Kids camps at Ambler offer antidote to summer slide

Joseph B. Schaefer

From left, campers Alex Clapham, Sydney Stark, Mike Chen, William Clapham, Elisabeth Deschene and Kirsten Stubenrauch participate in an exercise at the CSI: Critter Scene Investigation camp at Temple University Ambler. (Joseph B. Schaefer)

It’s already been a busy summer of learning at Temple University Ambler. Whether trying their hand at robotics or sharpening their math skills for the upcoming school year, children and teens attending summer camps at the suburban campus have been using their vacation time to stay engaged in academics.

For the past 24 years, Temple Ambler has hosted camps designed to satisfy a range of interests for young people ages 8 through 17. The program offers several different experiences, and many families choose to attend more than one session.

From left, campers Alex Clapham, Sydney Stark, Mike Chen, William Clapham, Elisabeth Deschene and Kirsten Stubenrauch participate in an exercise at the "CSI: Critter Scene Investigation" camp at Temple University Ambler. (Joseph B. Schaefer)
Annohitha Vaddi, a participant in the Creative Writing summer camp at Temple Ambler. (Joseph B. Schaefer)
Benjamin Solomon tests his robotic creation at the Lego Mindstorms NXT Robotics camp at Temple Ambler. (Joseph B. Schaefer)
Theodore Wyss-Flamm, a participant in the Lego Mindstorms NXT Robotics camp at Temple Ambler. (Joseph B. Schaefer)

“Children and teens today are interested in so many things that we wanted to offer them the widest variety of fun, educational experiences possible,” said Rhonda Geyer, director of non-credit and special programs at Temple University Ambler and Fort Washington. “With the one-week camp sessions, families can try several different camp programs throughout the summer.”

Young Temple scholars can take summer programs in engineering, film and TV, mystery writing and geocaching. Other camps include “Gamemaker,” “3D Sculpture and Jewelry,” “Create Your Own Cartoon,” “EcoArtist Camp” and more.

“The camps are a fun-filled approach to academic subjects in a small-group setting,” said Geyer. “They provide a wonderful opportunity for children and young adults to learn about a specific area of interest, experience a college campus and have a lot of fun at the same time.”

In addition to the recreational camps, Temple Ambler offers Jumpstart camps focusing on writing and math skills for ages 8 to 12. The activities are structured to build aptitude for the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) testing.

For more information about summer camps at Temple Ambler, visit the Non-Credit Programs website.

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