Summer Camp

Food and Farm 

• For students entering grades 4-7
• 9:00 am-3:00 pm daily
• $350

During this action-packed week, participants will explore connections with the food system and the natural world through hands-on cooking, gardening, and science activities. Campers can look forward to getting to know Thaden School’s flock of hens, learning to cook in the teaching kitchen, exploring all that is growing in the Thaden School greenhouse and garden, eating delicious food, taking a farm field trip to pick blueberries, and more! On the last day of camp, participants will take part in a culinary competition as they use the skills they have learned all week to try to create the most delicious pizza!

(Minimum number of campers: 6; Maximum number of campers: 20)

Songwriting

• For students entering grades 4-7
• 9:00 am-3:00 pm daily
• $350

Participants will write their own songs with the help of professional musicians from The House of Songs, a local nonprofit that invites songwriters from around the world to share the universal language of music. We will listen to classic songs and explore what makes them endure. Campers will use instruments and technology to write and perform their own original songs. No experience is required.

(Minimum number of campers: 6; Maximum number of campers: 20)

Stop-Motion Filmmaking

• For students entering grades 4-6
• 9:00 am-3:00 pm daily
• $350

Participants will explore the history and theory behind stop-motion filmmaking. Viewings of historic and contemporary stop-motion works will allow campers to identify and examine the underlying principles that make stories effective. Campers will also write their own short stories, design relevant sets, and bring their ideas to life with a unique brand of video production and Dragonframe software and hardware, just like Hollywood features. The week will culminate with campers presenting their short stories to their friends and family on the big screen at Thaden.

(Minimum number of campers: 6; Maximum number of campers: 20)

Bike School Bentonville

• For students entering grades 6-12
• 9:00 am-3:00 pm daily
• $350

Are you an intermediate to advanced mountain bike rider, ready to jumpstart your NICA season? If so, this camp is for you! Participants will practice fundamentals at Thaden's pump track and skills course before heading off to ride some of the incredible trails beginning in downtown Bentonville. Two days will be spent traveling further into our backyard to the remarkable regional trail systems, such as Hobbs Park or Devil's Den. Campers must be able to ride 10+ miles a day in order to be eligible to participate. 

(Minimum number of campers: 6; Maximum number of campers: 20)

Stop-Motion Filmmaking

• For students entering grades 7-12
• 9:00 am-3:00 pm daily
• $350

Participants will explore the history and theory behind stop-motion filmmaking. Viewings of historic and contemporary stop-motion works will allow campers to identify and examine the underlying principles that make stories effective. Campers will also write their own short stories, design relevant sets, and bring their ideas to life with a unique brand of video production and Dragonframe software and hardware, just like Hollywood features. The week will culminate with campers presenting their short stories to their friends and family on the big screen at Thaden.

(Minimum number of campers: 6; Maximum number of campers: 20)

Stop-Motion Filmmaking

• For students entering grades 4-6
• 9:00 am-3:00 pm daily
• $350

Participants will explore the history and theory behind stop-motion filmmaking. Viewings of historic and contemporary stop-motion works will allow campers to identify and examine the underlying principles that make stories effective. Campers will also write their own short stories, design relevant sets, and bring their ideas to life with a unique brand of video production and Dragonframe software and hardware, just like Hollywood features. The week will culminate with campers presenting their short stories to their friends and family on the big screen at Thaden.

(Minimum number of campers: 6; Maximum number of campers: 20)

The Science of Food

• For students entering grades 6-8
• 9:00 am-3:00 pm daily
• $350

Participants will learn the science behind the food we eat. Campers will also learn technical cooking skills, ingredient sourcing, research and development, and food photography. We will explore food systems by creating our own pollinator box and harvesting honey.

(Minimum number of campers: 6; Maximum number of campers: 12)

Thriving Post-Pandemic

• For students entering grades 5-6
• 9:00 am-3:00 pm daily
• $350

Let’s face it, life can be stressful at times, but these past couple of years have seemed especially challenging. Participants will learn to find healthy ways to cope with transitions – whether changing schools, moving to a new town, or experiencing life post-pandemic. This camp will be filled with exciting activities including playing games, creating art projects, and riding bikes.

(Minimum number of campers: 8; Maximum number of campers: 12)

Soccer

• For students entering grades 7-12
• 9:00-11:30 am daily
• $200 per week

Campers will develop the full range of soccer techniques through drills and scrimmages. We will learn the fundamentals of the game, including dribbling and passing with different surfaces of the foot, receiving the ball on the ground and in the air, and shooting techniques.

(Minimum number of campers: 14; Maximum number of campers: 40)

OAKS

• For students entering grades 7-12
• 12:30 - 3:00 pm daily
• $200 per week ($150 if the camper is also signed up for Soccer camp)

Join us for an introduction and sampling of the Outdoor Activated Knowledge and Skills (OAKS) program at Thaden. Campers will explore the outdoors through adventurous excursions into our own backyard, including hiking, climbing, swimming, and more!

(Minimum number of campers: 14; Maximum number of campers: 40)

OAKS

• For students entering grades 7-12
• 12:30-3:00 pm daily
• $200 per week

Join us for an introduction and sampling of the Outdoor Activated Knowledge and Skills (OAKS) program at Thaden. Campers will explore the outdoors through adventurous excursions into our own backyard, including hiking, climbing, swimming, and more!

(Minimum number of campers: 10; Maximum number of campers: 20)

For June camps:

The camp day begins with check-in at the main entrance to the school campus at the Home Building on SE C Street (a campus map can be found here). Campers should plan to arrive between 8:30-9:00 am, and parents/guardians should be prepared to spend a few minutes signing them in. 

The camp program begins promptly at 9:00 am, with breaks for lunch between 11:30 am-12:30 pm and a Thaden-provided snack in the morning and afternoon.

Camp ends each afternoon with check-out at 3:00 pm; campers should be picked up between 3:00-3:15 pm at the same location where they were dropped off in the morning. Again, parents/guardians should plan to take a few minutes to sign their camper out.

For soccer and OAKS camps:

The soccer camp day begins with check-in from 8:30-9:00 am, and parents/guardians should be prepared to spend a few minutes signing campers in. The program begins promptly at 9:00 am, with a Thaden-provided morning snack. Camp ends each afternoon with check-out at 11:30am; campers should be picked up at the same location where they were dropped off in the morning. Again, parents/guardians should plan to take a few minutes to sign their camper out.

If campers are staying for the whole day to participate in the afternoon OAKS camps, lunch will be from 11:30 am-12:30 pm. Campers are expected to bring their own lunch and an afternoon snack will be provided by Thaden.

OAKS camp will begin at 12:30 pm each day, with check out at 3:00 pm. Campers enrolled in OAKS camp and not a morning athletic camp should be dropped off between 12:00-12:30 pm and picked up between 3:00-3:15 pm at the same location where they were dropped off in the morning. Again, parents/guardians should plan to take a few minutes to sign their camper in and out.

Call the Main Office at 479-268-5321 to report absences, late arrivals, or late pick-up. Please note that late pick-ups are subject to fees of $20/day.

Campers should wear comfortable clothes that can get dirty! Sneakers or other closed-toe shoes are important because campers will be very active and making, cycling, gardening, and more. Each camper will receive a camp t-shirt on the first day that they should wear on subsequent days of the week. 

We are currently operating as a mask optional campus, so each family/camper can decide what feels best for them. We hope to continue in this direction and also need to keep in mind that COVID protocols can change, depending on CDC and community recommendations. As we move closer to our summer camps, we will continue to monitor COVID closely and modify our policies and practices accordingly.

Campers should be sure to bring the following items each day, marked clearly with their names:

• Small day/backpack of sufficient size to carry other items listed below
• Water bottle, filled
• Lunch and ice pack or cooler (please be sure that all food is free of tree nuts)
• Towel
• Sunscreen (please also apply before arrival)
• Extra set of clothes

Please leave all electronics and cell phones at home! Thaden School will provide any technology that is needed to participate fully in our summer camps. Any parent or guardian who needs to contact their camper during the day should call the Main Office at 479-268-5321.

We will have several CPR and First Aid certified faculty and staff on campus throughout Thaden summer camps. We will also have a team lead administering any prescribed medications and communicating with parents if a child is sick or injured. Our summer camps will also have a campus safety officer on campus at all times.

Any prescription medications to be given during the camp day should be limited to antibiotics or ADD/ADHD medications. These will need to be checked in by a parent or guardian on the first day of camp and must be delivered in the original prescription bottle. 

A parent or guardian will be contacted should your child require medical care other than routine first aid. 

In case of emergency, we will access 911 and contact the parent or guardian as soon as possible.

Thaden School reserves the right to modify daily camp activities due to inclement weather. In the event of severe weather, the campus may be closed for safety reasons. In the event of campus closure, Thaden School will provide prorated refunds or alternate camp dates. 

Call the Main Office at 479-268-5321 to contact or leave messages for campers during camp hours. For urgent matters, please contact Allyn Rosenbloum, Summer Camp Coordinator, at 423-667-0460.