School is out, the sun is shining and summer is officially here. While the adults still have to work the same schedules, the little ones need to be sent to summer camp where they can be kids and learn from the South End’s many childhood educators.

South Whidbey is home to a range of summer camps that are available throughout the season and offer something different from program to program. Whether your child likes to play in the dirt outside or learn an instrument, the opportunities are plentiful. Specialized camps are littered throughout the island, such as musical programs with Island Strings, Bible camps and sports camps.

But at Full Moon Rising Farm, kids have the space to get down and dirty in the heavily wooded areas surrounding Double Bluff. The summer programs on the farm offer kids an outdoors experience chock full of animals, botany and team exercises but gives them the freedom to do a bit of what they want during their time there.

Camp Coordinator and Full Moon Rising Farm property owner Anne Petersen has a background in education and environmental studies and meshes the two together to create a multi-faceted learning experience.

“These are really imaginative camps,” Petersen said. “Kids at that age are interested in creating their own stories and living in the now. It’s about engaging all of their senses and bringing them into the moment.”

The farm offers camps for those aged four to sixteen. The three-day dragonfly camp from June 28-30 is for the little ones aged four to six and allows campers to spend time with farm animals and adventure in the “fairy forest”. The hammock camp, also three days long from July 6-8, is for eleven to fourteen year-olds who want to explore, hike and spend the night in a hammock. The girls-only yoga camp for those aged eleven to sixteen is all about encouraging girls to be comfortable with themselves through storytelling, journaling and craft making.

Full Moon Rising Farm is home to an animal farm complete with goats, ducks, rabbits, chickens and more. Petersen lets the kids not only play with the animals but also build practical skills for an agrarian lifestyle; the children learn to milk the goats to make cheese with and feed the animals.

The mixed space of farmland and forest gives camp attendees the space to study the botany of the property with Petersen, who puts her environmental education background to good use. In the “diggin’ the earth” day camp for kids aged six to eleven, farm life is blended with craft sessions using the surrounding nature. Kids have the option during the camp to emphasize one of the subjects more than the other. The camp offers two separate time frames: July 11-14 and July 18-21.

Petersen says the “diggin’ the earth” title sums up the experience on hand at Full Moon Rising Farm.

“Kids need to be taught hands-on rather than sitting down in front of a screen,” Petersen said. “This is really for kids to come here and have a sense of freedom that teaches them to trust their intuition.”

For parents looking to provide their young girls with an empowering and community-focused experience, Soroptimist of South Whidbey Island is hosting a three-day “start dreaming” day camp on July 19-21. Activities include fitness activities, career planning, arts and a community portion where the girls will make gifts for the kids at Ryan’s House for Youth. The camp is free to attend.

“The camp involving the community in the lives of the young girls and we know the struggle to get where we are,” Kathy Habel, a Soroptimist of South Whidbey representative said. “We really want to give them the skills and strategy to succeed and be comfortable with themselves.”

The Whidbey Island Children’s Center in Langley provides an engaging educational experience that encourages critical thinking in younger children. The children’s center operates with the high scope curriculum, which Executive Director Kris Barker says is designed to develop critical thinking skills through self- directed play and encouraging kids to figure out things on their own.

And it seems to be working.

Washington Early Achievers, a statewide research-based program that provides resources to child care providers, gave Whidbey Island Children’s Center a level four out of five rating. According to an early achievers pamphlet, the rating is given to programs that create rich learning environments and curriculum while including parents in their child’s learning process.

“I’m a big believer in the curriculum and self-directed play,” parent Stephanie Lorber said. “The center feels like family and is super helpful in terms of parenting advice and situational help such as relationship skills.”

The 35-year-old children’s center has programs for kids aged 1 to 13. Contracts are signed on a twelve-month basis other than the summer programs for school aged children, which run through the summertime.

Located on Sixth Street near Cascade Avenue, the children’s center engages kids in activities such as field trips, music, picnics and walks to the beach. The center has adopted a tree down the street from their building that they visit regularly to learn about the changes it goes through as it ages and the seasons transition. The engaging curriculum has won over generations of families.

“We’re on our second generation of families,” Barker said. “A lot of our parents and teachers came here as little kids, and now they’re sending their kids our way.”

The children’s center can hold 49 kids on any given day. For more information on space available for summer and year round programs, visit http://www.swchildrenscenter.com/

To learn more about Full Moon Rising Farm camps, visit http://www.fullmoonrisingfarm.com/.