When it comes to summer, there are so many summer camps to choose from, sports camps, science camps, nature camps, and arts camps, just to name a few. Although these may all be excellent options for your camper, to any kid who spends his or her entire summer enrolled in camps, these generic camps may get old.

If you want to mix it up and send your kid to a camp that is different than anything they have probably experienced before, think about some of the following options.

Circus Camps: Circus camps mean introducing kids to a wide variety of circus activities. Rhythmix Cultural Works focuses on different cultural dances and acrobatic activities. Trapeze Arts Camps allows your child to play Tarzan as they swing and do tricks in the air along with tight-rope walking. Acrosports camp incorporates the gymnastics and dance aspect of circus as your child learns how to a true “circus performer.”

Role Play Camps: As a young child, nothing is more fun than imaging you are something other than what you actually are. At camps such as Stanford’s Pirate Camp, young children engage in swashbuckling adventure while being able to safely live out their dream of becoming a pirate. There are also camps that mimic the life of a fairytale, such as Children’s Fairyland Camp where each week kids learn about fantasy stories from different cultures. If fairy tales aren’t what your child is looking for, maybe they would prefer to be an actual fairy. At Belladonna Fairy Camp in Berkeley, young girls are able to participate in all sorts of fairy activities as they enjoy nature.

Culinary Camps: Send your kids to a culinary camp and they will really appreciate the food you make for them. They will not only learn how to cook, but learn what it takes to be a chef and how to be creative with recipes. COOK! Culinary Camps offer introductory cooking sessions, baking, and flavor layering as just some of the sessions options. Sprouts Cooking Club Kid’s Summer Cooking Camp offers kids the opportunity to work with real chefs in a real kitchen to get the most out of their culinary experience.

Skateboarders! San Francisco Skate Club Summer Skate Camp A two-week, Monday  through Friday skateboard Summer Camp. Campers tour and skate Bay Area skateparks, receive small group lessons with a sponsored skateboarder and meet a professional skateboarder!