Camp Alpha-Mania is a pre-reading play camp designed to excite children about the alphabet, while significantly improving their phonetic awareness. Conceived and designed by Ruth Rumack, the first Alpha-Mania class opened ten years ago at the Jewish Community Centre in Toronto’s Annex, and has been a success ever since. Over the last ten years, Camp Alpha-Mania & Alpha-Mania have literally taught a generation of pre-schoolers a love for language, helping them to overcome the literacy barrier in a fun, warm atmosphere.

Alpha-Maniacs will gain the ability to recognize and manipulate different sounds through direct instruction, interactive games, stories, songs and arts and crafts. Children love Alpha-Mania because the days are spent playing and delving into the secrets of the alphabet. Parents are enthusiastic about Alpha-Mania because of its research based approach, and its use of the five researched predictors of reading success; rhyming, blending, segmenting, recognizing sound-letter combinations, and recognizing sounds within words.

Each Camp Alpha-Mania session opens a delightful door for young minds eager to explore letters. Lessons are theme based, so campers are placed in dynamic environments that pique their imaginations while encouraging creativity. One week, Alpha-Maniacs may find themselves on a pirate ship, the next in a circus, and the third, floating in a space station discovering the galaxy.

No matter the weekly theme, curiosity is always encouraged and a love for language developed. Each Camp Alpha-Mania session is lead by a certified teacher, who has extensive ECE experience. They ensure that the children receive a high standard of attention and care. This summer, enroll your child in Camp Alpha-Mania and give them a gift that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.

To register please click here
For more information, please check out the FAQs below or call 416.925.1225.

CAMP ALPHA-MANIA FAQs

1. What is a camper’s day in brief?
• 9am-9:30am- Drop off and playtime
• 9:30am-11:30am Alpha-Mania Programming
• Songs, stories and poems to reinforce the letter of the day
• Arts & crafts and movement activities based on the letter of the day
• Phonemic awareness activities to reinforce the five researched predictors of reading success; rhyming, blending, segmenting, recognizing sound-letter combinations, and recognizing sounds within words.
• Snack time (Nut Free - brought by the camper)
• Story time
• Letter writing practice
• 11:30am-12pm- Lunchtime (Nut Free - brought by the camper)
• 12pm- Pick up
2. Who Should Come? Children ages 3-5 years old.
   
   
3. What makes CAMP ALPHA-MANIA different from other reading programs?
   Where other programs concentrate on reading skills, Alpha-Mania is a pre-reading program, designed to familiarize young children with the concepts that they will need when they begin reading in earnest. It warms them to the pleasure of words so that they see reading as fun and positive.
   
   
4. What reading level is required to enter the program? Some children will be reading entire words and/or sentences, and some will only be able to recognize some letters and sounds. Alpha-Mania is suitable for young children at all early pre-reading and reading levels.
   
   
5. Is the program the same every week? No. Each weekly Camp Alpha-Mania session will have a different theme, and will be concentrate on different letters. This means that Alpha-Maniacs who come for more than one session will be able to explore a host of different letters and activities.
   
   
6. Are children pressured to be reading at the end of CAMP ALPHA-MANIA? No. Alpha-Mania is designed to encourage children to explore the alphabet and language. It is a building block for good reading habits in the future, but children are not expected to read fluently at the end of the program.
   
   
7. Can CAMP ALPHA-MANIA help parents recognize if their child may have future reading issues?
   Yes. Alpha-Mania can help alert parents to a child’s potential reading challenges based on observations of a child’s ability to recognize and manipulate elements of the five researched predictors of reading success. If the instructors feel that there might be challenges, he or she will discuss various options the parents may want to consider. (Alpha-Mania Instructors are not trained clinicians and cannot provide a diagnosis)
   
   
8. What Are The Instructors’ Specific Qualifications?
   Each Alpha-Mania instructor is a certified teacher with experience in early childhood education.
   What is the camp maximum, and the adult to camper ratio? The maximum number of campers is 12, the ratio is 1 adult : 6 campers.
   
   
9. What is the camp maximum, and the adult to camper ratio? The maximum number of campers is 12, the ratio is 1 adult : 6 campers.
   
   
10. What is the CAMP ALPHA-MANIA summer schedule & fees for 2009?
    Click here to enroll
    For more information, please check out the FAQs below or call 416.925.1225.
    
    
11. What does the fee include? The fee includes instruction, a class assistant, all materials and a Camp Alpha-Mania t-shirt for each camper.
    
    
12. Are There Any Discounts? Yes, one 10% discount is available per camper, per session under the following conditions;
    • Campers who register before May 15th
    • Campers who register for more than one session at a time
    • Two siblings that register at the same time for the same session
    • Campers who also register for the RRLS afternoon program,
      CAMP MINI MASTERS receive a 35% discount on Camp Mini Masters. Click here for more information
      
      
13. Where does the program take place? At Ruth Rumack’s Learning Space, 720 Spadina Avenue Suite 300.
    
    
14. How Do I register? Click here to enroll
    For more information, please check out the FAQs or call 416.925.1225.

    Ruth Rumack’s Learning Space
    720 Spadina Avenue, Suite 300
    Toronto, Ontario
    M5S 2T9

*Please note that registration is on a first come basis and will only be confirmed by payment.

Need more information? Please call us at 416.925.1225 .