Shelly Cartwright asked:


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!



Ethel

Eric D. Naftulin asked:


Remember camp when you were a kid? You spent your days horseback riding, petting farm animals and shooting bows and arrows. Your nights were filled with skits, s’mores, and singing songs around the campfire.

You can still find summer programs like these. There will always be a market for the tradtional camp experience. But today’s youth often demands more stimulating camp activities. Extreme sports camps are where it’s at!

Extreme sports camps run the gamut from surfing camps to wakeboarding camps to dirt biking camps and more. Though extreme sports camps are often viewed as “riskier” than traditional camps, the risks or dangers are often more perceived than actual when the camp takes proper precautions.

What are the “proper precautions” needed to keep kids safe at extreme sports camps?

In general, the camp staff requires additional training and expertise in the activities being offered. New, modern, and well-maintained equipment must be utilized. And weather conditions (such as at a surf camp, for example) must be just right; you don’t want your child learning to surf on a 5 foot wave when a 1-foot wave is more than appropriate for a beginner.

Since extreme sports camp activities are typically more challenging than traditional camp activities, your child’s potential for personal growth and development is enormous. It is not unusual for parents to report a dramatic increase in their child’s self-confidence and esteem after participating in an extreme sports camp. Imagine your son or daughter’s sense of pride and achievement after conquering the biggest wave at surf camp!

The thrill and fun of attending an extreme sports camp can’t be beat. But remember, the necessity for proper safety provisions, supervision, equipment, and personnel cannot be overstated. Assuming these important variables are in place, your child could be in for the most amazing camp experience of their life.



Jean

Shelly Cartwright asked:


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.



Josephine

Eric D. Naftulin asked:


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, versus 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 them. 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 L.A. 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.

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 discover 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, LA Summer Camps.com and LA Surf Camps.com are two great 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 meet your needs!

Copyright Eric Naftulin and Aloha Beach Camp. All rights reserved.



Leo

Eric D. Naftulin asked:


Could this be the end of summer camp as we know it?

Have traditional summer camps — where kids enjoy horseback riding, archery, take nature hikes, sing songs and make s’mores around the campfire — seen their final days?

Probably not. But given the way specialty camps are gaining traction among today’s youth, traditional camps may be losing their foothold.

According to Theresa Torrone, a volunteer for the American Camp Association and the owner/operator of her own beach and surf specialty camp in Los Angeles, California, “Specialty camps appeal to kids with very specific interests. Rather than participate in a wide variety of general camp activities, they’d rather spend their summer focusing on just one specialty activity instead.”

Torrone cited cooking camps, dramatic arts camps, and surf (also known as surfing) camps among some of the fastest growing genres in the specialty summer camp field.

“As a volunteer for the American Camp Association, I visit various types of camps each summer, and I’m intimately familiar with many others. I can tell you that the specialty camp sector is growing like gangbusters,” Torrone said.

Given the fact surf camps – where kids learn not only how to surf, but also about surf etiquette, wave judgment and selection, ocean science and water safety – are becoming more prevalent, is Torrone concerned about the inevitable added competition for her own camp?

“Nah,” she said with a smile. “The more kids who experience camp at the beach, the better. If they come to my camp, great. But the most important thing is that they get to experience the ocean environment somewhere. I’m glad there are so many available opportunities for kids to learn to surf at camp.”

 Most likely, the traditional camp experience will last forever because many parents feel that sending their kids to a traditional summer camp is a virtual an American pastime.

But specialty camps are gaining ground fast…of that there is no doubt.

Copyright Eric D. Naftulin and Aloha Beach Camp. All rights reserved.



Florence

Shelly Cartwright asked:


Could this be the end of summer camp as we know it?

Have traditional summer camps – where kids enjoy horseback riding, archery, nature hikes, and s’mores around the campfire – seen their final days?

Probably not. But compared to the way specialty camps are gaining popularity among today’s youth, traditional camps may be losing traction.

Theresa Torrone, a volunteer for the American Camp Association and the owner/operator of Aloha Beach Camp, a beach and surfing specialty camp in Malibu, California, “Specialty camps appeal to kids who’ve got very specific interests. Rather than participate in a wide variety of general activities, like they’d rather spend their summer focusing on just one camp activity instead.”

Torrone cited cooking camps, art camps and surfing camps as among the top three fastest growing specialty genres in the summer camp field.

“As a volunteer for the American Camp Association, I visit various types of camps each summer, and I’m intimately familiar with many others. I can tell you that the specialty camp sector is growing like gangbusters.”

Given the fact surfing camps – where kids not only to learn how to surf, but also about surfing etiquette, wave judgment and selection, ocean science and water safety – are becoming more prevalent, is Torrone concerned about the inevitable added competition for her own camp?

“No way!,” she said with a smile. “The more kids who experience camp at the beach, the better. If they come to my camp, great. But the most important thing is that they experience the ocean somewhere. I’m glad there are so many available opportunities for kids to enjoy the learn to surf experience at camp.”

Most likely, the traditional summer camp experience will last forever, principally because many parents view sending their kids to traditional camps as a virtual American pastime.

But specialty camps are gaining on them … of that there is no doubt.



Stanley