Summer Camp
2026 Registration opens March 1, 2026!
With questions about camp, please e-mail our Camp Director, Marcela Perez, at mperez@waldorfct.org.
HVWS Summer Camp is a day camp for children ages 3–14, offering two groups:
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Explorers (ages 3–6)
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Artists (ages 6–14)
Led by caring and talented educators, our camp invites children to spend their summer outdoors — creating, playing, building friendships, and discovering the natural world. Families appreciate that our day summer camp provides an engaging, educational alternative to traditional childcare, supporting working parents while giving children a joyful and meaningful summer experience.
We proudly welcome campers from across Connecticut, including Newtown, Bethel, Danbury, Ridgefield, Redding, and surrounding communities.
The camp day runs from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
Each session is $400.
Register before June 1 and receive a $20 per child, per week discount. Use code EARLYBIRD20 at checkout.
Our nature-based preschool and day summer camp offers children a chance to grow through hands-on experiences outdoors. Through play, creativity, and shared work, campers strengthen social skills, confidence, and independence.
Many families first discover our camp and later become interested in our private elementary and middle school programs — we are always happy to share more about our year-round education.
Explorers (Younger Campers)
Our Explorers immerse themselves in sensory outdoor play each day. They:
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Play with water and mud
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Participate in group games
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Tend organic gardens
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Create arts and crafts inspired by weekly themes
Children work with natural materials such as wool, beeswax, silk, and wood. A gentle daily rhythm provides security and ease while they explore nature, make friends, and practice new skills.
Artists (Older Campers)
Our Artists are ready for greater physical, creative, and social challenges.
The goal of our day summer camp is to meet older campers developmentally by offering meaningful opportunities in a safe, natural environment — fostering independence, cooperation, and resilience.
A Supportive Summer for Families
Summer can be a complicated time for working parents. Our Waldorf summer camp offers a dependable, nurturing setting where children can:
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Express creativity
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Connect with nature
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Practice communication and teamwork
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Resolve conflicts peacefully
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Experience a true sense of community
We welcome children ages 3–14, with weekly activities including arts and crafts, gardening, games, and nature walks designed for a wide range of interests.
If you are looking for a summer camp where your child can truly thrive in the Bethel, Danbury, Newtown, or surrounding Connecticut area, we would be delighted to welcome you.
Contact Camp Director Marcela Perez
📧 camp@waldorfct.org
We look forward to sharing the summer with you.
Explorers, PreK - 1st Grade (Ages 3-6)
Who lives beneath the leaves and high in the branches? Deer, squirrels, foxes, turkeys, and owls guide our week in the forest. Through storytelling, watercolor painting, drawing, and beeswax modeling, children bring woodland animals to life in their hands. Hideaways and cozy dens appear in our play, and before long we may find ourselves moving quietly through the woods like the creatures we have come to know.There is no better time than summer to live outdoors. Our Explorers spend their days immersed in water, mud, sunshine, and shade — playing group games, tending the garden, and creating crafts inspired by the weekly theme using natural materials such as wool, beeswax, silk, and wood.
Each day follows a gentle rhythm that brings children a sense of security and ease. Within this predictable flow, campers freely explore nature, form friendships, and grow in confidence and independence.
Please note: Explorers must be toilet trained before the start of camp.
Weekly fee: $400
WEEK 1: June 15-19
LIFE IN THE WOODS
Deer, squirrels, foxes, turkeys, owls and many more animals will show us this week how they live in the woods! We will use different materials to make them tiny and see what they look like when we have them in our hands. We may also explore the places where they hide through stories, drawings, watercolor and beeswax modeling. We may even turn into one of these forest creatures to play with our friends!
WEEK 2: June 22-26
BOATS, RIVERS & OCEANS
Adventure calls from the water’s edge. Play structures become river boats and ocean ships as children set sail together across imaginary waters. Sea creatures appear in paintings and drawings, and new lands await discovery through collaborative play and storytelling.
WEEK 3: June 29 – July 3
CIRCUS & CLOWNS
The circus arrives in a swirl of laughter and movement. Children tumble, balance, juggle, and practice their silliest walks along the “tightrope.” Handmade juggling balls and simple circus toys inspire joyful cooperation and playful performance as each child discovers their inner clown.
WEEK 4: July 6-10
BUTTERFLIES, BUGS & BEES
Summer hums and flutters all around us. Children gently observe our winged and many-legged neighbors, building small bug homes for a closer look before releasing them back into their garden world. Through watercolor, beeswax modeling, and nature crafts, campers carry home the beauty of these tiny creatures without ever disturbing their habitat.
WEEK 5: July 13-17
MUSIC & MERRIMENT
The sounds of summer become our orchestra. Children craft simple instruments, colorful hats, and ribbons, then follow the rhythm of birds, breeze, and buzzing bees. A joyful parade winds its way through camp as music and movement bring the week to life.
WEEK 6: July 20-24
FAIRIES, KNIGHTS & DRAGONS
A tale unfolds in the meadow and woods. Fairy houses appear beneath roots and stones, castles rise from sand, and brave riders set out on gentle quests. Along the way, we meet a dragon — not to defeat, but to understand and befriend — as imagination and cooperative play shape our story together.
WEEK 7: July 27-31
LIFE IN THE POND
At the water’s edge, a whole world reveals itself. Tadpoles, frogs, turtles, and water insects invite careful watching and quiet discovery. Children scoop, pour, and explore while learning to move slowly and respectfully in this delicate habitat. Through painting, modeling, and storytelling, the hidden life of the pond becomes familiar and beloved.
WEEK 8: August 3-7
TREASURE HUNT
Maps appear, clues are discovered, and tiny treasures await patient seekers. Children follow trails through the outdoor spaces, searching for natural wonders — shining stones, feathers, seed pods, and shells. Along the way they create their own treasure pouches and share stories of what makes something truly valuable, ending the summer with a celebration of discovery and friendship.
Artists, 1st - 8th Grade (Ages 6-14)
Our Artists move through the day with greater independence and choice. Each morning they gather in community, and then flow between a variety of activity spaces guided by our Lead Camp Teachers. These areas invite creativity, physical challenge, collaboration, and quiet rest — allowing campers to shape their own experience while remaining held within a steady rhythm.
Alongside these ongoing offerings, every week introduces a special focus that brings new skills and shared accomplishments to the group.
Weekly fee: $400
CAMP STATIONS
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Clay Studio – Sculpting and hand-building with natural clay
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Painting & Color – Guided and independent painting projects
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Drawing Studio – Observational and imaginative drawing
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Handcrafts & Friendship Jewelry – Beads, cords, and small creations
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Hammock Village – A shaded place to rest, read, and connect
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Forest Hikes – Exploring trails and learning the landscape
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Indoor & Outdoor Free Play – Cooperative games and imaginative play
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Water Play – Sprinklers, water challenges, and cooling summer fun
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Entrepreneurship Workshop (Weeks 1 & 2 only) – Creating and sharing small handmade goods
WEEK 1: June 15-19
ARCHERY
Campers learn the fundamentals of archery with attention to safety, posture, patience, and focus. The practice encourages calm concentration and self-confidence as children work steadily toward the target.
Available for ages 8+. Younger campers participate in all other activities.
Register for Artists Week 1 – Ages 8+
Register for Artists Week 1 – Ages 6+
WEEK 2: June 22-26
ARCHERY
Campers learn the fundamentals of archery with attention to safety, posture, patience, and focus. The practice encourages calm concentration and self-confidence as children work steadily toward the target.
Available for ages 8+. Younger campers participate in all other activities.
Register for Artists Week 2 – Ages 8+
Register for Artists Week 2 – Ages 6+
WEEK 3: June 29 – July 3
ARCHERY
Campers learn the fundamentals of archery with attention to safety, posture, patience, and focus. The practice encourages calm concentration and self-confidence as children work steadily toward the target.
Available for ages 8+. Younger campers participate in all other activities.
Register for Artists Week 3 – Ages 8+
Register for Artists Week 3 – Ages 6+
WEEK 4: July 6-10
CIRCUS ARTS
Balance, courage, and laughter come together as campers practice unicycling, stilt walking, tumbling, and juggling (everything except fire!). Skills build day by day, encouraging perseverance and joyful risk-taking in a supportive environment.
WEEK 5: July 13-17
CIRCUS ARTS
Balance, courage, and laughter come together as campers practice unicycling, stilt walking, tumbling, and juggling (everything except fire!). Skills build day by day, encouraging perseverance and joyful risk-taking in a supportive environment.
WEEK 6: July 20-24
OBSTACLE COURSES
Across the campus, new physical challenges appear each day. Campers climb, crawl, balance, and strategize their way through creative outdoor courses designed by our energetic movement teachers. Cooperative water games round out the week with refreshing teamwork and fun.
WEEK 7: July 27-31
SHELTERS & TUNNELS
Using branches, ropes, and fabric, campers design and construct life-sized shelters and hidden passageways. These spaces quickly become settings for elaborate games and shared stories. Tales of ancient dwellings and traveling peoples inspire smaller artistic creations built in the studio.
WEEK 8: August 3-7
THEATER, SKITS & IMPROVISATION
The summer closes with imagination taking center stage. Through theater games, improvisation, and collaborative storytelling, campers invent characters, solve problems together, and bring short skits to life. Emphasis is placed on creativity, listening, and ensemble play — building confidence without pressure to perform, and celebrating the joy of creating something together.
Extended Care
Extended Care is available daily from 8:00–9:00 AM and 3:00–6:00 PM.
To support appropriate staffing and a calm transition for the children, Extended Care must be reserved and paid for through Homeroom by the day before attendance. Space cannot be guaranteed for same-day requests.
The rate is $7.75 per 30 minutes.
Children picked up after 6:00 PM will incur a late pickup fee of $1 per minute, payable at pickup.