Young girls channel their inner mermaids at summer camp

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – Summer vacation is a time for kids to let their imaginations swim free and that is what some campers did at mermaid camp earlier this week.

The mermaid camp, which is put on Panama City Beach, Fla. Parks and Recreation, is held at the Panama City Beach Aquatic Center. This was the first year Panama City Beach offered a mermaid camp, which had two separate sessions.

“Being a swim instructor for many years, I know how fun that this can be and how much make-believe we incorporate into our swim lessons, and seeing all of the mermaid apparel and attire that’s out there, I thought, how much fun that would be to bring that kind of magic into lessons,” Suzy Turek, Program Coordinator for the Panama City Beach Aquatic Center, said.

During the camp, mermaids-in-training started the day by making arts and crafts including picture frames, mermaid crowns and wands.

“I like the picture frame because there’s ocean stuff and it’s fun to decorate my own picture frame,” said Elena Perkins, a seven-year-old mermaid camp attendee.

Another camper enjoyed the picture frame craft as well.

“I really like the glitter that you get to put on your picture frame,” Daisy McGinley, 7, said.

After the arts and crafts, campers slipped on their fins and hit the pool.

“Well, it’s fun to see their faces when they first get to put everything on. That’s really exciting,” Turek said.

While in the pool, campers practiced swimming underwater while kicking with the fin on. They also tried more difficult skills like handstands and looking for rings underwater.

“That mermaid kick is a little difficult, especially when you have a fin on that creates a lot of resistance in the water,” Turek said.