Camp Cranberry keeps kids moving outdoors
Kids at Camp Cranberry at North Boundary Park kept active outdoors, played capture the flag, and made crafts as part of the camp's colorful “Journey into Imagination” theme week activities.
Camp Cranberry is a summer day camp run by Cranberry Township Parks and Recreation. Each week, the camp's age groups—3-4, 5-6, 6-8, and 9-12—follow a new theme with corresponding activities, projects and games to participate in.
Upcoming themes for the last few weeks of the summer in the 9- to 12-year-old group include “Mysteries of the Universe” and “Amazing Race.”
Last year, said summer camp counselor Connor Dague, who works with the 9- to 12-year-olds, the camp's age groups were divided in half to make smaller groups, and the camp had a large waiting list because of a limited number of spaces.“We had to wear masks and social distance, but we gave them a little bit of normalcy,” Dague said. “A lot of parents were inside with their kids a lot during the quarantine period, and they wanted to get their kids out interacting with other kids in a safe, friendly environment.”This year, participation numbers have risen. Counselor Taylor Wagstaff said that the summer camp consistently sees around 20 to 40 kids in the 9-12 age group participating each week, and around 40 to 50 kids in the 6-8 age group.“I think it's easier for the parents—they feel better having their kids outside active than last year, and the kids feel better going to the pool and playing games and being able to interact with other kids,” she said.Kids are kept busy during the day, she said.“For the 9- to 12-year-olds, we do a craft in the morning, and then we normally do dodge-ball, kickball, all around the world and soccer games: something to get the kids active,” she said. “We'll go to the pool for one to two hours and let the kids swim for a bit, and then we'll go and hang out at the pavilion, doing activities like making bracelets and coloring.”The camp wraps up on Aug. 20.
