2019 Summer Camp Recommendations and Reviews

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:2 weeks at Camp Sonshine in Silver Spring was a big hit. It is Christian based but they are welcoming to everyone, no indoctrination or anything. DD is 7 and went to the pool twice a week, rode go carts, went in a pond, crafts, camp songs etc. She loved it.

This week she is doing a camp at Brookside Gardens, she told me yesterday she held a fish and went in the creek and also held larvae, she is so happy....

Sonshine is 9-4 and Brookside is 9-330

I miss Camp Sonshine!! Kids spent prior summers there; now we are too far.

[Anonymous]

So we think Landon have the best camps.

Sidwell camps are well written up and publicized but ultimately, a bit crap.

[Anonymous]

My kid was in Congressional Great Adventures most of the summer and loved it.

[Anonymous]

Our third Burgundy Farms summer and the first summer DD (rising 2nd grader) did the week-by-week activities rather than the standard day camp. She loved basically everything, and especially raved about her counselors. IME Burgundy gets great young people to work there. Very well organized too. Less great on communication, no newsletter this year and not very many pictures. That's a minor complaint though.

[Anonymous]

My 10 yo did a week at Sandy Spring Summer Camp and loved it. I really enjoyed that food and snacks were provided and we didn’t have to pack a lunch!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 10 yo did a week at Sandy Spring Summer Camp and loved it. I really enjoyed that food and snacks were provided and we didn’t have to pack a lunch!

Same here! My 8- and 10-year-olds really enjoyed the camp, and not having to pack lunches was great! But it made my 10-year-old jealous about the food served in private schools vs. the MCPS cafeteria!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 10 yo did a week at Sandy Spring Summer Camp and loved it. I really enjoyed that food and snacks were provided and we didn’t have to pack a lunch!

Same here! My 8- and 10-year-olds really enjoyed the camp, and not having to pack lunches was great! But it made my 10-year-old jealous about the food served in private schools vs. the MCPS cafeteria!

Yes!!!! The cafeteria is a huge perk. Both my kids liked the food and liked that there was a sandwich bar for when they didn’t love the entree option. The counselors all seemed nice (at least in the car line). My kids didn’t love that they had to wear life jackets while swimming as they’re both swim team swimmers and said it was hard to really have a good time wearing them, but i understand why they have that rule now.

[Anonymous]

My DS did Valley Mill for the first time and LOVED it. He wants to go back for the whole summer next year (fat chance!) and now wants to buy a kayak. I was worried about the bus ride but it was no big deal

[Anonymous]

curious if anyone's kids did Levine in DC? We skipped this summer (after sending the kids for the prior 2) since last year they didn't seem to spend more than 15 minutes outside, even on a gorgeous day. I had to let them blow off some steam after picking them up from aftercare, which was not ideal...

[Anonymous]

Did anyone’s daughter go to valley mill? It seems like it could be just right for DD next summer but I hear more about it for boys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone’s daughter go to valley mill? It seems like it could be just right for DD next summer but I hear more about it for boys.

My DD went for a few years as did my DS. Its for both. In fact only the girls get to ride horses and only the boys get to fish. Which is bad in my opinion but that's how it is.

They both enjoyed it, particularly the 2 x day swim.

Their best experience was with a Spring version of the camp with much, much smaller numbers I think 15 kids - they did a lot of things with John Fishback and there were less bees bothering them when they ate lunch.

They keep the kids very busy all day long - its tiring, your kid needs to have stamina and patience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid was in Congressional Great Adventures most of the summer and loved it.

I read a lot in previous years about bullying at Congressional - especially on the busses. Did they get that under control?

[Anonymous]

Any recommendations for camps with lots of outdoors time, ideally some in a wooded area and not a field, some free time, and some number of campers who are there for the entire summer in Montgomery County?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any recommendations for camps with lots of outdoors time, ideally some in a wooded area and not a field, some free time, and some number of campers who are there for the entire summer in Montgomery County?

Valley Mill Camp

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any recommendations for camps with lots of outdoors time, ideally some in a wooded area and not a field, some free time, and some number of campers who are there for the entire summer in Montgomery County?

Valley Mill Camp

+1 or Calleva