Emily Vitullo, 10 of Austintown, works on making slime at the Hogwarts Camp at the Jewish Community Center in Youngstown on Wednesday.

YOUNGSTOWN — Children who love Harry Potter books and movies have been spending the week making potions and magic wands as part of a week-long specialty camp at the Jewish Community Center.

Amelia Kovach, senior counselor for the JCC specialty camp, said regular camps run the entire summer at the JCC, but there are special weeklong camps with specific themes such as theater and robotics taking place for eight weeks.

“We have the specialty camps for different age groups, but the Hogwarts Camp is for children of all ages since so many love Harry Potter,” Kovach said.

Hands-on activities have kept the more than 25 children attending the camp busy as they make special potions with different ingredients as well as making magic wands. Making a slimy substance was one of the popular activities that focused on the wizardry and witchcraft of the books.

Kovach said just like the books, the children are placed into four different Hogwarts houses, which are their home bases. The children go from place to place taking part in activities such as quidditch matches like Harry Potter and others played in the book. Children also watched the Harry Potter movies.

Blythe Hively, 10, of New Middletown, said she picked the camp because she always liked Harry Potter.

“This gives me a chance to do something other than the just reading the book. I have had fun making potions. I have read three of the books and watched the movies,” Hively said.

Alexander Augustine, 9, of Austintown, said making slime was one of the fun activities,

Taylor Lody, media designer with JCC, said the children really enjoy getting to be creative.

“They love getting to mix up different ingredients just like Harry Potter did,” she said.

Emelia Sherin, director of arts and culture, said the children have watched videos of quidditch, which is a popular Harry Potter game, where people play a game similar to basketball and soccer combined and have a small broom they must hold between their legs.

“Everyone will get a broom, a wand and a cauldron. They get to take all of these home with them at the end of the week,” she said.

Sherin said while the key of the specialty camp is to have fun, the counselors want the children to also gain STEM learning using science, technology and engineering.

Hunter Thomas, co-director of early childhood / youth at JCC, said some specialty camps are open for those who want to register. Information is available on the center’s website at www.jccyoungstown.org/camp.

He said last summer many camps were not able to be held because of the coronavirus pandemic, but this summer has been very busy

“Last summer had to be modified because of COVID restrictions, and there were less specialty camps,” Thomas said.

bcoupland@tribtoday.com