10 summer camps worth the money

As the long school vacation approaches, parents face a wide array of choices. Here are some reasonably priced options where children can not only stay busy but also pursue their passions and develop new ones.

By Jennifer Alsever, SwitchYard Media

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rgcviper
Mar 22, 2013 9:11PM
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Another amazing camp is Camp Sunshine in Rutledge, GA.  This camp is a week long and for pediatric cancer survivors.  I've been to this camp for fifteen years, and it is always the best week of my year.  The campers are there to be kids and have a blast, while sharing the common, and mostly unspoken, bond of childhood cancer.  Best of all, the camp is free for campers and volunteers.  More info is at (www.mycampsunshine.​com).
phurface
Mar 25, 2013 8:39AM
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Notice how most of these recommended camps are over $1,000 for a week?!  Gotta admit though, the aircraft camp sounds awesome.
cassandra5
Mar 22, 2013 8:43PM
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Harand Camp of the Theater Arts teaches singing, dancing and dramatics while allowing every camper to take a turn as a musical comedy star.
chigirl22
Mar 22, 2013 9:31PM
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Thumbs up for whoever said Harand Theatre Camp! Going on 60 YEARS, Harand combines musical theater with traditional camp activities in a non-competitive fun atmosphere.  Plus it costs under $3000 for 3 weeks (so about HALF the cost of other overnight theater camps mentioned in this article).
gbchhc
Mar 25, 2013 8:34AM
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Camp Kanakuk in Branson Missouri is awesome and is a Christian sports camp with 7 different locations scattered around Lake Tanneycomo and has been around for 50 years. Families can stay the week at the lodge built by b**** called Big Cedar lodge which is like the Ritz Carlton in log cabin style on a lake. Awesome.
Someone (sailaway1)
Mar 25, 2013 8:25AM
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They used to just call this "Scouting". But now it has been watered down with political correctness so you have to go to a specialty camp to learn what we learned in Boy Scouts 40 yrs ago. Sad
The_Mick
Mar 24, 2013 3:23AM
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Worth the money?  For many of these camps, there are local day or evening programs in people's hometowns that accomplish the same thing for a fraction of the money.
mnmom2
Mar 25, 2013 8:55AM
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My daughters have attended Concordia Language Villages Swedish language village, Sjölunden, for several years. Starting with one week sessions and moving up to the one month High School credit session when they were older. The credit sessions are intensive and they loved it. They both received credit for two credit sessions on their High School transcripts.

They also attended Swedish school, Saturday sessions, at American-Swedish Inst. during the rest of the year. It all began out of an interest to learn more about our family heritage and that they have done. We feel CLV has been a wonderful educational experience.

We were fortunate to visit with relatives in Sweden twice and have been able to converse in Swedish.

My oldest daughter has now been a counselor at CLV Sjölunden. The kids that attend CLV come back year after year and build strong friendships. They refer to it as their home away from home.

 

BassinEarl
Mar 23, 2013 3:47AM
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There is a great one in the foothills of the Smoky Mtns 5 miles east of Livingston, Tenn. It is Cedar Lake Christian Youth Camp. Some of the older people here may remember from several years ago, the TV minister, Henry Geiger, who had the Childrens Gospel Hour, a nationally syndicated game show for kids groups from churches all around the nation. He was the founder. The camp deals with nature, arts, wildlife, and other outdoor themes and the kids stay in rustic cabins. It includes sports, games, swimming, canoeing, hiking, archery, fishing, and lots more. They also have a week long canoe camp where the kids stay in tents on Geiger Island on Dale Hollow Lake. This camp has been around for over 50 years. I have a personal knowledge of it because I stayed there for 6 straight summers, 2 weeks per year and my grand parents donated the land for it. I would highly recommend this one for any kids ages 8 to 16. I don't know the cost but it is a lot less than many other camps.
Diane J
Mar 22, 2013 8:25PM
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Has your child (or even you)ever wanted to "run away with the Circus?"  Check out Circus Smircus. A wonderful place/program.


Lisa Lieder
Mar 26, 2013 6:05PM
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So many of these camps are expensive but the Girls Rock camp is an exception. My daughter attended the one in Minneapolis, MN (Part of the Girls Rock camp program on this list) is only 399.00. For that, the girls get a great experience. They develop confidence, creativity and teamwork as they learn to play an instrument and write their own songs and perform them to screaming fans in a club. If you look up SheRockSheRock on Google or check out Quoth the Raven Nevermore song on Youtube you can see a video of what these girls learn and it is amazing!
hoopjunkie
Mar 25, 2013 11:36AM
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Best sports camp I have ever had my children attend is the Westminster Basketball Summer Camps in Salt Lake City, Utah. the camps are like 350-400 $$$ if I remember. Great week! Coaches are amazing and teach the kids, work them hard, and have a lot of fun. This camp is the best for those looking to improve, not lounge around, eat food, and go swimming like most basketball camps.

 

The coaches know every kids name!!! Anyway, good article.

123jessie
Mar 23, 2013 12:00AM
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I like the last one where you have to pay for your kids to be child labor on a farm.

thats a joke people

0311 for life
Mar 25, 2013 12:10PM
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plantation camp sounds racist
Violarob77
Mar 22, 2013 9:34PM
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All these camps have very little educational value.  How about the arts Camps like Interlochen, tanglewood, or Aspen?
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