Al-Baseerah Summer Camp Weekly Newsletter - Week 3 - 6/23-6/27
Al-Baseerah Summer Camp Weekly Newsletter - Week 3 - 6/23-6/27
📞 224-215-0040 (Ext. 06)
Wa Alaikum Assalam!
Alhamdulillah, we have wrapped up another exciting week at Al-Baseerah Qur’an & STEM Summer Camp! Our campers continue to impress us with their enthusiasm, curiosity, and great character. Thank you for being part of this journey!
This week, our campers had an unforgettable visit to the Chicago Museum of Nature.
They explored exhibits about animals, insects, ecosystems, and even walked through a live butterfly habitat. It was both fun and educational.
Workshops our campers explored included:
Nature is Sense-ational
Habitat Explorers
Ecology Rangers
During our morning sessions, students have been steadily progressing in both Qur’an memorization and Arabic fluency.
Campers are especially excited to see their names on the board for excellence in character and Qur’an achievement, make sure to check it out during drop-off or pick-up!
We’re incredibly proud of their focus and dedication. Please continue to support and reinforce their efforts at home!
Our enrichment sessions brought joy and growth through:
Arts & Crafts - Our little artists have been busy bringing creativity to life at Al-Baseerah Summer Camp!
In one of our exciting Arts & Crafts sessions, campers made colorful palm tree models and wore hand-decorated crown headbands, proudly displaying them in class with smiles and confidence. These hands-on projects spark not only creativity but also teamwork, patience, and a sense of pride in accomplishment.
Meanwhile, in our coloring and fine motor skills station (for the 4-5 year age group), campers explored animal-themed worksheets, coloring in chickens, foxes, and more, while practicing hand control and color recognition. Activities like these help reinforce early learning concepts in a fun, engaging way!
We are so proud of their enthusiasm, focus, and growing independence ( see pics)
Outdoor Activities:
Note: Due to excessive heat this week, we limited outdoor play to one day for the safety of our campers. On that day, they had a blast enjoying fun "Water Gun game" activities to cool off and stay refreshed!
Assembly:
Discussions have been a meaningful and uplifting part of our camp experience, nurturing character development, reinforcing Islamic values, and encouraging personal growth alongside academic and enrichment activities. Held consistently during morning assemblies and again at the end of the camp day around 3:45 PM, these sessions became a cherished routine. Campers were invited to reflect, express their thoughts, and connect the lessons to their own actions and daily choices.
Daily Dhuhr Salah & Khatira:
After weeks of effort and consistent practice, we are proud to share that the campers have reached a significant milestone in their spiritual development. This week, the entire Salah experience, from start to finish, was led by the campers themselves across multiple age groups.
They took initiative in calling the Adhan, reciting the duaa after the Adhan, leading the post-prayer adhkar and duaas, and participating in the morning adhkar. One of our counselors served as the imam, while the campers confidently led the rest.
This beautiful achievement reflects their growing connection with the prayer, their confidence, and their deepening love for Islamic practice, a true highlight of the week, MashaAllah.
Friday's Salah was skipped this week due to the field trip.
Assalamu Alaikum, Dear Parents and Guardians,
Alhamdulillah, Week 2 of our Summer Camp was filled with excitement, learning, and inspiration!
Field Trip to the Museum of Science and Industry – Chicago
We kicked off the week with our very first field trip! Campers had a fantastic time exploring a wide range of exhibits. The hands-on experience sparked curiosity, excitement, and joy in every child, Alhamdulillah.
Exhibits our campers explored included:
Idea Factory – an interactive engineering and building zone
U-505 Submarine On-Board Tour – an unforgettable dive into WWII naval history
Colleen Moore’s Fairy Castle – a magical display of miniature craftsmanship
Farm Tech – where students explored modern agricultural innovation
Genetics & Baby Chick Hatchery – a close-up look at life sciences and genetics
Earth revealed, and more
It was a memorable experience, and our campers returned with smiles, new knowledge, and stories to share!
STEM in Progress
Back at camp, our Robotics, LEGO building, and Puzzle Challenges are still going strong! Campers have been working together in teams, demonstrating incredible collaboration, patience, and sharing. It’s heartwarming to see them learning not only technical skills but also life skills like teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.
STEM in Progress
Back at camp, our Robotics, LEGO building, and Puzzle Challenges are still going strong! Campers have been working together in teams, demonstrating incredible collaboration, patience, and sharing. It’s heartwarming to see them learning not only technical skills but also life skills like teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.
Our campers are diving into coding with enthusiasm!
Ages 9–14: This group is making good progress in Scratch programming. This week, they explored:
Sound integration
Control structures (If... Then... Else... )
control blocks
Sequences and loops
Basic animation
They’re building creative projects with excitement and confidence, MashaaAllah!
Ages 6–8: We’ve just started Scratch programming with our younger group. They were introduced to the basics of coding and even built their first interactive project! It’s been a fun and engaging way to spark curiosity and confidence in computational thinking at an early age.
Spiritual Development & Leadership
The highlight of the week was our Friday Khutbah, beautifully delivered by our camper Jude Sulaiman (Al-Baseerah Academy Saturday School, 6th grade , entering 7th grade, InshaaAllah). The topic was “Respect”, aligned with our Week 2 character theme. The Khutbah was insightful, heartfelt, and a proud moment for all of us—see the video attached!
MashaAllah Moment!
Our 6-year-old camper, Rayan Ghellaf, beautifully called the Adhan during Jama’ah prayer this week! MashaaAllah! His confidence was inspiring.
At Al-Baseerah Summer Camp, we nurture leadership and public speaking by giving campers the opportunity to deliver Khutbahs, give Athan, or make duaa during our daily congregational Dhuhr Salah.
Photo Gallery
Don’t forget to check our Al Baseerah Summer Camp Gallery for photos and videos from this week’s activities! 👉 Gallery
Al-Baseerah Academy Summer Camp Team
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Alhamdulillah! We’re happy to share that Week 1 of our Al-Baseerah Summer Camp is complete, and what a beautiful start it’s been!
From engaging classroom activities to outdoor play, arts and crafts, and team sports like soccer, basketball, and badminton, our campers had a fun, faith-filled week. The highlight of the week was Friday’s Jumaa Khutbah by Sheikh Mustafa, which the campers attended in their nicely dressed Friday attire—MashaaAllah, they looked wonderful and participated with great adab.
Don’t forget to check out our gallery of pictures and weekly highlights on the website:
👉 Gallery
We’re so proud of our campers and grateful for your continued support. Looking forward to another amazing week ahead, InshaaAllah!
Jazakum Allahu Khairan,
The Al-Baseerah Summer Camp Team
Summer Camp Open House
Saturday, May 17th from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Assalamu Alaikum Dear Parents and Campers,
We are thrilled to welcome your children to the Al-Baseerah Qur’an & STEM Summer Camp! The first day is just around the corner, and we’re excited to begin a fun, faith-centered, and enriching experience, InshaaAllah.
Drop-off: 8:45 AM – 9:00 AM
Pickup: 3:00 PM sharp
Please ensure timely drop-off and pick-up to help us start and end each day smoothly.
A labeled water bottle
A healthy lunch and snacks
Comfortable, modest clothing suitable for active play
For Salat:
Girls: bring a scarf
Boys: wear pants or long shorts that cover the knees
We’re looking forward to an amazing summer together!
Jazakum Allahu Khairan,
Al-Baseerah Summer Camp Team