March 25, 2019
This year, Wheaton College is hosting the annual Spring Break Staycation, a lineup of events and activities geared to elementary school-age students, who are staying at home during Community Unit School District 200’s Spring Break.
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Local elementary school kids can have a fun-filled week even if they’re staying at home in Wheaton over Spring Break.
Wheaton College is hosting a Spring Break Staycation, a week of events and activities for kids ages 5 through 12 and their parents or caregivers. The events coincide with Spring Break for District 200.
This year, staycationers can look forward to several events at the Marion E. Wade Center, home of the wardrobe that inspired C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. On Monday, March 25 at 10 a.m., staycationers will enjoy a reading of The Light Princess, a Scottish fairy tale by George MacDonald. On Tuesday at 10:30 a.m., Thursday at 10:30 a.m. and Friday at 4 p.m., the Wade Center’s Bakke Auditorium is staging a dramatic retelling of C.S. Lewis’ Prince Caspian. Be sure to get there early to stake out your seat! Plus, the Community School of the Arts will be hosting two hands-on instrument experiences prior to the dramas on Thursday (at 9:45 a.m.) and Friday (at 3:15 p.m.). You won’t want to miss it.
To burn off some energy, staycationers can join HoneyRock, the Center for Leadership Development of Wheaton College for an open gym-time at the Chrouser Sports Complex on Wednesday, March 27, from 10 a.m. to noon. Get there early because HoneyRock will be handing out drawstring bags on a first come-first served basis.
At the close of the week, staycationers can take a conifer tree tour with Wheaton College Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Ray Lewis. In addition to learning about pines, spruces and yews, among others, kids will get a conifer chart that they can use to identify trees on the Wheaton College campus, which has Tree Campus USA status designated by the Arbor Day Foundation.
If you didn’t get a chance to register for some other staycation events—including a writing workshop, a cooking class, a dance workshop, and a chemistry demonstration, which all filled up quickly this year—we hope you’ll be able to join us for those events next year.
But don’t forget to print off your Wheaton College Scavenger Hunt off the website (see link above). If you find all the Wheaton College landmarks on the list, you could win one of our grand prizes!
Several events require signed safety or media waivers, which are available at wheaton.edu/staycation. It’s important to note that this year Wheaton College is requiring signed safety and media waivers for participation in these events. Please note that parents or legal guardians must sign these before children can participate in the events. You can find these on the website (see link above), or you can sign them prior to participating in the events. (Also note that caregivers—nannies or babysitters—will not be able to sign these waivers on behalf of children that aren’t their own).--Emily Bratcher