LOS ANGELES SUMMER CAMPS BLOG

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.

Capitol Debate offers summer camps and yearlong online debate programs focused on building students’ communication and critical thinking skills, thus leading to better academic performance at school and opening up career opportunities in their future.

Their summer camp programs include Business Communication Camps, STEM Communication Camps, and Public Speaking and Debate Camps. Through Capitol Debate’s Communication and Debate programs, participants become prepared to give outstanding speeches in classes, excel in interviews, and express themselves confidently in their daily lives.

Not only will Capitol Debate campers and students learn communications skills; they will feel an increase in self-worth, work on critical thinking skills, and improve communication with their peers. Many of Capitol Debate’s former campers have gone on to participate in national debate tournaments and enroll in prestigious universities (UCLA, Stanford, USC, and Harvard to name a few).

Capitol Debate offers various camp dates at more than 35 locations for the 2019 Summer Season, with international camps in Singapore. 

Camp representatives from Capitol Debate will be in attendance at the March 9 Camp Fair at UCLA to meet you and answer your questions about their program. Attending the Camp Fair is a great way to discuss and learn about all the various summer program opportunities for your kids this summer. Free tickets are available here.  Capitol Debate has a camp program located on the campus of UCLA,  so their attendance at the Camp Fair is a perfect match.

We had a GREAT time at last Sunday's L.A. Camp Fair at UCLA!

Despite the rainy weather -- and the last minute move to hold the Camp Fair inside Pauley Pavillion rather than outside the Sunset Canyon Recreation Center -- over 1,000 people attended the Camp Fair!  These families got to meet and interact with camp representatives from 62 amazing day camps, overnight camps, and every other kind of camp and summer program you can imagine.

We are so happy to be able to match up so many families with so many wonderful programs. We know you will find a fantastic summer camp experience for your kids this year, simply because you attended the Camp Fair!

But if you were among the hundreds (and hundreds and hundreds and HUNDREDS!) of families who attended Sunday's event, now your real work begins!

After collecting lots of brochures and meeting many people, you now have the task of sorting through all your materials to find a great camp for your child. 

Sometimes it can be overwhelming seeing so many camps and people together in one place, so we've compiled  a list for you below with links to all the camps who participated at Sunday's Los Angeles Summer Camp Fair.  Just click on the links below to visit each camp's website and learn more.

(By the way, the following list is also a great resource for families who may have missed Sunday's UCLA Camp Fair and want to find a super program for their kids this summer!) ​

Thank you again to all who attended and we hope you have an awesome experience at camp this summer!

Camp Quest West is a sleep-away summer camp for curious minds: fun, exploration, science, critical thinking and Humanist values. Learn and grow in a tolerant environment of support, inclusion, and diversity where participants openly discuss what it means to be a skeptic, a scientist, a philosopher, a feminist, a leader, a freethinker, and a Humanist.

You can meet representatives from Camp Quest West and many other overnight summer camps at the upcoming L.A. Camp Fair events on March 11 at UCLA, April 14 in Thousand Oaks and April 22 in Calabasas. 

Attending L.A. Camp Fair the free and smart, fast and easy way to find your child's perfect summer program for 2018 because it removes the overwhelming and time-consuming process of spending time visiting hundred's of camp websites, making phone call after call, and sending and receiving countless emails to and from camp directors and then sorting through everything just to find some that interest you.

​Instead, at the Camp Fair, you can meet and interact with camp representatives from many of the best summer camps in Los Angeles in person.  You can get a much better impression and personal feel for the programs and people you're entrusting your child to this summer when you meet them face to face versus emailing them back and forth!

The L.A. Camp Fair is like a "one-stop-shop" for finding the best camp because instead of spending time tracking down all the camps individually for information, all the camps come to you!  

Best of all, the Camp Fair is FREE so grab you free tickets today and we'll see you at our UCLA, Thousand Oaks, or Calabasas (or even better, all THREE) Camp Fair events soon!

L.A. Camp Fair 2018 is a summer camp expo in Los Angeles featuring over 100 summer day camps, sleepaway camps, specialty camps and many other kinds of fun and exciting programs where families can connect live in person with camp counselors, staff and other representatives from the exhibiting camps and learn about their programs.

Attending a Camp Fair is one of the most (if not THE most) convenient and informative ways to find out about all the available summer camp opportunities for your child because Camp Fairs provide an environment where so many different camps all come together under one roof to share and discuss their programs and activities with you and to see if their program would be a good fit for your son or daughter this summer. ​

In fact, many of the participating summer camps will be doing sample live activities and demonstrations at their booths so your child can get a "sneak peak" at the actual activities they'd enjoy at camp this summer. 

The Camp Fair takes place at three different locations in greater L.A. on three separate dates this year in March and April. No matter where you live in L.A., you'll find a convenient Camp Fair event near you. ​

Several parents have reached out to us inquiring about whether L.A. Camp Fair tickets cost money. The answer is no!  Tickets to all three camp fair events are entirely free, and just one ticket will admit your whole family to any of the three Camp Fairs. 

What happens if you show up to the Camp Fair without tickets? No worries, you won't be turned away! To the contrary, you'll be welcomed with open arms to any or all three L..A. Camp Fair events whether or not you show up at the door with tickets. But we suggest getting tickets beforehand for two reasons.

First, reserving your tickets ahead of time helps us know how many families to expect at each event. We want to make sure we have the right amount of games, food, activities and everything else, so your advance ticket helps us plan better for the right number of people.

Second, your free Camp Fair ticket automatically enters you into drawings and raffles to win gifts, prizes, and even free camp sessions from participating camp exhibitors

As we always say, one of the things that makes attending a camp fair so worthwhile for families is the diverse set of program opportunities to discover in one place.

At the upcoming L.A. Camp Fair, for instance, you'll be able to meet camp staff and representatives from over 100 programs to help you find the perfect camp for your child this summer.

Regarding diversity, there will be day camps, sleepaway camps, specialty camps (like sports, cooking, acting and just about any other kind of specialty-focused program you can image) at the L.A. Camp Fair. One of the overnight camps exhibiting their program will be River Way Ranch Camp, a highly known and popular California resident camp.

Lots of things. For one thing, campers will make tons of happy memories and great friendships from their camp experience at River Way.

Family owned and operated since 1967, River Way specializes in delivering premier California residential summer camp experiences for ages 7-16. 

River Way’s highly-trained and genuine counselors build strong and lasting connections with campers while providing premium instruction in our 75+ activities. From horseback riding to water-skiing and culinary arts, there are always new adventures ready to be discovered.

L.A. Camp Fair 2018 is a series of the summer camp expo events taking place Sunday, March 11 at UCLA; Saturday, April 14 in Thousand Oaks; and Sunday, April 22 in Calabasas.

River Way will be attending the March 11 and April 22 events where you'll be able to meet their staff, learn about their program and see how they operate on a day-to-day basis during the summer. 

Admission to the Camp Fairs is totally free so grab your free tickets today and we'll see you at L.A. Camp Fair 2018!

​If you're looking a performing arts summer camp for your child, Idyllwild Arts is worth your consideration. At Idyllwild Arts, summer is serious fun! Since 1950, the Idyllwild Arts Summer Program has offered intensive workshops in dance, film, music, songwriting, theatre, visual arts and writing to students of all ages and abilities, including Family Week. Located in the beautiful mountains of Southern California. Art Workshops are available for Kids and Teens (ages 5-18), Adults, and Families.  Learn more about their program and many others at L.A. Camp Fair 2018, greater L.A.'s best summer camp expo. 

The nice thing about looking for summer programs for kids in L.A. is there's never a shortage of worthwhile programs. No matter what kind of camp you want for your kids, you'll be able to find it with such a wide selection of programs.

The thing is, though, families often limit themselves in their camp search because they may be unaware of the sheer incredible scope of available programs.

Sure, everyone knows what a day camp is, and there's many good ones in L.A.

The same can be said of sleepaway camps, too. 

But don't let your camp search stop there!

Did you know you can also find camps that specialize in certain programs, activities or events, which can really increase the potential for your child to have an outstanding summer experience by choosing a program subject that interests them the most. 

Let's say your son or daughter is really interested in learning Spanish this summer. There's a camp just for them!

Or how about computers and technology? There's even camps where your child can code a mobile app! 

Just the thought of sending your child to camp this summer is exciting. But your real challenge is finding the idea one. L.A. Camp Fair 2018 is your solution.

​By attending the Camp Fair (similar to an expo), you' ll meet camp directors and staff from up to 100 different camps and learn about their programs. All the camps will be in one place so you can take  your time going booth-to-booth grabbing free brochures and meeting camp staff. 

​Admission is free and you even have your choice of Camp Fairs to attend either on Sunday, March 11 at UCLA; Saturday, April 14 in Thousand Oaks; or Sunday, April 22 in Calabasas. 

Attending the L.A. Camp Fair is like a "one-stop-shop" for finding the best summer camp for you. Hope to see you there!

Here's a cool concept ... a Jewish summer camp offering both a day camp and sleepaway camp program to choose from. Or you could even attend both!

Camp Alonim, located in Simi Valley, strives to spark a love for Jewish culture and tradition in our campers by exposing them to a multitude of ways to be Jewish. We offer a variety of activities such as art, mountain biking, swimming, ropes courses, horseback riding, dance, performing arts, sports, and more! We offer both overnight and day camps, with many scholarships available.

Camp Alonim is one of the premier Jewish summer camps in the L.A. area.  Be sure to stop by their booth and meet to meet their camp directors and learn about their programs at the April 23 L.A. Calabasas Camp Fair.