Kids’ Activity Providers: Apply by May 31 to Win a Small Business Grant

ActivityHero announces a Business Grant Contest that will benefit kids’ camp and class providers with over $15,000 in grants. 

If you’re a kids’ activity provider who faces the challenges of being a small business in the competitive Bay Area marketplace, here’s some good news. ActivityHero recently launched a Business Grant Contest to help providers strengthen their customer relationship base and apply to win over $15,000 in grants.

The Prizes

The 2019 Business Grant contest will award over $15,000 in grants and prizes from ActivityHero and its Partners.

    • Grand Prize: Business Grant worth $10,000
  • Silver Prize: Business Grant worth $3,000

In addition, seven Finalists will each receive $500 in services from GoDaddy Website Builder, 4imprint Branded Promotional Products, PsPrint Online Printing Services and ActivityHero Online Marketing.

These services help small businesses look their best and attract more customers.

GoDaddy is a web-hosting platform and domain registrar that serves over 17 million customers while offering award-winning customer service. Build a top-flight website with ease.

4imprint boosts marketing power by providing companies with high-quality products such as water bottles, t-shirts, and booth signage that can be customized to promote their business. They also offer expert art and design consulting services.

PsPrint offers quality printing, graphic design services and affordable prices. Popular items include postcards, posters, flyers and stickers.

ActivityHero is the #1 online marketplace for kids’ camps and classes. Families find and book activities near them and businesses can use ActivityHero’s online registration service on their website for a convenient, seamless experience.

Apply Online by May 31

How to apply:

    1. Make sure your business has a valid ActivityHero listing. You can easily create a listing if you don’t already have one.
  1. Visit https://www.activityhero.com/go/grant and answer some basic questions about your vision, inspiration, and the kinds of connections you as an activity provider have made with your community. Be clear and concise!

2018-grant-contest-vote.pngApply by May 31, 2018 to increase your chances to win since you will be eligible for all three finalist drawings (one at the end of each month from May through July).

The more votes and reviews you receive from families, the better are your odds of winning. Families cast their vote on each business’ ActivityHero listing.

Get Valuable Customer Reviews

The ActivityHero grant contest will help you get more online reviews which can pay long-range dividends like a boost in personal referrals and customer trust in your brand. To maximize your customer reviews, read ActivityHero’s recent blog post, “5 ways to get more reviews for your business with theActivityHero’s Grant Contest”.

AH-10000-Grant_105x102

About ActivityHero

ActivityHero.com is the leading online marketplace for camps, activities, after school classes, workshops, and kids’ nights out. We reach more than 2.5 million families nationwide with our easy-to-use website and weekly newsletters. Providers can customize their listing and grow their registrations by visiting https://www.activityhero.com

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Veterans Day Camps in the SF Bay Area

With the busy days leading up to Halloween, it’s been easy to forget that kids have a Veterans Day holiday and school is closed. If you haven’t already found a one day camp for Veterans Day it’s not too late – there are still lots of great options out there!

See All Bay Area Veterans Day Camps

Some of the options you’ll find on ActivityHero:

Hi-Five Sports Club in San Franciscoamerican flag pexels-photo-457563
Ingenium Enrichment in Redwood City
Bladium
in Alameda
Wheel Kids Walnut Creek & San Francisco
Legarza Basketball in San Carlos
Brushstrokes Studio in Berkeley
Silicon Valley Tennis in San Carlos
BrainVyne Lego Camp in Palo Alto
Creative IQ Arts Studio in San Francisco
FUZE Fit in Los Gatos and San Jose
GrowFit in Redwood City

For more camps, search for the latest schedules on ActivityHero using our date search.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

San Francisco Summer Camps in Late August

Updated March 28, 2019 !!

Searching for a camp (with availability) in August can be as hard as finding a needle in a haystack.  But with ActivityHero’s date search, we found these great summer camps in San Francisco, Marin, the Peninsula, the South Bay, and the East Bay in a few seconds.

Below, we’ve listed a few of the camps offering August sessions that you might want to check out. (To see the full list of August camps in the Bay Area, visit the #1 Summer Camp Marketplace, ActivityHero.)

august_camps-1

Celsius and Beyond 
Hands-on science enrichment taught by real scientists & professionals! Explore chemistry, math, physics, cell biology. 2 San Francisco locations.
See Celsius & Beyond Camps >

Dragonfly Designs
A unique camp that blends textiles, art, jewelry-making, yoga and more. Offering in English, Mandarin, or Spanish immersion. 2 San Francisco locations.
See Dragonfly Designs Camps >

Camp Doodles 
(Many sessions already waitlisted — act fast!) Built on STEAM-based fundamentals, this camp gives kids unique opportunities to be makers & creators. Berkeley, Orinda, Mill Valley & San Francisco.
See Camp Doodles Camps >

Performance & Puppet Theater Camp
Discover the joy of puppet theater! Paint, draw, build, explore! The San Francisco Children’s Art Center is a fun place for children to explore their creative interests through quarterly art classes.

See Performance & Puppet Theater Camp >

Communication Academy
Improve communication skills at camp — focused on debate, public speaking, writing, math, and reading. Cupertino & Palo Alto.
See Communication Academy Camps >

Need more ideas? Visit ActivityHero, the #1 marketplace for kids camps & workshops to see a complete list of providers in and around San Francisco.

Posted in camps | Tagged | Leave a comment

What?! School’s out in May? Find the Early Summer Camps

If your kids are one of the lucky ones who get out of school before mid-June, you might be scrambling to find a camp that is running in late May or early June. Here, you’ll find summer camps that are open (and still have spots left) in early summer.

Hi-Five Sports SF

Hi-Five Sports SF

Week of May 29 – June 2

SUMMER ART CAMP at Creative IQ Art Studio
San Francisco

IMAGINATION STATION at Mariposa Kids
San Francisco

SPORTS SUMMER CAMP at Hi-Five Sports SF
San Francisco

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE & FUNDAMENTALS OF PROGRAMMING at Celsius and Beyond
San Francisco

FORCES & MOTIONS SUMMER CAMP & COMMOTION MOTIONS at Bricks 4 Kidz SF
San Francisco

BLADIUM SOCCER CAMP at Bladium Sports and Fitness Club
Alameda

Week of June 5 – 9

This week the options in San Francisco expands to the list above, plus more camps, like these (See ActivityHero for the full June 5-9 list)

GIRL CODER at Camp Edmo
San Francisco, Palo Alto and other locations

SUMMER ART CAMP at Chris Babcock Art
San Francisco

YOGA/DANCE CAMP at Petits Pas
San Francisco

X KIDS – MINECRAFT, ROBOTICS at The X Kids Tech Camp
San Francisco

DESIGN AND BUILD SUMMER CAMP at TechShop – SF
San Francisco

ADVENTURE & LIFESTYLE SUMMER CAMP at Super Kids
San Francisco

CREATIVE ARTS CAMP at SF Children’s Art Center
San Francisco

SECRET AGENT SQUAD SUMMER CAMP by Brain Bounce
San Francisco & more

STEM SUMMER CAMP at STEMful
San Francisco

FUN WITH FESTIVALS! at NJAHS Summer Camps
San Francisco

ADVENTURES IN PROGRAMMING at CodeREV Kids
San Francisco & more locations

GLO SUMMER ADVENTURES: TECH EXTREME at Growth and Learning Opportunities
2 San Francisco locations

BLACKOUT FOR GIRLS: TINKERING WITH LIGHT at Renegades Girls
San Francisco

ART SUMMER CAMP at Nine Studio
San Francisco

ARTNINJA at Silicon Valley Kids
San Francisco

SUMMER ART CAMP at Dragonfly Designs
South San Francisco

CHEER & DANCE CAMP & CREATIVE ART CAMP at Paly Cheer & Dance
Palo Alto

MINECRAFT RALLY: TEAM CHALLENGE at Camp Sparkiverse
Palo Alto

CAMPVENTURES & JR. CAMPVENTURES at Kiddie Academy
Mountain View

SOCCERBASEBALL & FAST PITCH SOFTBALL SUMMER CAMPS at Silver Creek Sportsplex
San Jose

NIKE JUNIOR GOLF CAMPS at Shoreline Golf
Mountain View

By mid June, the camp options grow by leaps and bounds. But if you need a camp in August, plan ahead, because there are only half has many camps open that month.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Last-Minute SF Summer Camp Deals

There are a still a few SF summer camp 2019 bargains to be had, but time is running out. Snap them up now!

hot_dealsNow that it’s May, you won’t find quite as many early bird deals on San Francisco summer camps as you might have seen back in December and January.

But that doesn’t mean the deals are all gone! Here are a few camps still offering discounts. Grab them before time runs out:

Screen Shot 2019-04-04 at 12.59.37 PMIntegem Inc
San Francisco
Save $40 until April 7

code_revCode Rev Kids
San Francisco (Sunset) + more
Save $50 until April 20

Screen Shot 2019-04-04 at 1.24.30 PMCAM Educational Services Camps
Millbrae
Save $50 until May 1

theXkidsThe X Kids Tech Camp
San Francisco (Mission)
Save $600 (!!!) until April

dest_sciDestination Science
San Francisco & more
Save $10 until April

celsius&beyondCelsius and Beyond
San Francisco (multiple locations)
Save 25% until May 15

BVGirl’s Leading Girls Photo Center
San Francisco & More
Save 20% until April 20

See a full list of camps near you >>

Posted in camps | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Best Discounts at Bay Area Summer Camps

It’s a great year for summer camp deals. But, many of the best early bird deals expire February 28 or March 1, 2017. Now’s the time to lock in savings at these Bay Area camps.

Save $75 or more at these camps

Tech Shop, San Francisco
Sky Kids International Camp, San Francisco
Blue Bear School of Music, San Francisco
Marin Hobby & Gift, San Anselmo
Camp Chrysalis, Berkeley
Three O’Clock Rock, Oakland
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church and School, Belmont
Kuk Sool Won Martial Arts, Menlo Park
Tap in Talents, Palo Alto
Wushu Central, San Jose
Math Enrichment Summer Program, Multiple South Bay Locations

Popular camps with deals that end soon

Avid4 Adventure, Multiple Locations
Camp Edmo, Multiple Locations
Bald Eagle Sports Camps, Multiple Locations
EFBA French Immersion Summer Camps, Multiple Locations

Camp that are filling up

Some Bay Area camps are already beginning to sell out. If you want a spot in any of these, register right away:

The Decathlon Sports Club, Los Altos
Art And Soul, Palo Alto
Crissy Field Center Summer Camp, San Francisco
Kid Stock, San Francisco & San Rafael
Wheel Kids, Multiple Locations

See the latest summer camp discounts on ActivityHero and get your summer camp coupon.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

San Francisco Summer Camps on Sale

Summer+Camp+SaleSeveral top San Francisco summer camps are offering deep discounts — but only until they fill their last few spots, or until June 30, whichever comes first.

Here’s a sneak preview of some of the deals — to see the whole list, visit the Last-Minute Summer Camp Sale.

Activity

Ballet Fantasy Camp

By Shan-Yee Poon Ballet…
Sessions start Jun
Ages 4 – 8
San Francisco, CA
From $350 /week 20% off until 6/30
See Schedule

 

Activity
Design and Build Summer Camp
Sessions start Jul
Ages 8 – 17
San Francisco, CA
From $649 /session 20% off until 6/30
See Schedule 

 

Activity
Nature’s Little Gems
By Art School of SF Bay
Jun 20-24
Ages 6 – 10
San Francisco, CA
From $250 /week 50% off until 6/20
See Schedule

 

Activity
Chocolatier Training Camp
Jun 27 – Jul 1
Ages 6 – 12
Berkeley, CA
From $425 /week up to 20% off until 6/30
See Schedule 

 

Activity
Robotics Camp
By ROBOTS-4-U
Sessions start Jun
Gr 2 – Gr 8
South San Francisco, CA
From $300 /week 50% off until 6/30
See Schedule 

 

Activity
Jewelry Making & Design + Yoga Camp
By Dragonfly Designs…
Sessions start Jun
Ages 5 – 16
South San Francisco, CA
From $425 /week 20% off until 6/30
See Schedule 

 

See All Camps on Sale

Posted in camps | Leave a comment

Long Waitlists at Top Summer Camps

It’s May, and you think summer is still weeks away. But given today’s 80 degree weather, it’s time to get serious about finalizing summer camp plans or your kids will be on THE WAITLIST.

waitlist

Photo courtesy of Kidizens

In case you’re wondering, these Bay Area camps are at least 90% full as of May 15:

Camps that are filling up very rapidly:

If the camp you want is already full, there’s no cost to be added to the waitlist when you shop on ActivityHero. Joining the waitlist is a good idea because there’s always a chance that the camp will add more sessions when they see how many potential campers they have.

But keep in mind that the camp might not ever be able to open up a spot for waitlisted children. And even if the camp does open a spot, you might not find out until 1 or 2 days before the camp starts.

Our best advice? Register as soon as possible to secure your spot, especially if the camp you want is a popular one. And if your favorite camp is waitlisted, add your name to the list — but start looking for back-up plans right away.

If you’re still feeling iffy about your plans, look for camps that have a cancellation policy that will let you switch weeks or change your mind with a small cancellation fee.

Find camps with their availability on ActivityHero right now >>

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Summer Camp Scholarships and Financial Aid

Updated April 2019 !!

Looking for scholarships to help make summer camp more affordable?  Without compromising quality, many San Francisco Bay Area camps offer partial and full camper scholarships, including the popular programs listed here.  Be sure to apply soon, for some of these deadlines are coming up quick!

Find more camps offering financial aid on ActivityHero.

11879229_1102959473065883_5804790889032877329_o

uCamps Summer Camp

Destination Science

Destination Science offers financial need scholarships for children entering K – 6th grade.  Destination Science offers to pay a week of camp in full for families with an annual household income less than $40,000, and to reduce the tuition price to $170.00 per week for families with an annual household income less than $55,000.

Camper scholarship application submission begins February 2019, and ends May 31st, 2019. Learn more about Destination Science’s scholarship program.

wheel kids

Wheel Kids Bicycle Club

Wheel Kids 

Limited reduced price registration are available for qualified applicants.  Apply here by listing your preferred week of attendance and specify Wheel Kids as the camp you’re interested in.

Digital Media Academy

Digital Media Academy is dedicated to making world-class digital media education more accessible. Applications are taken and evaluated on a first come, first served basis to qualifying individuals. Apply Here

Community School of Music and Art (CSMA)

CSMA offers tuition assistance based on family size and income, merit scholarships for students who show outstanding talent and commitment, and Program Subsidies for off-site preschool classes, weekly in-school art and music classes at local elementary schools, and other programs.

Camp Chrysallis

Camp Chrysallis offers camper scholarships on a first-come, first-serve basis, but also reserves the right to make admissions decisions on other bases, such as maintaining an even gender balance in the sessions. 

San Francisco Maritime

It is part of our San Francisco Maritime’s mission to be accessible to campers of all financial backgrounds. Applying for financial aid will neither increase nor decrease the chances of getting into a program. We encourage you to ask for assistance if you need it and pay what you can. 

Marin GreenPlay Camp

During the Summer of 2019, GreenPlay will host 80 children from socio-economically disadvantaged and underserved communities in Marin County across all of our camp offerings and age groups.  To learn more go to Greenplay Foundation.

Final note:  Many camps accept donations to help fund their scholarship program.  Find more camps offering financial aid on ActivityHero.

Posted in camps | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Awaken Kids’ Creative Forces with Star Wars Crafts

Your arts-and-crafts Jedi will love these clever tutorials, instructions, and project ideas we’ve gathered from across the galaxy … er, internet.

By Laura Quaglio

A short time ago in a living room not so far, far away, some very excited children – and, yes, more than a few adults — were breathlessly awaiting the upcoming release of the new Star Wars movie: The Force Awakens.

Let’s face it: Even if you’re not normally huge into Hollywood hype or movie premieres, it’s tough not to be more than a little excited about this latest addition to one of the favorite movie series of all time. While you’re waiting patiently (or not) to see the film, keep your young Jedi Knights, Princesses, and little Ewoks busy with these terrific themed craft projects that we found on the Web.

snow-vader-500x500

Visit Matters of Grey: mattersofgrey.com

DIY Star Wars Snowflakes

Whether you’re in PA or CA, there’s no snow right now — so why not create a little of your own? We bring you the “largest collection of [Star Wars] designs and templates on the internet.”

Mattersofgrey.com offers downloadable instructions for snipping out an impressive 33 Star Wars snowflake designs, including recent additions such as the BB-8 and Kylo Ren that were inspired by the new movie, The Force Awakens. Admittedly, they might be a tad tricky for tiny fingers. That’s why we’re also offering you the next kid-friendlier craft …

star_wars_toilt_paper

Visit Kids Activities Blog: kidsactivitiesblog.com

Star Wars Toilet Roll Characters

Who doesn’t love a good toilet-paper-roll art project?! It’s always a bonus when you can use items you have on hand to help kids craft clever creations like these. Kidsactivitiesblog.com offers some easy instructions for creating Princess Leia, Chewbacca, and R2D2 using some acrylics, a glue gun, and those ever-available toilet paper cores! Bonus: After crafting these characters, your kids will have a great time acting out scenes with them, too.

Pool Noodle Lightsabers

Visit MuddyBoots: muddybootsblog.blogspot.com

Pool Noodle Lightsabers

On the Muddyboots blog, you’ll find complete instructions on how to transform colorful swimming pool noodles into soft, gentle light sabers! This project does require a little help from an adult — namely to slash the pool noodles in half at the project’s start. (You’ll get two sabers out of one noodle.) But older kids will love creating their own handle designs with duct tape and black electrical tape almost as much as they’ll love staging mock battles with them once they’re complete. Spoiler alert: This blog ALSO offers fantastic Star Wars party ideas, including a Death Star piñata and complete instructions for a masterfully executed Commander Fox cake.

SimpleYoda-150x150

Visit Origami Yoda: origamiyoda.com

Origami Yoda

Fans of Tom Angleberger’s bestselling Origami Yoda series will love checking out the complete instructions for folding their own Origami Yoda, Darth Paper, and other favorite characters. Complete instructions are available on Angleberger’s website, along with an invitation for origami “Superfolders” to submit their own Star Wars origami creations for all to see. Additional ideas and instructions are available in the Origami Yoda companion book, Art2D2’s Guide to Folding and Doodling. Who knows? These projects just might awaken your child’s inner bookworm, too …

star-wars-perler-bead-patterns

Visit U-Create: u-createcrafts.com

Perler Bead Star Wars Patterns

Does your child have an abundance of both plastic Perler Beads … and a colorful imagination? U-Createcrafts.com has collected a handful of fun patterns to help just such children craft perfect Perler creations of C3PO, R2D2, Princess Leia, and even the Star Wars logo. Once your kiddo completes these classics, you can search Pinterest for additional Perler Bead Star Wars character ideas, or encourage your child to find some photo reference and craft their own original designs.

Find a Star Wars Themed Activity Near You!

Want to channel your child’s forces toward good, not evil? Enroll them in a Star Wars themed camp or activity! Search ActivityHero to find lots of options that aren’t light years away.


 

Start your search by checking out:

Posted in camps, Classes, Uncategorized | Leave a comment