Winter came early this year for some Santa Clarita Valley children.
Youngsters got a cool surprise when they went to summer camp at Creative Years Preschool Wednesday morning, a playground full of snow.
Their experience in the powdery white wonderland included building snowmen, sledding and learning how to build snowballs.
“It’s our most popular week of summer camp,” said Bayliss,
“We call it Winter in July.”
It was a climate shock for many of the preschool dressed in shorts.
“A lot of kids have never seen snow before,” said Camp Director Denise Bayliss,
“So it gives them the opportunity to touch and feel it.”
The high temperature of the snow day was 94 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
“It’s usually really hot at this time of year,” said Bayliss.
The camp director said the preschoolers have been full of anticipation all week.
“The children always ask, ‘Is it snow day? Is it snow day?’ every time they walk in and out of the doors,” said Christine Mitchell, the camp’s assistant director,
“Today was very special for them.”
The camp has offered the activity annually for two decades to expose the children to a different climate, Mitchell explained.
“We have over 200 families that are enrolled with us.”
It’s a controlled chaos for the energetic young campers as they take in snow comes, ice painting and a lesson in freezing water.
As the summer sun moved across the sky, the temperature climbed, eventually clearing the 90-degree mark.
With that, the icy slush melted, but the staff hoped the memories made for the children will remain frozen in time.
