Youth Activities

Children of all ages: there is a lot to do at Pennsic! We have organized youth activities every day, and you can also enjoy watching the battles, strolling through the merchant areas, or just walking around Pennsic and seeing the sights!

A consolidated schedule of activities will help you find the activities you are interested in. Updated schedules will be kept at all youth activities and at Info Point. Please check them, since more activities may be added or changed after the Pennsic Book is printed.

If you have specific questions on an activity, check with the staff at the activity location. Parents and children should read and understand the site rules regarding supervision of children. Activities do not provide childcare!

It would be wise to pack an assortment of familiar games, toys, and books which may amuse your children in your own camp, come rain or shine. It is important to weigh the pros and cons of the camping-with-children experience and make a decision regarding whether or not a hotel might best suit the needs of you and your family.

We hope that everyone has a wonderful and safe time!

Parents – for a safe and enjoyable Pennsic keep in mind the following:

Be aware of the Site Rules about minors
Kids should know the name of their camp and their parents' SCA and Modern Names
Know where your children are at all times
Make sure your children know their way around and can find their way to their camp. If they are old enough to be unaccompanied, they should carry the site map – Pennsic covers a lot of area
Kids must have access to drinking water at all times, and know when to come in for meals
Have them use sunscreen, apply often
Take breaks, especially for younger children – they need more rest

Meetings

The Society Deputy for Family and Youth Programs is coming to Pennsic, and will be attending many of the Youth activities. She will hold several meetings for Youth Officers, as well as a meeting for Youth Officers and interested parents and children/teens. Please see the meeting schedule.

Youth Point

Youth Point, located on the Low Road next to the playground, is a central place for children and their parents to gather. Come sit in the shade, make a few new friends, and swap kid tips and childcare notes.

Youth Point will be open daily from Friday, August 3rd.
Activities are generally scheduled from 9:30 am - noon and 1 - 4 pm. (Please see the schedule.)
Youth Point is closed from 12 noon to 1 pm for a lunch break – there will be no staff at that time.
The playground is open during daylight hours only and is not supervised by Youth Point staff.

There will be a white board at Youth Point detailing each day's activities and the upcoming plans for the next day. As a public service, we will provide notice board space for people to contact others to trade baby-sitting services and the like. All arrangements will be the sole responsibility of the persons involved.

Activities

It is our goal to offer a variety of activities throughout the day for youths of all ages. The Youth Activities Schedule is on-line, and will be in the on-site booklet. At Pennsic, please check the notice boards and the daily paper for news of Youth activities.

This year's highlights include:

Youth Theatre Program - for three different age groups:
Ages 5 and under: The Pennsic Players will create and perform a short play
Ages 6-12:The Pennsic Fairytale Players will rehearse and perform a fairytale
Ages 13-17: iGiovani - the Youngest Commedia Troup in the Entire World - will learn about canovaccio, and will rehearse and perform a commedia dell'Arte.
Pennsic Youth Choir

Rehearsals daily from Aug 2 - 8; concert on Aug 9.
Sunday, August 5: Teen Party at East Kingdom Royal Encampment, 7:00 - 10:30 pm
Tuesday, August 7: Youth A&S Display, 9:00 am - noon
Wednesday, August 8: Children's Fete, 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Thursday, August 9: Children's Water Battle at the Fort, 1:00 - 3:30 pm
Thursday, August 9: Pennsic Youth Theatre Choir concert, 5:30 pm
Friday, August 10: The Youth Theatre Festival at the Amphitheather, 10:00 - noon (Note new time!)
Youths are eligible to shoot the Archery War Points, please see the archery marshals with any questions.
Youth Combat and Youth Fencing practices

If you are interested in contributing an activity to Youth Activities, please email Youth Point.

The Rules

Please read the complete Site Rules concerning minors which are on-line and published in the Pennsic site book you will receive when you check in. Please make sure that you are aware of any rules that may affect you or youths in your care.

Parents who violate the rules could be asked to leave the War. Complaints to The Watch regarding the safety and welfare of a child will be communicated to the Cooper's Lake management and may result in a report made to the modern authorities.

The care and welfare of all youths within the Society for Creative Anachronism is the responsibility of the minor's parents/guardians. However, the Office of Youth Minister will encourage and support safe appropriate activities so that young people may actively participate at Pennsic. Please refer to the Minor Waiver you sign at Troll and adhere to all points therein.

Supervision

It is our sincere hope that everyone will have a safe, happy, health and crisis-free Pennsic. To ensure that this is true for all of our youths, we ask all parents, guardians, and caregivers to carefully review the rules and guidelines here:

NO PROGRAMS, ACTIVITIES OR EVENTS TAKING PLACE AT WAR ARE INTENDED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE PROPER ADULT SUPERVISION OF MINORS.
The War does not provide baby-sitting services. If you feel that you need a sitter to enjoy this event, please make prior arrangements for an appropriate sitter at War. Pennsylvania law does not recognize children under the age of 12 years as suitable baby-sitters.
Minors must be accompanied by their parent or court-appointed guardian when they arrive and check in at Pennsic.
- If you are checking in a minor who is not your own child, you will need proof of your legal guardianship of that minor. This proof must be in the form of a copy of legal guardianship papers SIGNED BY THE JUDGE who appointed the guardianship. Letters signed by notaries will not be accepted. You will be required to sign a waiver in the child's name before admittance. Remember that lying on these waivers constitutes fraud and may result in expulsion from the campground.
A parent or court-appointed guardian must remain at the War while the Minor remains on site.
No Minor may be left unattended at the site.
Minors under the age of 12:
- must be within voice range or in sight of a responsible adult or teenager at all times. (Walkie-talkies and/or cell phones do not qualify as voice range.)
- must be accompanied by an adult if they leave camp after dark.
Minors under 18 must be in their encampments or in the company of a parent/legal guardian after 11 pm.

Weather

The weather in Pennsylvania during the month of August may best be described in one word: extreme. The temperatures may vary as much as 50 degrees F in any given day; blisteringly hot days can fade to bitterly cold nights. You also need to be prepared for cold and rainy days, or hot and muggy nights during heat waves. Please pack accordingly so that you and your children may be comfortable regardless of the weather conditions.

Sunstroke is a serious issue with everyone, but children may be especially susceptible to this condition. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! (Some ideas include pedialyte or watered 100% juices.) Remember to use sun protection, be it sunscreen or clothing!