Pacific Whale Foundation is stepping in to help, with its new "Furlough Fridays Ocean Discovery Camp" for children ages 6 to 12.

The "Furlough Fridays Ocean Discovery Camp" program features hands-on learning about the ocean, with programs that include science experiments and projects, arts and crafts, vocabulary development and language arts, field trips and fun. The camp program was created by Merrill Kaufman, Education Director at Pacific Whale Foundation, a Hawaii DOE-certified teacher.

The camp will take place at Pacific Whale Foundation's air-conditioned Ocean Discovery Center, conveniently located next to Maui Ocean Center in Ma'alaea off Route 35 (Hanoapiilani Highway). The camp hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Early drop-off and late pick-ups are available for an added fee, and must be prearranged.

The themes are: October 23 - Incredible Invertebrates: Meeting the Spineless Wonders of the Ocean

October 30 - Incredible Invertebrates: All About Plankton

November 6 - Incredible Invertebrates: Squid Rules (including squid dissection and squid ink tattoos)

November 20 - Incredible Invertebrates: Crab Discovery Day

December 4 ­ Magnificent Marine Mammals: Hawaii¹s Humpback Whales

December 11 - Magnificent Marine Mammals: Super Spinner Dolphins

December 18 ­ Magnificent Marine Mammals: Hawaii¹s Monk Seals

January 15 ­ Totally Turtles! (includes field trip to Maui Ocean Center)

January 29 ­ Totally Turtles: Turtle Morphometrics (How turtles differ in size and form)

February 5 ­ Totally Turtles: Turtle Diets

February 12 - Gnarly Cnidarians: A Cool Look at Jellyfish, Corals and Hydroids

March 5 - Gnarly Cnidarians: Aurelia (Moon Jelly) Lab

March 12 ­ Gnarly Cnidarians: Crazy Coral Reefs

April 23 ­ Fantastic Fish: Visit to Maui Ocean Center

April 30 ­ Fantastic Fish:  Dissection and Discovery Lab

May 7 - Fantastic Fish: Sharks

May 14 ­ Fantastic Fish: Prey and Predators