Specialty summer camp programs have continued to grow in popularity each of the past several years. In fact, they’re the fastest growing segment of the entire summer camp industry. A “specialty” camp generally focuses on one or more related camp activities (just beach and surfing activities, for example), versus a traditional summer camp which typically offers a more generalized program with activities such as arts & crafts, horseback riding, nature study, sports and games, archery, and dance and drama, among others.
Specialty camps have historically appealed to “older” kids (generally ages 10 or 12) because their lifestyle interests begin to take shape at this age and they become more interested in specialized fields of study or play as they grow. But in recent years, specialty camps are seeing more enrollment from children as young as preschool age whose parents may want them exposed to more specific camp activities than they’d get at a traditional camp.
Like traditional camps, specialty camps offer day or resident/sleepaway camp experiences. (At day camps, children are generally brought to the camp each morning in a bus or van, spend their day at camp, and then return home in the late afternoon. At resident camps, children “live” at the camp — typically in bunks, tents or cabins — for up to several weeks at a time during the summer.)
There seems to be no limit as to the types of specialty camps available. If your child is interested in a specific area of interest, you can be sure there’s a specialty camp designed for them. For example, a recent internet search revealed the following types of specialty camps: beach and surfing camps, cooking camps, boating camps, camps for children with special needs, weight loss camps, boot camps, football camps, general sports camps, ski and snowboard camps, camps for children with cancer, baking camps, tennis camps, acting camps, academic camps, entrepreneurial camps, family camps and camps for twins, among others.
Where’s the best place to start your search for a specialty camp? We always suggest picking an American Camp Association (ACA) Accredited camp, regardless of the type of camp you choose. By choosing an accredited camp, you can be sure the camp meets or exceeds up to 300 best-practice industry standards relating to child safety and supervision, transportation, program and activity scheduling, food service, and more.
The ACA maintains a free Website where you can search for a specialty camp among any criteria that’s important to you such as by type of camp, location, gender, price, and ages served.
Go to http://acacamps.com to start your search. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a beach and surf camp in Los Angeles or a cooking camp in Wisconsin, the specialty camp you’re looking for will be right there on the ACA’s Web site.
Archive for the Category »Camping «
If you’ve got a date circled on your calendar, then you have already begun your camping vacation plan. Planning ahead of time for all the things you want to do, and remember to bring, does take a little time, but it time very well spent. Just ask anyone who gets to the camping destination only to realize they left out some important details from their camping vacation plan checklist. Perhaps you don’t need to ask anyone that question because you experienced something similar yourself.
When you take the time to Plan your camping vacation well in advance, for the most part, the camping adventure will go just as planned. When the camping season gets in full swing, many people start their plans and away they go. What does this mean for you? It means that you could be left out when trying to reserve your preferred camping destination. So your camping vacation plan should include making your camping vacation reservation as soon as possible.
Here is a cool tip that you may, or may not know, you can do after confirming your camping reservation. It’s to reserve a premium camping site at your favorite camping hot spot. You see many campgrounds allow their campers to choose which specific locations they would like to camp at. If it’s your first time camping at this particular campground, simply ask which campsites are still open. Specifically ask the person if there are any premium campsites open. Usually you’ll find that their more than happy to give you the campgrounds best available sites. If you don’t ask, you won’t get it. So don’t wait on this because not only will the campground fill to capacity, but the prime camp sites will be scooped up my those who execute their camping vacation plan the fastest.
By taking the time to plan ahead for your next camping adventure you’ll be able to cover all the important things you’ll want to have with you. For instance, what type of foods will you bring or what type of games would you like to play? These are questions that you should ask yourself and those you will accompany you. This will make it easier for you to prepare for your camping vacation. By making your camping vacation reservations in advance, you’ll find out whether or not the campground has a lake, hiking trails, or electricity. This can make it much easier to prepare for your next camping vacation, as well as ensure that you have all needed camping supplies and camping equipment pieces.
It is also important to mention having a memorable experience. By creating a camping vacation plan in advance, you’re likely to experience a more memorable and fun camping vacation. As it was previously mentioned, you are better able to ensure that you have all of the needed camping supplies and you may possibly even be able to even handpick your camping spot. This is likely to improve your camping trip.
Los Angeles is rich with a host of summer camp opportunities for your child. An increasing trend among Los Angeles families is to send their kids to several summer camps over the course of the summer, compared to the traditional way of picking a single camp alone.
A confluence of factors — principally, kids’ diverse interests plus an increasing array of available specialty camps and flexible enrollment packages offered by Los Angeles area camps — has fueled this trend. And for your son or daughter, it’s a pretty good deal!
By attending a variety of summer camps rather than just one, your child can enjoy many different experiences which would otherwise be unavailable to him or her. And there’s definitely no shortage among available camps in Los Angeles!
A recent online search revealed the following types of summer camps (among others) in metropolitan Los Angeles alone: Surf camps, beach camps, science camps, technology camps, music camps, acting camps, Jewish camps, cooking camps, space camps, horseback riding camps, academic camps, rock star camps, nature camps, entrepreneurship camps and traditional camps.
And remember, this is just a partial list!
If you’re considering a Los Angeles summer camp for your child this summer — or if you’re considering more than one — here’s how to find out what’s available.
A great place to start is by asking your friends for recommendations. Assuming they’ve got kids of their own, your friends can usually direct you to some of the more popular Los Angeles summer camps.
The internet is also a wonderful resource, because it offers numerous camp-specific Web sites that allow you to filter your camp search by geography, camp type, and other criteria to suit your needs.
For example, LASummerCamps.com and LASurfCamps.com are just some of the places to start.
Here’s hoping your child enjoys many safe and fun camp experiences this year. With so many available opportunities, there is surely a multitude of Los Angeles summer camp options designed to suit your needs!