2016 Summer Camp Recommendations and Reviews

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD really enjoyed her first summer at CASA (she's 6). It was very well-run and well-staffed. I wasn't ready to let her go far from home every day on a bus, so this was a good option for us.

+1. Our six year old son loved it as well. He told us that he did not want to get on a bus for camp, so it was a good option for us too.

[Anonymous]

My boys ages 10 and 8 had a wonderful time at Steve & Kate's in Bethesda this summer. This is the only camp they don't want to go too late or leave too early. It's that much fun. They regularly bake bread (like bagettes from scratch with kosher salt - yum!), make music videos and leggo animation, play a variety of old school games, and best of all, besides their smiles at the end of the day, it's flexible for parents AND it includes a solid lunch and snacks. Success 2nd year in a row - they look forward to attending next year. The counselors are engaged and seem to enjoy being there. I can't tell you the relief it is to find a flexible camp that the kids love love love. At the end of the day, animation movies are emailed to parents. I can't recommend them enough. http://steveandkatescamp.com/locations/bethesda/

[Anonymous]

I'm the PP regarding Steve & Kate. We purchased the 20 tickets / child in the beginning of the summer, and used it up. It's nice to be able to go as needed, without the need to let them know you are coming or being forced to attend the full week. We did other camps, some swimming and soccer mainly, and combine that with vacation time, that took care of the summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My boys ages 10 and 8 had a wonderful time at Steve & Kate's in Bethesda this summer. This is the only camp they don't want to go too late or leave too early. It's that much fun. They regularly bake bread (like bagettes from scratch with kosher salt - yum!), make music videos and leggo animation, play a variety of old school games, and best of all, besides their smiles at the end of the day, it's flexible for parents AND it includes a solid lunch and snacks. Success 2nd year in a row - they look forward to attending next year. The counselors are engaged and seem to enjoy being there. I can't tell you the relief it is to find a flexible camp that the kids love love love. At the end of the day, animation movies are emailed to parents. I can't recommend them enough. http://steveandkatescamp.com/locations/bethesda/

Are you an employee?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:10:55 - Creative Arts Camp @ Madison Rec Center. Don't tell anyone! lol. 5-8 year olds attend the camp at Madison, which is held in 4 2-week sessions. 9-12 year olds can do the same camp at Fairlington rec.

Hours are 8-3 with extended day 3-6, and camp plus extended day is just over $600 for the two weeks, which is really good. You generally do need to sign up as soon as registration opens in February - this one fills up.

Yes, the camps for the youngest kids are mostly partial day. But some camps even for older kids are partial day; I think some SAHMs and people with nannies will book a partial day camp and then spend the rest of the day at the pool or whatever.

Thanks for telling me. I'm signing my kid up!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"On the downside, and this is for all camps--I'm quite tired of 3pm being considered a "full day". For those of us with 2 working parents, the added cost of aftercare and the pain of it only going til 6 is very frustrating. "

+1. It's just a way to make the base cost seem less. Since the sticker tag gets separated from the real cost of using the program.

Well, as someone with an au pair as child care I'm glad it's not till 5 where I'd be paying for care I don't need.

Pound sand

[Anonymous]

This was our first year at camp for my 3.5 year old. We did Landon's daycamp for 6 weeks and then tennis and music camp. The day camp had weekly assemblies with puppet show, reptile show, etc that DS loved. They did seem to spend a good chunk of time indoors in the afternoon, though it was pretty hot so not sure if that is a bad thing. Water play and a nature walk each morning. Everything went smoothly though sometimes the traffic to drop off was very long - not sure if that happens at other similar sized camps. The week that he did two separate camps on the same day he ended up losing his lunch box, water bottle and hat during the transition which was frustrating though all were eventually found. All in all, he seemed to have fun and I think we'll return since the options for full day pre-k are limited.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This was our first year at camp for my 3.5 year old. We did Landon's daycamp for 6 weeks and then tennis and music camp. The day camp had weekly assemblies with puppet show, reptile show, etc that DS loved. They did seem to spend a good chunk of time indoors in the afternoon, though it was pretty hot so not sure if that is a bad thing. Water play and a nature walk each morning. Everything went smoothly though sometimes the traffic to drop off was very long - not sure if that happens at other similar sized camps. The week that he did two separate camps on the same day he ended up losing his lunch box, water bottle and hat during the transition which was frustrating though all were eventually found. All in all, he seemed to have fun and I think we'll return since the options for full day pre-k are limited.

Drop off and pick up at schools for camp, is genuine hell, no matter how smoothly they think they are doing it. We found Glen Echo was fine - of course there is a parking lot and you walk to your destination. Also Valley Mill and similar camps who run buses, which is w.o.n.d.e.r.f.u.l

[Anonymous]

Sent my boys to KOA sports camp in Bethesda for 2 weeks and they loved it. They were outside every day playing sports and only went inside for a snack and lunch or if there was a heat advisory they'd move the kids inside to the gym. I thought that at the end of each week it would have been too much for them, but they raved about it. I guess there was a diversity in the sports they play and they break the kids into teams so there is an environment of team spirit and comeradery going on.

[Anonymous]

My 6 year old had a blast on field trip (panther explorers) day camp with summer@potomac. Not inexpensive, but free busing to and from camp was awesome bonus. He asked to go back again next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My boys ages 10 and 8 had a wonderful time at Steve & Kate's in Bethesda this summer. This is the only camp they don't want to go too late or leave too early. It's that much fun. They regularly bake bread (like bagettes from scratch with kosher salt - yum!), make music videos and leggo animation, play a variety of old school games, and best of all, besides their smiles at the end of the day, it's flexible for parents AND it includes a solid lunch and snacks. Success 2nd year in a row - they look forward to attending next year. The counselors are engaged and seem to enjoy being there. I can't tell you the relief it is to find a flexible camp that the kids love love love. At the end of the day, animation movies are emailed to parents. I can't recommend them enough. http://steveandkatescamp.com/locations/bethesda/

I don't see a Bethesda location listed on the website. Just wondering?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My boys ages 10 and 8 had a wonderful time at Steve & Kate's in Bethesda this summer. This is the only camp they don't want to go too late or leave too early. It's that much fun. They regularly bake bread (like bagettes from scratch with kosher salt - yum!), make music videos and leggo animation, play a variety of old school games, and best of all, besides their smiles at the end of the day, it's flexible for parents AND it includes a solid lunch and snacks. Success 2nd year in a row - they look forward to attending next year. The counselors are engaged and seem to enjoy being there. I can't tell you the relief it is to find a flexible camp that the kids love love love. At the end of the day, animation movies are emailed to parents. I can't recommend them enough. http://steveandkatescamp.com/locations/bethesda/

I don't see a Bethesda location listed on the website. Just wondering?

Sadly, there is no Bethesda location for Steve & Kate's this coming summer. Apparently they couldn't get a space. So for Steve & Kate's you would need to do the Hill or Alexandria locations. We're bummed because those don't work for us logistics so no Steve & Kate's this summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another happy Burgundy Farm camper here. My daughter is 4 and has seemed to have the best time. When I asked her if there were any special friends she wanted to try to have playdates with in the fall, she named her head counselor! They have been very warm and caring all summer long.

You got lucky. My 5 year old had a horrible experience at Burgundy. My sweet quiet exceptionally well behaved boy left behind his water bottle in the classroom as the counselors rushed him out the door to dump them at car line. It was 100 degrees, his face red, and sweaty, he asked the girl assigned to his group of he could get his bottle. She told him to shut up and just get it the next day. One morning he asked me to please remember to pack a fork in his lunch because he didn't like eating pasta salad with his hands. I said when have you ever eaten with your hands? He goes, yesterday you didn't put a fork in and I asked my counselor if she could please get me a fork, she told me to be quiet, there's no forks here, and eat with my hands. I brought this up to another counselor, who profusely apologized and told me that is absolutely not the case, they have plenty of disposable utensils for use by campers, but you need to walk over to another building to get them.

I find this story very hard to believe. We've been at Burgundy Camp for four years, Each class grouping has one lead counselor, who is usually an experienced teacher, and two Conselors in Training. It would be very difficult for a counselor to say something like this to a child at lunch and not be overheard by other counsellors and kids. Speaking like that to children is definitely not the norm at Burgundy. Any counselor who was known to speak like that to a child would be reprimanded. Did you talk to Hugh or anyone when your child reported it?

I'm not saying that it couldn't have happened, but given our experience across multiple grades with multiple age groupings, the fact that my children --including the very sensitive one -- have never had anything but extremely positive, loving things to say about their counsellors suggests to me that your experience is an unusual one.

[Anonymous]

DD did Evergreen Camp last couple of years and looooved it.

She also did 2 weeks or so at Camp Olympia (Horse back riding) She had a great time and loved it, and came home totally wiped out every day.

Both are in MoCo

[Anonymous]

Check out the Teen Leadership Institute at Dance Exchange in Takoma Park, MD. The week-long camp develops leadership skills through the performing arts, and the teens work directly with professional artists and local community organizers. Plus, a safe space for kids interested in dance to learn and explore and perform! For ages 13-18.