2023 summer camp reviews

[Anonymous]

Natural Leaders week long program. The kid absolutely loved it and wished it was longer!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Natural Leaders week long program. The kid absolutely loved it and wished it was longer!

My child loved it but had some behavior issues and there was a lack of supervision involving water. Mixed feelings for us.

[Anonymous]

My kid has been loving bar-t ranch camp.

[Anonymous]

we just finished four weeks at camp. my oldest was at Barrie and I’m always thankful for Dan. He always emails if there are any issues with the bus or at camp. My DD was in the same group for three weeks and with friends. She did the horsemanship camp one week and enjoyed that, too.

My youngest was at Headfirst for two weeks and loved it. she did NPS for a week. Her favorite camp was at Oneness Montessori. They go on a field trip every day. They went to Sufarloaf one day, to a state park the next. They even went to Skyline Caverns. She wants to go back next year. It’s not a big camp so the counselors got to know her even though she was only there one week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids did Bretton Woods and were happy there. All day outside and the weather kind of sucked the week they went but camp carried on as usual. The best part - they provide the lunch and snacks!

Was it traditional day camp, adventure camp or a different one?

Not PP. I want to try their adventure camp but my kid is a nonswimmer. I am not sure how safe it is since I see many water activities. I also wonder how kind of lunch do they provide because I have a picky eater.

My dd is 5 and did the adventure camp. She is not able to swim alone and the water activities were fine. She went paddle boarding most activities wear life jackets.
Neither of my picky kids complained about the food. It was basic - pasta, etc but they were fine with it.

[Anonymous]

My kids have gone to Whitman camp in Darnestown again this summer and really, really love it. They do a good job of making the kids feel special.

[Anonymous]

My DD did the Falcons Soar Jr. camp at Good Counsel and it was not good. One day they watched 2 movies (a day with air quality issues). Not much in the way of crafts or activities. I hear their more specific camps are better - yoga, sport camps, etc.

Anonymous wrote:Good Counsel's Basketball and Soccer camps were very good! Hoping that the rest of the summer goes well.

[Anonymous]

We had a bad experience with Headfirst at the Cathedral Heights location, but Beauvoir has been great!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Admin at the St Agnes location of Congressional Camp was very well-organized but the activities were lackluster. Cooking camp especially was boring. It’s an expensive camp. They need to do better than just babysitting, basically.

We had a very lackluster experience last year at St Agnes Congo art camp. It was billed as painting and art history and my kid was tossed in a room with Crayola supplies and no structure. He’s a good artist and he didn’t produce anything nice in 2 whole weeks.

We did it to get into Congo main campus this year. My kids just finished their first session and they love it! They tell me the videos on the FB page are a good representation of their experience. Archery, horseback riding, swimming, fun special events like “messtival”. They take the bus which is super convenient. My picky eater is not complaining. Every day is the “best day ever” per my 1st and 4th graders. Worth every penny.

With a lot of these camps I have to look at who is teaching it. We do the art and science camps at St Stephens and St Agnes (not the same St Agnes Congo uses) and they are taught by the science and art teachers at the school. My kids have loved them but i think because they are real teachers with real knowledge vs teens without a real curriculum.

If this poster comes back, can you talk about your experience at any of the other SSSA camps?

[Anonymous]

My kid with special needs who struggled at other camps did great at Camp Louise! The staff was communicative before and during, and really problem solved to get through the harder days.

(Jewish Sleepaway camp)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Starting a thread early in the hopes that people can provide reviews and feedback on camps as their kids go through them during the summer.

My kids are in Calleva this week, and it has been very well-organized. Kids come home happy and exhausted. One of my kids is entering K in the fall and could not be happier — the Cubs program for 4-5 year olds has been fantastic. My older kid has been at Calleva for a few years and says that despite the rainy week, they have been doing lots of fun activities.

How are other camps going this summer?

Thanks for posting this. I hadn't heard of Calleva. We are in DC and it looks like they might pick up in DC, where we live. Good to know about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Starting a thread early in the hopes that people can provide reviews and feedback on camps as their kids go through them during the summer.

My kids are in Calleva this week, and it has been very well-organized. Kids come home happy and exhausted. One of my kids is entering K in the fall and could not be happier — the Cubs program for 4-5 year olds has been fantastic. My older kid has been at Calleva for a few years and says that despite the rainy week, they have been doing lots of fun activities.

How are other camps going this summer?

Thanks for posting this. I hadn't heard of Calleva. We are in DC and it looks like they might pick up in DC, where we live. Good to know about.

Fyi for calleva: it fills up within 30 minutes of registration opening in January. If you want it, you have to be on top of your planning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid with special needs who struggled at other camps did great at Camp Louise! The staff was communicative before and during, and really problem solved to get through the harder days.

(Jewish Sleepaway camp)

We have found that Jewish sleep away camps are really good at inclusion. My autistic child has thrived at URJ 6 Points Sci Tech Academy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid with special needs who struggled at other camps did great at Camp Louise! The staff was communicative before and during, and really problem solved to get through the harder days.

(Jewish Sleepaway camp)

We have found that Jewish sleep away camps are really good at inclusion. My autistic child has thrived at URJ 6 Points Sci Tech Academy.

Could either of you discuss what accommodations the camps made? Smaller cabins, quiet meals, higher camper/counselor ratio, choice of activities, ability to walk away if overwhelmed?

What made your child successful?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid with special needs who struggled at other camps did great at Camp Louise! The staff was communicative before and during, and really problem solved to get through the harder days.

(Jewish Sleepaway camp)

We have found that Jewish sleep away camps are really good at inclusion. My autistic child has thrived at URJ 6 Points Sci Tech Academy.

Could either of you discuss what accommodations the camps made? Smaller cabins, quiet meals, higher camper/counselor ratio, choice of activities, ability to walk away if overwhelmed?

What made your child successful?

Mostly what made my child successful is an in depth conversation with the inclusion staff before camp started so that they knew her/knew where she would likely struggle and need support. They also wanted to know her strengths so that they could be sure to provide her with leadership opportunities.

The specific accommodations that she benefited from included: guaranteed first time drop off (camp has us sign up for drop off spots so that everyone doesn't arrive at the same time and we are guaranteed to get the earliest spot), previewing schedule changes (this was most important, especially at the beginning), quiet area for Friday night shabbat celebration (usually very loud), ability to step out when overwhelmed, and adult (as opposed to college student) inclusion staff keeping a closer eye on things in order to problem solve before things became big deals. Choice of activities was part of the regular program for everyone.