Winter camps now offered at Mote

Winter is heading for Mote Marine Laboratory.

And to prepare, Mote is inviting first through fifth graders to attend the first-ever winter break camps from from Dec. 27-29 and Jan. 3-5.

The winter-themed camps will run once a day from 8 a.m. to noon at Mote. Campers can attend camp every day or choose their favorites, a statement from Mote said.

Mote staff noticed families either coming down for vacation or to visit grandparents, and thought camps would be a good way to get kids involved.

“We had a lot of interest just from parents and grandparents asking for other opportunities for  kids to get involved, and so we did spring break camp last year, and we had some interest, so we thought we would give winter break a try,” Kaitlyn Hofeldt, a marine science educator at Mote said.

As for choosing what content and activities to touch on during the camps, Mote staff paid close attention to what piqued kids’ interesting during the summer.

“We took a little bit about what kids expressed interest in throughout the summer camps and what kind of research Mote is doing,” she said.

There will be six camps offered, and they will each run for one day.

The first camp is “Sea-son’s Eatings,” on Dec. 27. Campers will learn about what and how much animals eat. Next is “Do You “Sea” What I “Sea” on Dec. 28. Through this camp, students will learn how animals camouflage themselves, what countershading is and why colors are important in the ocean. Campers will play games to discover which animals use camouflage or have special colors. On Friday, students can attend “Jingle Bells and Animal Shells.” Through this interactive session, campers will explore animals noises and shells.  

Kicking off the New Year is “Snowflakes of the Ocean” on Jan. 3, 2018. While there aren’t snowflakes in the ocean, there are animals like snowflakes, Mote’s statement said. Campers will learn about animals that have special fins, patterns or marks. On Jan. 4, campers can discover animals with weird names through “Cotton Headed Ninny Muggins: Animals with Weird Names.” Campers will explore animals’ roles in the ecosystem through hands-on activities.

Closing the camps is “It’s Snowing in the Ocean.” Campers will learn about “marine snow” using their senses and critical thinking.

Campers must be registered by 5 p.m. the Tuesday of the week before the camp program begins, Mote’s statement said. Camps are $45 for non-members per day and $38 for members per day. If campers sign up for three or more days, they will receive at 10% discount. Campers can register on Mote’s website.