Summer Enrichments
Summer will be here before you know it! Keep your children engaged and learning all summer! James River has programs to make learning fun and adventurous for all kinds of kids. Most camps are open to the public. Those marked with a cardinal (
) are for James River students only.
) are for James River students only.Choose your child's summer camp and/or enrichment activities from those listed below and then complete the sign-up by following the link for the camps you choose. Keep in mind that any of the morning, weeklong enrichments may be combined with a week of afternoons in the Summer Day Camp at the Children's Center for a full day of fun and active learning! (An additional fee does apply.)
Multi-week Enrichments
Summer Day Camp at the Children’s Center
Searching for somewhere to spend those summer days? Look no further! The Children’s Center at James River Day School provides childcare for rising first graders through 12-year-olds. Campers will spend a fun-filled summer taking local field trips to places such as Amazement Square, FunQuest, and the movies. Kids can swim or just float around to cool off each week in a nearby swimming pool. In addition, children will enjoy creating crafts, reading books, and playing outside. Each day, children need to bring lunch, morning and afternoon snacks, water, and/or water bottles. Children will be supervised by our trained staff.
Searching for somewhere to spend those summer days? Look no further! The Children’s Center at James River Day School provides childcare for rising first graders through 12-year-olds. Campers will spend a fun-filled summer taking local field trips to places such as Amazement Square, FunQuest, and the movies. Kids can swim or just float around to cool off each week in a nearby swimming pool. In addition, children will enjoy creating crafts, reading books, and playing outside. Each day, children need to bring lunch, morning and afternoon snacks, water, and/or water bottles. Children will be supervised by our trained staff.
Director: Katrina Phillips
Ages: rising 1st graders to 12-year-olds
Dates/Times: Monday - Friday, June 10- August 2, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Cost: $2000 for the 8 weeks or $300 per week (for prearranged weeks); activities and field trips are included.
Ages: rising 1st graders to 12-year-olds
Dates/Times: Monday - Friday, June 10- August 2, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Cost: $2000 for the 8 weeks or $300 per week (for prearranged weeks); activities and field trips are included.
Basketball Open Gym
Players will work on individual skill development in passing, shooting, and ball-handling for 30 minutes, followed by an hour of full-court scrimmaging. Open to boys and girls of all abilities. Purchase a package for all eight sessions for the best deal. Or, choose a package of four sessions to fit around your travel plans.
Players will work on individual skill development in passing, shooting, and ball-handling for 30 minutes, followed by an hour of full-court scrimmaging. Open to boys and girls of all abilities. Purchase a package for all eight sessions for the best deal. Or, choose a package of four sessions to fit around your travel plans.
Instructor: John Gillum
Ages: Rising 5th through rising 8th graders
Dates/Times: Tuesdays, June 11-July 30, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Cost: $75 for all 8 sessions. $45 for 4 sessions. - BUY
Ages: Rising 5th through rising 8th graders
Dates/Times: Tuesdays, June 11-July 30, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Cost: $75 for all 8 sessions. $45 for 4 sessions. - BUY
Weeklong Enrichments
These camps are arranged in date order.
Disc Golf Skills (Beginner through Advanced)
Whether you are a beginner at disc golf or a more experienced player, this camp is for you. Players will develop their skills while playing local courses in this week-long camp. Discs will be provided. Campers will be awarded their own discs on the last day during a tournament with prizes for each member. Transportation to local courses will be provided.
Whether you are a beginner at disc golf or a more experienced player, this camp is for you. Players will develop their skills while playing local courses in this week-long camp. Discs will be provided. Campers will be awarded their own discs on the last day during a tournament with prizes for each member. Transportation to local courses will be provided.
Instructor: Todd Anderson
Ages: Rising 5th through rising 9th graders
Dates/Times: June 10-14, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $225 - BUY
Ages: Rising 5th through rising 9th graders
Dates/Times: June 10-14, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $225 - BUY
Cardinal Character Adventure Days
Come spend time on campus having fun and building Cardinal Character. Students will play games to get to know each other and participate in fun activities like tie-dying shirts, field day competitions, water activities, and much more. Each day will focus on a different character trait of a JRDS Cardinal. At the end of the week, campers will bring home a small birdhouse to remember the week and have a reminder that JRDS is a Cardinal’s home away from home.
Come spend time on campus having fun and building Cardinal Character. Students will play games to get to know each other and participate in fun activities like tie-dying shirts, field day competitions, water activities, and much more. Each day will focus on a different character trait of a JRDS Cardinal. At the end of the week, campers will bring home a small birdhouse to remember the week and have a reminder that JRDS is a Cardinal’s home away from home.
Instructors: Casey Eccles and Kandy Rini
Ages: Rising 4th through rising 8th graders
Dates/Times: June 10-14, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $175 - BUY
Ages: Rising 4th through rising 8th graders
Dates/Times: June 10-14, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $175 - BUY
Fairy Tales Come Alive
Bring the magic of your most treasured fairy tales to life while creating some mystical creatures, building masterpieces, and concocting potions of your own! Students will compare and contrast fairy tales while engaging in STEAM activities. Yummy snacks for each tale will be incorporated into the magic!
Bring the magic of your most treasured fairy tales to life while creating some mystical creatures, building masterpieces, and concocting potions of your own! Students will compare and contrast fairy tales while engaging in STEAM activities. Yummy snacks for each tale will be incorporated into the magic!
Instructor: Betsy Layne
Ages: Rising 1st through rising third graders
Dates/Times: June 10-14, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $175 - BUY
Ages: Rising 1st through rising third graders
Dates/Times: June 10-14, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $175 - BUY
Cardinal Olympic Games
Calling all Olympians! Let's prepare for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. We will actively learn about the Summer Olympics, and compete in our 2024 JRDS Olympic Games. Join in for a chance to take home the gold in traditional and new events created by you. Snacks for champions will be provided each day.
Calling all Olympians! Let's prepare for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. We will actively learn about the Summer Olympics, and compete in our 2024 JRDS Olympic Games. Join in for a chance to take home the gold in traditional and new events created by you. Snacks for champions will be provided each day.
Instructor: Betsy Layne
Ages: Rising 1st through rising third graders
Dates/Times: June 17-21, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $175 - BUY
Ages: Rising 1st through rising third graders
Dates/Times: June 17-21, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $175 - BUY
Stepping through Lynchburg
Want to get up and moving? And explore local, hidden gems right here in Lynchburg? Join Mrs. Eccles and Ms. Mitchell to count your steps and explore some of Lynchburg’s coolest spots: the Blackwater Creek Trails, Monument Terrace, and so much more. Each day, participants will visit a new spot, exercise, expand their knowledge of Lynchburg--its history and culture, and reflect on their experiences. It will be fun for all involved!
Want to get up and moving? And explore local, hidden gems right here in Lynchburg? Join Mrs. Eccles and Ms. Mitchell to count your steps and explore some of Lynchburg’s coolest spots: the Blackwater Creek Trails, Monument Terrace, and so much more. Each day, participants will visit a new spot, exercise, expand their knowledge of Lynchburg--its history and culture, and reflect on their experiences. It will be fun for all involved!
Instructors: Casey Eccles and Miranda Mitchell
Ages: Rising 4th through rising 8th graders
Dates/Times: June 17-21, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $200 - BUY
Ages: Rising 4th through rising 8th graders
Dates/Times: June 17-21, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $200 - BUY
Cardinal Cheerleading
This cheer camp teaches the fundamentals, as well as simple fun routines and performance skills! Participants will learn stretching techniques for flexibility, balance and rhythm skills, cheer motions, jumping fundamentals, and basic tumbling and stunting. This camp will teach students about teamwork, trust, and the importance of practice and dedication while having tons of fun.
This cheer camp teaches the fundamentals, as well as simple fun routines and performance skills! Participants will learn stretching techniques for flexibility, balance and rhythm skills, cheer motions, jumping fundamentals, and basic tumbling and stunting. This camp will teach students about teamwork, trust, and the importance of practice and dedication while having tons of fun.
Instructor: Miranda Mitchell
Ages: Rising 4th through rising 6th graders
Dates/Times: June 24-28, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $175 - BUY
Ages: Rising 4th through rising 6th graders
Dates/Times: June 24-28, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $175 - BUY
Art Adventures
Join Dr. Hellewell for some Art Adventures! Work with new materials and try unusual techniques. Explore painting, sculpture, printmaking, and more. Projects will allow for individual expression and the chance to be creative.
Join Dr. Hellewell for some Art Adventures! Work with new materials and try unusual techniques. Explore painting, sculpture, printmaking, and more. Projects will allow for individual expression and the chance to be creative.
Instructor: Sarah Hellewell
Grades: Rising 1st through rising 5th graders
Dates/Times: June 24-28, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $175 - BUY
Grades: Rising 1st through rising 5th graders
Dates/Times: June 24-28, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $175 - BUY
LEGO® STEAM
Come enjoy a full day of LEGO fun with Mrs. Klein! This full-day camp will utilize LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Essential kits to get students excited about building, coding, and learning together. This playful, narrative-based learning experience encourages students to investigate STEAM concepts, contributing to literacy, math, and social-emotional development. The SPIKE™ App, featuring age-appropriate icon- and word-based coding based on Scratch (a coding language), helps develop coding skills. Students will investigate the scientific concepts of energy, energy transfer, and collision--all while having fun! If your child has already attended a LEGO® STEAM program, don’t worry, with over 60 building and coding challenges per kit, your child will stay challenged and engaged! Students will have two recess/snack breaks and a break for lunch each day. (Each student will need to bring their snacks, lunch, and water bottle each day.)
Come enjoy a full day of LEGO fun with Mrs. Klein! This full-day camp will utilize LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Essential kits to get students excited about building, coding, and learning together. This playful, narrative-based learning experience encourages students to investigate STEAM concepts, contributing to literacy, math, and social-emotional development. The SPIKE™ App, featuring age-appropriate icon- and word-based coding based on Scratch (a coding language), helps develop coding skills. Students will investigate the scientific concepts of energy, energy transfer, and collision--all while having fun! If your child has already attended a LEGO® STEAM program, don’t worry, with over 60 building and coding challenges per kit, your child will stay challenged and engaged! Students will have two recess/snack breaks and a break for lunch each day. (Each student will need to bring their snacks, lunch, and water bottle each day.)
Instructor: Lindsay Klein
Grades: Rising 1st through rising 5th graders
Dates/Times: July 8-12, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Cost: $300 - BUY
Grades: Rising 1st through rising 5th graders
Dates/Times: July 8-12, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Cost: $300 - BUY
Graphic Novel Production
Storytelling through words and arts! Do you like to read? Create? Do you like to tell stories? Even if you don't, this is a great camp to help you stretch your imagination. Campers can retell stories that have happened to them, create stories from scratch, or retell their favorite story. The possibilities are endless. Art skills are NOT required. Campers will write stories and create pictures to accompany them - digitally or hand-drawn. By the end of the week, students will have a digital copy of a project in progress, with the goal of a finished book. Each student will get individualized instruction and group inspiration.
Instructors: Casey Eccles
Ages: Rising 3rd through rising 8th graders
Dates/Times: July 15-19, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $175 - BUY
Ages: Rising 3rd through rising 8th graders
Dates/Times: July 15-19, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $175 - BUY
Summer Stories & STEAM
What do watermelon, lemonade, and water balloons all have in common? Come find out at the Summer, Stories, and STEAM camp! Each day will have a summer-related theme starting with a story and then conquering a correlating STEAM project. This is an ideal summer camp for those who love to expand their thinking and create in the classroom. When applicable, some taste testing may be involved.
Instructor: Hollyday Marks
Ages: Rising 1st through rising 4th graders
Dates/Times: July 15-19, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $175 - BUY
Ages: Rising 1st through rising 4th graders
Dates/Times: July 15-19, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $175 - BUY
Outdoor Ramblers - SOLD OUT!
It’s time to unplug and get outside with nature enthusiasts John and Tasha Gillum. Campers will embark on a different adventure each day: hiking the Appalachian Trail, playing in creeks, picking blackberries on a farm, canoeing on a lake, swimming at Miller Park Pool, and climbing at Rise Up, are just a sampling of the activities we have planned. This is the way summer should be! All rental fees are included. Transportation is provided on a mini-bus as we ramble from one adventure to another. Drop-off and pick-up will be at James River Day School. Parents will receive an email with details before the start of the camp. This camp is a proven winner with kids. Don’t delay. It will sell out!
Instructors: John Gillum and Tasha Gillum
Grades: Rising 3rd through rising 5th graders
Dates/Times: July 22-26, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Cost: $350
Sports Camp
If you love PE and sports, this is your camp! The focus of this camp will be on gameplay and fun. Each day, we will play three different sports with a little free time/break between each sport. Soccer, basketball, Ultimate Frisbee, volleyball, and pickleball are just a few of the sports we will play. In addition, we will throw in some classic PE games such as castle flag, colony ball, and capture the flag. On the last day, we will have a Field Day, complete with tug of war, relays, and a water balloon toss. The winning team gets to hit Coach Gillum with a water balloon!
Instructor: John Gillum
Ages: Rising 5th through rising 8th graders
Dates/Times: August 5-9, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $175 - BUY
Cost: $175 - BUY
Kindergarten Readiness Camp We all love to preview a movie before watching it, right? Let your rising kindergarteners have a whole week to preview the life of a K student at JRDS. Let us help ease the transition into their first year of school! We will start our day with the carpool drop-off routine and end it with pick-up the same way. Each morning, children will practice hanging up their backpacks, washing their hands, and then have a chance to explore their new classrooms and bond with their kindergarten teachers. We will spend time reading, singing, and practicing a few readiness skills (writing, counting, etc.). We will encourage hands-on and whole-body movements through climbing and swinging on our playset, exploring the campus nature trail, and creating crafts and projects. We will walk the children all around the school and allow them to visit all of their “specials” rooms. They will get a glimpse inside the art room, music room, foreign language room, Taylor Media Center (library), and Carrington Field House (gym). What is the full experience without eating in the Cardinal Cafe? We ask that you please pack your child lunch every day, so they can practice sitting at the lunch tables and opening their lunch containers. After lunch, there will be a quick pack up of their belongings, then outside to the front of the school for pick up! We are so excited to host rising enrolled JRDS students, and allow for a fun, exciting, and informative week of Kindergarten readiness camp!
Instructors: Carly Lawrence and Michelle Lucado
Ages: Rising James River Kindergarteners
Dates: August 5-9
Time: 9:00 to 11:45 a.m. Please pack one snack, lunch, and a water bottle each day.
Cost: $175 - BUY
Time: 9:00 to 11:45 a.m. Please pack one snack, lunch, and a water bottle each day.
Cost: $175 - BUY
Volleyball Skills Week
Players will work on individual skill development in serving, passing, setting, and spiking. They will learn court rotations and defensive skills and have scrimmage time each day in this fun camp! Open to girls of all abilities.
Instructor: Erica Lemasters
Ages: Rising 4th- through 8th-grade girls
Dates/Time: August 5-9, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Cost: $100 - BUY
Cost: $100 - BUY
One-Room SchoolhouseOne of the most popular and long-running programs at James River Day School, our iconic One-Room Schoolhouse offers students unique and specialized instruction in math, grammar, and world language, with a strong focus on organization and study skills. Designed to ease the transition into the upcoming school year, the program furnishes students with an academic jump-start by providing them with individualized lessons and differentiated instruction in the school's core curriculum areas, plus extra assistance for students who need a little help getting it all together. Students get all set up and ready to go -- from their cubbies and lockers to their new schedules. Help your student transition smoothly into a new school year by signing up for this program with its proven track record!
Instructors: A talented team of James River Day School’s expert educators
Ages: Rising 1st through rising 8th graders (James River students only)
Dates/Time: Monday through Wednesday, August 12-14, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Cost: $185 for returning students and FREE to NEW James River students - BUY / Reserve Your Place
Cancellation Policy
If you should need to cancel your child's participation in one of James River's summer enrichment programs, please notify the school as soon as possible by emailing Laurie Harris, our business manager, at [email protected]. Cancellation requests received two weeks or more before the start date of the affected program(s) may be refunded. Cancellation requests received less than two weeks before the start date of the affected program will be handled on a case-by-case basis. If the school determines an enrichment must be canceled, those affected will be refunded.
If you should need to cancel your child's participation in one of James River's summer enrichment programs, please notify the school as soon as possible by emailing Laurie Harris, our business manager, at [email protected]. Cancellation requests received two weeks or more before the start date of the affected program(s) may be refunded. Cancellation requests received less than two weeks before the start date of the affected program will be handled on a case-by-case basis. If the school determines an enrichment must be canceled, those affected will be refunded.