The Summer Program / Summer Camp room
Summer at Whales, Snails, and Puppy Dog Tails means going places. Our field trips are not just to parks. They go to special places you would want to take your child if you had the summer off. The trips cost us between $40 and $50 per week per child for admission fees, parking, diesel, and tolls. That cost is included in our low Summer Program rate of $195 per week. Bill and Judy have been running summer programs since 2000. Over that time they have worked out standard procedures for every part of each field trip. Your child gets on the bus, sees something new, and comes back ready to tell you about it.
What this looks like in practice
In a licensed summer program, children arrive in the morning and head out on field trips several days a week. Staff count heads, carry a list, and keep groups small in public places. Back at the center, there is lunch, rest, and free play. Parents get a schedule of where the group is going and when they return. Ask for the trip calendar and the pickup routine.
A summer with real trips gives children something to talk about at dinner. They practice walking in a group, waiting their turn, and keeping track of their own water bottle. Those small skills show up at home as less whining on errands and more willingness to try new places. The days stay full, so bedtime comes easier.
