Children go exploring at a summer camp option
Amelia Shopbell, right, reads a story to Belissima Walker during Explorers day camp.
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald
Amelia Shopbell, right, gives reading pointers to Belissima Walker, left, during Explorers day camp. The camp is open weekdays and is operated by the city of Moses Lake.
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald
Belissima Walker works on a craft project at Explorers camp. The day camp is operated by the city of Moses Lake.
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald
Jaxon Rasmussen works on a craft project during Explorers day camp.
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald
Explorers day camp site supervisor Amy Turner, right, shares some conversation with camper Jaxon Rasmussen. The day camp is operated by the city of Moses Lake.
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald
Explorers day camper Isabella Burgess works on a craft project.
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald
Explorers day campers Jaxon Rasmussen, left, and Gunnar McIntyre, right, work on a project with the help of site supervisor Amy Turner. The camp is operated by the city of Moses Lake.
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald
MOSES LAKE — It’s almost summer and children can — no, they can’t. Not this summer. The COVID-19 outbreak is messing up summer.
Children can still play in the park, and in most places they can play on the slides and swings. But most pools are closed, and events like drama camp and basketball camp are canceled or on hold.
But for some kids, there’s still day camp. Moses Lake city officials are offering the Explorers program.
Explorers camp will be open 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday until Aug. 28.
City Recreation and Explorers Camp Supervisor Carrie Hoiness said the Explorers program is open for children 5 to 12 years of age and meets at The Learning Center, 701 E. Penn St., Moses Lake.
Hoiness created the Explorers camp, which is in its third year. She grew up in Moses Lake. From her own childhood experience, she thought the day camp would be a valuable addition to the community.
“If I had an opportunity like this, I would have been on Cloud Nine,” she said.
The restrictions imposed to fight the coronavirus outbreak are being lifted in phases, and 27 children at most are allowed at Explorers camp in the current phase (Phase 2). Up to 30 children will be allowed in Phase 3, Hoiness said, and up to 40 in Phase 4. When Grant County will enter Phase 3 or Phase 4 is unknown.
Explorers camp is open to parents with limited day care options, Hoiness said. There are enrollment choices for full day, half day or by the week.
“Each week we have themes,” Hoiness said. The first week’s theme was “Just Dig It” and involved literal digging.
“We planted all of our plants in the (Moses Lake) Community Garden,” Hoiness said. “They get to tend that garden all summer long.”
At the end of the summer, children will take home the produce they raised.
The Explorers try to explore Moses Lake, going to places such as a movie theater and the Surf ‘n Slide water park - or rather, they would in a normal year.
“A lot of those places aren’t open,” Hoiness said.
Camp staff has had to adapt, adding activities like scavenger hunts.
“The staff has been super creative,” Hoiness said.
In place of local field trips, staffers have taken kids on virtual field trips to places like the Smithsonian Institution.
“From the moment (parents and kids) walk in, we’ve had to adapt,” Hoiness said. Temperature checks and a health questionnaire are required for everybody entering the Explorers classroom. The social distancing requirements mean tables and campers must be spread out.
The program is still relatively new, but Hoiness said there’s a lot of interest from parents looking for day care options.
Parents can enroll kids at the site, or online at www.mlrec.com.
Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at [email protected].
