A Community Partnership: KEEN & CWU Join Together
Windy City Park Rangers - Sliding-Scale Summer Day Camp
KEEN & CWU
Windy City Park Rangers
KEEN, in partnership with Central Washington University, is thrilled to bring back Windy City Park Rangers for 2023! Windy City Park Rangers is designed as an outdoor day camp program held in 4 parks around the City of Ellensburg 9am-3pm M-F between June 19-August 25. You can register for 1-4 days or the whole week.
Windy City Park Rangers (WCPR) is a day-camp/child-care offering in Kittitas County that is open to K-8th grade youth (kids have to be age 5 by June 19) in our community at City parks that are accessible by walking or public bus.
WCPR will be at Mountain View Park in 2023.
Windy City Park Rangers is a grant-supported program offered for Summer 2023. This program offers an affordable, fun, and educational child care option for families in Ellensburg.
WCPR is offered at a low rate of $150/week. We also offer a sliding-scale financial aid application, if you need support and child care for the summer. (Must submit proof of income to be considered for aid). You are also required to show proof of application to HopeSource for their youth scholarships program.
WAITLIST IS OPEN! If your preferred selection is full, please use the waitlist and *explain your preferences within the notes section* - we will accommodate requests to the best of our ability.
WCPR is a nature immersion program with daily STEM activities mixed in with art, recreational activities, and just plain summer fun. Open to kindergarten through 8th grade students, WCPR provides ‘day-camp’ child care experiences in locations that are easy to access via walking or public transportation.
Place-based learning and outdoor free-play are at the heart of WCPR programming. Nature walks, observation journals, and creative play in the different parks are incorporated into every day. WCPR focuses on what makes each park within the City of Ellensburg unique. For example, Irene Rinehart Park is bounded by the Yakima River and has extensive walking trails and two swimming lakes. At that park, WCPR brings in extensive water play with kayaks and stand up paddle boards during the hot days of summer. In contrast, Kiwanis Park has a restored portion of Mercer Creek and not much other natural habitat. At that park, WCPR focuses on art and science projects, and free play on the playgrounds.
A Summer Full of Fun!
WCPR is a nature immersion program with daily STEAM activities mixed in with recreational activities and just plain summer fun.
Open to kindergarten through 8th grade students, WCPR provides ‘day-camp’ child care experiences in locations that are easy to access via walking or public transportation. Using funding from Central Washington University, WCPR will provide critical child care to our community.
Place-based learning and outdoor free-play are at the heart of WCPR programming.
Nature walks, observation journals, and creative play in the different parks are incorporated into every day. WCPR focuses on what makes each park within the City of Ellensburg unique.
For example, Irene Rinehart Park is bounded by the Yakima River and has extensive walking trails and two swimming lakes. At that park, we bring in extensive water play with kayaks and stand-up paddle boards during the hot days of summer.
In contrast, Kiwanis Park has a restored portion of Mercer Creek, playgrounds, and sports fields. At that park, we focus on art and science projects, and free play on the playgrounds.
Program Director - We are hiring