Outback Offers a Childhood Experience of Infinite Possibilities
At Outback Summer Program, there’s a little bit of everything. Maria Laine, Director of Children’s Programs, likens the program’s structure to summer days from her childhood, when only her whims determined her schedule. She could begin the day digging in the sandbox, but if she suddenly had an idea for a skit, she could abandon her shovel and run off in search of friends to serve as cast members.
Outback aims to replicate this child-directed summer experience. The program provides children with a beautiful backyard to play in, plenty of friends to play with, teachers skilled in drawing, dance, ceramics, drama, sports, science and more to guide the activities, and the freedom to design their own days. There are also weekly field trips to local beaches, and 5th and 6th graders may sign up for afternoon intensive art classes at Maud Morgan Arts. “Children can go to a dance camp or a sports camp,” Laine says. “But where else can children get an hour of high-quality dance instruction immediately followed by an hour playing soccer?”
To provide cohesion for the tremendous variety of activities, Outback is organized around a central theme—for 2013, it’s “Exploration”—and each of the eight weeks delves into a related theme. “Around the World in 5 Days” brings children on a journey through art, music, food and sports from far-off lands; “Imagination Station” introduces kids to mythical creatures, fantasy literature and surrealist art; and during the final week, “Outback Remixed” allows kids to do something in a new way, such as playing basketball with a different-shaped ball, or having children teach an activity instead of the teachers.
“Outback is welcoming enough and diverse enough that children feel comfortable trying something not usually in their comfort zone,” says Laine. “We support children to be themselves and grow as they wish.”
Outback Summer Program runs from July 1st through August 23rd. Children may sign up for single weeks or for all eight weeks. Click here to download the registration form or visit us in person at 20 Sacramento Street.
