How to Find the Right Teen or Tween Summer Camp for You
Being outside enjoying the warm weather, making new friends, and participating in healthy activities while getting lots of physical exercise are just some of the top reasons kids should go to camp. When your child is in elementary school, summer camp is a no-brainer on how they'll spend their summers.
But what happens when your child reaches a certain age -- the tweens or early teens years -- when they themselves might feel like they're too old to go to camp, yet you know they're are too young to stay alone unsupervised all day? How does camp fit into their summer plans then?
But what happens when your child reaches a certain age -- the tweens or early teens years -- when they themselves might feel like they're too old to go to camp, yet you know they're are too young to stay alone unsupervised all day? How does camp fit into their summer plans then?
Surely you'd rather send your child to camp where they can participate in fun, stimulating, and healthy outdoor activities with other teens their age rather than staying at home playing video games all day. But it might be quite a struggle getting them to go if they feel like they're too old or to cool for camp.
There are Many Outstanding Summer Camp Opportunities for Tweens and Teens in L.A.
Don't fret! If you have teenagers or older kids who need a suitable program to attend this summer, you'll be glad to know there are many local camps and programs that specialize in serving the unique needs of the pre-teen and teenage age group with fun and exciting activities designed just for them. Many of these camps boast high annual return rates among their enrollment populations, an indicator of happy campers and families all around.
An all-too common complaint among older campers is that they don't want to be around younger kids or do activities designed for younger or first-time campers. When you talk to your tween or tween about camp, they probably picture a petting zoo or swimming in the shallow end of the pool or singing camp songs. But there are plenty of programs just for your teenager without all the usual "little kids stuff." To find the best camp for tweens and teens in L.A., we suggest starting your search by asking the camp director the following key questions:
Camper demographics: How many campers of each age attend the camp? Camps where more the 75% of the attending campers are under the age of ten is not going to be a great fit. Instead, look for camps that have a high demographic of campers your child's age.
Activity progression: What level of activities are offered? Let's say your tween or teen is interested in archery but has been shooting bows and arrows for three years already. A camp with a beginning archery program will be met with a resounding "no way" from your child. But many camps offer a progression in activities and even programs like archery mastery and the like. If your camper feels challenged and continues to participate in age-appropriate activities and develop skills in his or her area of interest, they will be happy!
Alternate tween and teen programming: What kinds of programs are offered for older campers? Some camps offer a trip and travel program that only their older campers can participate in. Many overnight camps offer special "out of camp trips" targeted to their older campers. There are even leadership programs and counselor-in-training programs designed to give your camper skills to become a staff member or camp counselor in subsequent summers. If your child wants to be a camp staff member one day, this is the type of thing they will be interested in!
An all-too common complaint among older campers is that they don't want to be around younger kids or do activities designed for younger or first-time campers. When you talk to your tween or tween about camp, they probably picture a petting zoo or swimming in the shallow end of the pool or singing camp songs. But there are plenty of programs just for your teenager without all the usual "little kids stuff." To find the best camp for tweens and teens in L.A., we suggest starting your search by asking the camp director the following key questions:
Camper demographics: How many campers of each age attend the camp? Camps where more the 75% of the attending campers are under the age of ten is not going to be a great fit. Instead, look for camps that have a high demographic of campers your child's age.
Activity progression: What level of activities are offered? Let's say your tween or teen is interested in archery but has been shooting bows and arrows for three years already. A camp with a beginning archery program will be met with a resounding "no way" from your child. But many camps offer a progression in activities and even programs like archery mastery and the like. If your camper feels challenged and continues to participate in age-appropriate activities and develop skills in his or her area of interest, they will be happy!
Alternate tween and teen programming: What kinds of programs are offered for older campers? Some camps offer a trip and travel program that only their older campers can participate in. Many overnight camps offer special "out of camp trips" targeted to their older campers. There are even leadership programs and counselor-in-training programs designed to give your camper skills to become a staff member or camp counselor in subsequent summers. If your child wants to be a camp staff member one day, this is the type of thing they will be interested in!
Tween and Tween Summer Camp and Program Listings
One of our goals here at lasummercamps.com is to help be a valued resource when it comes to finding the best L.A. summer camps. We want to make it easy for you to find a great program that suits your child best, so we've complied a list of local programs to help you get started in your search for a summer program for your tween or teenage camper.
The 11 camps listed below have fun and exciting programs and activities specifically designed to appeal programs to the older tween and and teen camper population. Listed alphabetically, we offer them to you as a convenient starting point in your search to find the ideal camp for your older camper this summer.
The 11 camps listed below have fun and exciting programs and activities specifically designed to appeal programs to the older tween and and teen camper population. Listed alphabetically, we offer them to you as a convenient starting point in your search to find the ideal camp for your older camper this summer.
- Aloha Beach Camp's High Action Summer Program
- Blueprint Summer Programs at UCLA
- Bold Earth Adventure Camp for Teens
- Digital Media Academy Summer Tech Camps for Kids and Teens
- Girls Who Code
- The Groundlings Teen Improv Camp
- New York Film Academy Summer Camps for Teens
- Mountain Meadow Ranch Camp
- Pali Adventures
- School of Creative and Performing Arts
- Sierra Adventure Sleepaway Camps