Pacific Marine Mammal Center Summer Camp

Partnership

The Pacific Marine Mammal Center offers a unique experience for children to witness a marine mammal hospital in action! Campers learn how their animal care team rehabilitates our seal and sea lion patients through a series of mock activities including weighing fish, preparing fish smoothies, cleaning pens and learning the art of marine mammal rescue.

Each day has a different theme in order to provide a well-rounded study of our ocean environment. Each theme is creatively reinforced through hands on activities, science labs, arts and crafts.Each year we add new content so campers who return keep on learning!

Spots are limited!! Register your children today online.

Details

Camp is held Monday through Thursday at PMMC from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm and Friday at an offsite location TBD.
Monday – Thursday drop off will be at 9:00 am and pick up at 3:00 pm. Please enter through the visitors’ gate and wait in our outdoor viewing area.

Friday drop off will be at 8:30 am, and pick-up at 11:00 am at an offsite location TBD.
*PMMC will be offering an optional extended day care program before and after our regular summer camp hours (except on Fridays).

Extended Day Care Program Hours (Monday-Thursday)

Drop Off: 8:15 am for an additional fee of $7 a day per child
Pick Up: 4:00 pm for an additional fee of $7 a day per child

Camp Curriculum Example

Day 1: Intro to the Pacific Marine Mammal Center Day
· Intro to Pacific Marine Mammal Center including the different species of marine mammals we rescue and rehabilitate
· Hospital Tour
· Symbolic Animal Adoptions
· Kelp forests, urchins and otters
· Sea Urchin Dissection Lab
· A look at ocean acidification through ocean chemistry experiments

Day 2: Pinniped Day
· Discover pinnipeds including: seals, sea lions, and walruses
· Explore fur seal life history, adaptations, and biological importance
· Animal Feeding Observations
· Tie-Dye T-Shirt Activity
· Mock marine mammal rescue & animal intake lab
· Seals & Sardines: a game looking at bio accumulation
· Pinnipeds, Parasites and Plastics: Microscope Activity

Day 3: Cetaceans
· Discover whales and dolphins
· Investigate humpback whale life history, adaptations, and biological importance
· Making animal enrichment items
· A Fishery Mystery: a game exploring fishery impacts on whales
· Animal behavior observations
· Mock marine mammal rehabilitation activity
· How do rescue and rehabbers do it? A marine mammal problem solving activity
Day 4: Exotic Marine Mammals
· Animal enrichment observations
· Beaked whale life history, adaptations, and biological importance
· Re-purpose craft activity
· Making marine mammal meals and hospital unit cleaning
· Shark Tank! Camper presentations of ideas to combat environmental issues (Parents invited!)
Day 5: Beach Day!
· Beach Clean-Up
· What’s in the sand?: sieving for micro plastics activity
· Tide pool investigations (tide dependent)
· Marine mammal sand sculptures contest
· Marine food web relay race

Camp Information

Full payment at registration is required to hold a spot for you child. The cost of one week of enrollment in Camp Pinniped (not including extended day care before and after camp sessions) is $350 per camper. Campers do not interact with the animals during this program. The animals are wild, recuperating patients.

Campers must be between the ages of 8 and 12 years old.

Class size is limited to 24 campers per session-sign up early to select your first choice of a camp week!

All parents/guardians are required to sign their child in and out of camp daily.

At Camp Pick-Up all individuals will be asked to show a photo ID.

To add an authorized pick up person please notify a Camp Counselor at morning drop-off or call and speak directly with a camp staff member.

There is an additional $20.00 fee for switching camp weeks after sign up.

If a parent or authorized person is late picking up a camper the credit card on file will be charged a late fee of $1 per minute after the first five minutes.

Refunds are only provided for medical emergencies verified by a doctor, not for any missed days or cancellations. All proceeds go to the medical care and treatment of the patients at PMMC!

What To Wear

Children may get dirty while attending camp. There is also a strong smell of fish in our building. The smell of fish and fish scales can get into clothing, because of this we ask that children wear old, comfortable clothes.
Comfortable clothing that can get dirty and wet
Sneakers or boots *Open toed shoes and flip flops are NOT allowed
Socks *for animal care time
Sunscreen
Sun visor or hat
Hat
Sunglasses

What To Bring

*Snack: light mid-morning meal.
*Lunch –send a hearty, non-perishable lunch with your camper daily. We DO NOT provide refrigeration. Please, NO PEANUTS in your child’s snack or lunch.
Extra set of clothing.
Sunscreen – we will remind campers to reapply after lunch.

Waste-Free Lunches

Much of the trash we generate comes from the packaging on the food we buy, and lunch foods are no exception. We encourage campers to bring waste-free lunches that include reusable food containers, drink containers, and utensils.

Labeling

All personal items need to be labeled including backpacks, water bottles, lunches and clothes. Pacific Marine Mammal Center is not responsible for any lost/stolen personal items
What To Leave At Home:

Cell phones- they are not permitted during camp hours
All electronics
Anything breakable or valuable
Fidget spinners and/or toys that may be distracting during camp activities
Flip-flops, crocs, slip-on shoes

Camp 2020 Dates

June 2020

Mon. June 15th-Fri. June 19th
(Ages 8-10 years old)
Mon. June 22nd-Fri. June 26th
(Ages 11-12 years old)
Mon. June 29th-Fri. July 3rd
(Ages 8-10 years old)
July 2020

Mon. July 6th- Fri. July 10th
(Ages 8-10 years old)
Mon. July 13th- Fri. July 17th
(Ages 11-12 years old)
Mon. July 20th- Fri. July 24th
(Ages 8-10 years old)
Mon. July 27th- Fri. July 31st
(Ages 11-12 years old)
August 2020

Mon. August 3rd-Fri. August 7th
(Ages 8-10 years old)
Mon. August 10th-Fri. August 14th
(Ages 11-12 years old)