San Francisco Summer Camps

Spring Break is around the corner.  There are many Spring Break Camps on SignUpForCamp.com

SignUpForCamp.com makes it easy to search for camps by date, so it’s easier to find a camp in early June or late August.

Camp fairs are a wonderful way to get a lot of local camp information in one place. The camp directors and staff are there to answer questions in person and you are likely to get a better sense of the camp philosophy by talking to them directly rather than just poking around their website.

Here are a couple upcoming camp fairs in the SF area:

Marin Camp Fair – Friday, March 30 – 4:30 to 6:45

Meet the people behind most of the top summer day camps in Marin County and hear about their great camp programs. In addition, several of the most popular residential (sleep-away) camps will also be on hand to showcase their offerings. The Marin Camp Fair is a community event managed by the Dominican University Athletic Department as a service to Marin County families and camps.

Date & Time:
Friday, March 30, 2012 from 4:30pm – 6:45pm (pizza dinner!) (exact time TBD)

Location:
Dominican University of California, Conlan Center gymnasium (1475 Grand Ave San Rafael, CA 94901)

Parent Details:
Children welcome. Pizza dinner & snacks. Leave your email for auto-updates.

Kid / Camper Details:
Get ready for fun! Bounce house & delicious pizza, popcorn & snacks. Older campers (middle & high school) are also welcome to partake in these activities and might find their interest learning about the great summer options that exist for them, both academic & recreational.

More info: http://www.marincampfair.com/

Summer Resource Fair – Saturday, March 3 – 10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Concourse Exhibition Center

8th & Brannan Streets, San Francisco (Accessible by MUNI)

Join families with children of all ages at this fun, free showcase of summer activities for children, youth, and families.
WIN!!! Free weeks of camp!
WATCH!!! Karate demonstrations, a fashion show, Polynesian dancers, archery, and more!
PLAY!!! Face painting, balloon animals, crafts, yoga, karaoke, filmmaking, digital media, and more!
Information about: Camps • Classes • Arts • Sports • Teen Opportunities
More info about exhibitors, entertainment, and activities at www.SFkids.org.

Presented by SFkids.org, SFUSD Student Support Services Department, and the Department of Children, Youth & Their Families.

See the full list of camps for kids’ holiday breaks >>

See the full list of camps for kids’ spring break camps >>

Mid-winter Break, otherwise known as “Ski Week”, is almost here for many SF Bay Area schools, a mere eight weeks after the end of the regular winter break. Then there will be Spring Break coming up in March or April. While the kids are certainly thrilled, the plethora of breaks do create a challenge for parents who aren’t able to take additional time off from work to actually go skiing or take that trip to Disneyland.

Luckily, many local summer camps offer mid-winter and spring break options so the kids can have fun and adventure right near home. You’ll find many options on ActivityHero. Now is a great time to consider testing a camp out you’d like to try for the summer and start thinking about coordinating summer plans. Here are some great camps we’ve found:

Cool Coyote Kids Camp Portola Valley.

February Ski Week Camp focuses on nature in all her glory. This is a camp where kids can be kids while communing with the animals, hiking and exploring the great outdoors.

Castle Rock Arabians, Walnut Creek

The ultimate choice for a horse-crazy kid – spend time learning basic horsemanship, plus horse related arts and crafts!

BrainVyne, Fremont

Send your kids to this Spring Break Camp for some LEGO powered FUN! Science, engineering and art are just some of the activities your kids will love in the camp.
A Little Yumminess, San Francisco

In this culinary camp for kids, they will explore the magic of cooking around the world, at the same time immersing themselves in different culinary cultures.

Check back, We’ll be adding more camps soon, and use the great search tools on ActivityHero to find great camps and also classes and birthday parties!

Share the camps you know about that will be offering kids a fun camp during the school break!

Camp fairs are a wonderful way to get a lot of local camp information in one place.  The camp directors and staff are there to answer questions in person and you are likely to get a better sense of the camp philosophy by talking to them directly rather than just poking around their website.

• 50+ camps representing PreK 3 – high school
• Day and overnight camps, sports, arts & crafts, performing arts, science & nature, music as well as travel abroad programs and more!
• Entrance is free and you’ll have a chance to win $100 off your camp tuition
• The Summer Camp Fair is an annual parent initiative of the Lower School Parent Board of French American International School

Saturday, February 4th 2012 from 9:30am to 12:30pm in the French American International School Gym located at 151 Oak Street at Franklin Street in San Francisco, CA

Choosing summer camps can seem like a second job.  With all the researching, comparing and coordinating, many parents put in serious hours to find the right camps for their children.  Once the camps are completed, it makes sense to track and evaluate the experience.  Recording that information can help you when the next season of summer camps rolls around.  Other parents often rely on personal recommendations and word of mouth comments when choosing summer camps.  And parental feedback is an invaluable resource for camp directors and staff.  It’s worth it all around to take the steps to monitor and report on your family’s summer camp experience.

– Keep a journal of your child’s thoughts and feeling about each camp.  Not only will this help you to evaluate the camp, but it will also illuminate your child’s interests as they grow and change over the years, making it easier to find those perfect camps each summer. Also note the quality of your own interactions with the camp: was it easy to get accurate information, to enroll, to converse with staff when necessary, etc.

– Post reviews of the camps where other parents can find the information.  The summer camps website Sign Up for Camp, www.signupforcamp.com, houses a review section where your insights will reach hundreds of parents.

– Fill out any feedback forms that the camp distributes.  If forms aren’t available, call or email the director with a few specific points about the camp’s strengths and weaknesses from your child’s and your own perspective.  Often times people just go happily about their business when they are satisfied – so make a point to give positive feedback as well as to discuss any concerns.

Summer is a great time for your child to have a week filled with musical fun. Many, many camps incorporate some sort of music into their regular day. But some children can really enjoy (and benefit from) a week that is primarily about music. “School of Rock” type camps are becoming more and more popular for school-aged children and up, and can be a great time to experiment with playing in a band.

For middle school and high school students, music camp may even be required for school participation in band, orchestra or choir. Such a week of strong focus can really result in a boost in skill, advancement in theory understanding and increased confidence playing alone and in different ensembles.

There are many, many types of music camps. Here’s a sample of music camps (and specialized camp sessions) from ActivityHero.com.  For additional ideas, particularly for older children and teens, check with your local schools and music schools.

Kid Stock, several locations
Kids experience the confidence-building magic of musical theatre in this three-week day camp, participating in workshops of song, dance, drama and art, all culminating in an original musical.

San Francisco Rock Project, South of Market, San Francisco
Rock Music loving 7-17 year olds. Camps include daily 1-on-1 private lessons on guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, or vocals, plus fun group rehearsals to prepare for a final show at a local venue.  This non-profit Music School offers programs and classes year round also.

Inspire Music Center, The Sunset District, San Francisco
One of the most popular music schools in the Bay Area, with over 800 students participating in private lessons, classes, and choruses.  Rock the Sunset program is offered in the school year and week long sessions in the summer.

Mr. D’s Music and Arts Summer Camp, Oakland
A summer camp that will get kids ages 8-13 movin’ groovin’ singin’ dancing, booty shaking, and laughing. With a mixture of today’s top hits as well as classic pop from the 70’s 80’s and 90’s, professional choreographers, professional singers, and an amazing art director kids will produce lot’s of cool art and music. DJ Workshops, Belly dancing workshop, spoken word workshop and more.

Jingle Jamboree: Exploring Music, Albany
This camp features music reading and writing, new folk music games, simple piano lesson,instrumental performances on some or all of the following instruments: violin, trumpet, clarinet, saxophone, flute and piano. Grades K-5^th.

Jam Camp West, Loma Mar
This is a 7-day co-ed sleep away music and dance camp held in the stunning redwoods of Loma Mar California. JAM CAMP WEST offers a creative and fun experience for youth ages 10 through 15 exposing them to contemporary musical trends along with the cultural underpinnings of jazz.

Search for more music camps at Sign Up For Camp.

Sometimes, a full week of summer camp doesn’t fit into the schedule, or the budget.  Luckily, some camps offer partial weeks or daily rates to accommodate various needs.

Below are a few examples of San Francisco Bay Area camps which offer more options than just weekly registration.  A couple are so flexible you could actually drop your child off at the last minute for a day of camp.  Most require some pre-paid days, registration, and/or some notice so they make sure the camp is properly staffed.  At a few camps the one-day registration process may not be very clear on their website, so don’t hesitate to call them for help.  We find summer camp folks to be pretty friendly!

GrowFit Camp
To keep kids active and energized during school breaks and holidays, GrowFit Camp provides a safe place for children to learn and play. The campers discover new passions, engage in a variety of sports and group games and learn the values of teamwork and sportsmanship.Their unique, age-appropriate games and challenges help children build self-confidence, develop relationships and have lots of fun.

Camp Doodles
The curriculum exposes kids to a wealth of experiences that will serve as dots of knowledge for future creative endeavors. From our Maker and 3D Art Labs to our long list of specialty activities in our ‘X’ Lab. The enthusiastic and engaged team members choose Doodle year after year for one reason – they love our kids! They must meet the highest standards including a full background check.

CD’s Kids Art Studios
Instructor CD Hullinger has over 27 years experience as a children’s book illustrator and professional tutor, best known for her books Snakes Wear Socks and Puppet Playhouse. At CD’s Kids Art Studio, we do papier-mache animals, fused-glass art, mosaic stepping stones, landscape paintings, drawing, and much more! Kids can sign up for one or more days, or a full week. Come join CD and the rest of our friendly staff and have fun creating lots of art!

Ingenium Enrichment
Ingenium Kids Daily Activities include Music, Cooking, Drama, Movement, Mindfulness and more ! Ingenium Enrichment is a Modern Kids Learning Center featuring Premium Enrichment programs for kids 5-12. Monthly Enrollment with school pick up, Weekday Drop In, School Break Day Camp, Kids Night Out and Summer Camp options.

Dragonfly Designs
We believe that artistic expression is crucial to healthy development. Art should be an engaging, tactile, and rewarding experience. Our goal is to create peaceful and inclusive spaces where each child is empowered to make truly unique treasures by hand. Because there’s no better time for cognitive retention than learning a language at a young age, we also offer classes and camps taught in Mandarin and Spanish to children age five to twelve. An understanding of art and language expands world views and fosters an appreciation for cultural diversity.