Summer Camp Spotlight: Canton Recreation Theatre Program

Campers put on a show at the Galvin.

Thirty-five young singers, dancers and actors gathered at the Galvin Middle School this month with one mission in mind: to put on a musical. Following an earlier Canton summer production of “Cinderella,” musical theatre instructor Leslie Van Dyk and four other staff members guided the aspiring Broadway babes, ages seven to 14, to a performance of “Peter Pan." “Cinderella was a huge success,” said Van Dyk about the July production. “A lot of kids from ‘Cinderella’ were in ‘Peter Pan,’ too.”  Casting and preparing a show for performance in a week could be a daunting task, but Van Dyk said she’s very organized in her approach to musical theatre camp.  “I burn CDs for the children, and they purchase them for $1,” she said. “The songs that will…

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Summer Camp Spotlight: Wild at Art Camps in Canton

Art enthusiasts and nature lovers come together at Mass Audubon Visual Arts Center.

Campers are creating, exploring and learning all summer at the Mass Audubon Visual Arts Center’s “Wild at Art” camps. The series of programs for children ages 3-16 encourages creativity through art activities like pottery, animation and video, while also providing opportunities to explore the 138-acre wildlife sanctuary through hands-on activities and nature games. It is a unique program, according to Mass Audubon Visual Arts Center’s Sharon Lee.  “It’s visual arts inspired by nature,” Lee said. “Some nature camps do walking trails and looking at animals, but our main thing is getting into nature by experiencing art. People can come and enjoy our exhibition gallery, which helps them think about nature and how they relate to the natural …

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Kris Lapota

11:56 am on Wednesday, August 3, 2011

What an awesome opportunity for kids!   more ›

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Photo Gallery: Kids Camp Talent Show in Canton [VIDEO]

The Canton summer camp wrapped up with a talent show on Friday.

Hundreds came out Friday afternoon to cheer on the campers in the Kids Camp Talent Show at the Galvin Middle School in Canton. The talent show marked the end of the camp journey for the 700 little campers. The week-long summer camp in Canton is run by the volunteers at St. Gerard's Church each year. Congrats, campers!

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Senior Year

Grateful for the Kids Camp Experience

Our columnist shares her Canton summer camp experiences–as a kid and as a counselor.

Another successful week of Saint Gerard's Kids Camp has passed. St. Gerard's Kids Camp takes place every year at the Galvin Middle School. The camp is one week long and is very enjoyable for the kids. This year, there were over 700 campers. Campers range from the ages of five-years-old to 12-years-old. There were about 300 counselors for this week's camp. Counselors are ages 13 and up. For the most part, counselors are in high school. But of course there are the faithful college students that come back to help out with the camp.St. Gerard's Kids Camp is free for the campers. The camp survives off of generous donations. Every year, the camp chooses a theme. This year, the theme was Pixar. Each age group had their own Pixar movie to …

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Summer Camp Spotlight: Camp Discovery in Canton

The half-day program provides preschoolers with a first summer camp experience.

Camp Discovery, a program for four and five-year-olds, is run by the Canton Recreation Department. The half-day program meets in two-week sessions through August 19 at the recreation office playground at 92 Pleasant Street. It is the first summer camp for many children, and Jessica Gould and Amanda Kelly, two college students who run the program, work to make it a low-key and enjoyable experience.  A typical day’s schedule begins with free play on the playground, followed by age-appropriate board games such as Connect Four or Memory, or catch, or soccer on the playground. Craft time follows, and the camp provides a variety of projects for little hands.  “Today (July 12) we’re going to plant marigolds in little pots that they can take home…

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Frugal Family

Frugal Family: July 9 Edition

Check out these family-friendly ideas that will keep your kids engaged and entertained during the summer months.

Deal 1: Summer Concert Series How It Works: The Canton Recreation Department  is hosting its free Summer Concert Series starting this Wednesday, July 13 on the lawn of Canton High School from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Bring your blanket, lawn chair & a picnic! Good Through: Wednesdays through August 10, 2011.    Deal 2:  Canton Academy How It Works: The Canton Public Schools summer enrichment program still has openings for its upcoming sessions. The cost for one program is $55.00 - cheaper than most other summer programs.  Contact Ed Amico at amicoe@cantonma.org  for more information. Good Through: Ongoing   Deal 3: Free Fridays at Discovery Museum How it works: The Children's Discovery Museum in Acton is offering free admission all day on …

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Memoirs from Motherhood: The Parenting Patch

School's Out for the Summer

Parents need not fret, there are plenty of ways to keep your kids busy and active this summer in Canton.

The last day of school is always bittersweet. For parents, it is yet another reminder of how much your child has grown, while for kids, it is the beginning of the best time of their young life – summer vacation! I’ve always loved summer above all other seasons and I think the reason for that was because summer as a kid meant two full months of carefree days playing with friends, swimming in pools and hitting the beach. If I only I had realized how numbered and short-lived those carefree days had been when I was in the midst of them. Adulthood kicks in and before you know it, you realize you haven’t had a summer off since you were a teenager and will not have another one in sight until, I don’t know, retirement? The hot days, humidity, and …

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Patch Picks

Patch Picks: Summer Camps

Summer Camp is just around the corner.

It is that time of year again. As soon as the snow melts, spring and summer are right around the corner. Thank goodness! Now is the time to plan your children’s summer camp adventures. Wait any longer and the tuition rates will skyrocket, the dates you want may be booked and the camps may even be closed to late admissions. Think about what kind of camp suits your children’s needs, your time needs and your budget. Check our links for more information! 1. St. Gerard’s Kids Camp, Canton. For many years, the volunteers, teen parishioners and entire Canton community have collaborated to run a very affordable, action-packed summer camp, based at the Galvin Middle School. Held July 11-15,so plan accordingly. For more information, call Kathy at …

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