Ah, Camp Arts & Crafts – Session 8, where dreams are made, fingers are glued together, and someone inevitably cries over spilled paint water. Set against the stunningly suburban backdrop of North Creek Community Center in Montgomery Village, this August 4-8 extravaganza promises everything your child needs to unlock their inner Picasso… or at least their inner kid-who-likes-gluing-googly-eyes-on-rocks. For the bargain price of $285 for residents (because apparently just living there makes you special) or $310 for non-residents (because, you know, outsiders), your child can experience a weeklong journey into glitter-fueled madness.
Summerween: Because Why Should Halloween Have All the Fun?
This year’s theme is Summerween, which sounds like the lovechild of a pumpkin and a beach ball. It’s August, it’s hot, and the last thing you want to think about is your neighbor prematurely putting out a plastic skeleton – but at Camp Arts & Crafts, they’re leaning all the way in. Imagine kids in swimsuits making paper bats while simultaneously melting under the sun – it’s festive! They’ll get to craft spooky masterpieces that you’ll pretend to love and store in “that special drawer” (aka the trash can by September).
Monster Mash by Studio of Dance: Cute Chaos Incoming
The camp has a special activity called Monster Mash, hosted by Studio of Dance. Let’s be real – this is where the kids will either shine like mini-Beyoncés or look like zombies caught in a strobe light. Jazz, hip hop, basic technique – they’re throwing it all at the wall to see what sticks. “It’s too early for pumpkin spice,” they say. Sure, but it’s never too early to watch 25 eight-year-olds stomp around to “Thriller” with varying levels of coordination. The result? Hauntingly adorable routines you’ll film on your phone, post once, and then never watch again.
Field Trip to Monster Mini-Golf: Golf, But Make It Spooky
Nothing screams childhood adventure like mini-golf under blacklights while fake spiders dangle from the ceiling. This field trip is genius: it combines the mild frustration of golf with the thrill of trying not to trip over glow-in-the-dark obstacles. Your child will return with stories about conquering the windmill hole while being stared down by a giant animatronic Frankenstein. Plus, it’s indoors, so no one has to deal with actual sunlight. Win-win.
The Great Domino’s Pizza Finale
Ah yes, the pièce de résistance – the Friday pizza lunch. For the low, low price of eight dollars, your child can have two slices of Domino’s® cheese pizza. Two. Not three. Not “as much as your little heart desires.” Just two. Throw in a juice box and you’ve got the most overhyped school lunch ever. But parents, you’ll pay it, because by Friday you’ll be too tired to pack yet another sad turkey sandwich.
Aftercare: The Lifeline for Working Parents
Let’s talk about the NEW Aftercare Add-on. Because let’s face it, not everyone can clock out at 4:29 p.m. like camp assumes. For $35, your kid can stay until 6 p.m. and wind down with “fun and relaxing activities” (read: whatever keeps them alive and semi-entertained until you show up). For Sessions 1 and 3, you even get a discount, because those weeks are shorter – bless the math department for that one.
Weekly Newsletters: Because Parents Need Homework Too
Just when you thought signing up was enough, here come the newsletters. They’ll provide details and info on “special activities,” which you’ll skim at 11:30 p.m. while questioning your life choices. You’ll also be reminded that your child needs a non-perishable lunch every day – because nothing says “camp magic” like eating a warm Lunchable in 90-degree weather.
Payment Plan: Because Even Crafts Come with a Finance Option
North Creek has graciously offered a payment plan (if you register by April 27). That’s right, you can finance your child’s week of macaroni art like it’s a car loan. But wait, there’s more – the cost increases by $20 if you dare to procrastinate. Because nothing motivates parents quite like a ticking financial time bomb.
Things They Don’t Tell You (But I Will)
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Glitter: It will be everywhere. Forever.
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Art Projects: At least one will come home wet, sticky, and unidentifiable.
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Costumes: Your child will likely need one for Summerween. You’ll spend $40 at Target for something they’ll wear for 20 minutes.
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Photos: Expect at least one camp photo where your child looks like they’re either having the time of their life or being held hostage by a paper mache spider.
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Camp Songs: They will learn one and sing it endlessly until you lose your mind.
Why Parents Love It (Despite the Chaos)
Here’s the thing – for all the snark, Camp Arts & Crafts does what it promises. Your kids will come home messy, exhausted, and full of stories about their “amazing” creations. They’ll talk about new friends, about beating the glow-in-the-dark golf course, about the cool dance moves they learned. You’ll roll your eyes at the price, the emails, the glitter… but deep down, you’ll be glad they went.
The Verdict: Worth It (With a Side of Eye Roll)
Camp Arts & Crafts Session 8 is equal parts chaos and charm. It’s overpriced, over-scheduled, and overrun with glue sticks – but it’s also where memories are made. Your child will love it. You’ll survive it. And when it’s all over, you’ll have a week’s worth of peace, a fridge covered in art, and a suspicious amount of glitter in your car.
So go ahead, sign them up. Because come August, you’ll need the break – and they’ll need the kind of joy only Summerween and two slices of Domino’s pizza can bring.