will engineer deep-sea exploration vessels and other useful inventions inspired by octopus tentacles or coral creatures. This summer, we’re excited to help campers chart a course for innovation and take the plunge into an unforgettable underwater adventure.

At Camp Galileo, we group kids by grade so they can have fun and challenging experiences while enjoying age-appropriate activities. Our youngest group, consisting of children entering pre-K or kindergarten in the fall, are the Nebulas. The middle bunch, entering 1st and 2nd grade, are our Stars. And our final, oldest group are the Supernovas, entering 3rd to 5th grade.

A Typical Day In The Life Of A Deep Ocean Explorer

The order of your camper’s outdoor, art, and science sessions changes on a daily basis, but here’s what you can expect in a typical Deep Ocean exploration day:

8:00 am – If you’ve selected extended care, this is when your child’s day begins.

8:50 am – Campers are greeted at the Fun Machine. We start the day with our opening ceremony and a team-building session to get the good vibes and collaboration flowing.

9:40 am – 10:50 am – Art Studio

Nebulas

1. Take inspiration from the molluscs of Maug Lagoon as you sculpt your own brightly colored, uniquely featured nudibranch.
2. Wiggle your artistic energy into a deep sea tube worm puppet, dipping, dyeing and tearing fabric to craft the cylindrical creature and its retractable plume.

Stars

1. Peek through your porthole to create a layered underwater scene from the shallowest ocean reefs to the bottom of the Mariana trench, complete with painted depth gradients, a textured environment and stenciled sea creatures.
2. Collaborate with your fellow ocean explorers to mold, dye and detail a multi-branched, spiral-tendrilled basket star.

Supernovas

1. Create illuminated undersea-style art with a bioluminescent jellyfish lamp.
2. Craft your jellyfish’s 3D bell shade from paper, covering it with vibrant, paper mache to make a translucent shade.
3. Attach an array of spiral-cut, folded, braided or finger-knit tentacles and finish it with festive fairy lights.

10:50 am – 11:05 am – Snack Break

11:10 am – 12:20 pm – Teambuilding and Outdoor Play

Nebulas

1. Keep your head (and body) above water as you hop from island to island without getting caught by a circling shark.
2. Work in boat-and-captain pairs to sail through a sea-themed obstacle course as fast as the waves will carry you.

Stars

1. Right your ship and find your way back to port by navigating the correct course through the ocean without making a wrong move.
2. Transform into a shark and work alongside your team to swim away from fisherman trying to trap you in their tank.

Supernovas

1. Set sail for the great outdoors, collaborating with your Supernova shipmates to stay safe and dry inside a swiftly shrinking lifeboat.
2. Follow your captain’s ocean-themed orders on the double as you row through a rapid round of Shipwreck.

12:25 pm – 1:25 pm – Lunch and Outdoor Play

1:25 pm – 2:25 pm – Science Workshop

Nebulas

1. Engineer equipment for your ocean adventures. Use foam and toothpicks to build and test a cargo-bearing exploratory vessel that can stand up to rough seas, with a sturdy hinged grabber designed to pick up seafloor specimens.

Stars

1. Investigate the coral reefs of the Mariana Islands and then build your own, using paper folding and taping techniques to model the size, structure and strength of the real thing.
2. Engineer a jellyfish that travels like the Velella—the “by-the-wind sailor” that travels on the ocean’s surface by tilting its sail into the wind.

Supernovas

1. Build a seaworthy recreation of the Okeanos Explorer research vessel.
2. Construct a watertight hull to carry your cargo and a swiveling crane that can transport a submersible from ship deck to sea floor. Fine-tune and reinforce your buoyant boat to move steadily through simulated waves.

2:40 pm – 2:50 pm – After reaching the apex, our day comes to an official end with the Closing Ceremony.

3:00 pm – 6:00 pm – The fun and games continue for kids in extended care.

Our art, science, and outdoor summer camps are designed to help our campers develop an innovator’s mindset, a frame of mind where they aren’t afraid to make mistakes and courageously embrace challenging ways to solve new problems. To learn more about our camps in your area, click the button below to find a location near you. ????

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