South Brunswick Community Education runs multiple themed summer camps for youngsters.
By: Rebecca Tokarz
Twelve campers surrounded a rainbow-colored parachute fabric on Monday, jumping up and down as their counselors hand-picked who would be the next to get dizzy.
"Me, me!" the campers shouted.
Before long, two campers and one counselor jumped into the center of the parachute.
Once they were settled, the campers picked up the handles on the outside edges of the parachute and began to walk in a circle, dragging the fabric with them, quickly twisting it around the three in the middle.
After four turns around in a circle, the counselors shouted, "OK, ready? On three," just as the surrounding campers pulled the fabric out from around the campers inside, causing them to twist around and around in a circle, screaming with delight.
Just as quickly as the game ended, it started again this time with a different group of kids, all ready to be twisted up and spit out.
The sounds of joy were an indication that the campers were having a good time at BASE Camp, one of the many summer camps run by South Brunswick Community Education.
Throughout the summer, Community Education runs a series of camps that each follow a different theme. Some focus on different age levels. Some are sports oriented, while others are geared toward science and technology or other academic enrichment programs.
Some camps run in one-week sessions, while others are two weeks. BASE Camp is run at Indian Fields school and is for campers entering first grade through fifth grade and holds about 200 campers per session.
Camp runs in two-week sessions. Sessions began the week of June 25 and will continue through Aug. 15. Regular camp activities run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., but parents can drop their children off as early as 7 a.m. and can pick them up as late as 6 p.m. Kids in the before or after-camp program participate in different activities and games.
Each camp session follows a different theme, including technology, theater, photography and nature. This session’s theme was nature, and campers spent the week taking part in different nature hikes and other fun nature-related activities.
Howard Satnick from Planet Pets in Franklin brought various reptiles and animals to camp for a reptile show on Tuesday.
"The kids can hold them," Camp Coordinator Ernie Schneider said.
Although each session follows a theme, not all the activities are theme related. At the start of each week, campers at BASE camp pick what clubs they’d like to take part in for the week. The activities range from group games, nature activities, drama, to art and gym activities.
The art clubs are particularly popular, because most kids like lanyard.
"Lanyard is really big the kids are always doing it," Mr. Schneider said.
Campers go on trips to the Liberty Science Center, to the movies, the beach and Spruce Run or Round Valley state parks.
At the parks, campers can take walks, swim or fish.
"It’s a nice environment, it’s in the middle of the forest. They can swim and fish in the lake," Mr. Schneider said.
Regardless of the session the camper attends, Mr. Schneider said, the goal is for the kids to have fun in a safe place.
"For kids to be in a safe environment, where they can learn new things, while having fun at the same time. They can meet new friends and learn new activities," he said.
That process is made easy by the BASE Camp staff of about 30 counselors.
"The counselors come in and have a lot of energy the kids pick up on that," Mr. Schneider said.
The campers seem to enjoy different aspects of BASE camp.
For Nivruth Marameddy, the best part about attending camp has been learning about cooking.
"My favorite part of camp is the cooking club. I like cooking it’s so much fun," Nivruth, 8, said.
Geoffrey Watman enjoys taking part in all the activities that go on at camp, especially the games.
"(I like) the lots of activities I love Chinese Bull Dog and 4-Taggers," Geoffrey, 8, said.
Four-tag is a game where a color is called. If a child is wearing that color, he must get from one side of the play area to the other without getting tagged out, he said.
Brendan McKee said he loves the gym activities.
"I like gym because they do a lot of sports they do a lot of fun games like Chinese Bull Dog and kick ball," Brendan, 8, said, adding that he’s made a lot of friends while attending camp.
Eight-year old Amber Nolan said the best part of camp is the arts and crafts time.
"I like going to club you can make lanyards and other art," she said.
For others, like Jacob Olen, 8, spending time outside on the field behind the school proves to be the most fun.
"I like going outside and playing kickball and taps," Jacob said.
Taps, Jacob said, is a game where participants hold a ball for a couple of seconds and then jump up into the air and throw it.
This year’s BASE Camp sessions currently have waiting lists.
Cost for each session varies depending on the selected session, but they range from $280 to $375 per session.
Tuition includes a T-shirt and daily, morning and afternoon snacks, but campers bring their own lunches.
For more information on any of the camps and their camper availability, contact the office of Community Education at (732) 297-7800.