Special Section

Summer Camps Guide

There are lots of camp options, from sports to academic to religious, to make your house sooo quiet during the summer.
By By Martha Thomas —

Day camp or sleep-away? Specialty camp or general interest? Should a camp kick your kid in the butt or let him or her enjoy downtime? What about safety concerns? Is the program worth the price? And how much input should the child have on which camp you choose?

“Summer camps can give kids things that can’t be gotten any other way,” says Eve Eifler, whose business, Tips on Trips and Camps, matches kids aged 7-18 with summer programs that range from classic overnight camps to community-service travel opportunities for high schoolers. Her business also works with more than 600 camps and teen programs, with consultants in 15 cities. Tips on Trips is paid by the camps.

Of course, you can start by flipping through local publications that attract a lot of camp advertising (as Baltimore does), but Eifler also suggests speaking with friends and teachers for suggestions. “There’s really something for everyone out there,” says Eifler, but before you jump into the process, you need to assess your child’s needs and desires, she says. “Does your child need to develop new interests or do they have passions they want to focus on?” A kid who needs to build self-esteem might benefit from an adventure camp, while one with a talent for the cello or who is obsessed with Star Wars might be happy in a specialty camp like one of the many focused on arts and science.

Older children interested in building their credentials for looming college applications can choose from dozens of volunteer trips and internships, from a community-based program abroad to helping a scientist with research in a lab. Or they may opt for language-immersion programs, living with a host family and attending classes. Eifler even represents several family programs, from service learning in places like Costa Rica to trips abroad that children can take with their grandparents.

Parents have considerations of their own when it comes to choosing a camp, says Eifler. Sometimes those concerns have to do with money. In other cases, the daily schedule and transportation to and from camp come into play. Camps that are convenient to a parent’s workplace or offer transportation can rise to the top of the list. Even so, Eifler says, most children will benefit from overnight camps.

“Going to camp can give kids experiences that can’t be gotten any other way,” she points out. “Where else can you send a kid and know that they’ll be well cared for, well fed, and busy?”

We’ve compiled a fairly comprehensive list of camp experiences in the region, but also have visited a handful of them that seem particularly interesting or unique. Then comes the tough part: choosing just one.


Camp

Forget hiking in the woods: When it comes to choosing the right summer camp for a child, it can be a jungle out there.


>> A SUMMER OF ART

Kids come out of The Walters Art Museum program “comfortable in the museum space,” says Colleen Oyler, education coordinator for the museum. The weeklong program involves a mix of art appreciation and art-making, as well as getting outdoors to explore the Mt. Vernon neighborhood. “We take walks to the Enoch Pratt and the Peabody Library,” says Oyler. “We went to the Basilica and each camper had a digital camera to photograph different features.”

Inside the museum, activities include scavenger hunts or searching for features in paintings on the wall. “For little kids, that may be as simple as finding a happy face and a sad face,” Oyler says, while older campers might be tasked with tracking down art periods or painting techniques. Groups pull out costumes to act out imagined scenes that revolve around museum artworks.

Kids also have plenty of time for painting and drawing, and even pottery-making using the museum’s kiln.

The camp is open to grades 1-8, with sessions divided by age. Groups of 20 campers have three counselors. The camp strikes a balance between the enrichment parents are looking for and the enjoyment kids need. “Parents feel that their kids are learning,” says Oyler. “The kids are just having fun.”

>> WET AND WILD

Last fall, on a blustery day, Ed Dryer stood on the shore at the Annapolis Yacht Club and watched his 11-year-old daughter, Marina, sail solo. “It was really blowing out there,” says Dryer, who lives in Ruxton and owns Atlantic Maritime Ship Supply. Marina, all 70 pounds of her, handled the boat beautifully, says her dad, as did the other kids in the Atlantic Coast Championship. “Not long ago, those kids would have been terrified. Now you see smiles.”

All three of Dryer’s children—the other two are Will, 13, and Veronica, 9—have participated in the Baltimore County Sailing Center’s (BCSC) summer program (which has a far-reaching metro bus service). The day camp is on Hawk Cove, part of Rocky Point Park in Essex. It’s shielded by a barrier island that keeps the water calm. Even so, says BCSC’s executive director Eileen Fahrmeier, “We get wind every day from the south. There are very few places in the country as conducive to learning to sail as this is.

“We start at the beginning: This is a boat. This is port, this is starboard,” says Fahrmeier, who studied engineering in college, but recently made a career switch to run the camp for kids aged 6-16. “Campers learn how to sit in the boat, how to steer,” she says. “By the end of the two weeks, these kids can sail a boat.” Along with sailing, there are opportunities to learn about the Chesapeake Bay. The camp leaders in the Chesapeake Child program (for ages 6-8) are elementary school teachers. Young children paddle small kayaks and collect creatures and shells from the
water. “They love playing in the sand,” says Fahrmeier.

Older campers learn more advanced sailing skills and can follow one of two tracks, a recreational track or an emphasis on racing. Eighth- grader Will Dryer is in the latter group and trains to compete in regattas.

Ed Dryer points out that his children have learned more than just how to sail. “There are so many different elements and rules of the road,” he says. “They’re also responsible for their own equipment. They have to rig their own boats and break them down when they’re finished.” In addition, he says, they learn a unique type of independence: “When you’re part of a soccer team and the team is doing well, you do well. When you’re sailing, you’re alone.”

>> TAKE IT OUTSIDE

Chris Hartlove calls Nature Camp “the camp that time forgot.” His son Emmett, 12, gets to explore the woods, hop into a canoe for a paddle, or carve things out of wood and soapstone. “I used to call it the camp without lawyers,” says Hartlove, a Baltimore-based photographer. “They run around with sharp sticks. They get wet and dirty. And the kids come home every day really, really happy.”

Emmett’s brother Win, now 15, also attended the day camp, participating in such activities for teens as a 26-mile bike ride to an organic farm, followed by a week of farm work, and a five-day hike along the Appalachian Trail.

Emmett wants to take it a step further and hopes to become a counselor. “He’d go all year long if he could,” says Hartlove.

Nature Camp, located on 230 acres of Nature Conservancy-protected land off of Big Falls Road in Monkton, was established in 1974 with the goal of providing “transformative experiential education programs,” according to Don Webb, the camp director. Kids are encouraged to choose the activities they participate in. For Hartlove’s boys and their friends, that means enterprises ranging from nature hikes to a favorite “Spying on Camp Puh’tok,” a neighboring overnight camp. Nature Camp, says Hartlove, “lets kids be kids.”

Carol deNeufville’s daughter Anna, 9, has attended Nature Camp for two summers and loves “to muck around in the woods,” says deNeufville, who works as a nurse at Maria Health Care Center. “She’s a child who loves to be wild and unstructured. She gets enough structure at school.” Anna has done time at other camps, including horseback riding camp, and at Park School, which she attends during the year. “Nature Camp is her favorite,” says her mother.



2016 Camp Resource Guide

ARTS, ACADEMIA, AND SKILLS


Baltimore Lab School
2220 St. Paul St., 410-261-5500,
baltimorelabschool.org

Designed for students in grades 1-12 with learning differences, this program has a low student-teacher ratio, onsite specialists, and an
innovative arts-based curriculum. Call for rates and dates.

Camp Aerospace Maryland
Summer 2016 Location:

Maryland State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Rd., Timonium, 410-541-6791, campaerospacemd.com

Camp Aerospace Maryland is a hands-on summer STEM day camp designed to help campers discover the theory, design, and history of flight. Campers will engage in activities that support creativity, stimulate imagination, and encourage teamwork, including airplane-model building, and working with gliders, balsa planes, balloons, RC gliders, and remote-control airplanes. Eight sessions and four programs for three age groups: 6-8 years, 9-12 years, 13-15 years. Early arrival and extended-day services available. June 20-Aug. 12. Call for dates and rates.

Summer at Calvert
105 Tuscany Rd. Baltimore, MD 21210
410-243-6054, calvertschoolmd.org/summer

Calvert is offering full- and half-day camps for boys and girls ages 4-13, with programs in arts, drama, sports, and STEM. Sessions: June 13-July 1. Call for rates and session dates.

Circus Camp Stars
Multiple locations, including McDonogh School
and Roland Park Country School
410-833-6763,
circuscampstars.com

If you can picture your little clown happily learning to juggle, walk a tightrope, spin plates, or ride a unicycle, Circus Camp Stars may be just the ticket. Aimed at kids ages 7-15, the camp is taught by full-time professional entertainers—many are Ringling Bros.-trained—and includes a Friday performance for campers to show off their newly learned skills. And while campers may be chiefly focused on mastering the tricks of the trade, “the most important thing they learn is that nothing comes without a little bit of work,” says Circus Camp Stars’s Michael Rosman. Nine one-week sessions June 20-Aug. 19; usually 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Cost: $259-359.

Community Art Center of Towson University Summer Art Camp

Community Art Center, #31034 Towson University
8000 York Rd.
Towson, MD 21252-0001

410-704-2351
towson.edu

Campers ages 6-14, grouped by age, study drawing, painting, clay, and sculpture. An extended-day option is available. Call for dates and prices.

Cooking Camp Classic
99 Painters Mill Rd.
Owings Mills, MD 21117

classiccatering.com/about-us/cooking-camp/
Contact: Jennifer Clary
[email protected]

410-356-1666

Cooking Camp Classic will inspire apron-clad kids to create dishes that are fun for the whole family to prepare. Junior chefs ages 5-13 get their hands into the ingredients and bring home a dinner for four to share with family and friends. Camp runs for five weeks starting in June 2016. Children will receive 1.5 hours of instruction, dinner buffet, a T-shirt (one per child) and a meal prepared by the kids to take home. Themes include Sweet and Savory Bakery, Global Cuisine and Classic Master Class. Call for times and prices.

Imagination 101 Summer Arts Camp
Charm City Players, 410-472-4737,
charmcityplayers.com

This nonprofit camp conducted in the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Auditorium at Mercy High School offers high-quality, three-week performing-arts classes for boys and girls ages 5-16, including
acting, dancing, and singing. June 27-Aug. 1; START Saturday classes for ages 8-16 begin in April and again in September. Call for dates and rates.

Gilman Summer!
5407 Roland Ave., 410-323-3800,
gilman.edu

Contact: Maryann
Wegloski, 410-323-3800, ext. 279
[email protected]

Enrichment and skill-building programs for girls and boys grades K-12 designed and taught by Gilman faculty and field experts. Courses include an extensive art program, STEM courses, outdoor education, SAT prep classes, science, math, foreign language,
and sports camps. Individual classes include Make Your First Game App, LEGO Films and Animation, Young Engineers, Surf and Skate Art, Young Explorers Nature Camp, Studio Drawing and Painting, Summer at Hogwarts, Clay and Sculpture Course, and more. Sessions run June 13-July 22.

Camp Jemicy
Upper School Camps, 11202 Garrison Forest Rd., Owings Mills, 410-753-8032, jemicyschool.org

A coed five-week summer day
program for students ages 6-14 who experience difficulties associated with a language-based learning difference and dyslexia. Small-group skills instruction and tutoring. In addition, outdoor activities, art, crafts, drama, and swimming instruction are offered. June 27-July 29. $2,875-3,875.

St. Paul’s School for Girls
11232 Falls Rd., Brooklandville
443-632-1083, spsfg.org/summer

St. Paul’s School for Girls offers
a range of coed and all-girls programs, including a kindergarten camp, a middle school leadership development program, girls lacrosse, volleyball, soccer, theater, dancing, and filmmaking, babysitting training, and driver’s education. Ten percent multi-sibling discount. Call for rates and dates.

Maryland Leadership Workshops
Washington College
300 Washington Ave.
Chestertown, MD 21620
301-444-8623
mlw.org

Contact: Anita Durall Anderson

Three one-week residential programs—the Middle School Experience in Leadership, the Senior High Workshop and the Advanced Leadership Seminar—help students develop the skills to excel as leaders in their schools and communities. Through innovative leadership activities and engaging group challenges, students interact with peers and staff to discover their own unique leadership style. Middle school July 17-23; high school July 24-30; advanced July 10-16.

Award Winning Lavner Camps
Towson University
8000 York Rd.
Towson, MD 21252

610-664-8800
[email protected]
lavnercampsandprograms.com

Lavner Camps offers the following summer camps for Summer 2016: 3D Minecraft™ Camp, Computer Programming Camp, Robotics Camp, Video Game Design Camp with Apps, Fashion Design Camp, Filmmaking Camp, and hand-sewing stuffed animals Campers may attend for one week or multiple weeks. Early arrival, extended day, and private lessons are available. Ages 6 to 15. Weekly camps available from June 20 to August 12. CIT Leadership Program for motivated 13- to 15-year olds also available. Cost $329-549 per week.

VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS SUMMER CAMPS


Howard County Arts Council
8510 High Ridge Rd.
Ellicott City, MD 21043

410-313-2787
hocoarts.org

Council programs are held at the Howard County Center for the Arts, which includes resident artists’ studios, two professional galleries, a dance studio, the black box theatre for performing arts and the offices of the Howard County Arts Council, The Columbia Orchestra and the Howard County Ballet. Students may select from age-appropriate visual and performing arts camps including pop art, Shakespeare, recycled art, and much more. Programs are open to the public, regardless of residency in Howard County, for grades K-7. June 20-Aug. 12.

The International School of Protocol
Locations Vary 410-832-7555
schoolofprotocol.com

Offering five different camps at various locations, the School of Protocol instructs kids as young as 4 on everything from table manners and kindness to how to be a good listener. Camps for older kids focus on communication skills, the art of conversation, interviewing, networking, and more—all aimed at gaining a competitive edge “so you can be noticed for all the right reasons,” says School of Protocol’s Cathleen Hanson. One-week camps starting in June; dates and times vary.
Call for rates and times.

JA BizTown Summer Venture
Junior Achievement of Central Maryland
10711 Red Run Blvd., Ste. 110
Owings Mills, MD 21117

Contact: Rebecca Golloub
410-753-3289
jamaryland.org

Imagine getting your dream job, operating a business, marketing it, honing your money management skills and running an entire city. Junior Achievement of Central Maryland offers 9-to-12-year-olds the opportunity to do all this and more during the 10th season of its summer camp, the JA BizTown Summer Venture. Children will learn important concepts for earning, spending and saving that will prepare them for a successful future. This year, kids will not only benefit from leaning fiscal fitness, but physical fitness as well, with the addition of special fitness activities from the Y of Central Maryland’s Fit N Fun program. June 20-24. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., $250.

Summer Camp at The Odyssey School
3257 Bridle Ridge Ln.,
Stevenson, 410-580-5551
Contact: Robyn Wagner
theodysseyschool.org

The Odyssey School’s camp is a specialized five-week summer program for children with dyslexia, from first grade through eighth grade. It is held on the school’s 42-acre wooded campus in Baltimore County. The camp incorporates an individualized, structured academic experience in the mornings, designed to promote ongoing skill development in the areas of reading and written language, followed by afternoons of outdoor activities and athletics. Sessions June 27-July 29. Call for times and prices.

The Park School of Baltimore
Park Camps and Summer Programs
2425 Old Court Rd., Brooklandville
410-339-7070, parkcamps.net/camps

This summer, children ages 3 1/2 and up are exposed to dynamic experiences in the tradition of The Park School of Baltimore. Park’s unique approach to learning and growing flourishes amid the beauty of the wooded 100-acre campus. Sessions include general day camps (Cubs, Bears, & Bruins) as well as special-focus camps that provide opportunities for intrepid girls and boys (Are We There Yet? Excursion Camp), plus programs in field hockey and lacrosse, as well as babysitting and computer day care camps. Go online for details and registration. June 20-July 29.

Young FilmMakers Camp
8660 Winands Rd.
Randallstown, Md. 21133

443-552-4821
youngfilmmakerscamp.com

Now in its second year, Young FilmMakers Camp is developed and run by local filmmaker Calvin Watkins Jr. and his two sons to teach kids aged 7 to 15 how to shoot, edit, and distribute high-quality films and videos. Campers learn how to create digital films with an iPad, getting practice in everything from scriptwriting and framing camera shots to editing and producing a finished work. Field trips get them out of the classroom and into the real world to explore a chosen topic and let their cameras roll. June 20-Aug. 5, 9 a.m.-64p.m. $250-400 a week, includes lunch, snacks and field trips.

iD Tech Camps held at Towson University
8000 York Rd.
Towson, Md. 21252

1-888-709-8324
idtech.com

Code, game, and create at iD Tech Camps, where students ages 7-17 code apps, design video games, mod with Minecraft, engineer robots, build websites, produce movies, and more. Call for session dates and rates.

Debate Camp
Loyola University Maryland
800-450-5012
capitoldebate.com

Though it’s perfect for your oratory extrovert, this also might be a fit for a child “who is shy or can’t talk to more than two people without their knees shaking,” says Ron Bratt, CEO of Capitol Debate, which has run debate camps at Loyola for 8 years and in the DC area for 16.
Programs—from middle school debate camp to public forum debate camp—include an overnight or day-only option and are run by experienced debate coaches. A creative writing camp lets eighth graders and high schoolers hone their literary skills, but be warned, these camps sell out quickly. July 17-29. $2,295-3,395 for a two-week session.

SPORTS


Blue Chip Lacrosse Camp
St. Timothy’s School,
8400 Greenspring Ave.,
Stevenson, 410-274-4129,
middleschoolbluechip.com

The middle school Blue Chip
Lacrosse Camp is the only
lacrosse camp in the Baltimore area that specializes in teaching the game to the elite players
of the game. Girls must have
club experience in order to
attend. The coaching staff
includes some of Baltimore’s
finest coaches. June 20-23.
For elite players only. Limited
to 200 campers. $295.

Downtown Sailing Center
1425 Key Hwy., Ste. 110,
410-727-0722

stuart@
downtownsailing.org

Designed for students in grades 1-12 with learning differences, this program has a low student-teacher ratio, onsite specialists, and an
innovative arts-based curriculum. Call for rates and dates.

Five-Star Baltimore
Basketball Camp

P.O. Box 155, Timonium
410-426-2230, fivestarbaltimore.com

Five-Star, a day camp in its 20th season, serves girls and boys from third grade up to 10th grade with one-week sessions for first- and second-graders held at Park and Roland Park schools, June 20-Aug. 12. $320 per session.

All Pro Lacrosse Camp
Goucher College
1021 Dulaney Valley Rd.
Baltimore, MD 21204
410-532-0189
allprolaxcamps.com

Tom Marechek’s All Pro Lacrosse Camp is directed by Hall of Famer Tom Marechek, a former Syracuse University All American and now head coach at Friends School, and his All Pro Lacrosse staff. The camp, held at Goucher College for boys 7-17years of age, includes overnight, extended and day sessions, scrimmages, instructional sessions, individual and team competitions, and guest lecturers. July 5-8. $375-$540.

Brick Bodies Summer Camps
212 W. Padonia Rd.
Timonium, MD 21093
410-252-8058. ext. 107
brickbodies.com

Brick Bodies’ five day basketball camp
focuses on fundamentals of the game, shooting, team play, contests, and competition. Its five-day All Sports Camp exposes campers to basketball, pickle ball, badminton, ping pong, dodge ball, volleyball, and box soccer. Ages 6-12. June 20-24, 1-4 p.m. for All Sports Camp;
August 8-12, 1-4 p.m. for Basketball Camp. Prices are $120 for members. $140 for non-members. $20 discount for an additional sibling.

Amazing Grace Equestrian Center
Summer Horseback Riding Program (Day Camp)
Amazing Grace Equestrian Center
2642 Mount Carmel Rd.
Parkton, MD 21120
443-528-7521
ridewithamazinggrace.com

Amazing Grace Equestrian Center offers a Summer Riding Program (Day Camp) for ages 8 – 15. Participants will learn about the history of the horse, breeds, colors, markings, horse care, grooming, and riding (equitation, games and etiquette). Both English and Western disciplines are offered, beginner thru advanced. Camp is 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and before/after care is available for additional fee. Every week in July, $485 per week.

Play-by-Play Sports Broadcasting Camps
Notre Dame of Maryland University
4701 N. Charles St., 800-319-0884, [email protected]

This interactive camp, now in its 15th year, gives campers ages 10-18 a taste of the broadcast world, guiding them as they create their own anchor tapes in the camp’s TV studio, host a radio talk show, and practice play-by-plays of past Super Bowls and NBA finals. Offered one week at Notre Dame, the camp also has openings in 10 other cities. June 27-July 1. $615 day camp, $1,255 overnight.

St. Timothy’s School
Summer Riding Clinics, 8400 Greenspring Ave., Stevenson,
410-486-5483, stt.org/ridingclinic

This camp offers riding instruction for kids as young as 5 years old and has programs for all skill levels, including jumping and competitive riding. July 13-29. Call for rates and session dates.

Ripken Baseball Camps
1427 Clarkview Rd., Ste. 100
888-747-5361, ripkenbaseball.com

Day and overnight weeklong camp sessions are available for boys and girls ages 7-18. This is your young player’s chance to learn baseball
The Ripken Way. June-August. $350-1,695. Camps will be held at the Ripken Experience in Aberdeen.

Downtown Sailing Center
1425 Key Hwy., Ste. 110
Baltimore, MD 21230
410-727-0722
[email protected]

Junior summer camp runs weekly from June through mid- Aug. for children ages 8-15, offering kids expert instruction on sailing and boating skills. Partnered with STEM in 2016. June 13-Aug. 19. $350-400.

Impact Sports Baltimore
Summer Baseball and Softball Camps and Clinic
Locations vary/Roland Park area
[email protected]
443-406-6665

Baseball and softball camps for ages 10-13, Impact’s Math+Baseball and Leadership+Baseball camps combine fun games and baseball training with a greater purpose. Summer Development Leagues provide a personalized summer baseball experience close to home. Speed and conditioning clinics catapult young athletes to the next level. Call for dates and prices.

Tennis Camps at the JCC
3506 Gwynnbrook Ave.
Owings Mills, MD 21117
410-559-3538
[email protected]

JCC Tennis Camps provides a daily blend of skill-building, competition, and recreational activities. Programs are available for ages 3-14 on a weekly basis. June 6-Aug. 26. $230-325.

Black Bear Lacrosse Camps
Locations vary
215-421-9170
blackbearlax.com

This day lacrosse camp strives to provide instruction within a supportive and nurturing environment for boys and girls ages 4-14. Each camper receives a reversible tank top, as well as eligibility for scholarships. Counselor positions are filled by some of the best college, club, and professional players in the game who aim to inspire lacrosse players at all skill levels. Sessions June-Aug. Check site for prices.

NATURE CAMPS


Carrie Murray Nature Center Summer Camp
2220 St. Paul St.
410-261-5500,
baltimorelabschool.org

Designed for students in grades 1-12 with learning differences, this program has a low student-teacher ratio, onsite specialists, and an
innovative arts-based curriculum. Call for rates and dates.

Camp Puh’Tok
17433 Big Falls Rd.
Monkton, MD 21111

410-329-6590
camppuhtok.com

This rustic camp has more than 70 years of experience to offer for boys and girls ages 5-16. Campers learn Native-American culture, ecology, sailing, horseback riding, canoeing, hiking and American Heritage skills. Sessions from June 19-Aug. 12. Prices vary. Day camp ages 5-10; sleepaway 7-16.

Irvine Nature Center
11201 Garrison Forest Rd.,
Owings Mills

443-738-9200, explorenature.org

The Irvine Nature Center is a nonprofit environmental education organization providing a variety of year-round programs and special events for children, adults, and families. This summer, Irvine will offer its expanded Summer Nature Camp at its location in Owings Mills. Weeklong sessions are available for children ages 2-12 from June 13-Aug. 26. Activities include hiking, biking, canoeing, aquatics, animal encounters, puppet shows, plant ecology, and story times. Register online. $110-485.

TRADITIONAL


St. James Academy
3100 Monkton Rd., Monkton,
410-771-4816, saintjamesacademy.org/summercamps
St. James Academy offers a high-quality summer program for children ages 3-16. These coed activities provide exceptional camp experiences to nurture children’s growth academically, socially, athletically, spiritually, and emotionally in a secure and positive environment. Programs take place on St. James’s 89-acre campus, which includes a 104,000-square-foot facility, playgrounds, athletic fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, gymnasium, and theater. Camp dates run June 13-Aug. 26.

Camp Alleghany for Girls

2700 Stonehouse Rd., Lewisburg, WV, 24901
877-446-9475,
campalleghany.com

An overnight summer camp
located in Greenbrier County, WV, Camp Alleghany offers programs to girls ages 7-16, with sessions
of one or six weeks. Girls continue to enjoy the same customs and activities established 90 years ago, including archery, arts and crafts, canoeing, dance, drama, riflery, ropes, singing, sports and fitness, swimming, and tennis, with an emphasis on the principles of sportsmanship, citizenship, cooperation, consideration for others, the honor system, and meaningful appreciation of the outdoors. Goals are achieved in a lively, relaxed, and fun setting, enhancing self-esteem and boosting confidence while the girls grow in leadership, maturity, and responsibility. Call for dates and rates.

Columbia Academy
Preschool, elementary, and middle school summer camps
10350 Old Columbia Rd., Columbia, MD 21046 and other locations, 866-209-9183,
columbiaacademy.com
Preschool camp is offered in four locations: Thunder Hill, Kendall Ridge, Kings Contrivance, and Maple Lawn. In this 13-week camp, children will read, learn, and play while exploring different types of recreation. Each week has guest presenters, field trips, and swimming for 3- and 4-year-olds two days a week. Elementary and middle school campers will explore cooking, photography, camping, gardening, dance, entertainment, sports, the art of collecting, and more. There are weekly field trips, Jumpbunch, and swimming. Call for rates and dates.

Echo Hill Camp
13655 Bloomingneck Rd., Worton,
410-348-5303, echohillcamp.com

This coed sleep-away camp helps boys and girls ages 7-16 build self-confidence and creative expression in an outdoor environment. Located on Maryland’s Eastern Shore with 350 acres of wooded land and a mile of beach on the Chesapeake, activities offered include land sports, arts and crafts, and water sports such as water-skiing and sailing. Ages 7-16. Two- to eight-week sessions June 26-Aug. 20. Call for session dates and rates.

The John Carroll School Patriot Summer Camps
703 E. Churchville Rd.
Bel Air, MD 21014

410-879-2480
johncarroll.org

This summer there is no better place for your son or daughter to be than on the John Carroll School campus, participating in the Patriot Summer Camps. These programs provide a safe, fun environment for your child to play, learn, meet others, and experience new things, all on the 72-acre campus of the John Carroll School. Camps run June through August. Call for dates and rates..

Summer Programs at Beth El
Beth El Congregation
8101 Park Heights Ave.
Pikesville, MD 21208
410-484-0411

Beth El is now offering summer programs at two sites—Pikesville and Federal Hill. Children at both sites will have a blast participating in age-appropriate games, sports, water play, rhythm and movement classes, and more. Camp session is from June 20 to August 19. Call for times and rates.

Camp Calvary
Calvary Lutheran School
2625 E. Northern Pkwy.
Baltimore, MD 21214
410-426-4302
[email protected]

Campers from 3 1/2 years old to graduating 5th graders grouped by age enjoy games, crafts, special guests, devotions, field trips, water play, and parties. June 20-Aug. 12. Registration is every Monday. $150 per week, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Before-care (starting at 7 a.m.) is offered for $5 a week; after-care until 6 p.m. $10 a week..

YMCA Camp Tockwogh
24370 Still Pond Neck Rd.
Worton, MD 21678

410-348-6000
ymcacamptockwogh.org

This rural camp on 309 acres of Chesapeake Bay shoreline offers one- and two-week sessions from June 26-August 19 for kids in grades k-9. Traditional coed overnight camp plus sailing and equestrian programs.

Bricks 4 Kidz
Locations vary
443-636-0782
bricks4kidz.com

Contact: Michele Rigatuso, [email protected]

Bricks 4 Kidz provides an extraordinary atmosphere for students ages 3-13 to build unique creations, play games, and have loads of fun using LEGO® Bricks. The activities are designed to trigger young children’s lively imaginations and build their self-confidence. Campers will receive a T-shirt and take home a custom mini-figure. June-August.

Coppermine Fieldhouse
1400 Coppermine Terrace
And other locations
Baltimore, MD 21209
410-337-7781
copperminefieldhouse.com

Coppermine Fieldhouse, a 42,000-square-foot indoor facility on 12 acres, offers age-appropriate day camps for children 3 to 15 years of age, including a starter program, lifetime sports camp, team sports clinics, and a performing arts seminar. Gymnastics, rock climbing, team building, archery, tennis, and other specialty programs with swimming. June 6-Sept. 2. Call for rates.

Maryland 4-H Camps
8020 Greenmead Dr.
College Park, MD 20740

And other locations
301-314-9070
extension.umd.edu/4-h

Every county and Baltimore City has a 4-H camp offered at various locations. The camps are open to all youths, boys and girls, ages 8-18. Resident and day programs provide the traditional camp experience. June-August. Dates and rates vary by county.

Summer Fun at the Greenspring Montessori Schoolp
10807 Tony Dr.
Lutherville, MD 21093
410-321-8555
[email protected]
Contact: Shari Wolf

The Montessori School’s Summer Fun program, located on the school’s campus at the corner of Falls and Greenspring Valley Roads, offers a nurturing, non-competitive learning environment in a farm-like setting.
Programs are for children ages 18 months to 12 years and include recreational sports, nature, music, arts, science, toddler preschool and Summer Montessori. Call for rates and dates.

Nature Camps
17433 Big Falls Rd.
Monkton, MD 21111

410-935-1545
naturecamps.com

For over 40 years, Nature Camps has offered a unique family-based program for both parents and children ages 4-16, with an emphasis on outdoor adventure and environmental education. Programs are set on 240 acres of woodland bordering the Gunpowder River in Monkton. Call for prices. Two- to eight-week sessions. June 20-August 12. $750 for 2 weeks, $1700 for 4-week sessions.

Open Door
518 Virginia Ave.
Towson, MD 21286

410-825-6300
opendoorcare.com

This coed sleep-away camp helps boys and girls ages 7-16 build self-confidence and creative expression in an outdoor environment. Located on Maryland’s Eastern Shore with 350 acres of wooded land and a mile of beach on the Chesapeake, activities offered include land sports, arts and crafts, and water sports such as water-skiing and sailing. Ages 7-16. Two- to eight-week sessions June 26-Aug. 20. Call for session dates and rates.

McDonogh School
Summer Programs

8600 McDonogh Rd., Owings Mills
443-544-7100, mcdonogh.org

For over 80 years, McDonogh
has been offering summer programs for ages 4-18, including traditional day camps, academic experiences, and day and overnight sports clinics. The camps are conducted on McDonogh’s 800-acre campus, which includes stables and outdoor and indoor riding rings, two fishing ponds, two fully equipped playground areas, 20 tennis courts, and outdoor athletic fields, as well as a rock-climbing tower and ropes course. Indoor facilities include a 54,000-square-foot field house with seven basketball courts, an aquatic center that includes an Olympic-sized swimming pool,
two indoor batting ranges, a wellness center, and a wrestling room. A fine arts center boasts a 588-seat theater with modern stage, lighting and sound, black box, music room, and set design room, plus there are multiple computer labs, art rooms, classrooms, and dormitory space to accommodate over 100 students. Call or go online for programs, dates, and rates.

Summer at Bryn Mawr
109 W. Melrose Ave., 410-323-8800, brynmawrschool.org

The Bryn Mawr School runs half-
and full-day sports and creative camps for boys and girls, ages
3-16. Held on their sprawling
north Baltimore campus, programs include sports like field hockey
and soccer, plus art, music, dance,
and enrichment programs, including unique offerings such as manners instruction, a doll camp, and a pets camp. Call or go online
for rates. June 13-July 29.

Summer at Friends
5114 N. Charles St.,
410-649-3218, fscamp.org

Friends School of Baltimore offers kids ages 4-13 a variety of programs and day camps in technology, music, art, drama, and sports. Extended-day hours are available. Call for precise dates; camp sessions planned for June 13-Aug. 5. Parents choose the length of sessions up to eight weeks. Fees vary.

Camp Tall Timbers
Summer Office (June 1-August 31): 1115 Reflection Ln., High View, WV 26808.
Winter Office: 3735 Spicebush Dr., Urbana, MD 21704.
301-874-0111,
camptalltimbers.com

Established in 1970, Camp Tall Timbers in West Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains has offered co-ed campers ages 7-16 aerobics, drama, athletics, horseback riding. Accredited by the American Camp Association. June 26-Aug. 20, $1,300-$3,600.

Camp Friendship
573 Friendship Way
Palmyra, VA 22963

434-589-8950
campfriendship.com

ACA-accredited Camp Friendship provides more than 50 activities to choose from in one- and two-week sessions, including junior and teen programs (co-ed, ages 7-16), plus an equestrian program for girls ages 9-16, and sports-specialized programs (such as tennis, water-skiing, gymnastics). June 12-August 13. $1,150-$1,350.

Camp Rock Summer Day Camp
1607 Cromwell Bridge Rd.
Baltimore, MD 21234

410-665-7461
camprockmd.com

Camp Rock offers nine weeks of theme-based fun for children ages 4-12. The summer program runs from June 15 through August 14, Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., offering nature trails, water activities, games, performing arts, crafts, team building, on-site field trips, sports, horsemanship, and academic enrichment. Lunch and snacks included in all camper packages. $175.

Cape Cod Sea Camps
3057 Main St.
Brewster, MA 02631

508-896-3451
capecodseacamps.com

Established in 1922, Cape Cod Sea Camps, located on Cape Cod Bay, offers both co-educational resident and day camp for children ages 4 to 17 with approximately 300 day campers per week, and 375 overnight campers per session. Campers, who come from two dozen states and several foreign countries, are placed in eight units according to age, grade, and friendships. Activities include sailing, swimming, wind surfing, water skiing, archery, air riflery, arts and crafts, woodworking, cycling, tennis, team sports, and drama. Call for rates on overnight camp in sessions of 3.5 weeks and seven weeks. June 26-Aug. 13. Call for rates and dates.

Grier Summer Camp
2522 Grier School Rd.
Tyrone, PA. 16686

814-684-3000, ext. 113
grietsummer.org

This all-girl residential summer program at the Grier School in Central Pennsylvania offers horseback riding, dance, art, drama, swimming, camping, and sports in one- to three-week sessions for girls ages 7-17. Also offered is an equestrian program for riders of various abilities. June 26-Aug. 5. Prices vary.

Columbia Association Camps
6310 Hillside Ct.
Columbia, MD 21046

410-715-3165
columbiacamps.org

The Columbia Association operates 14 camps that have something for every child, whether it is art, basketball, nature, skating, or sailing. The various day camps provide activities for boys and girls in grades pre-K-10. June 20-August 12. Prices vary.

Summer at Friends
5114 N. Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21210

410-649-3218
fscamp.org

Friends School of Baltimore offers kids ages 4-13 a variety of programs and day camps in technology, music, art, drama, and sports. Extended-day hours are available. Call for precise dates; camp sessions planned for June 13-August 5. Parents choose the length of sessions up to eight weeks. Fees vary.

Sandy Hill Camp and Retreat Center
3380 Turkey Point Rd.
North East, MD 21901

410-287-5554
sandyhillcamp.com

This camp offers sailing, waterskiing, a rope course, zipline, horseback riding, sports, art, crafts, and more on 211 acres on the Chesapeake Bay. One- and two-week sessions are available for boys and girls in grades 3-10. June 19-Aug. 19. One-week session $995, two weeks $2,340.

Summer Camp at the Zoo
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
1876 Mansion House Dr.
Baltimore, MD 21217
410-396-7102
marylandzoo.org

Campers experience a unique, week-long day camp that allows them to explore the natural world of animals and their habitats. Each camp is conducted by zoo educators with each session limited to 20 campers. Students will learn how some of the animals are cared for, what they eat, and how their exhibits are maintained.
Different programs for kids in grades 2 through 8. Call for dates and rates. Zoo members receive discount.

Ultimate Watersports Summer Camps
Various state-park locations
Offices at: 7340 Greenbank Rd.
Baltimore, MD 21220

410-335-2340
ultimatewatersports.com

Ultimate Watersports offers weekly sailing, kayaking, windsurfing, and environmental summer day camps for boys and girls ages 9-16. Call for rates and dates.

YMCA Camp Letts
4003 Camp Letts Rd.
Edgewater, MD 21037

410-919-1410
campletts.org

The coed camp takes children ages 6-17 in day and residential programs. Its location on the Bay encourages campers to learn sailing, water-skiing, swimming, horseback riding, sports, paintball, and archery. June-Aug. Sessions range from one to nine weeks, June 19-Aug. 26, $799-$879.

Camp Tall Timbers
Winter office: 3735 Spicebush Dr.
Urbans, MD 21704
800-862-2678
Summer: 1115 Reflection Ln.
Office mailing address; Route 1, Box 472
High View, WV 26808
304-856-3722
camptalltimbers.com

Established in 1970, Camp Tall Timbers in West Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains has offered co-ed campers ages 7-16 aerobics, drama, athletics, horseback riding. Accredited by the American Camp Association. June 26-Aug. 20, $1,300-$6,400.

MEDICAL/SPECIAL NEEDS


Camp Friendship at the Carol Jean Cancer Foundation
10718 Cleos Ct., Columbia

410-531-0758, cjcf4kids.org

Camp Friendship, the premier program of the Carol Jean Cancer Foundation, was founded in 1991 as a place to let kids with cancer enjoy a care-free summer at camp without the worry of medical care or a financial burden. The camp is free to all its campers, ages 7-17, and includes a staff of medical personnel. A physician is on site every day and several pediatric oncology nurses are there day and night. Campers enjoy swimming, boating, zip-lines, and arts and crafts. One five-day session, call for dates.

The League at
Camp Greentop

15001 Park Central Rd.,
Sabillasville, 410-323-0500, leagueforpeople.org

Camp Greentop in Sabillasville provides girls and boys with a traditional day and sleepover camp
experience in a beautiful setting with the added benefit of a 2:1 staff-to-camper ratio. Campers with physical and mental conditions including epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and autism participate in diverse activities in a safe and nurturing environment. There is also a weekend-long family camp offered in the spring. Six sessions June 16-Aug. 16 (call for exact dates). $1,800-2,800.

Camp Glyndon at Lions Camp Merrick
P.O. Box 56, 3650 Rick
Hamilton Pl., Nanjemoy

301-
870-5858, lionscampmerrick.org

Children who have diabetes or
are blind, coed/ages 6-16, enjoy fun times at Camp Glyndon, located on a 300-acre campsite. This camp offers an educational approach to preventative health care. Children develop and enhance skills that encourage independence. For the diabetes camp, instructors teach children to manage their diets, plus a nursing and catering staff provides nutritious meals tailored to the children’s special needs. Children also enjoy outdoor activities including swimming, dancing, archery, campfires, and more during one-week sessions. June 29-Aug. 19. $250-895, sponsorships available.

Camp Superkids Grove Camp
Camp Superkids Grove Camp
140 S. Front St.

New Freedom, PA 17349
717-578-0465
hopkinsmedicine.org

Camp Superkids is designed to provide a fun summer experience for children ages 7 ½ to 12 with asthma. In addition to asthma education, campers enjoy swimming, teambuilding, and arts and crafts. Scholarships are available. July 10-15 at Summit Grove Camp in New Freedom, PA. $400.

RELIGIOUS


Camp Friendship at the Carol Jean Cancer Foundation
10718 Cleos Ct., Columbia

410-531-0758, cjcf4kids.org

Camp Friendship, the premier program of the Carol Jean Cancer Foundation, was founded in 1991 as a place to let kids with cancer enjoy a care-free summer at camp without the worry of medical care or a financial burden. The camp is free to all its campers, ages 7-17, and includes a staff of medical personnel. A physician is on site every day and several pediatric oncology nurses are there day and night. Campers enjoy swimming, boating, zip-lines, and arts and crafts. One five-day session, call for dates.

The League at
Camp Greentop

15001 Park Central Rd.,
Sabillasville, 410-323-0500, leagueforpeople.org

Camp Greentop in Sabillasville provides girls and boys with a traditional day and sleepover camp
experience in a beautiful setting with the added benefit of a 2:1 staff-to-camper ratio. Campers with physical and mental conditions including epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and autism participate in diverse activities in a safe and nurturing environment. There is also a weekend-long family camp offered in the spring. Six sessions June 16-Aug. 16 (call for exact dates). $1,800-2,800.

Camp Glyndon at Lions Camp Merrick
P.O. Box 56, 3650 Rick
Hamilton Pl., Nanjemoy

301-
870-5858, lionscampmerrick.org

Children who have diabetes or
are blind, coed/ages 6-16, enjoy fun times at Camp Glyndon, located on a 300-acre campsite. This camp offers an educational approach to preventative health care. Children develop and enhance skills that encourage independence. For the diabetes camp, instructors teach children to manage their diets, plus a nursing and catering staff provides nutritious meals tailored to the children’s special needs. Children also enjoy outdoor activities including swimming, dancing, archery, campfires, and more during one-week sessions. June 29-Aug. 19. $250-895, sponsorships available.

Beth Tfiloh Camps
400 Delight Meadows Rd.
Reisterstown, MD 21136
410-517-3451
btcamps.org

Every summer, hundreds of boys and girls ages 2-tenth grade enjoy a variety of activities at this day camp, including outdoor living skills, a rope course, drama, music, sports, boating, swim instruction, and arts and crafts. Transportation is available. Two- to eight-week programs offered at various prices. June 20-Aug. 12.

Camp Pecometh
136 Bookers Wharf Rd.
Centreville, MD 21617
410-556-6900
pecometh.org

The mission of this coed Christian camp is to provide a faith environment that promotes life-changing experiences in a traditional camp setting, as well as archery, sailing, crafts, and games. For grades k-11. June 19-Aug. 26. Call for prices.

Capital Camps
12750 Buchanan Trail East Waynesboro, PA 17268
717-794-2177, capitalcamps.org
This camp serves the Jewish community in Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia. Boys and girls (rising third graders through rising 12th graders) participate in a wide variety of activities that range from arts and athletics to activities celebrating Jewish culture. Two-week to seven-week sessions are available. Special-needs campers are mainstreamed into the regular program. June 26-August 21. Prices vary. (See website for specific details.)

Camp Wright
400 Camp Wright Ln., Stevensville
410-643-4171, campwright.com

Operated by the Episcopal Diocese of Easton, this camp has day and residential programs that capitalize on its location on the Chesapeake Bay. While learning Christian ideals, campers in grades K-11 can sail, canoe, learn sports and nature studies, and even take wilderness-adventure excursions. June 20-Aug. 19. Nine one-week sessions. Coed. Call for prices.

JCC Camps
Ben and Esther Rosenbloom JCC
3506 Gwynnbrook Ave.
Owings Mills, Md. 21117
410-559-3513
campmilldale.org

Campers enjoy lake and nature activities, cooking, arts, sports, science, Israeli culture, award-winning swim lessons, and much more. Day camp for grades K-6, performing arts camps for grades one through six, and LIT program for grades nine and 10. Two- to eight-week options and extended-day available. June 20-August 12.

Noah’s Ark Camp at the JCC
5700 Park Heights Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21215
410-559-5936
3506 Gwynnbrook Ave.
Owings Mills, MD 21117
410-559-3557
jcc.org

The JCC offer a nurturing environment for preschoolers, ages 2-5 and children ages 3 months-24 months to explore, discover and grow. Both locations offer swim lessons, music and movement, amazing playgrounds, Israeli culture, Shabbat programs, and professional educators. Half and full day, and six- and eight-week options available. June 20-August 12.

Christ Lutheran Church Nursery School Summer Camps
701 S. Charles St. Baltimore, MD 21230, 410-752-7179, languageprojectkids
Christ Lutheran Church Nursery School is now accepting summer campers! We have three amazing sessions to choose from! Cooking and Science Camp (ages 3-6), June 6-9 and June 13-16. We are proud to have Little Harts Cooking and Rocket Reba coming to teach some new and exciting skills! Dance and Movement Camp (ages 3-6), June 20-23 and June 27-30. There will be cute recital on the 30th! The Language project will be here to teach Spanish Immersion camp (ages 3-5th grade), July 11-15 and July 18-22. All camps, except for Spanish, are Monday through Thursday 9am- 12pm and $150 per week. Spanish camp is 9am-12 pm with EXTENDED CARE available (aged 7+) and $199 per week. Spanish Immersion registration at http://languageprojectkids.com/ all other camps please contact [email protected].

>> TIPS ON TRIPS AND CAMPS

Contact: Eve Eifler tipsontripsandcamps.com 866-222-TIPS



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