It's that time of year when the sidewalks resound with the clip-clop of flip flops and the smell of sunscreen mingles with burgers on the grill.
For many children, it's also the time of year when they venture into the uncertain world of summer camp. For more than 30 years the North Shore Neighbourhood House has been providing summer camps for children across the North Shore.
NSNH was founded in 1939 when a group of Lonsdale-area residents leased a building for the reasonable price of $1 and swung open their doors to neighbourhood children. More than 70 years later, NSNH provides before and after school care that transforms into full-day summer camps once school lets out. The camps tend to be divided into a junior group of children between kindergarten and Grade 2, and an older group between Grade 3 and Grade 6 children.
In that season when the living is easy, NSNH runs summer camps out of Westview, Lynn Valley, Ridgeway, and Capilano schools.
"Those are all before and after school cares, and they go to full-day summer camps," explains NSNH executive director Lisa Hubbard.
Each camp accepts about 25 children. The five-day camps tend to feature three outings each week, allowing the children to take in the nature of Stanley Park and the culture of local museums. They also get to feel the sand under their toes at Spanish Banks. Some camps will also venture to Aldergrove to view some of the 800 animals at the Greater Vancouver Zoo. One thing that sets NSNH camps apart from some other options is their ease of transportation, according to Hubbard.
"A real positive for us is that we hire our own bus. We have our own bus driver," she says. "We can bring along all our equipment that we need when we get there."
The bus is packed with badminton rackets, Frisbees, and a tent to provide a little extra shade, says Hubbard.
"Having our own bus does make a big difference. We're able to access more interesting field trips but, as well, we feel the kids are safer," she says.
Having those school buses at the ready also means children at each camp get to spend some time together.
"The four summer camps interact with each other to share ideas so the kids have a connection. There's some sort of competition there I guess, in a friendly way," says Hubbard.
Some NSNH camps also include science experiments as well as an arts week, which offers children an opportunity to sculpt, create visual art, and participate in theatre. While NSNH hires facilitators for specialty camps, such as Lego week, the majority of the staff are very experienced, according to Hubbard.
"The one thing that really differentiates us is that we run before and after school care all year so these staff are our regular staff. This is not new to them," she says.
It's not unusual for children to feel shy on the first day, but that nervousness usually fades after the kids get to know each other, says Hubbard.
"By the end of the week mostly they're setting up play dates and getting their parents connected," she says.
