Pre Camp

For children ages 3-5

Pre Camp

Pre Camp is what we like to call the "perfect first camp experience" - created just for 3-5 year olds! Carefully designed by our directors to be a nurturing introductory camp experience for preschoolers, Pre Camp is full of traditional Outpost fun and adventure!

There are three sessions of Pre Camp offered for Summer 2012:

Each session has three enrollment options:

Specific session fees are on our general information page. The camp day is from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM. The location is the North City Presbyterian Church in Poway, conveniently located at the Sabre Springs/Poway border on Poway Road just off I-15.

Children must be at least 3 years of age to attend Pre Camp, and toilet trained. If your child is 5, our suggestion is as follows: if you have a 5 year old entering Kindergarten, Pre Camp is designed for your child. If you have a 5 year old entering 1st grade who has completed Kindergarten, he/she is eligible for our Day Camp program. If you have questions about your 5 year old's appropriateness for either of our camps, please contact us.

PROGRAM
A typical day begins with parent drop off between 9:15 and 9:30 AM. Our director and staff greet each child upon arrival and accompany him/her to our meeting area where we begin and end each day with "Campfire" - our traditional opening and closing activity. Campfire is full of songs, skits and other activities that both entertain the children and generate excitement for the camp day.

Pre Camp

Campers are then each called up by their senior counselor into a small group of children of the same age, with whom they will spend the entire session. Outpost is a "group centered" camp - meaning that our campers have the same counselor and peer group for the duration of each camp session. Group centered camping gives children the best opportunity to experience the powerful feeling of belonging, make and keep new friendships, and connect with their counselors. We have found that this is especially powerful for our youngest campers as they adjust to the camp day with familiar faces.

Campers then begin their daily activities, all of which are age-appropriate variations on our traditional Outpost activities that characterize our Day Camp and Senior Outpost programs.

In a typical day Pre Campers play a variety of "old-fashioned" games, participate in nature-based craft activities and outdoor education, visit a special "fort" shared by the groups, eat their lunch, visit the "Crafty Cave", prepare a skit or song for the campfire, and enjoy special guests and theme day activities. Our staff are skilled at pacing the day for preschool aged children, ensuring that activities alternate between very active and quietly passive - helping each camper navigate the day more successfully.

GENERAL INFORMATION
Parent drop off and pick up is 9:15AM to 9:30AM and 1:15PM to 1:30PM. Unlike our Day Camp and Senior Outpost programs, no door-to-door transportation is provided for Pre Camp. Included in the camp fees are two Outpost Pre Camp t-shirts and a group picture, along with all crafts and activities. Campers need to wear closed-toe shoes and bring a lunch. Our Pre Camp Director carefully reviews the medical history and any special needs of each of our campers and works closely with parents to ease first day jitters and make Outpost a successful first camp experience for each child!

OPEN HOUSE
Prior to each session, we hold an Open House. This is a chance for parents to bring their Pre Camper to the location, meet our staff, and see a few of the activities on site to get ready for their first day. Open Houses are held Thursday afternoons from 2PM to 3PM the week prior to the start of each session. Please plan on arriving promptly at 2PM as Open House runs on a schedule with camp tour and an opportunity to "meet the staff" (specifically: be on time at 2PM as Open House is not a "drop by" event). Open House dates for 2012 are June 14, July 5, and July 19. The Session Three Open House (July 19, 2012) is held a full week prior to the beginning of the session, as the site is not available to us the week of July 23-27.

For dates, fees and other general information, click on the NEXT link below. If you have additional questions about our Pre Camp program, contact our office staff.

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