LOS ANGELES SUMMER CAMPS BLOG

If you are looking for summer camp for your child this year but having trouble deciding where to start, the L.A. Summer Camp Fair series of camp expo events is the first place to turn.

L.A. Camp Fair 2020 is the ideal way to find the best summer camp for your kids this year. Attending the L.A. Camp Fair makes choosing a summer camp easy! The reason why is because you'll be able to meet dozens of camp representatives  all in one place and learn about their programs. We always suggest bringing your kids to the Camp Fairs too, in order for them to give their input and share their impressions with you of all the different camps and programs on display at the Camp Fairs.

Research shows time and again kids are much more apt to enjoy camp when they feel like they've been part of their own camp selection process versus being "sent" to a camp or program their parents choose for them instead.

L.A. Camp Fair is comprised of a series of four summer camp expo events taking place at four different locations and convenient locations in March and April. You're more than welcome (and encouraged!) to attend more than one Camp Fair, but if you only have time for one or two, we advise choosing one close in close proximity to where you live. The Camp Fairs take place in centrally convenient locations as follows:

• L.A. Camp Fair in Los Feliz on Sunday March 14
• L.A. Camp Fair at UCLA on Sunday March 15
• L.A. Camp Fair at Cal State Northridge on Sunday, March 29
• L.A. Camp Fair in Calabasas at the Agoura Hills Calabasas Community Center on Saturday, April 4

You can ask questions, get free brochures and learn about all the various camp opportunities here in L.A. under one roof.

This year the L.A. Camp Fairs take place:

• March 14 in Los Feliz
• March 15 at UCLA
• March 29 at Cal State Northridge
• April 4  in Calabasas

You can expect to see at least 40 or 50 camps exhibiting at each Camp Fair.

Campers who enjoy art and nature will want to make a point of attending the Calabasas Camp Fair April 4. That's because one particular program that specializes in this type of thing will be on display. The camp is called Camp Wildcraft and it's definitely a camp for kids who crave a summer camp experience involving learning, friendship and fun.

At Camp Wildcraft, campers develop into creative, curious, confident & caring kids who feel at home in nature. The have two different  sites -- one at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas and another at The Sycamore School in Malibu. Every day at camp your child will make friends, take hikes, create big, mixed-media art projects, paint and draw, sculpt in wood and clay, sketch in their handmade nature journals, do theatre, build forts, play together with wild freedom and much more. 

So, please make a point of stopping by Camp Wildcraft's booth at the Camp Fair. You can get free tickets to the event here. But there is just one more thing to be aware of if you're considering Camp Wildcraft for your child this summer. The camp is small by design, so space is limited.  If you like what you see about Camp Wildcraft at the Camp Fair, sign up as soon as you can to ensure your child's spot.

For kids who live in L.A., going to the beach each summer is a natural part of growing up.  It's just something kids around here do! There's nothing better than spending time at the beach on those hot summer days.  Kids can boogie board, swim in the ocean, play games on the sand with their families and friends and so much more.

1. Aloha Beach Camp, located at Zuma Beach in Malibu, is widely regarding as one of L.A.'s top surf camps  for beginning campers ages 4 to 15 who are new to surfing and want to learn the sport at their own pace. This program is also accredited by the American Camp Association and offers free transportation on buses with seat belts so you don't have to drive your child to camp yourself. If your child is a "hard core surfer," this may not be the ideal program for you. But if your son or daughter wants to learn the basics of surfing while enjoying any number of other fun camp activities every day they're at the beach, consider Aloha Beach Camp this summer.

2. CampSurf,  located in Manhattan Beach, offers not just summer surf camps for kids but surf parties, lessons and corporate surf events, too.  In fact CampSurf is the official surf school of the Manhattan Beach and other nearby L.A. cities. CampSurf teaches kids how to navigate the ocean and study the waves from the point of view enabling surf campers to enjoy the ins and outs of surfing safely all their lives. The camp even provides wetsuits so campers stay warm in the water.

3. Malibu Makos,  located at the northern most part of Zuma Beach, is another Malibu based surf camp for kids offering special events and private surfing lessons, too. Campers ages 5 to 17 can enjoy weekday and even Saturday surf camps and classes. Surfboards, wetsuits and all equipment is provided for all participants.  Even campers living further away from Malibu can enjoy the Malibu Makos surf camp program as the camp offers transportation service for an additional fee.

4. Perfect Day Camp Surf offers surf camps for kids at several locations including Santa Monica and Redondo Beach. Campers are  encouraged to surf but can also enjoy boogie boarding, beach camps, and a more typical beach camp activities. Kids as young as 5 years old up to 17 are eligible to participate in the program. Sibling discounts and early bird discounts are available. This is a popular L.A. surf camp, so sign up for the program soon.

5. Summer of Surf is a beach and surf camp serving campers in the Pasadena area. In fact it's the only surf camp for kids in the area. If your child can tolerate what might be a longer-than-usual bus ride to the beach, this is definitely a camp to consider if you live in the Sierra Madre, Pasadena, or La Canada Flintridge areas and surrounding communities. Summer of Surf is offering early bird discount specials going on now, so if you sign up for camp today your child can learn to surf this summer and you'll save a few bucks at the same time. Summer of Surf is in partnership with Perfect Surf Day Camp, another surf camp program on our list.