Organizations across Utah Valley are hosting children’s summer camps on everything from sports to theater. Essential oils company doTERRA seeks for the second year in a row to provide a unique option by hosting “Day Camp for Kids.”
doTERRA isn’t trying to compete with other summer camps in Utah, said Hillary Slaughter, doTERRA’s Science for Kids program coordinator. Instead, it’s seeking to offer something different that will give kids a positive experience.
The camp, which is offered three times during the summer, gives children between 8 and 12 hands-on experience in various science-themed activities.
“The main purpose in doTERRA hosting summer day camps is to promote science education. We want kids to discover a love of science, and we do that by providing hands-on opportunities that teach them about the world around them, particularly when it comes to the scientific method and essential oils,” said Slaughter.
Nine-year-old Matthew Harris, who wants to be an aeronautical engineer, said his favorite part of the camp was the labs. “You got to do things that the scientists do,” he said after attending the camp on July 2.
Attendees were given the chance to interact with various doTERRA scientists and experts and get a behind-the-scenes tour of the doTERRA campus, including the microbiology lab and manufacturing facilities.
According to doTerra’s website, participants learned about the scientific method, essential oil quality testing, ecosystems and essential oil aromas.
Attendees also went hands-on with several science experiments. Kids learned about surface tension by dropping oil and water on a penny. They also learned about olfaction by guessing which oil was which using smelling strips.
Children were also provided with take-home science experiments, like a sunflower planting kit and a swabbing kit, so the learning didn’t end once they left the doTERRA campus.
Karen Harris, Matthew’s mother, said the $25 camp was “reasonably affordable” and something “fun” and “different” for her son to participate in.
Harris, a wellness advocate, says she and her family routinely use doTERRA oils in their home. She liked that the camp allowed her son to learn about and be a part of the process of producing those oils.
doTERRA will host its last day camp on August 2. Interested parties can learn more on doTERRA’s website.
