The Spark – June 2016

Posted on June 8, 2016
The Spark – Summer Camp Edition
June 2016
A Note From The Director
Katie Kheel, Director

It’s almost time for Summer! Summer is a favorite time of children and adults alike, but it can also be a time of transition. Many children will say goodbye to class teachers and school friends, move to new schools, start new camps, meet new friends, and discover new activities. Here are some tips for an easy transition to summer:
1. Find out about some educational activities from school or online to maintain some of their academics.
2. If your child is going to camp, take a walk by the camp location and talk to your child about the camp.
3. Plan playdates with children from camp after the class list goes out.
4. Plan a balance of structured and unstructured activities with enough downtime so your child can enjoy some free exploration.
5. Stay in touch with school friends during the summer.
6. If your child does a sport or creative art, plan a camp activity around that. For example, if your child loves gymnastics, enroll them in a gymnastics camp. Don’t forget we offer afternoon gymnastics camp every week!
7. If your child is starting preschool in the Fall, think about offering them some structure in the summer. Junior Campers offers a nice, fun, nurturing introduction to structured activities and school routines.
Happy Summer!
Toddler Talk
Benefits of Discovery Summer Camp   
Jessica Martinez, Early Childhood Teacher

You know that Andy Williams holiday song, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”? When June rolls around and we start to prep for summer camp at Discovery, the chorus to that catchy and almost completely innapropriate-for-the-occasion tune loops through my head. Every lyric after “it’s the most wonderful time of the year” is basically inapplicable to camp and, well, summer. But this is my favorite time of the year! 


As I get ready to begin my 9th (9th!) summer at Discovery, I think back on all of the pure joy that I’ve  experienced with my Discovery Campers. There’s nothing like the feeling of opening the sprinkler for a crew of suncreened preschoolers on the roof patio, or jamming out to Nick’s glorious rendition of “Yellow Submarine”, or overhearing the conversations of new friends as they hungrily unpack their lunch bags… not to mention the accomplishment of making more beaded bracelets than a single arm could wear at once! Summer is the most wonderful time of the year for the children; they truly feel the freedom the warm weather brings and embrace it better than anyone.

I completely adore camp at Discovery, and I am looking forward to meeting all of this year’s campers so soon!
••••
#favpics
Gym Goodies
Summer Gym Camp
Mary Cain, Summer Coach
Summer Gymnastics is my favorite season of all. Summer camps give kids the opportunity to spend even more time in the gym not only mastering skills, but also playing games, getting more one on one time with coaches and doing arts and crafts.
Discovery offers a 3 hour summer camp that provides both both new and seasoned gymnasts a great way to be in the gym and develop new skills. For the Hot Shots, Pre-Team and Team athletes it is an extremely important time for staying in shape and continue working out to prepare for the next competitive season. If you’re looking to progress your gymnast I highly recommend our Summer programs, as they offer top of the line coaching and most importantly FUN!
Gym Camp Registration
Discovery Announcements
Fall Class Registration
Don’t miss out on the Early Bird discount for Fall Classes! 10% off most classes through June 15th. 
Summer Camp
Summer Camps are filling up! Especially Monday & Wednesday morning camps. Be sure to register today! 
Team Gymnastics
We want to congratulate all of our Team gymnasts for an amazing season! Everyone did a wonderful job at states and regionals.
Karate Promotion
We are so proud of our Karate students! All were able to promote to their next belt levels this semester. We now have 4 brown belts! Next stop, black belts!
Spring Recital
Congratulations to all the dancers who participated in the annual Spring Recital! We are so proud of you! Don’t forget to order your performance DVD. 
Parent Viewing Days
We sent out emails to all families about parent viewing days that take place at the end of the semester. Please be sure to review the information and call if you have any questions, 212-749-8717.
Find Your Spark!

The Spark archive