From music and drama to circus arts, Camp Magic brings out the creative magic in every child (and maybe even a few parents, too).
Still searching for school holiday entertainment? Prefer something a little more inspired than school by another name? If your child has ever threatened to run away to the circus, here’s your chance to make their escape plan a reality, stopping off along the way to play soccer, listen to some stories, learn guitar, and do a little jig. And that’s just day one. Welcome to Camp Magic, where kids have permission to let their imaginations run wild, while collaborating with new friends who all have the same very important goal in mind: to have fun.
The fun-loving folk at Camp Magic believe that the real magic at camp – and we dare say in life – begins with the child. The general philosophy is that each little person has a ‘gateway’ to creativity, which the camp activates in any number of ways. For some kids it’s the simple act of freeing themselves to learn a new skill like hula hooping or stilt walking, while for others it may be painting a picture, searching through piles of recycled junk, or singing a song. And, we weren’t joking about running away to the circus: when children arrive at Camp Magic each morning, the circus equipment is set up and ready to go, for kids to dabble in the circus arts throughout the day.
The camp is run by a lovely group of caring, international facilitators who are all skilled in their field of expertise, and carefully trained to ensure the kids have a fun but also safe time at camp. The team is supported by Katherine McLeod, a Canadian storyteller, educator and artist who started Camp Magic 16 years ago. Katherine believes in listening to children, and working with them to create something that works for each child. She started Camp Magic with the desire to bring a passion for discovery to kids, and we think that’s just lovely.
The other lovely thing about Camp Magic is the weekly performance. In the spirit of community, the kids work together throughout the week to create a performance based on the story of the week. Parents are then invited to come and participate in the end-of-week performance, with everyone collaborating to achieve a common goal.
The range of activities at Camp Magic is, frankly, huge. Within the Circus Arts category alone there are around 11 different skills to be learned, along with wool spinning, clay play, drumming, drama, dance/movement, weaving, and loads more. The camp welcomes both boys and girls aged from three to 12 years, and they proudly state that there’s a place for every child at Camp Magic, no matter what they’re interested in or their personality type. The camp runs from 13 June until 22 July, but kids can join for as many weeks as they like within that time period, as each week focuses on a different theme. Whether you find magic in the lure of stories, or magic in knowing your child is having the time of his/her life at camp, it’s worth taking a look at Camp Magic!
This post is sponsored by Camp Magic.