IN SEARCH OF SUMMER CAMPS THERE'S SOMETHING OUT THERE FOR ALL BUDGETS AND INTERESTS.Byline: Lisa Van Proyen Correspondent After spending countless hours searching for a safe summer camp, Marci Fine of Tarzana found a program that transports her 6-year-old daughter to the beach daily to do what she needs most: Building friendships with children her own age. For Chris Nishimura of Burbank, the priority was finding a summer camp for his 11-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter that reinforced his family morals while he and his wife both worked. ``We don't spend as much time as we'd like with our kids. So the YMCA YMCA in full Young Men's Christian Association Nonsectarian, nonpolitical Christian lay movement that aims to develop high standards of Christian character among its members. actually supplements the values we're trying to teach our kids: Honesty, respect, caring and responsibility,'' Nishimura said. Whether it's a day-to-day, overnight or weekly summer camp, the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. and greater Los Angeles areas The Greater Los Angeles Area, or the Southland, is the agglomeration of urbanized area around the city of Los Angeles, California, United States. There are two "official" definitions—the Los Angeles metropolitan area consisting only of the Los Angeles and Orange offer myriad programs to fit almost any parent's needs - and budget. They range from the traditional sports and academic camps to the extraordinary, such as a Hollywood stunt camp, wake-boarding or an overnight culinary arts course taught by a master chef. There are camps that focus on outdoor sports, such as Cali-Camp in Topanga Canyon, featuring horseback riding horseback riding: see equestrianism. , fishing, archery archery, sport of shooting with bow and arrow, an important military and hunting skill before the introduction of gunpowder. England's Charles II fostered archery as sport, establishing in 1673 the world's oldest continuous archery tournament, the Ancient Scorton , dune buggies and a climbing wall A climbing wall is an artificially constructed wall with grips for hands and feet, used for climbing. Some are brick or wooden constructions, but on most modern walls, the material used is a thick multiplex board with holes drilled into it. . The camp charges $94 a day, including door-to-door transportation, and $104 for its specialty camps. Parents can check out the camp for themselves at two upcoming open houses, from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday and April 25. Learning and playing The more traditional academic camps, such as the Woodland Hills-based Academy Just for Kids, help children catch up on their math and reading comprehension Reading comprehension can be defined as the level of understanding of a passage or text. For normal reading rates (around 200-220 words per minute) an acceptable level of comprehension is above 75%. . Yet this camp also includes time for kids to learn how to waltz and swing dance. ``It's fun for them, but at the same time it's educational,'' said Tatyana Berkovich, camp director at Academy Just for Kids, which charges weekly fees ranging from $179 to $220, depending on the session length. There's also the Hands-On Science Camp at the California Science Center The California Science Center (sometimes spelled California ScienCenter) is a state agency and museum located in Exposition Park, Los Angeles. Billed as the West Coast's largest hands-on science center, the California ScienCenter is a public-private partnership between the State in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , where children can sign up for a lesson on the physics of roller coasters While there have been hundreds of different roller coasters built, there have been just a few that were notable for specific reasons. Some reasons include:
``Science is all around the kids. And it's something they can keep exploring. Here, they get their hands on it,'' said Kathy Dickinson, director of school and public programs at the California Science Center. For the more daring, Pali Overnight Adventures in Lake Arrowhead Lake Arrowhead may refer to:
Term used for an unrealistically low bid price or unrealistically high offer price. pricey Of, relating to, or being an unrealistically high offer. An offer to sell a security at $50 when the current market price is $47 is pricey. , though - weekly fees are $1,385. There are an estimated 10,000 sleepover and day camps nationwide, said Jeffrey Solomon, executive director of the National Camp Association. The New York-based association is a camp advisory service that Solomon likened to a ``Better Business Bureau of camps,'' a free service that guides parents on choosing sleep-away camps that meet health and safety standards Safety standards are standards designed to ensure the safety of products, activities or processes, etc. They may be advisory or compulsory and are normally laid down by an advisory or regulatory body that may be either voluntary or statutory. . Birth of a phenomenon The phenomenon of summer camps started in the early 1900s with more and more Americans settling in urban areas, Solomon said. ``They wanted their kids to have a rural experience,'' he said. About 65 percent of the 10,000 camps are sleepover-style, the director said, with a 20 percent growth in sleepovers over the past five years. Solomon attributes the increasing figures to more Americans no longer leaning on extended family members to care for their children. ``Grandma's not hanging out down the block. It's just not the case anymore,'' Solomon said. ``The summer sleep-away camp program has evolved into more of a necessity than a luxury.'' Summer camps, especially overnight style, benefit not only the children but parents strapped for time, Solomon noted. ``It affords peace and quiet in the relationship,'' he said. ``Parents can coordinate a trip and vacation for themselves. That separation oftentimes gives them time to appreciate one another as well. Parents realize that not only can their children survive without them, but they can flourish, which takes a tremendous amount of pressure off parents.'' He added that attending overnight summer camps can help youngsters later on when they begin to live on their own or attend college. Independence week At the YMCA in Burbank, where weekly fees range from $150 to $175, a weeklong trip to San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. is offered to sixth- through eighth-graders for an additional price. Summer camp director Kristina Flores Flores, town, Guatemala Flores (flōrəs), town (1990 est. pop. 2,200), capital of Petén department, N Guatemala. Flores was built on an island in the southern part of Lake Petén Itzá and on the site of the said she's noted how the teens gain life skills in merely one week. ``It gives them a chance to become more independent. You can see they're making decisions by themselves, like how to spend money and getting ready in the morning.'' However, California State University, Northridge CSUN offers a variety of programs leading to bachelor's degrees in 61 fields and master's degrees in 42 fields. The university has over 150,000 alumni. It's also home to a summer musical theater/theater program known as TADW (TeenAge Drama Workshop) that leads teenagers through an , psychology professor Dee Shepherd-Look cautions parents: Make sure your child is truly ready for summer camp. Shepherd-Look, also a children's clinical psychologist, said some kids report back to her that they would rather ``veg out'' and be with their parents during summer months. ``They're busy throughout the year. Kids really need that time in the summer to do that,'' she said. ``The key issue is camp can have a positive effect if they're ready for the camp.'' Shepherd-Look recommends parents first try out their child on an overnight stay at a family friend's home to assure their child will not be teased at camp - which can have a long-lasting effect. ``They should be able to sleep on their own through the night and not crawl into bed with their mommy and daddy,'' Shepherd-Look said. She also recommends choosing camps that last less than two weeks. ``For junior high school kids, a week is plenty,'' she said. However, the National Camp Association recommends that a child attend summer camp at least two weeks. ``It takes up to a week to get through the adjustment process. We don't want them to miss out. The longer they stay, the more growth will be seen,'' Solomon said. ``It's all about independence and children being away from their parents and making new friendships,'' he said. Six-year-old Brittany Fine couldn't agree more. She's bonded with many new friends at her daily Aloha Keiki Camp at Paradise Cove in Malibu, where she's also learned body surfing, safety skills in ocean waters and hula dances. ``I like it, especially boogie boarding,'' she said. ``I like seeing my friends there.'' Camps to consider Following are some area summer camps available for children and teens: --Academy Just for Kids, based in Woodland Hills, offers Camp Academia Camp Academia (Lager Akademiya \'la-ger a-ka-'de-mi-ya\) is a geographical locality in eastern Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, named for the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in appreciation of Academy’s contribution to the Antarctic exploration. for children in kindergarten through seventh grade. The camp focuses on both academics and fun, including golf, table tennis, ballroom dancing and field trips. Academic program includes reading comprehension, math skills and vocabulary building. The daily camp runs June 21 to Sept. 2. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Cost: $179 weekly (minimum nine-week attendance); $195 weekly (six- to eight-week attendance); and $220 weekly (one- to five-week attendance). Extended care is also available at an additional cost. Overnight camping trips also available. For more information, visit www.academyjustforkids.com or call (818) 347-3398. --Aloha Beach Camp, based in Tarzana, offers introductory beach activities, including ocean swim lessons, for 5-, 6- and 7-year-olds at a private beachfront beach·front n. A strip of land facing or running along a beach. adj. Situated along or having direct access to a beach: beachfront hotels; beachfront property. Noun 1. camp site in Paradise Cove, Malibu. High-action beach and water sports water sports Urophilia, see there , such as wakeboarding Wakeboarding is a surface water sport which involves riding a wakeboard over the surface of a body of water behind a boat. It was developed from a combination of water skiing, snow boarding and surfing techniques. and surfing, are offered to those 8 to 15 years old, with day trips to Los Angeles and Ventura County beaches, lakes and water theme parks. Daily camp runs June 21 to Aug. 27. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Weekend trips also available. Early-bird registration by April 19 is $75 daily for ages 5-7, $80 daily for ages 8-15. After April 19, costs are $77 for younger children and $82 per day for older kids. Transportation to and from homes throughout San Fernando Valley included. For more information, visit www.alohabeachcamp.com or call (818) 996-4780. --Burbank Community YMCA Summer Day Camp caters to children in kindergarten through eighth grade. Activities include arts and crafts arts and crafts, term for that general field of applied design in which hand fabrication is dominant. The term was coined in England in the late 19th cent. as a label for the then-current movement directed toward the revivifying of the decorative arts. , sports, group games, swimming and field trips almost every day to amusement parks This page contains a list of amusement parks by
San Jose (sănəzā`, săn hōzā`), city (1990 pop. 782,248), seat of Santa Clara co., W central Calif.; founded 1777, inc. 1850. Ave., Burbank. Costs vary from $150 to $175 weekly. Overnight weekly trips also available at additional price. For more information, visit www.burbankymca.org or call (818) 845-8551. --To learn about YMCA camps in your area, go to www.ymca.org. --Camp Encino at the Encino Community Center features arts and crafts, sports and games sports and games Recreational or competitive activities that involve physical skill, intellectual acumen, and often luck (especially in the case of games of chance). Play is an integral part of human nature. and a field trip each week. Serves children ages 5 to 12. Camp runs Monday through Friday, June 21 through Sept. 3. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Registration begins June 1. Weekly cost is $135, which includes daily snacks, a weekly field trip and lunch on Fridays. Extended care is available at an additional cost. Three other camps also offered, including drama, junior drama and tennis academies. For more information, visit www.laparks.org or call (818)-995-1690. --Hands-On Science Camp, sponsored by the California Science Center in Exposition Park Exposition Park is the name of more than one place:
--Los Angeles ZooCamp features up-close, educational views of animals, related songs, crafts, games and other activities. Serves preschoolers through fifth grade. Camp runs July 5-Aug. 20, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Weekly cost is $240 for zoo members, $300 for nonmembers. Extended hours available at extra cost. Because of budget constraints, camp registration has been suspended temporarily. For more information, visit www.lazoo.org or call (323) 644-4211. --For a list of accredited accredited recognition by an appropriate authority that the performance of a particular institution has satisfied a prestated set of criteria. accredited herds cattle herds which have achieved a low level of reactors to, e.g. summer camps, try the following Web sites: the American Camping Association's www.ACAcamps.org and the National Camp Association's www.summercamp.org. - Compiled by Lisa Van Proyen Find the right camp Need some help in choosing the right camp for your child? Check out the tips below: --Plan early. Research camps your child may be interested in and their availability. --Do not choose a camp based solely on a family member or friend's recommendation. If possible, check the camp out for yourself. --If in doubt about child's readiness, first plan an overnighter with a close family friend as a tryout. --Ask yourself whether your child is expressing interest in staying overnight at the camp or not. --Ask yourself these questions: Is my child able to sleep on his/her own without crawling into our bed? Can my child entertainment him/herself and be OK reading a book or working on a craft individually without much attention? And how does my child react in social relationships? --Make sure that your child can take care of him/herself, doing such things as keeping belongings together. --If there have been any recent major separations in the family, such as a prolonged hospitalization hospitalization /hos·pi·tal·iza·tion/ (hos?pi-t'l-i-za´shun) 1. the placing of a patient in a hospital for treatment. 2. the term of confinement in a hospital. of a close family member, an overnight camp may not be suitable at this time. --If child is a bed-wetter, parent may want to reconsider scheduling camp to avoid teasing. - L.V.P CAPTION(S): 5 photos, 2 boxes Photo: (1 -- cover -- color) Time to DIVE into SUMMER CAMP Tina Burch/Staff Photographer (2) The ocean is a big part of Aloha Beach Camp, above. (3) At Hands-On Science Camp, right, children learn by dissecting dis·sect tr.v. dis·sect·ed, dis·sect·ing, dis·sects 1. To cut apart or separate (tissue), especially for anatomical study. 2. a squid. (4) Adventure Camp participants visit the stingrays at Sea World during an overnight trip to San Diego. (5) Children at Aloha Beach Camp show what it's all about - having fun and making friends. Box: (1) Camps to consider (see text) (2) Find the right camp (see text) |
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