Palisades Rec Center Preschool Camp Offers Fun, Silliness and Structure

By JACQUELINE PRIMO | Reporter

Kids ages 3-5 had a blast singing songs, playing games, running around—and learning—at the preschool day camp at Palisades Recreation Center on Monday, July 20 where, despite its well-structured nature thanks to director Dakota Powell and recreation assistant Natalie Bravo, kids got to be kids.

The day camp, which runs Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and has both daily and weekly rates, is structured much like a typical preschool day with meal and snack time, circle time, outside time and plenty of arts and crafts.

The camp is perfect for transitioning your tot back into school come the fall, whether she is 3 and will be starting preschool for the first time or is a 5-year-old pro with three years of preschool under her belt.

And no matter how much school experience your child has, the fun-filled and educational preschool camp’s extremely positive atmosphere, with highly capable teachers and a bright and colorful classroom, guarantee she will learn and have fun this summer.

“This is my seventh summer working at the camp. I came to the rec center preschool when I was younger and began working here when I was 14 as a volunteer, and then worked my way up to a recreation assistant and am now the director for the first summer,” Powell said.

The campers were clearly drawn to her sweet smile and nurturing nature, and Bravo’s silliness and sense of humor got many laughs from the kids when the Palisadian-Post took a peek at the camp in the afternoon.

After the kids finished up their afternoon snack, the campers (wearing camp t-shirts) reconvened on the rainbow oval rug for a bit of song and dance including preschool classics that had the kids hopping like frogs, trotting like horses and skating on imaginary ice.

After a few action-packed songs with a lot of movement, the kids made imaginary pizzas on the carpet and added “toppings” like pepperoni, M&Ms, gummy bears and chocolate before running around and playing with balls in the adjoining gym.

“Activities include camp songs, arts and crafts, playing on the playground, games in the gym, story time, and gymnastics,” Powell told the Post of the camp.

“Wednesdays we go to the library and a company called Super Soccer Stars gives the kids a 40 minute lesson; Thursdays we do a cooking activity; Fridays (and occasionally Thursdays) we have a field trip and the campers give a short performance for their guardians. Field trips from past weeks have included the fire station, Bubblemania, Palisades Pizza, Toppings, and Send in the Clowns.”

Powell thanked additional recreation assistant Mariela Pineda; and recreation aides Griffin Finck, Layla Akbar-Grant, and Annette Sorenson for helping to make the camp such a success. She credited Darlene O’Leary and Margo Grant, both former camp directors, with teaching her over the past years and helping her to transition into the position of director.

The camp runs Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on August 1-7 (field trip will be a BBQ at the rec center). The camp is $225 per week with a $50 daily rate and a $50 one-time registration fee.

To sign up for the Preschool Day Camp or the Sports Camp for kids ages 6-12, sign-up at the rec center office at 851 Alma Real Dr.