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Here’s a 2021 guide to summer camps in Middle Georgia

The last day of school for Middle Georgia students is less than a month away, and summertime brings with it many fun activities for kids.

Although many summer camps were canceled or moved to a virtual format in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, several summer camps are planned for the 2021 summer.

Jennifer Hoffman, an infectious disease physician with Coliseum Health, said each parent or guardian has to contemplate multiple factors when considering whether or not to send their child to a summer camp while the pandemic remains ongoing.

“It’s going to depend on each individual’s risk tolerance as well as the age of the children, whether they’ve been able to be vaccinated, and also what kind of camp activities we’re talking about and what precautions are being taken,” she said.

The community prevalence of COVID-19 was relatively low in Middle Georgia at the end of April, and although children can become ill from the virus, they are less likely to become severely ill, she said.

“If you have a healthy child without underlying medical conditions, their odds of getting seriously ill are probably pretty small. Now, I don’t think any of us want our kids to get COVID regardless, but for most children, it would be a mild illness,” she said.

Children aged 16-years-old and up are allowed to get the coronavirus vaccine in Georgia, and Hoffman said she is hoping a vaccine will get approved for 12-15-year-olds soon.

For parents sending their children to camp, Hoffman said they should consider if the camp requires masks and what types of activities their child will be doing. A camp where children will be singing indoors has different risks than a camp held mainly outdoors.

Parents should send their children to camp with a mask, and camps should make sure sick children stay home, she said.

Hoffman plans to send her children, both under the age of 10, to summer camps this year prepared with masks. She chose her children’s camps because both require the kids to wear masks and one of them is a soccer camp so the children will be outside.

“On the one hand, I’m trying to prevent my kids from getting COVID. I really don’t want them to and they haven’t yet. On the other hand, they’re kids. I want them to have fun and not sit at home all summer,” she said.

Here is a list of summer camps in Middle Georgia.

Wesleyan College summer camps

Wesleyan College provides three different kinds of summer camps: Kids College, Summer Fine Arts Academy and equestrian camps.

Summer Fine Arts Academy

Fun with Horses

Beginner Riding Camp

Advanced Riding Camp

Kid’s College

First Presbyterian Day School

First Presbyterian Day School’s Center for Discovery offers several camps throughout the fall, spring and summer, including athletic camps, S.T.E.A.M. programs and artistic and creative camps.

For more information about their camps, visit www.fpdmacon.org/programs/center-for-discovery/.

Macon-Bibb County Recreation Department

The Macon-Bibb County Recreation Department offers its Summer Camp 2021 that includes a variety of activities from athletics to art to educational opportunities.

  • Ages: 5-15
  • Cost: $120-180 depending on location
  • Dates: Monday through Friday May 21-July 9, 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. daily
  • COVID precautions: Temperature checks, masks, frequent hand washing, reduced camp size and equipment sanitation
  • More information: Visit www.maconbibb.us/recreation/ and click on Recreation Online Portal to find more information on the camp.

Stratford Academy’s Camp Eagle

Stratford Academy offers a wide variety of camps for every age group.

  • Ages: Pre-K-12th grade
  • Cost: $100-275 depending on the camp
  • Dates: Camps run from June 1-July 29
  • More information: www.stratford.org/campeagle

Tattnall Square Academy’s Summer at the Square 2021 camps

Tattnall Square Academy has several camps throughout the summer for boys and girls of all ages including a Girls Just Want to Have Fun Camp and a Trojan Wrestling Camp.

  • Ages: K3-8th grade
  • Cost: $85-150 depending on the camp
  • Dates: Camps run from May 25-July 28
  • More information: www.tattnall.org/sats/

Middle Georgia State University camps

Middle Georgia State University will offer some of its annual camps this year, including its Jr. Knights Camp and Sport Camps.

Jr. Knights Camp

  • Ages: Rising Pre-K-rising 6th grade
  • Cost: $95
  • Dates: Camps run from May 25-July 28
  • More information: www.mga.edu/camps/

Softball Youth Camp

*The 6-9-year-olds will have camp from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. with a cost of $80, and the 10-13-year-olds will have camp from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the $160 price.

Prospect ID & Unsigned Senior Showcase Camp

Baseball Youth Camp

*The 5-7-year-olds will have camp from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. with a cost of $80, and the 8-12-year-olds will have camp from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the $160 price.

Mount de Sales Academy’s Camp Cavalier

Mount de Sales Academy offers several sports camps throughout the summer as well as S.P.L.A.S.H. Camp, Video Game Design Camp and the Otis Redding Foundation’s Camp DREAM.

Otis Redding Foundation Camps

The Otis Redding Foundation offers multiple programs throughout the year, but during the summer they offer two main camps for children to learn about music.

Otis Music Camp

Camp DREAM

Museum of Aviation

The Museum of Aviation hosts five weeks of STEM summer camps for students to receive hands-on experience solving problems while also receiving information about career opportunities and workforce development strategies.

Starbase Robins

Starbase Robins will be hosting two camps this summer focused on STEM programming.

Robotics & Cybersecurity Academy 2021

STEMpowered Girls Academy

  • Ages: Entering 6th-8th graders
  • Cost: $50
  • Dates: Virtual June 7-11, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.; Live event June 12, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
  • More information: www.starbaserobins.org

Warner Robins Parks and Recreation Summer Camp

  • Ages: 5-12
  • Cost: $60 registration fee and $120 per week for the first child for Warner Robins residents ($145 for Houston County or Out of County Residents); $50 per week for each additional child
  • Dates: May 27-August 2 (excluding holidays)
  • Location: North Houston Sports Complex, 900 N. Houston Road
  • More information: www.wrga.gov or call (478) 293-1070

Warner Robins Tennis Summer Camp

  • Ages: 6-14
  • Cost: $75 per player per session
  • Dates: Session 1: June 7-10; Session 2: June 14-17; Session 3: June 21-24; Session 4: July 12-15
  • Location: Houston County Tennis Complex, 110 Bear Country Blvd.
  • More information: www.wrga.gov or call (478) 293-1070

If you would like to submit another summer camp to add to this list, email reporter Jenna Eason at jeason@macon.com.

This story was originally published May 3, 2021 at 5:00 AM.

JE
Jenna Eason
The Telegraph
478-744-4432
Jenna Eason creates serviceable news around culture, business and people who make a difference in the Macon community for The Telegraph. Jenna joined The Telegraph staff as a Peyton Anderson Fellow and multimedia reporter after graduating from Mercer University in May 2018 with a journalism degree and interning at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Jenna has covered issues surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, Middle Georgia elections and protests for the Middle Georgia community and Telegraph readers. Support my work with a digital subscription
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