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.

Parents of older kids, especially those with pre-teens and teenagers, often find themselves in a dilemma when trying to find suitable summer camp opportunities for their kids.

Typical 12, 13, or 14 years old kids often think they're "too cool" for camp, and they usually'd just rather stay home and play video games all day instead of participating in safe, fun and organized outdoor summer camp activities.

As a responsible parent, though, you'd rather your kids be outside participating in healthy and worthwhile activities with lots of other kids their age, and maybe you just don't feel comfortable letting your child stay home unsupervised all day while you and your spouse are at work.

Problem solved!

Come to the L.A. Camp Fair on Sunday, April 7 at A.C. Stelle Middle School in Calabasas. If you are looking for a great summer program your child will love, this is the solution for you! 

Attending the L.A. Camp Fair in Calabasas is like a visiting a "one stop shop" with all the best L.A. summer camps and programs all in one place.

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.

Many families we speak with are looking for a religious-based summer camp. Camp Wise is a fun and active Jewish summer day camp at Stephen Wise Temple in Bel Air where preschool through 7th grade campers enjoy swimming in the camp's on-site pool, sports in their gym, and specialty activities such as art, science, cooking, music, and more.

Campers in 1st through 7th grades have weekly field trips, and everyone enjoys special programs such as carnivals, weekly themes and dress-up days, not to mention Rockin' Shabbats!

If a Jewish summer camp interests you, contact Camp Wise for more information for meet their representatives in person at upcoming L.A. Summer Camp Fairs in March and April

The Camp is located at 540 South Commonwealth Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90020. If you'd like more information,  you can meet Camp Super Duper staff and learn about the program at the upcoming March 10 L.A. Camp Fair in Los Feliz where Camp Super Duper and many more camps will be exhibiting their programs. ​

Some of the coolest camps around (in our opinion, anyway! :) are robotics camps for kids. The provide some of the most engaging and educational (not to mention fun!) experiences around.

Rolling Robots, right here in L.A., is one such program for kids ages 5 to 14. It's a Robotics and STEM Summer Camp that offers a wide range of camps, such as Rolling Robots Classic - Robots Rock, Lego Mindstorms (All-time Favorite), VEX IQ and VEX Building & Coding (Getting competition ready), Battle Robots Building, Minecraft 1.0, Digital Design and MOD (Java Coding) - for all Minecraft kids, APP Development, Scratch Coding and Junior Robot Coders.

When we look at summer camps, we always consider the supervision ratio as part of our review. Rolling Robots' 6:1 camper-to-staff ratio sounds pretty good to us!

Rolling Robots' first day of camp for the 2019 season is June 10. They operate 9am to 4pm with half-day, full-day, after-care options. Learn more about this program at RollingRobots.com.

While this blog and website predominantly feature summer camps in Los Angeles, we know families from all over southern California and elsewhere visit our site every day. So we'd be remiss if we didn't share other summer camp resources and information we come across that we feel might be useful to you. 

Accordingly, we wanted to let you know about the San Diego Camp Fair and Expo taking Saturday, February 23 at Balboa Park near downtown San Diego.

We felt San Diego's close enough to L.A. where some of our readers might be interested in making the quick drive down south to see what the Camp Fair offers.  You can get your free tickets here

Los Angeles families, parents, children, and grandparents are invited to attend one, two, or all three Camp Fairs to meet representatives from the participating programs and learn about their camps. 

"Attending the L.A. Camp Fair is like finding a "one-stop shop" to learn about all the best summer camp opportunities in L.A. this summer," Cassidy said. "Over 120 camps are exhibiting at the Camp Fairs. There will be some crossover among participating camps,  with some of the programs exhibiting at all three of the Camp Fairs, but others might be showcasing their programs at only one or two events.  In order to become familiar with all the available summer camp options, we recommended families attend all three Camp Fairs so you don't miss anything." 

According to Cassidy, the Camp Fairs are free, but you'll need tickets to get in because the Camp Fairs typically draw large crowds.

We're big fans of American Camp Association (ACA) accredited programs.

While camps that have not achieved accreditation are not necessarily any worse than those that have, we generally recommend choosing an accredited camp because this is your best guarantee you're picking a program that meets the highest safety and operational standards in the entire summer camp industry.  You can learn more about camp accreditation here.

Families who live in Calabasas and nearby communities can lean about many accredited camp opportunities at the upcoming L.A. Camp Fair at AC Stelle Middle School on April 7.

One of the programs exhibiting at the Calabasas Camp Fair is Phoenix Ranch Day Camp, is an accredited camp with the ACA.

​Located in Simi Valley, Phoenix Ranch Day Camp is preparing an incredible experience for Summer 2019 for campers kindergarten through 8th grade.  They offer a wide variety of programs including drama, archery, go-karts, sports, arts & crafts, nature study, dress-ups, theme days, workshops, game room, swimming and much more.  Even though it's a day camp program, Phoenix Ranch also offers 5 day / 4 night sleepover adventures during the summer, too. 

Seem like a great time all around! So if you would like to learn more about this program or other camp opportunities available for your child this summer, head on out to the Camp Fair on April 7. You can meet staff representatives from Phoenix Ranch Day Camp and many other accredited (and non-accredited) summer camp programs. ​

It's been a rainy few days here in L.A., with more rain predicted for this coming weekend. But that hasn't stopped anyone from searching for summer camps. The number of visitors to our website is increasing by hundreds each day, which means families are starting to think about camp.

Kids have so many different options when it comes to choosing a summer camp in Los Angeles. It's not just the quantity of available programs (there's a LOT of them) that makes a summer camp search so exciting, but also the kinds of camps available makes us old folk wish we were kids again so we could go back in time to experience all the amazing opportunities available to campers each summer. 

Take Science Camps, for instance. We sure don't remember those when we were growing up, but low and behold, these days science camps are among the most popular types of camps among today's kids.

And if you want to really see some of the incredible science camp options your child can enjoy, don't miss the L.A. Camp Fair events this March and April.

The Camp Fair is kind of like a boat show, wedding expo or tattoo expo, except it's just for camps! In fact over 100 different Los Angeles area camps and programs will be on display at the the L.A. Camp Fair. And the Camp Fair is taking place at three different locations for your convenience this year as follows:

• L.A. Camp Fair at UCLA on Saturday, March 9
• L.A. Camp Fair at Los Feliz on Sunday, March 10
• L.A. Camp Fair in Calabasas on Sunday, April 7

​When you come to the Camp Fair, you'll find all kinds of summer camp options for your child, including many science summer camps for your family to consider.

If a science program interests your child, be sure to attend the L.A. Camp Fair. You'll be able to meet all the "scientists" from the Mad Science program plus learn about many other science programs here in L.A.  Not only that, your child will be able to do all kinds of fun science experiments at all the different camp fair booths, so be sure not to miss this exciting event. Grab your free tickets now!

But it's not just the sheer number of camps exhibiting at the L.A. Camp Fair that will impress you. You'll also enjoy learning about all the various kinds of camps.  For example, your mind might already be made up that you're sending your child to a traditional overnight camp this summer.  In that case, you'll want to come to the Camp Fair to discover all the various overnight camp opportunities for your kids. But, you know what? Once you get to the Camp Fair and see all the other amazing camp opportunities out there, you might quickly change your mind! 

Here's a case in point. A parent (mom) called us on the phone today asking if we could share some insight about any potential music camps in L.A. this summer because her daughter wanted to improve her panio  She was looking for a music camp for her daughter.

As we got deeper into the conversation, this mom told us her daughter also liked to dance, so we told her she should come to the camp fair because there will be a number of dance camps exhibiting their programs at the Camp Fair.

Two of the dance camps we told her about -- and we thought you might be interested in hearing about, too -- are Dance Studio No. 1 and  Stellar Dance Studio. Both of these programs sound quite intriguing for any boy or girl who might be interested in a dancing summer camp this year.

Here's a little more info about the two programs.

Dance Studio No. 1, located in West Los Angeles, offers several camps and weekly dance classes throughout the summer. The camp's ever-popular Disney Dance Camp gives students the opportunity to perform at the most magical place on Earth: Disneyland! Our weekly dance classes include ballet, modern, hip hop, show jazz, and acro. Summer is a great time to get in shape, learn new skills, or try something new. And you sure can't beat performing at Disneyland...what a treat!

If you are interested in learning more about Dance Studio No. 1's programs, you can meet their staff at the Saturday, March 9 L.A. Camp Fair at UCLA.

Stellar Dance Studio offers two different kinds of dance camps. The first is a themed dance camp, the other a Dance Intensive Camp.

Their themed dance camps are designed for younger dancers who have already taken or are interested in enrolling in recreational classes throughout the year. Each week of camp has a different theme relating to popular movies or characters, and campers perform a show for parents and friends at the end of each week. In addition to dance instruction, our camps include arts & crafts, games, and other theme-related activities that are sure to engage and excite every young dancer throughout the summer.

Their dance intensive summer camps are designed for experience dancers or who may be interested in getting involved with our competitive dance program. These camps consist of instructional classes in a variety of different styles including jazz, hip-hop, and ballet. The intensive’s curriculum includes multiple dance classes a day, which requires focus and dedication, but dancers typically see the benefit of their hard work when they notice significant improvement in their dance technique over a short period of time. While the program includes structured and challenging classes throughout the entire week of camp, Stellar Dance Studio maintains a fun and supportive environment for your child’s passion for dance to flourish.

Stellar Dance Studio will be exhibiting its programs at the L.A. Camp Fair in Los Feliz on Sunday, March 10. Get your free tickets to the Los Feliz Camp Fair today.

Attending a summer camp open house is one of the best ways for families to meet and greet the camp staff, participate in sample activities, see the camp facilities, and learn about potential programs you might be considering for your kids this summer before making any commitments.

We want you to be able to "test drive" as many programs as possible so you can see all the opportunities available to your child this summer, so we are providing the following Open House listings as a resource for you. The links will take you directly to each individual camp's open house or site tour page where you will be able to get the specific information you need in order to attend the respective events this year.

If you operate a summer camp, school or program and would like us to list your open house here, please let us know and we'll be happy to add it. Please email your information to lasummercamps(at)gmail.com and we'll try to add it below as soon as possible. 

• Aloha Beach Camp (Malibu)

Sunday, May 5, 1:30 to 3:30 pm

• Camp Kinneret (Agoura)

Open House #1 – Sunday, March 24th from 1:30 – 4:30 pm
Open House #2 – Sunday, April 28th from 1:30 – 4:30 pm

• Valley Trails (Tarzana)

Site tours by appointment

• Cali Camp (Topanga)

Open House #1 - March 24
Open House #2 - April 14
Open House #3 - May 5
Open House #4 - May 19

• Sierra Canyon Day Camp

Site tours by appointment

• Camp Funtime (Encino)

Check website for open house dates and times.

• Tocaloma Day Camp

Site tours available by appointment

• Pali Adventures Overnight Camp

Check their website for 2019 open house dates. Site tours available by appointment