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photo provided by Challenge Island
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photo provided by Challenge Island
Your child can climb aboard the S.S. Slimetopia at the Shaw Jewish Community Center of Akron with Challenge Island’s Slimetopia 3: Slime Chefs on Deck camp. Running from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. July 29 to Aug. 2, it incorporates science concepts while campers mix up slime.
“They have a hoot. They just love slime,” says Anne Vaughan, the owner of Challenge Island for Summit and Medina counties. “It’s a great way to teach kids about chemistry and polymers.”
Slimetopia’s cruise ship theme helps first through eighth graders learn about different parts of the world, discovering various cultures and creating squishy slime based on food from diverse destinations. The slime itself isn’t edible — but food-themed versions such as Belgian waffle, made by combining scents and textures, leave campers hungry to cook up more. To create a burger-themed concoction, young chefs mix up ingredients such as glue, contact lens solution and food coloring to craft a fluffy “bun” — as well as an oozing brown slime to resemble the meat and colored slime to mimic condiments.
Previously, campers created a coffee slime using flavoring to achieve a rich scent and coffee beans for texture. They then placed the creation in a cup, topping it with shaving cream to stand in for whipped cream.
“It’s educational without the kids really knowing that it’s educational,” Vaughan says. “They are just having fun, but they’re learning along the way.”
Campers also engage in other science, technology, engineering, art and math activities — such as making a marble run. Designing, building and testing their track activates valuable critical thinking and problem-solving skills. These lessons also teach kids about team-building and communication.
As Challenge Island’s best-selling camp, Slimetopia offers its participants a unique opportunity to learn about the world, grasp STEAM concepts and become experts in “slimeology” — leaving little chefs with fond memories of cruising the seven seas.
“Some of the best moments have been when the kids are walking out after a day at camp and they’re screaming, This was the best day ever!” Vaughan says. “I know that they had a lot of fun.”
750 White Pond Drive, Akron,
