Program: Great Books Explorers
On the Stanford Campus
Day Camp for Rising Grades 4 & 5
Many families have asked about programs for bright and curious younger students, and we are pleased to bring Great Books Explorers to the campus of Stanford University this summer!
This day program for rising grade 4 and 5 students will help students grow reading and discussion skills, introduce critical thinking skills, and give students a chance to build writing skills too. And, of course, we’ll enjoy arts & crafts, games, theater, and lots of summer fun adventuring on the Stanford campus.
An ideal program for those from or staying in the Palo Alto area this summer, especially younger siblings of current Great Books students. Day camp hours are 8:30am – 3:00pm with morning drop off beginning at 8:00am.
Enrollment is limited. Available for two weeks only in Summer 2026: July 6 – 10 and July 13-17.
For Students Entering Grades:
On the Campuses of:
- Stanford University
Ready To Enroll?
Let's Get Started! Nurturing Young Minds
through Reading & Writing
Great Books Explorers brings a taste of Great Books style learning to gifted younger students, encouraging a love of reading, fueling a thirst for knowledge, and fostering self-expression skills both in discussion and through creative writing.
Explorers will begin their quest with us diving into a collection of poems, short stories, and more. Designed to jumpstart engagement and inspire literary exploration, we will make connections from the classics to the modern world, helping students think critically to find the deeper meaning and big ideas within literature. As we read together, we will build logic skills as we learn to raise questions and to argue and defend our answers.
Later in the day, GB Explorers will craft their own stories as they strengthen important skills of self-expression. Innovative and exciting writing prompts and exercises will help students put pen to paper and practice how to translate their voice and ideas into fantastical tales inspired by their morning reading.
Cultivating Creativity
through the Arts & Play
Late morning, we will develop our creativity further by taking part in theater and visual art. Unleashing our imagination in drawing, sculpture, music, and theater, we will bring characters we have read about and characters from our own stories to life in vivid color, texture, motion, and sound to create a “gallery of imagination” to share in a special event at the end of the week.
Afternoons will also feature excursions on campus to explore the many fascinating gardens, sculptures, and spaces on the Stanford campus. Activities are sure to include navigating the outdoor labyrinth, hiking along Lake Lagunita, learning about local plants while exploring the cactus garden, enjoying the sculpture gardens, and taking advantage of the wide-open spaces for fun games. Students will have a blast with new friends in this fun program!
A Balanced Approach
As parents we understand the importance of feeding the natural intellectual curiosity of kids and the many benefits of growing a love of reading. And we are all wary of the well-known “summer slide” where, like an unused muscle, skills built over the school year can decline.
We also feel strongly that summer should have an ample measure of fun and relaxation. It’s a time when the imagination can run wild, and kids can (and should!) enjoy the sunshine and play more than busy school-year schedules may allow.
That’s why we have built our Great Books Explorers schedule to blend learning and play to create interactive classrooms where students engage in literature through reading, discussing, theater, and other interactive activities. And we get outside of the classroom to explore, create, and have lots of summer fun.
Join Us this Summer!
If you have a rising grade 4 or 5 student, don't miss out! Space is very limited in this special day program.
On The Campuses Of:
Stanford University
For Students Entering Grades:
4-5 (Primary School)One & multi-week programs available:
- July 6, 2026
- July 13, 2026
