Summer is coming, long awaited by all Italians and beyond. The days are getting longer and you can spend entire afternoons outdoors having fun. And then there is the relaxation of holidays, which is a perfect ingredient for making new friends and pouring all your energy into new experiences, especially for children.
Do you remember the summer afternoons of our childhood? When you spent all your time outside playing and felt lucky every day? When a circle of friends, even in a short time, became a second family.
This is what the Estivaletto field contains. A something special, ecco.
A whole week dedicated to fun and educational activities, where children practice and speak only the Italian language, where they can make new friends and discover and learn new things every day.
This is the camp we want to organize again this year. And now we'll tell you how.
Why choose a holiday camp in Italian? 
Throughout the year our children juggle the complicated and exciting reality of being bilingual: at school they speak Dutch or English and at home they often speak Italian or a second or third language.
This is why our objective, during the summer camp, is to leave space for children, to feel at ease and have fun with Italian.
Through many different types of activities, language games and sports, children will practice the language more, discovering new words and how to use them in everyday vocabulary. Furthermore, being in close contact with other children, they will be more inclined to speak Italian, learn it and improve their communication skills.
What does a typical day look like?
Have we made you curious now? Surely by reading these lines you are wondering how it really works. Here are some more details then!
The Estivaletto camp is structured for children aged 4-8, it takes place in Vondelpark in the area with the swimming pool, which overlooks the Overtoom side, to understand better. Throughout the week we will have our little camp there, the snack area and all the material necessary for the different activities of the day.
The camp will start at 9. Each day will have its own theme, to offer children different points of interest and learning opportunities. It is also a deliberate choice to allow those who will only be with us for a day or two to be a complete part of the group and have fun to the fullest. 
The numbers have doubled this year and, for some activities, children will be divided into two groups by age: 4-6 and 6-8 years. However, they will come into contact with both educators and share experiences with all participants.
In the morning we will discover the theme and we will deepen the use of the Italian language through readings, games, artistic activities and lots of laughter! Last year we noticed that children really like a veil of mystery, and so we decided to keep this daily surprise 😊
As for food, there will be a morning and afternoon snack provided by lo Stivaletto. We will then all have a 'packed' lunch, each bringing from home what they prefer and which is best suited to their diet.
Then the afternoon will be dedicated to movement, with sporting challenges, water games and explorations. Among gigantic dinosaurs, treasure and pirate hunts, cooking workshops and walks in the Far West, children will be amazed every day and will create a unique wealth of experiences and discoveries.
Rains? Everything under control! In case of rain, activities will move indoors to the Tagerijn gym, in Balboastraat 18 in Amsterdam West.
Who organizes the activities and follows the children?
For us it is important that the children establish a relationship of trust with the educators and that they want to return to the Estivaletto camp year after year also thanks to the friendships and beautiful experiences of the previous year.
So after the great success of the first edition, we are very happy that Aurora is leading the Estivaletto camp again this year. And together with her there is Jasmine, a new entry in the Stivaletto team with whom we are organizing many activities.
100% Italian, raised respectively in Brescia and Turin, they have two very different backgrounds but share a strong passion that encourages them to do their best when they are with children.
Aurora last year it made its way into the hearts of the participants, who still remember it with joy after a year. And they left so much to her. For her the most beautiful thing about the Estivaletto camp is the magic that is created between the participants. Without contact with screens or any other distraction other than having fun together, the children really help each other, they are amazed at the little great discoveries and they create a strong sense of community, of family. Aurora can't wait to see many of the members who have reconfirmed after last year's success, and to meet all the new participants.
Jasmine in turn it certainly cannot be defined as new in the field of recreational activities and in the science of training. With fiery red hair, he has shaped and made the relationship he has with children his own. For Jasmine it is important that children always feel understood and listened to. He traveled to different states, met many children of different backgrounds and learned new ways to communicate with them. Between cooking courses and activities tailor-made for the participants, Jasmine would like to bring a little of this year to the camp enchantment. For her in today's world, where everything goes so fast, children deserve to spend a week in the name of creativity and in contact with nature.
In short, we will see some beautiful things with this crackling mix of energies!
And if you are wondering, we would like to confirm that every day there will be other members of the Stivaletto team, providing creative but above all practical support for every need.
We are very ready and you?
What do you need to bring with you?
It is good for children to be ready for any adventure, but also for different weather conditions. After all, we are still in Amsterdam!
In addition to the packed lunch and water bottles, make sure your son/daughter has a complete set of spare clothes with them. Depending on the weather conditions, have them wear comfortable shoes or sandals or rain boots.
In case of good weather we won't miss the swimming pool in the park area and lots of water games! In your backpack you will therefore need a swimsuit, a towel and a plastic bag to bring home any dirty or wet clothes.
Finally, if the sun is shining, a layer of sun protection will be a very useful shield to face the upcoming challenges! In the middle of the day the educators will provide a second application.
Still some places available!
And now that you know all the information regarding the Estivaletto summer camp, the only thing missing is to enroll your children and see with your own eyes the enchantment that this fantastic experience contains.
The camp starts on July 12th (yes in less than a month!).
This is the link to register if you haven't already done so:
We thank you for reading this far and we hope we have left you with a bit of magic, which we sincerely hope to pass on to your children this summer.
See you soon,
The ESTIVAletto team