An SCV snow day

Creative Years Infant Center & Preschool gives children a cold surprise

Winter came early this year for some Santa Clarita Valley children.

Youngsters got a cool surprise when they went to summer camp at Creative Years Infant Center & Preschool on Wednesday - a playground full of snow.

Their experience in the powdery white wonderland included building snowmen, sledding and learning how to build snowballs.

“It’s our most popular week of summer camp,” said Camp Director Denise

Bayliss. “We call it Winter in July.”

It was a climate shock for many of the preschoolers dressed in shorts.

“A lot of kids have never seen snow before,” Bayliss said. “So it gives them the opportunity to touch and feel it.”

The high temperature of the snow day was 94 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

“It’s usually really hot at this time of year,” Bayliss said.

The camp director said the preschoolers had been full of anticipation of snow day all week.

“The children always ask, ‘Is it snow day? Is it snow day?’ every time they walk in and out of the doors,” said Christine Mitchell, the camp’s assistant director. “Today was very special for them.”

The camp has offered the activity annually for two decades to expose the children to a different climate, Mitchell explained.

“We have over 200 families that are enrolled with us,” Mitchell said.

It’s a controlled chaos for the energetic young campers as they take in snow cones, ice painting and a lesson in freezing water.

As the summer sun moved across the sky, the temperature climbed, eventually clearing the 90-degree mark.

With that, the icy slush melted, but the staff hoped the memories made for the children will remain frozen in time.

Katharine Lotze/The Signal (Above) Lilly Martin, 3, sleds down a small hill of “snow” during a snow day at the Creative Years Infant Center & Preschool on Wednesday. (Below) Cole Burkes, 2, slips and slides toward a snowman made by the previous group during a “snow day” at the...

Katharine Lotze/The Signal (See additional photos at signalscv.com) (Above) Children ride a toboggan down a small hill of “snow” on the playground at The Creative Years Infant Center & Preschool during a summer camp on Wednesday. (Below) Cole Burkes, 2, tests out the carrot nose of a snowman created by the previous...