2013 Summer Camps Reviews and Recommendations

[GloriaC]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do people do who can't afford the tuition rates for camps like Valley Mill, Green Acres, and such?

Our DC charter school does a month long free summer program. Free to DC residents, first seats to school participants.

What school?

[Anonymous]

6 y/o DD has loved:

Handworks camp at Sidwell
Norwood day camp in Potomac
Wonder Space computer game design camp in potomac

I've been very pleased with all of them!

[GloriaC]

My daughter did "Dinosaur Rock" camp at Bookside Nature Center. We're quite satisfied. It's a nature camp by MoCo Park (ParkPass.org). The staff are friendly. The kids are divided into two groups (6 yrs and older). They spent most of the time in the woods up the hill, in trails, by the creek and pond. They made art craft and even had two campfire lunches. Sometimes my daughter's clothes are soaked when I picked her up. But she's happy.

[Anonymous]

My 9 year old is in the camp with Kids pro soccer and he loves. He plays on a Stodder team in season and the skills that he has been learning at the camp are unbeatable. He said that he has never tried the techniques that they teach them at the camp. It is an evening camp (5-8pm) so we actually get to watch it. I also like that he can play with older players and his age group. I have noticed that he loves the challenge. I think that this is the best camp he has ever attended, especially in terms if skills.

[Anonymous]

My kid had a great time at British Soccer at Tyler ES in Capitol Hill.

[Anonymous]

Oh, this is PP, we attended sidwell and headsfirst camps so can have a solid comparison.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son loves DC ICE because there is ICE and INLINE skating and games every day. Coach Nat is amazing and engaging with the kids as well as the friends he makes while at camp.

Fake.

No, it's not. I know three families who have gone to DC ICE at Ft. DuPont. The name means District of Columbia Inner City Excellence. Here's the link: http://dc.innercityexcellence.org/camp

BTW, DC ICE also runs after school groups at various schools in Capitol Hill. It's real, and the kids love it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is our first year at Congo and it has been great. I like how organized it is, that the staff appears well-trained and is so good with the children, that food (lunch/snacks) is provided and, mostly importantly, that my child is really enjoying it.

I have to disagree with you on the staff. I went to pick up my child early one day and I saw children walking around unattended. My daughter was on the playground when I went to pick up and and there were at least 4 counselors sitting there on their cell phones. Not one was playing with the children and no one was paying any attention at all. In addition, there was a group of kids that the counselors were trying to get to line up. Two were pushing each other and three were running around chasing each other. This was in the span of 10 minutes. The counselors had no control over the situation and all they did was yell. Thank goodness it was our last week there. We will not be returning. For what they charge, the camp should be so much better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I have to disagree with you on the staff. I went to pick up my child early one day and I saw children walking around unattended. My daughter was on the playground when I went to pick up and and there were at least 4 counselors sitting there on their cell phones. Not one was playing with the children and no one was paying any attention at all. In addition, there was a group of kids that the counselors were trying to get to line up. Two were pushing each other and three were running around chasing each other. This was in the span of 10 minutes. The counselors had no control over the situation and all they did was yell. Thank goodness it was our last week there. We will not be returning. For what they charge, the camp should be so much better.

I have to agree as our exprience was no where as stellar as everyone reports. I finally figured out that few parents actually see what goes on during the day. They just drop off in the morning and then pick up in the afternoon.

[Anonymous]

Del Ray Art Camp in Alexandria Va - excellent and even had a little art show at the end of the week on Saturday for the parents.

[Anonymous]

GloriaC wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do people do who can't afford the tuition rates for camps like Valley Mill, Green Acres, and such?

Our DC charter school does a month long free summer program. Free to DC residents, first seats to school participants.

What school?

Bethune

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I have to disagree with you on the staff. I went to pick up my child early one day and I saw children walking around unattended. My daughter was on the playground when I went to pick up and and there were at least 4 counselors sitting there on their cell phones. Not one was playing with the children and no one was paying any attention at all. In addition, there was a group of kids that the counselors were trying to get to line up. Two were pushing each other and three were running around chasing each other. This was in the span of 10 minutes. The counselors had no control over the situation and all they did was yell. Thank goodness it was our last week there. We will not be returning. For what they charge, the camp should be so much better.

I have to agree as our exprience was no where as stellar as everyone reports. I finally figured out that few parents actually see what goes on during the day. They just drop off in the morning and then pick up in the afternoon.

Exactly!! Also, I forgot to write this before but my daughter said that the counselors play a lot of video games on their phones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I have to disagree with you on the staff. I went to pick up my child early one day and I saw children walking around unattended. My daughter was on the playground when I went to pick up and and there were at least 4 counselors sitting there on their cell phones. Not one was playing with the children and no one was paying any attention at all. In addition, there was a group of kids that the counselors were trying to get to line up. Two were pushing each other and three were running around chasing each other. This was in the span of 10 minutes. The counselors had no control over the situation and all they did was yell. Thank goodness it was our last week there. We will not be returning. For what they charge, the camp should be so much better.

I have to agree as our exprience was no where as stellar as everyone reports. I finally figured out that few parents actually see what goes on during the day. They just drop off in the morning and then pick up in the afternoon.

Exactly!! Also, I forgot to write this before but my daughter said that the counselors play a lot of video games on their phones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I have to disagree with you on the staff. I went to pick up my child early one day and I saw children walking around unattended. My daughter was on the playground when I went to pick up and and there were at least 4 counselors sitting there on their cell phones. Not one was playing with the children and no one was paying any attention at all. In addition, there was a group of kids that the counselors were trying to get to line up. Two were pushing each other and three were running around chasing each other. This was in the span of 10 minutes. The counselors had no control over the situation and all they did was yell. Thank goodness it was our last week there. We will not be returning. For what they charge, the camp should be so much better.

I have to agree as our exprience was no where as stellar as everyone reports. I finally figured out that few parents actually see what goes on during the day. They just drop off in the morning and then pick up in the afternoon.

Another voice in agreement. I had to pick up both of my kids early one day for doctors' appointments and the counselors had very little control of the kids. For us the camp is pretty pricey (even with lunch provided) and we will not be returning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are doing congressional (congo camp) and loving it. Just wish we would have signed up for more weeks

+1

My daughter was at Congo for a couple of weeks this summer and it was total chaos! It seemed disorganized and the classrooms were really dirty. It's not a cheap camp and I would have expected a lot more considering all the hype.