Every year, elementary school children enjoy The Shedd Institute’s Summer SongFest, one-week music enrichment camps with kid-friendly themes. This year's themes are:
Each camp introduces children to the world of American sounds through song and instrumental music, dance, visual arts, rhythm games, folktales, and much more! Campers will learn about, listen to, and sing a wide range of American songs related to camp themes (“When You Wish Upon a Star”, “Yes We Have No Bananas” and “Purple People Eater” to name just a few!).
Participants will also learn to play the ukulele, harmonica, penny whistle, and jaw harp! Even more fun awaits campers as they brush up on their joke-telling skills, create stage sets for an end-of-camp show, and enjoy healthy, themed snacks—Muffaletta, Martian Soup (aka Jello) or Mozzarella balls anyone?
Each morning will begin with a brief orientation of the day’s activities, followed by a dance and singing period. After lunch, participants will divide into groups and rotate through four activity sessions related to each week’s theme. Weather permitting, several of these will take place outside in our shaded courtyard:
| 8:30 | – | 9:00 am | Before care drop-off |
| 9:00 | – | 9:45 am | Warm-ups |
| 9:45 | – | 10:45 am | Dancing |
| 10:45 | – | 11:00 am | Snack |
| 11:00 | – | 12:00 pm | Singing |
| 12:00 | – | 12:45 pm | LUNCH |
| 12:45 | – | 3:45 pm | Activity sessions (4) |
| 3:45 | – | 4:00 pm | Song circle |
| 4:00 | – | 5:30 pm | After care pick-up (supervised outdoor play, games, etc.) |
American Traditions
The fabric of American song tradition has been woven from the cultures of the first Americans and by those who arrived as settlers, refugees, slaves, idealists, and fortune seekers. Summer Songfest is a series of six one week music enrichment camps designed to bring children into the world of American sounds through song and instrumental music, dance, visual arts and folktales. Campers will learn about, listen to, and sing a wide range of American song genres; receive instruction on the ukulele, harmonica, penny whistle, spoons, and jaw harp; play rhythm games; enjoy movement and dance sessions; brush up on storytelling and joke delivery skills; participate in arts and crafts activities related to each camp’s theme; and view clips and short films intended to enhance their experience of the camp’s musical content.
Campers are invited to sign up for one week of camp or as many as six! Each week, the songs and folktales learned in camp will be recorded for a Songfest 2010 music compilation. Every camper will receive a copy of this cd as a souvenir of their Summer Songfest experience!