The Mennonite Heritage Village is once again welcoming young campers this summer as they bring back their popular Pioneer Day Camps.
Program Coordinator Jaysa Thiessen says that with growing interest, MHV has been able to expand their camp schedule this year.
“We have lots of kids that want to come, which is wonderful, and we want to provide time throughout the summer that's going to work with lots of different schedules. If they've got a Bible camp one week the next week, they can come to the museum, stuff like that. So, it works to have a range of weeks available.”
This year, they have five weeks of camps scheduled throughout July and August.
“We've got weeks specifically for ages five through seven, the younger kids. And then kind of a catch all category of seven through 11 and then we have a week of ages 11 to 14 and that's specifically our apprenticeship camp, which is where some of the older kids get to experience doing some more hands on pioneer activities, developing some more hands on pioneer skills.”
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July 7 – 11: Ages 5 to 7
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July 14 – 18: Ages 7 to 11
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July 21 – 25: Ages 11 to 14 (Apprenticeship Camp)
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August 11 – 15: Ages 7 to 11
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August 18 – 22: Ages 7 to 11
Thiessen explains that the apprenticeship camp is about developing skills, while the camps for younger kids are tailored to their age.
“It's shorter time periods for the younger kids still learning some of the same skills, but not to the same depth level.”
Campers can look forward to a range of activities, all designed to give them a feel for different aspects of pioneer life.
“We have our week broken up into various themes. So, we've got Life in the Village, Life at Home, Transportation Day, Career Day, and then Fun Day or Carnival Day. So, every day they get a different glimpse of something in the village, something new to explore and learn.”
The apprenticeship camp offers older kids a deeper dive into pioneer life and includes small-group sessions with MHV volunteers.
“They will spend time at, say, the blacksmith shop for an hour one day, learning more hands on, in-depth, how the blacksmith shop runs, working on actual projects, and getting to do various things in the forge. Same with the print shop, same with butter churning, all sorts of fun pioneer activities like that.”
Families interested in registering can contact the Mennonite Heritage Village at 204-326-9661 or email education@mhv.ca.
“The cost is $165 a camper for the week. We're just excited to have the children come learn things that they're not going to learn at a regular camp or school setting. And just invite them to enter into pioneer life.”
With files from Adi Loewen