Summer 2023

Enchantment Camps registration for 2023 will open 9am on January 8th. Camps fill quickly!

Cryptozoology - the study of magical creatures

How many fabulous creatures are out there? This will be a week of exploration, dipping into dragons, but going far beyond to the whole realm of magical and imaginary creatures. Each magician will learn about many common and rare creatures, from mermaids to selkies, griffins to geniis. But they will also spend the week discovering a heretofore unknown creature of their own design. They will design and create an illustrated book about their creature so that they can introduce it to the world.

Fire Magic

In this celebratory week, we will gather a smaller group of magicians who want to build and burn! We will construct a fully functional pizza oven, going into all the skills that are involved in creating a beautiful structure that can safely get to high heat. Speaking of high heat, we will learn about fire safety and how to prevent unwanted fires. We’ll also dive into combustible chemistry, learning how to make some non-explosive pyrotechnics. Of course, we’ll have to dip into dragons, and learn about the death-defying power of the phoenix. And if the gods are on our side, we might have some fire-spinning in store!

Flowers and Flours

This is a plant magic potions week, where we appreciate both the beauty and the vibrant life force of the plant kingdom. We will be using (hopefully!) our freshly finished pizza oven, and learn about sourdough, yeast, baking powder and unleavened breads. We will learn about the different qualities of fresh flours and how they work together to create incomparable flavors in cakes, cookies and bread. With fresh, edible flowers, we will learn how to glaze and candy them to make delicious decorations for our concoctions. This is potions week, so everything we make and bake will be done with full respect and understanding for the life of each ingredient.

Spell Crafting - the Tree of Languages

Many of the languages in the Western hemisphere stem from a few common ancient sources. We will explore the trunk and the branches of the many languages that are entwined like one great tree. We will learn sigils and signs, runes, elvish and ogham alphabets, then the magicians will devise a magical alphabet of their own imagining. We will work with poetry, the precise choice of perfect words to cast a powerful spell. Those who want to will be able to turn their spells into songs, because music brings words to life.

Divinations

In divinations, we do not focus on the future, which can change with every choice we make, but instead, we dig into the things that make us unique. We will get hands-on experience with many forms of divinations, from card reading to scrying, tea leaves to seeing signs in nature. Magicians will become more adept with their pendulum dowsing; they’ll learn to craft questions to get useful answers, and they will discover how all these forms of divinations ultimately guide them to become better humans on this pretty planet. Each magician will receive a deck of Lenormand Cards in advance so they can color or paint them in time for camp to receive some hefty house points!

Astrology and Tarot Intensive for Teens

This is a week for older magicians, and especially useful to those who have dipped into astrology and tarot before. It is so easy to dismiss a person or a situation with an easy label. “I’m Pisces, so I’m flakey” or “I drew the Empress, so I’m all set.” But both of these systems have rich, intuitive wisdom to offer, if you take the time to understand the mythical patterns they represent. The trick is to see past the simple structure to the complex layers and influences. It is like having red, yellow and blue paint, and learning how to mix a thousand colors. This week will approach both Tarot and Astrology readings in a fresh way to break out of assumptions and into enlightened understanding of our selves and others. Each student will receive their own tarot deck.

Moon Magic

The moon is said to influence our emotions and the rhythms of our bodies, drawing on the fluid in our systems as it does the ocean, and even the earth itself. We will look into the moon’s mysteries this week, mythology around her wholeness, and explore the cycles of the moon. With a moon journal, we will chart hormonal cycles, moodiness, and our bodies awakening as young adults. We’ll learn how to ground out big feelings, and how to dowse to determine if a mood is rooted in reality. While the topics we focus on this week have been historically discussed along a strict gender binary, we welcome all genders. Everyone experiences waves of hormones. We believe that the cultural taboos and gendering around menses is worth breaking down, and humans who do not bleed will be more understanding and empowered to be strong allies if they are brought into the circle of confidence.

BORDERLANDS Theater Workshop

This week we will begin the Borderlands theater pieces for the outdoor performances at Shelburne Farms in October. We will brainstorm and create some costumes, design make-up, workshop parts, build acting skills, and by the end of the week, hold auditions for the show.

Led by renowned actress and director, Aly Perry, the students get an intensive experience in how to develop character, how to interact with the audience, allowing the performance to adapt to the situation. Their performing ability for all kinds of theater will be enriched by this fabulous experience.

Participation in this week is a commitment to the rehearsals and performances, Saturdays in September and October. The theme of Borderlands 2023 is Scheherazade Tales, 1001 Nights.

2023-24 Treewild Forest Classroom

One day a week, your child opens to wonder and discover in the wild. Treewild kids are excused from indoor school to learn experientially about anything from maple sugaring to the chemistry of water.

Many studies have shown how a day outdoors increases focus and academic ability all week long. But even more importantly, being part of the Forest Classroom community increases their physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.

If you are interested in learning more, indicate on the registration form, and we will contact you when registration opens.

About Enchantment Camps

Enchantment Camps celebrates the real magic that surrounds us when we pay attention. Nature, science, spirit and imagination come together in a week of abundant wonder.

All camps include a Spellcasting tournament and Capture the Dragon, Quidditch, or other magical games. Every day we do a meditative journey. Magicians are encouraged to bring in “homework” to share their creativity with the group and receive house points. There is often a celebration at 3pm on Friday, depending on the theme.

Camps are $360, and run from 9-4. Before/after care (8-5) are available for a fee.

Many of our families generously contribute to our scholarship fund to enable all children to come to camp! If you would like a scholarship, please indicate on the registration form. We also have a few full scholarships set aside for New Americans, Indigenous Americans, and families who would otherwise not be able to attend due to financial restrictions.