A Guide to Local Summer Camps

Looking for ideas to keep your child busy, and happy this summer? Look no further! There are a variety of summer camp offerings that provide everything your kids need to have a great summer.

CAMP MACKLE

Due to the temporary facility changes, this

year’s Camp Mackle is located at the Family

Church of Marco Island (1450 Winterberry

Drive) for the duration of the summer.

The City of Marco Island Parks and Recreation Department’s Camp Mackle is a

multi-faceted program for youths in kindergarten through fifth grade. Camp Mackle operates on weekdays, from 7:30 AM to 6 PM,

June 2 through August 15. The cost, on a perchild basis, is $80 a week or $320 per month.

There will be no daily drop offs.

Camp Mackle’s 2017 theme is, “Soaring through the summer.” Campers will be

treated to guest speakers and presentations,

field trips, specialty craft projects, games,

athletics and other valuable experiences.

The camp provides children with opportunities to engage in hands-on activities, led

by a trained counseling staff.

For more information visit cityofmarcoisland.com.

MARCO ISLAND

COMMUNITY SAILING CENTER

The Marco Island Community Sailing

Center offers classes in all levels, and youths

from the ages of 8-16 can take part. The program, the first session of which began June

5, has its final session the week of August 7.

The sailing center is located at the Marco Island Yacht Club beach. Prices vary, depending on the program.

For more information visit cityofmarcoisland.com or call 239-642-0575.

GREATER MARCO FAMILY YMCA

The Greater Marco Family YMCA’s

annual summer camp runs from June 5

through August 15. The cost is $ 80/90

per week per child and Daily drop-ins

($20/$25) welcome.

The camp offers an assortment of recreational and educational activities, such as

swimming, arts and crafts, gym time, sports

and outdoor exploring, and field trips.

Camp for children in kindergarten

through fifth grade is held at the Y’s Youth

Development Center, 101 Sand Hill Street.

The hours are 7 AM to 6:30 PM. Middle

schoolers attend camp at the Marco Island

Charter Middle School, and hours are 9

AM- 4 PM. Camp is also offered at the Manatee Elementary and Parkside Elementary

campuses. Also offered are special camps

for theater, Mandarin, football, tennis, tball, soccer, swimming and more.

For more information visit www.greatermarcoy.org or call 239-394-3144.

ISLAND THEATER COMPANY

For youngsters who yearn to take the

stage there’s the Island Theater Company

Summer Camp, which will run from 9 AM

to 5 PM, July 10 to July 28.

Children entering third grade to 18

years old. Cost is $90 per week with a $10

discount for additional siblings. The camp

will teach theater basics. The program is

designed for beginner through experienced

student actors. All participants will be given

a part in the Island Theater Company production of “Annie Jr.”

Classes and performances will take

place at Marco Lutheran Church, located

525 N. Collier Boulevard.

For more information visit theateronmarco.com or call 239-394-0080.

MARCO ISLAND

CENTER FOR THE ARTS

The Marco Island Center for the Arts

also has a slate of summer classes and workshops for youths. The Center for the Arts is

located at 1010 Winterberry Drive.

“Creative Creations,” for ages 7-14,

June 19-23 and July 17-21, from 1-4 PM

($105);

“Shells, Shells, Shells,” for ages 7-14,

June 21, 22, 23 from 9:30 AM to

12:30 PM ($70);

“Creating a Classic Selfie,” for ages

11-14, June 26, 27, 28 from 9:30 AM to

12:30 PM ($70);

“Clay as Art,” for ages 7-14, June 26-30

and July 24-28 from 1-4 PM; ($115)

“Photography is Fun,” for ages 10-14,

July 10-14 from 9:30 AM to 12:30PM

($100);

“Vaudeville!” for ages 7-14, July 17-21

from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM ($100); and

“Explore Acrylic Painting,” for ages

7-14, July 24-28 from 9:30 AM to

12:30 PM ($105).

For more information visit www.marcoislandart.org or call 239-394-4221.

ST. MARK’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Coming June 12-16 at St. Mark’s, 1101

North Collier Boulevard, are the Snapology Camps. Snapology engages children using LEGO® bricks, K’Nex and technology.

While the kids have fun with familiar toys,

laptops and iPads, they learn STEM-based

educational concepts. Awesome Adventures

Robotics 9:00am-12:00pm (ages 6-13).

LEGO Animation Studio 1:00pm-4:00pm

(ages 7-13). There is also a Disney Camp

9:00am-12 PM for ages 4-6.

For more information visit www.stmarksmarco.org or call 239-394-7242.

ROOKERY BAY

Rookery Bay Environmental Research

Center, located at 300 Tower Road in Naples,

offers fun and educational summer programs

for children. Every Friday from June 16 to August 4, from 10 AM–2 PM, children ages 12

and younger (accompanied by a paying adult)

enjoy free admission. Themes include sharks,

sea turtles, manatees and birds with activities

such as story time, creature feature, crafts,

face painting or film. Some of the other summer programs include a Marine Science Institute from August 1-3 (students completing

7th, 8th, 9th grades) and a Young at Art Painting class on August 10 (ages 10-18). Details

and registration information may be found at

www.rookerybay.org/calendar.

For more information visit rookerybay.

org or call 239-530-5940.

OTHER OPTIONS

Local children have many summer camp

options this summer – in fact, there were too

many for us to list! Other options are available

through Collier County Parks and Recreation

(www.colliergov.net), the Naples Zoo (www.

napleszoo.org), and a number of churches

and other organizations.