Is this normal for KidOvation?
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Anonymous
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We signed up for KidOvation for the first time for school closures this month. It's been a weird experience and I'm wondering if this is normal. For Jan 2-5, we signed up in one location but apparently were the only family, so they transferred us to their other (much farther away) location but didn't tell us until the night before. And then they ended up closing the camp entirely (for the first two days with little notice) because that space had some issue. And then for today, same thing: we signed up for the closer location, they moved us to the farther location.
But the biggest issue is that they watched animated stories from the Bible in the afternoon for a while before the counselors put on a different (non-religious) show. Is this normal? The last minute location change, the religious teaching, and the amount of TV time? My kid generally had fun today but the experience he described is vastly different than what the website says. And the religious teaching really frustrates me. We have different beliefs and would not have sent him to a camp with Christian teaching. (I'm not knocking religious camps, if they work for you, great, they just don't work for our family for reasons not relevant here.) I was hoping to find a new day off school camp and summer camp, but this experience is giving me serious second thoughts about KidOvation. |
Anonymous
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We have not been for a while but this was not our experience. The camp went on as advertised at the stated location and was a combo of yoga, arts/crafts, martial arts, and had some playground time. My child was young but I didnt have the impression there was any TV time or religious instruction. My kids only complaint was about another kid's behavior that my kid found upsetting. I spoke to the manager and they seemed to arrange things so my kid had a buddy the rest of days and that ameliorated whatever occurred the one day. Overall I had no concerns about this camp. They sent tons of pictures and my kid seemed happy.
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Anonymous
| I just saw this post from the winter, but wanted to share that our experience months later (summer 2024) was the same. Kidovation changed the location and itinerary of the camp 48 hours before my kids were supposed to start. This meant the camp no longer worked for our family. They offered a full refund, but it's been two months and no refund. They owe me a LOT of money. There are many other families (at least 8) in the same position. Do not go to this camp. |
Anonymous
| OP: ugh I’m so sorry that happened to you too and those other families. KidOvation also promised me a full refund and I had to HOUND them for a handful of months before they finally sent it. I exchanged many emails with Tsion Tekle, the Founder, (kidovationstage@gmail.com) and she kept promising me it’d come. I ended up sending them a payment request thru PayPal so they’d see it. Nothing. Finally I sent several texts (they wouldn’t answer the phone) to (202) 743-5601 and that worked. Someone named Lynn made the transfer. Supposedly they couldn’t send the transfer thru their business account and had to send it thru Tsion’s personal account. |
Anonymous
We have always had a bait and switch experience and we attended camps, winter and summer over about three years for different durations. Their camps are never as advertised. They never actually go on field trips. Tv is a recurring issue. |
Anonymous
| Any updates on the summer camp? A neighbor was raving about the camp and we need one week due to a schedule change toward the end of August. |