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Day Camp : Interlochen Arts Discovery
Why Arts Discovery
Are you searching for a summer arts "day camp near me"? Then join us at Arts Discovery! Designed for students ages 7 - 12, this week-by-week Interlochen and Traverse City area day camp offers students a chance to experience some of the magic of an Interlochen summer at a reduced cost while remaining flexible to family summer schedules.
The arts-forward day camp is held at the Interlochen Community School building. Each week will feature a unique theme with arts activities and enrichment, and utilize Interlochen’s sprawling 1200-acre campus, allowing students to explore the outdoors with environmental exploration workshops.
Program Snapshot
- Age range: 7-12 (current 2023-2024 1st graders through 6th graders)
- Program length: 1-week sessions, Monday through Friday, offered over 7 weeks. Beginning Monday, June 17 to Friday, Aug. 2
- Cost: $350 per week, $100 deposit due at registration
- Location: Interlochen Community School Building
Interested in sleep away camp for students in grades 3-12? Learn more about Interlochen Arts Camp.
Weekly Themes
Summer 2024
Camp 2024 will offer 7 weeks of diverse programming, each with its own theme and activities that change every week. We encourage students to enroll in multiple sessions to enjoy a variety of unique experiences!
June 17-21: Fantasy - Theatre and Creative Writing [FULL]
June 24-28: Faeries, Folklore, and Forests - Sustainability and Art [FULL]
July 1-5: Mythology - Theatre
July 8-12: Between the Lakes - Music and Movement [FULL]
July 15-19: Art in Nature - Sustainability and Art [FULL]
July 22-26: Fairytales from Around the World - Theatre and Creative Writing [FULL]
July 29- August 2: Into the Wild - Music and Movement [FULL]
Special Activity Days
- Tuesdays: Tie-dye Day (bring a white t-shirt from home to tie-dye!)
- Tuesdays and Thursdays: Lake day at Stone Waterfront (bring a swimsuit and towel)
- Friday: Group photo day and showcase! Families are invited to join us for a showcase each week so we can show you what we have been working on.
Included in the registration fee
- Light continental breakfast daily
- Lunch daily in one of our campus cafeterias
- Afternoon nutritious snack daily
- Interlochen T-shirt and lanyard (1 per student per summer)
- Ice cream each week from the Melody Freeze
Transportation Option
For students who require transportation from Traverse City to Interlochen, we offer a morning and afternoon bus with pickup and drop-off at the TCAPS Montessori school parking lot (4053 Franke Road). The bus, offered for a small fee to families, will pick up students at 8:15 a.m., and drop them off in the afternoon at 4:15 p.m.
Fantasy Week: Campers will step into a magical fantasy world of dragons, castles, and unicorns as they build a theatrical fantasy world all their own. Campers will practice storytelling, the art of improvisational theatre, and participate in recreational activities including swimming in the lake, tie-dye, camp songs, and more!
Faeries, Folklore, and Forest Week: Campers will learn about the magic that can be found in our forests while exploring topics of sustainability at Interlochen's own RB Annis Greenhouse. Campers will also get to work on their visual arts techniques such as painting and recreational activities including swimming in the lake, tie-dye, camp songs, and more!
Mythology Week: Campers will explore myths and delve into the process of creating a storyboard and bringing the myths to life through the art of theatre. Campers will also participate in recreational activities including swimming in the lake, tie-dye, camp songs, and more!
Between the Lakes Week: Campers will learn about music and dance inspired by bodies of water while trying out beginner-level ballet classes in Interlochen's own Dance Building. Campers will also learn about various musical styles and instruments while focusing on the beauty of nature and recreational activities including swimming in the lake, tie-dye, camp songs, and more!
Art in Nature Week: Campers will learn about the art they can make in their very own backyard with minimal supplies and explore sustainability topics at Interlochen's own RB Annis Greenhouse. Campers will also work on visual arts techniques such as pottery and participate in recreational activities including swimming in the lake, tie-dye, camp songs, and more!
Fairytales from Around the World Week: Campers will travel around the globe through different fairytales and use their imaginations to bring their very own fairytales to life. Campers will explore the arts of theatre and creative writing and participate in recreational activities including swimming in the lake, tie-dye, camp songs, and more!
Into the Wild Week: Campers will learn the basics of folk dancing as they take classes in Interlochen's own Dance Building and try their hand at different percussion techniques while exploring the wild world of animals. Campers will also participate in recreational activities including swimming in the lake, tie-dye, camp songs, and more!
Sample Daily Schedule
- 8:15 a.m. - Bus pickup at TCAPS Montessori school parking lot (optional)
- 8:45 a.m. - 9 a.m. - Student Drop off at Community School
- 9 a.m. - 11:20 a.m. - Activities at Community School
- 11:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. - Lunch at Lochaven Cafeteria (Interlochen’s Main Campus)
- 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m. - Activities on Interlochen’s Main Campus / Field Trip
- 2 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. - Travel back to Community School
- 2:15 - 3:30 p.m. Snack and Activities at Community School
- 3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. - End of day “Campfire”
- 4:15 - 4:30 p.m. - Student Pick up at Community School
- 4:15-4:25 p.m. - Bus drop off at TCAPS Montessori
Packing List
Students should bring with them each day:
- Sunscreen
- Bug spray
- Water bottle
- Closed-toed shoes
- Jacket, sweatshirt, or rain jacket
- Bathing suit, towel (Tuesdays & Thursdays only)
- Backpack
- White T-shirt to Tie-Dye (Tuesday)
- Sunglasses
Cancellations and Session Changes
The $100 registration deposit is non-refundable. Cancellations submitted prior to June 1 will receive a tuition refund minus the deposit. No refunds are available after June 1. Session changes are discouraged, and must be approved by our Dean of Admission for Camp, as space allows.