Estate Ragazzi at the Vatican with the knights errant of Don Quixote de la Mancha
A summer initiative for Governorate and Holy See employees
The Knights errant of the literary genius Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra – Don Quixote de la Mancha and Sancho Panza – will be the protagonists of Estate Ragazzi, 2024, the Vatican’s summer camp, promoted by the Governorate of Vatican City State and organized by Father Franco Fontana, Director of the Salesian community in the Vatican and chaplain of the Directorate for Security and Civil Protection and of Vatican Museums. Participating children will explore the characters of the literary masterpiece, “The Adventures of Don Quixote de la Mancha” (original title in Spanish El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha) and will encounter new challenges and heroic adventures focused on the themes of kindness, generosity and courage.
During the summer oratory, the children will be encouraged to participate in activities that reflect two key ideas: traveling to new horizons with the help of the knights errant, and allowing oneself to make mistakes.
As in the last two years, Estate Ragazzi will take place inside Vatican City, and will include educational and recreational activities, sports, and swimming pool games. The summer camp will begin on Monday, 17 June, and conclude on 26 July. It will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Monday to Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Fridays. Participation in the Vatican summer camp is for the children of employees of the Governorate and the Holy See.
The children will be separated into groups according to age: 5 -7, 8-10 and 11-13. Children who will turn five in the month of July will also be accepted. The children will be assisted by professional educators and camp entertainers in cooperation with Play It, the entertainment agency, “Tutto in una Festa”, and by Salesian educators. There will be one staff member for every 7 children in the 5-7 group, one for every ten children in the 8-10 group and one for every 14 children in the 11-13 group.
The daily schedule will begin with group games from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and will be followed by a croissant-based breakfast at 9:00 a.m.. The children will then sing the summer camp’s hymn, pause for a moment of prayer and then listen to the day’s activities. The hours between 10: a.m. and 1:00 p.m. will be dedicated to sports, creative workshops and play in the swimming pool under the supervision of camp staff. After lunch at 1:00 p.m., the children can engage in free play or participate in small tournaments. Following an hour of storytelling and learning activities at 3:00 p.m., the children will participate in team sports and shows. A snack will be served at 5:00 p.m. and activities will end at 6:00 p.m. On Fridays, the camp will close after lunch at 2:00 p.m..
There will be a different challenge every week with a keyword inspired by the adventures of Don Quixote. Activities are organized specifically for the different age-groups. Each afternoon the teams will engage in play duels as true knights errant. The camp includes specially themed days in which children will participate in parties and shows. The goal of the summer camp is to encourage children to discover the joy of being together, of sharing passion, emotions and smiles.
For further information, please visit: www.estateragazzivaticano.it.