LOS ANGELES SUMMER CAMPS BLOG

If you live in Calabasas or nearby areas and want to find a camp in immediate proximity to you, here's an online Calabasas summer camp directory with several program listings you might find interesting.  The directory is published by Calabasas Mommy.

We have the solution!

We just put together a list of some of the top L.A. summer camps with transportation options. Some of the camps offer transportation for free, while other charge extra if you want to take advantage of this convenient service. 

In any case, now you can sit back, relax and leaving the driving to the camp!

Looking for a summer camp in Cheviot Hills? We've got a number of great ones listed on our site.  Bea in mind, a program does not need to be specifically located in Cheviot Hills be make our Top 10 Cheviot Hills summer camps list. It just needs to be located nearby and/or serve Cheviot Hills kids. Either way, you're bound to find a great program..there's many to choose from!

April is here! That means your kids might be on spring break or will be soon.

You know what else it means?

Summer is just around the corner, it's time to start looking for camps.

Finding a great summer camp -- one that suits your child perfectly -- is an annual challenge for Calabasas parents. With so many options to consider, it's often overwhelming to find the best program.

What kind of camp should your choose? Who do you talk to? When should you sign up? Where do you even start?

While many parents start their camp search online -- which, by the way, is a perfectly fine strategy -- finding the your child's ideal program in this way also has its potential drawbacks.

For one thing, it can get awfully time-consuming (not to mention confusing) jumping from one website to another while trying to learn everything you can from each individual one. One mom we spoke to the other day told us she spent 6 hours (SIX HOURS!) viewing individual summer camp websites, and all she ended up with was a lot more confusion (and exhaustion!) than when she started.

There is a solution though.

Why not attend a summer Camp Fair -- an expo, if you will -- featuring all the most popular summer camps and programs under one roof?

If you're unfamiliar with Camp Fairs, they're pretty much just like a wedding expo, boat show, or other types of live expos or exhibits you're familiar with.

Attending a camp fair is a phenomenal opportunity to meet camp representatives in person from dozens of different programs all under one roof at the same time. It's like visiting a "one-stop-shop" to learn about all the best summer camps for you.

Even though you can find different Camp Fairs all over L.A. this time of year, the most convenient one you'll find is right here in your own backyard.

There's a Camp Fair in Calabasas this Sunday, April 7 from noon to 3:00 PM at A.C. Stelle Middle School in Calabasas. And it's free!

Attending this Sunday's Calabasas Camp Fair affords you an opportunity to interview camp counselors and directors from dozens of different programs, pick up free brochures, and learn about all the amazing day summer camps available to your kids this summer.

In fact, at the Calabasas Camp Fair on Sunday, over 35 different camps and programs will be on display.

You'll discover day camps, sleepaway camps, beach camps, robotics camps, music camps, sports camps, cooking camps, dance camps, acting camps, STEM and STEAM camps, academic camps, religious camps, and just about any other type of camp or program you could ever imagine. Yes, all of these and more will be at the Calabasas Camp Fair this Sunday.

Now there's just one more thing to note.

Many camp fairs take place inside school gyms, Multi-Purpose rooms, or other indoor locations with strict capacity limits. This Sunday's Camp Fair in Calabasas is no different. So even though it's free, you'll be wise to get advance tickets just in case the event sells out.

You can get more information about this Sunday's Calabasas Camp Fair and free event tickets here.

The thing you'll love the most about the April 7 L.A. Camp Fair in Calabasas is the wide variety of programs you can learn about and choose for your kids this summer.  From horseback riding camps to sports camps and everything in between, you'll find a fantastic program that fits your child's interest without a doubt.

Speaking of sports camps, Royal Basketball School is a program any child interested in basketball should consider. 

Every Summer, Royal Basketball School hosts a Summer Camp at De Toledo High School in West Hills. The Royal Basketball School has put together a curriculum that emphasizes learning the ins and outs of the game. Each day of the camp packs a full load of basketball, swimming, outdoor games, special prizes, and fun! You can register for up to 5 days/week.

Best thing about this program?  Your child does not need to be the next Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant or LeBron James to participate.  All they need is a willingness to learn, make new friends and have fun.

If you're interested in learning more about this program, don't miss the L.A. Camp Fair in Calabasas on April 7. The Camp Fair takes  place at A.C. Stelle Middle School from noon to 3pm. Admission is free, but advance tickets are required since we're expecting large crowd. 

Representatives from Royal Basketball School, along with camp staff from over 50 other camps and programs in L.A. will be exhibiting their camps and ready to meet you to share and discuss all their summer program opportunities for your kids this summer.

It's a "one-stop-shop" to find the best camp for you!

Of course, the big problem arises when several campers are losing things right and left, and all the backpacks look the same, and your child can't seem to identify her own hoodie from another camper who lost his hoodie, too.  What's the solution? Label everything!

There's lots of clothing label companies out there, but one of our favorites is Label Daddy because the have peel and stick waterproof name label solutions and they have specific lost and found name label solution for camps.

So when the camp director holds up all the lost and found items in front of all the campers at the end of the day, your child won't be able to say, "that's not mine" anymore...because their name will be right on the label stuck to your camper's shirt or backpack or whatever else they might have lost at camp that day.

Just remember, label everything and all your summer camp lost and found problems will be solved! :)

We want summer 2019 to be your child's best camp experience ever.  L.A.'s got a extraordinarily large number of camps to choose from, but just spending a little time on our website will help you find the perfect camp fit for your child. 

The first step in your summer camp search should be to identify a list of camps with a program and activity focus that matches the sorts of things your child likes to do. 

Just last week, we spoke with a parent who signed her child up for a Los Angeles area sleepaway camp, but her daughter wanted a day camp instead.

Our advice? We strongly suggested the mother follow her daughter's wishes. Ignoring her daughter's preference for a day camp versus a sleepaway program would not only lesson her chances for a good camp experience, it would probably create resistance the very idea of attending camp in the first place.  

So the important lesson here is, start by finding the type of camp your child wants, then begin your camp search there.

Summer camp websites these days are so full of great information and colorful pictures, videos, and virtual tours, it almost seems like you're standing right in the middle of the camp site itself.  But you're not!

Gathering online information from camps that interest you is a great idea, but remember, these are only first impressions and the websites are designed to "sell" you on their programs.

If you find a camp you like online, your next step is to reach out to the camp director in person to ask whatever questions you might have -- but don't stop there!

We highly advise visiting the camp in person so you can meet the camp director and his or her staff face to face while taking a live tour of the camp site.  (If the camp does not offer personal tours -- which would be unusual, since most typically do -- then attending an Open House is the next best thing.  Check out our listings for some upcoming Los Angeles summer camp open house dates and times.

After you've met the camp director and camp counselors and visited the camp in person, you might feel somewhat differently (positively or negatively) compared to your initial impressions upon finding the camp online.

Maybe you don't like the camp as much  now as you thought you did before. On the other hand, maybe your visit confirmed your initial feelings and now you love it even more. In any case, your trip to the camp was worthwhile because now you're either sure you want to sign up or ready to move on to the next step in your camp search -- something you wouldn't have been able to do with as much confidence had you made your decision site unseen. 

Assuming you love it and your child does too, the final step in the process before signing up should be to check references. Ask the camp director for names or two or three past or current camp families who wouldn't mind sharing their impressions of the camp program with you.

If you are impressed by what you hear, now is the time to sign up!

If not, you can either ask to speak with a few more references, or move on to another camp.

There are so many different summer camps in Los Angeles to choose from, even if you don't find  one you love right away, keep looking! You are bound to find your child's perfect L.A. summer camp sooner rather than later.

We always advise parents to conduct as much due diligence as possible before making a final decision on where to send their kids to camp.

"Due diligence" takes on many forms, including asking friends, co-workers, past and current camp families, and other people you know for their opinions, referrals, references and recommendations about summer camps they might be familiar with and/or the program(s) you might be considering for your child this summer. ​

One of the best forms of due diligence, though -- and probably the BEST way to get a really good feel for a particular camp you might be considering -- is by attending an open house hosted by the camp.  In fact, it's the next best thing to experiencing an actual day of camp. At an open house, you'll be able to meet camp staff, tour the facility and your child might even get to participate in camp activities! 

Bringing your child along to the open house is really important because it will help them become familiar with the environment before their first day of camp this summer. Getting a chance to visit the camp, meet camp counselors, and get a "sneak peak" into how and where they'll be spending their camp days will go a long way to alleviating any fears of the unknown your child might have. Just imagine the sense of security they'll feel having visited camp before, compared to seeing everything for the very first time on their first day if they didn't come to the open house.  A pre-camp visit sets up a successful summer experience!

Camps plan their open houses long in advance of the actual event dates. Most Los Angeles summer camps already have their Open Houses scheduled, generally during the months of March, April and May. 

It's important to do some advance planning to identify which open houses you want to visit, because many camps have overlapping open house with events taking place on the same day. Many open houses also correspond with camps' Early Bird tuition discounts, so pay attention to that, too.  And lastly, some camps require R.S.V.P.'s to their open houses, so make sure to research this as well!

In the end, you need to feel completely comfortable you're choosing the best program for your child in order to ensure a successful camp experience for your child. Now that the Summer Camp Open House season is upon us, have a look at this summer camp open house blog post we created a few months
back. It lists dates and times of various L.A. summer camp Open Houses to help you plan your calendar to attend these important pre-camp events.

In a perfect world, every child who attends camp would absolutely love it and every camper would be a "happy camper."  But every summer, parents everywhere may hear their child say the words no parent wants to hear: "I don't like camp and I don't want to go back". 

Unfortunately camp is not a one-size-fits-all experience.  Every child has different tastes, and a particular camp experience just might not be a good fit for YOUR individual camper. Even campers who are returning to a program they loved in previous summers may find they just aren't enjoying camp as much as they used to.

For this reason, we always suggest parents have a clear understanding every camp's refund policy before signing up. With so many great summer camp programs in Los Angeles, odds are good you'll find a program your child will enjoy very much.

However, as you well know, camp can be expensive.

​And, on the-off chance your camper isn't enjoying the experience, you don't want to be stuck in a situation where you'll be out your tuition money if you decide to withdraw. 

Every camp you are considering for your child should have a written refund policy, either on their website, in their promotional materials or on the actual camp application.  We highly advise familiarizing yourself with the camp's refund policy prior to registering your child to avoid any misunderstandings or financial pain later.  A quick conversation with the camp director and a careful review of the camp's registration and refund policies in advance will go a long way later.   

You might be surprised how widely various L.A. summer camps vary in their refund policies. Some are very strict, offering  absolutely no refunds whatsoever .

For instance, Fitness by the Sea, a local beach day camp, indicates on its website there are no refunds given once camp starts for any reason.  Star Summer Camp seems to have a similar refund policy.

Cali Camp has a unique refund policy for first-time campers. If your child is a first time camper and doesn't enjoy camp after the first day, they will refund your tuition for the unused days less a $50 fee.

Aloha Beach Camp offers a complete refund for campers who may not enjoy camp. If your child doesn't love camp after their first two days, you are eligible for a complete refund.

As you can see, the various refund policies for L.A. summer camps run the gamut. You don't want to simply pay your money and take your chances. Instead, we advise spending a few minutes researching each refund policy for all the different camps you might be considering. This will help you make a wise financial decision just in case the program you choose ends up not being a good match for your child.