Arts and crafts, swimming, nature walks, sports, drama, field trips… the Samaritan-Rensselaer Children’s Center (SRCC) Discovery Day Camp at Rensselaer has it all! The camp is now accepting applications for its summer program.

Campers will enjoy hour-long swim periods each day, as well as athletic activities in the gyms and outdoor fun on the fields. Weekly day trips will explore places such as the Great Escape, Howe Caverns, and Waterslide World, as well as shorter trips to bike riding, a planetarium, and sports facilities.

NIHprogram_featureMost of the campers are children of staff at Rensselaer and St. Peter’s Health Partners, which have partnered for almost two decades to provide convenient, quality child care as a benefit for their employees. Full-time day care, for children ages 8 weeks through kindergarten, is offered at the SRCC at Samaritan Hospital. The SRCC is actually two camps for children who are graduates of kindergarten through age 12: one camp for children 4 to 8 years old and a second for children 9 to 12 years old.

“This is truly a collaborative program, and we encourage our faculty, staff, and students to take advantage of it,” said Paul Martin, Rensselaer assistant vice president for administration and president of the board of directors of Samaritan-Rensselaer Children’s Center. “Part of our contribution, at Rensselaer, is to provide facilities for the summer — to host the day camp program and offer access to some of our recreational facilities, including the pool.”

“Our camp appeals to children who are interested in doing and trying a lot of different things,” said Deirdre Greco, director of the SRCC. “Younger children enjoy the challenge of something new each week, and older campers can sample a variety of ‘clubs.’ ”

The summer camp runs from June 27 through Sept. 1. Both full- and part-time enrollment is available; families may sign up by the week.

Applications are available online.

Fees include all trips, supplies and two snacks daily. (Campers bring their own lunch.)

Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Payment may be made in full with registration; or, weekly fees may be deducted from your checking account. For more information, or to register, visit the website or call Deirdre Greco or Kristina Hogeboom at (518) 271-3748.