Chinese immersion camps · Fairfax, Virginia
Chinese immersion
camps.
Stories, science, building, and creative projects.
A day of discovery—for ages 5–12.
School-break day camps and summer camp inquiries welcome. Activities are adapted to each group’s age and Chinese proficiency.
AN IDEA TO BUILD ON
给小动物造个家
Build a home. Tell its story.
Illustrative project idea · Actual themes vary by camp date.
A school break.
A new discovery.
Camp connects language with things children want to do: listen to a story, investigate a question, build something, and play with friends.
School-Break Day Camp
A full day of Chinese learning and guided activities on selected school-break dates. Register by the day, based on availability.
- Ages: 5–12
- Hours: 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
- Planned teacher-to-child ratio: 1:4
- Age-appropriate stories, exploration, projects, and movement
Group size and staffing may vary with enrollment, ages, and activities. We communicate significant changes in advance.
Ask about upcoming day camps →Summer Chinese Immersion Camp
Ask us about summer opportunities to keep using Chinese through themed activities, creative projects, and time with peers.
Dates, themes, age groups, hours, and enrollment arrangements are confirmed for each summer session.
The day-camp information below describes our school-year program. Summer and special camps may have different arrangements.
Ask about summer camp →Dates & tuition
Start with the dates
your family needs.
Contact us for current camp dates, availability, and tuition.
Tell us your child’s age, Chinese experience, and the dates you need. We’ll help you find a suitable camp and explain the next steps.
Different ages.
Room to grow.
Our three classrooms allow us to organize age-appropriate groups, with language support matched to children’s Chinese proficiency. A shared theme can lead to different activities, challenges, and finished projects.
Ages5–6Stories, play & discoveryPicture books, pretend play, simple experiments, art, and guided building help younger campers explore and use everyday Chinese.
- Listen, notice, and try useful words
- Make choices and describe what they create
- Practice taking turns and working together
Ages7–9Explore, build & explainScience questions, LEGO challenges, stories, and collaborative projects invite campers to solve problems and explain their thinking.
- Observe, compare, and test ideas
- Plan and build with a partner or team
- Describe a process and present a result
Ages10–12Design, investigate & presentOlder campers tackle more involved projects, with room to make decisions, improve a design, and discuss what they discover in Chinese.
- Investigate a question and compare solutions
- Design, test, and revise a project
- Create a presentation, story, or short animation
These age bands guide our planning. Actual groups depend on enrollment, ages, Chinese proficiency, and the day’s activities; not every camp date will offer all three groups. We confirm a suitable group before enrollment.
Learning through doing
Hear it. Try it.
Make it. Talk about it.
Younger campers learn through stories and play. Older campers take on design challenges, explore questions, and share their ideas. Chinese connects every experience.
01 / STORIES & IDEAS
Read, notice, and talk
Younger campers explore picture books and tell stories with visual support. Older campers read or listen to age-appropriate texts, discuss questions, and develop their own stories.
02 / EXPLORE & MAKE
Investigate, build, and create
Science, art, LEGO, and engineering challenges give language a purpose: compare, plan, ask, and explain. Projects range from guided making to more independent design, testing, and revision.
03 / PLAY & CONNECT
Move, cooperate, and imagine
Role play, board games, group tasks, and movement activities offer opportunities to follow directions, make choices, and interact with friends.
See one theme at three ages: an animal shelter
An example of learning in action
One theme: build an animal shelter.
Ages 5–6
Choose an animal, name what it needs, and build a simple home with teacher support.
Ages 7–9
Compare habitats, plan a shelter with a partner, and explain how the design protects the animal.
Ages 10–12
Design for a challenge such as wind or rain, test a model, improve it, and present the reasoning behind the changes.
Teachers adapt the Chinese vocabulary, questions, and presentation expectations to each group’s language level.
This illustrates our approach. Actual projects and themes vary by camp date.
A welcoming language environment
More Mandarin, with help to join in.
Chinese is the main language of camp. Teachers use pictures, gestures, real objects, demonstrations, and repetition to make activities understandable.
For children growing their Chinese
Camp offers repeated opportunities to hear useful expressions and try them in context, from asking for materials to describing a finished project.
For children comfortable in Chinese
Stories, discoveries, and group projects invite children to expand vocabulary, explain their thinking, and use Chinese beyond familiar home routines.
Children are encouraged to use Chinese without being expected to speak only Chinese all day. Necessary English support may be used for safety, complex rules, or important information a child does not understand.
New to Mandarin? Contact us first so we can discuss whether the particular camp is a good fit.
A typical school-year day camp
A balanced day,
from 9 to 4.
Focused learning alternates with making, movement, meals, and quieter moments.
Arrive and settle in
Quiet free activities, followed by an introduction to the day’s plan.
Explore the day’s theme
Chinese theme learning, games, experiments, or discovery activities, with a snack and water break.
Move, eat, and connect
Outdoor or gross-motor activities, then lunch and conversation.
Rest and enjoy a story
Quiet activities, followed by picture books, reading, stories, or an age-appropriate Chinese video, depending on the group.
Make something of your own
Art, crafts, science, or another hands-on project connected with the theme.
Play together and wrap up
Board games, books, cooperative tasks, and indoor or outdoor games before pickup.
This is a sample schedule. Timing and activities may change with the theme, weather, ages, and children’s needs. Indoor movement and games replace outdoor time when necessary.
Before your child joins
Ready for
a comfortable day.
What to bring
- A complete lunch and a labeled water bottle
- Comfortable clothes and shoes for active, messy play
- A change of clothes for younger campers
- Weather-appropriate outdoor items
- Your own snacks if preferred or needed
Label belongings. Please leave valuable toys and electronic devices at home unless requested for a specific activity.
What to share with us
- Your child’s age and Chinese experience
- Allergies, dietary restrictions, and relevant health needs
- Emergency contacts and authorized pickup adults
- Anything that helps your child participate comfortably
Please discuss serious allergies, emergency medication needs, or additional support needs before enrollment.
Questions families often ask
Know what
to expect.
Does my child need to be fluent in Chinese?
No. Teachers support understanding through demonstrations, visuals, repetition, and real objects. Please tell us what your child understands and can say so we can discuss whether the specific camp fits their current level.
Will older children do the same activities as younger children?
Activities and project expectations are adapted to each group. Younger campers may use stories, play, and guided making; older campers take on more involved investigations, design challenges, and presentations. A shared theme does not mean an identical task.
How are campers grouped?
We use age bands of 5–6, 7–9, and 10–12 as a planning guide, while also considering Chinese proficiency and participation needs. Actual groups depend on enrollment and the planned activities. Not every camp date offers all three groups; we confirm a suitable group before enrollment.
Can children outside the 5–12 age range attend?
Please contact us before enrolling. We consider independence, language experience, group participation, and the planned camp content to determine whether a suitable option is available.
Can we sign up for just one day?
School-year day camps are offered by the day on selected dates, subject to availability. Summer and special programs may use different enrollment arrangements.
Are lunch and snacks provided?
Bring a full lunch and water bottle. MAP may provide supplementary snacks or food-related activities; these do not replace lunch. Tell us about dietary needs in advance. Families may opt out of MAP-provided food and send alternatives.
What if my child has a food allergy?
Tell us at enrollment and discuss serious allergies directly before camp. Individual arrangements may include eating only food supplied by the family. Our ordinary learning-center environment cannot guarantee the absence of trace cross-contact.
Is there outdoor time?
We generally include outdoor or gross-motor activities. Weather and safety guide the plan; indoor movement, cooperative games, or other activities are used when outdoor time is not suitable.
What independence does my child need?
Children should be able to join group activities, follow basic safety directions, and manage transitions, meals, and bathroom needs with age-appropriate support. Please discuss any need for additional individual assistance before enrollment.
When are drop-off and pickup?
School-year day camp runs from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Drop-off begins at 9:00; regular care before that time is not provided. Please pick up on time. Children are released only to parents, guardians, or authorized pickup adults. Notify MAP in advance of a change.
What if my child is sick?
Keep your child home when illness, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or contagious symptoms make participation unsuitable. If a child becomes unwell at camp, we contact the family or emergency contact and may request prompt pickup.
How do I find upcoming dates and tuition?
Call, text, or email us with the dates you need. We’ll share current availability, tuition, and session details before enrollment.
A day to explore.
Something to talk about.
Ask about your child’s next camp.