Munchkins (Ages 3-5)
At Tamarack, we offer a 5-full-day program as well as a 3-full-day program and 5-half-day program to our youngest campers. Our Munchkin Division boasts the lowest camper to staff ratio in camp. Groups are typically between 10 and 12 campers with 3 to 4 staff members. Plus, each activity is run by one of our Munchkin Specialists who are hired and trained to specifically work with our 3, 4, and 5 year olds.
The focus of the Munchkin Program is threefold: advancement of gross and fine motor skills through athletic and creative activities, learning to swim, and social development.
Munchkin Athletics
At Tamarack, we have MINI versions of EVERYTHING!! Whether it is mini-soccer, mini-basketball, t-ball, or gymnastics; we have modified traditional activities so our youngest campers can experience success. Your camper will enjoy learning the basic skills of traditional sports with our athletic specialists, who are specially trained to teach and engage our 3, 4, and 5 year old campers.
Creative Arts
Tamarack’s Creative Arts Center is second to none. Your child will be exposed to a variety of artistic activities in air conditioned classrooms led by art teachers. At least once a week, our campers attend Ceramics, Music, Cooking, Mad Science, Drama, Nature, Dance, Digital Photography, Jewelry Making, and more.
All of our Munchkin groups perform a Dance routine in our annual Dance and Drama Production. It is traditionally held the 6 th week of camp in the evening at a local venue, complete with professional sound and lighting!
Low Ropes and Confidence Course
Climbing and Ropes Courses are a big part of the Summer Camp experience. We built a low ropes course not only to help develop our Munchkin’s gross motor skills but also to gain some of the tools they will need to tackle our larger courses. Our Munchkins spend their time at the Low Ropes Course climbing, exploring, and swinging while just inches off the ground. The highlight of our Low Ropes Course is the new Mini-Zipline!
The Tamarack Confidence Course contains many of the same elements as our High Ropes Course but it is only 5 feet off the ground so our campers are able to become comfortable with being on belay and traversing the elements while still close to the ground. Our Munchkins transition from the Low Ropes Course to the Confidence Course during the Summer.
Our ropes courses are inspected before each season by the same company that built the courses and daily by our certified ropes instructors, who also lead the groups through all of our ropes courses.
Learn to Swim
IT’S A GUARANTEE that your child will learn how to swim at Tamarack! Swimming is an important life skill that we take very seriously here at camp. We train our own instructors annually using both American Red Cross techniques and over 25 years of practiced experience in getting children to learn how to swim.
For our Beginners, our Aquatic Facility has a shallow heated pool so even our youngest campers can stand. This dramatically increases their comfort level as well as their initial progress. Every morning, our campers participate in a 40 minute Swim Lesson lead by one of our certified swim instructions with the assistance of the group counselors and every afternoon, our campers return to the aquatic facility for 40 minutes of free swim where they are able to play with other campers as well as the group counselors.
Social Development
The most magical thing about camp is that children learn how to get along with other kids in a group setting and in doing so become more confident and independent. While travelling from activity to activity, the group works on building friendships, working together, sharing, taking turns and learning to interact in a respectful way with other campers and staff. Our staff encourages our Munchkins campers to use words to express themselves and coaches them on communicate directly. Tamarack offers a caring environment where children learn the emotional and social skills necessary to succeed in life.
Munchkin Lunch
In order to better serve the nutritional needs of our preschool campers, Munchkins eat separately from the rest of camp and get the first lunch period of the day. If need be, we serve them extra snacks during the day as well. The Tamarack Staff will accommodate any dietary needs your child may have.