It’s been a warm winter, which might have parents thinking about spring break. But just past spring break is the long summer break. What are your kids going to do all summer?
There are so many camp choices, it’s difficult to sift through them all. So we’ve taken a sampling of our favorites and compiled them here with a few details about each. Many of these have before and after camp care (and some of it is even FREE!). Please check websites for registration dates.
CRAFTY/ARTY CAMPS
Photo: www.flickr.com/photos/sewingdaisies/
Whipstitch Fabrics
There are six sessions each for two age groups: 6-10 and 11-16. Topics include machine and hand sewing, embellishment techniques and designing their own project. Classes are held on a drop-in basis, but reservations are strongly encouraged.
Dates vary; $225 (includes most supplies except fabric and sewing machine)
1000 Marietta St, Suite 102
Atlanta, GA 30318
404-897-1114
www.whipstitchfabrics.com
Color Wheel Art Studio
Nine week-long sessions for ages 5-12 range from multimedia to doll making to knitting to clay sculpting.
May 29-July 27; 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; $265/week.
112 Church St., Decatur 30030
404-377-9800
www.colorwheelgeorgia.com
Purple Hippo Art Studio
Weekly camp themes for ages 4-10 include working with clay, creating nature-inspired works, collage on a large canvas and book-themed works.
June 4-July 30; 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; $250/week
5517 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody 30338
770-730-0605
www.purplehippoartstudio.com
Main Street School of Art
Camps for ages 5-14 explore pyramids, the jungle, dinosaurs, super heroes and more.
May 29-July 23; 9 a.m.-noon or 1-4 p.m.; $125/week (daily drop-ins, $25, if space permits)
2323 Main St., Tucker 30084
770-938-7880
www.mainstreetschoolofart.com/classes.html
Bean Summer Camp
Children ages 2-7 explore literature, art, architecture, culture, farming, food and more during the half-day camps. Water Wednesday returns where children participate in water-inspired activities that day.
June 4-Aug. 17, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; $140-$175/week
Bean Work Play Cafe, 134 New St., Decatur 30030
404-828-0810
clients.mindbodyonline.com/ASP/home.asp?studioid=13423
Callanwolde Fine Arts
Weekly camps for ages newborn-18 years include Kindermusik, art, drama and dance.
Various dates and times; prices also vary.
980 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta, 30306
404-872-5338
www.callanwolde.org
Young Artists League Summer Art Camp
Weekly camps for ages 5-10 focus on fine art mediums and techniques such as acrylic and oil painting, pastel drawing, chalk and ink drawing. Campers will be taught by art students and complete self-portraits, still lifes, landscapes, abstracts and other art.
June 11-15, June 25-29 and July 16-20, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Intown Community Church, 2059 Lavista Road, Atlanta 30329
404-944-5676
ARTSCool
Teens ages 15-18 receive technical arts instruction in mixed media, photography, film, photography, drawing, painting, dance and musical theater. The eight-week programs offer students a stipend while working under the guidance of a local professional artist.
June 4-July 27; Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
404-546-6792
www.ocaatlanta.com/accollegiate
NATURE CAMPS
Georgia Aquarium
Themes include Animal Adventures, which looks at habitats and how they help animals survive (rising first and second grades); Where in the World is Deepo? focuses on the adaptations animals make in their environments (rising third and fourth grades); and Junior Biologists observe behind the scenes how the water is tested, food is prepared and the animals are trained (rising fifth and sixth grades).
Weekly June 11-July 30; 8:30-3:30; $268-$336/week.
A special needs camp for children ages 5-8 who have been diagnosed with high-functioning autism or nonverbal learning disabilities is scheduled June 4-8. These campers will learn about the animals and their habitats and create a travel scrapbook.
June 4-8; 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
225 Baker St., Atlanta, 30313
404-581-4000
www.georgiaaquarium.org
Atlanta Botanical Garden
Camps include cooking with freshly harvested produce; exploring the gardens and what animals call it home (both ages 4-6); gathering and preparing food; and examining the plants and animals that live in the gardens (ages 7-10).
June-July; times and prices vary.
1345 Piedmont Ave., Atlanta, 30309
404-876-5859
www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org
Zoo Atlanta
A Summer Safari half-day, full day and Quest Day Camps are being planned for preK through fifth grade and sixth through eighth grades. Details are available on their website.
May 29-Aug. 10; prices vary.
800 Cherokee Ave., Atlanta 30315
404-624-9453
www.zooatlanta.org
Dunwoody Nature Center
Camps are separated into two age groups, the 3’s and 4’s, and the 5-11 years old. Themes include music and how it relates to nature, mysteries, bugs, Native Americans, water, reptiles and junior rangers.
May 29-Aug. 13; times and prices vary for age groups.
5343 Roberts Drive, Dunwoody, 30338
770-394-3322
www.dunwoodynature.org
EDUCATIONAL CAMPS
Atlanta History Center
Camps are broken down by age groups (ranging from 4-14) and include discovering history, museum theater, how the states got their shapes, weird history and more.
June 4-Aug. 3; $225-$275/week
130 W. Paces Ferry Road, Atlanta 30305
404-814-4000
www.atlantahistorycenter.com
Fernbank Summer Camp
Available programs are Junior Naturalists (rising K and first), Discovery Team (rising second and third); and Science Squad (rising fourth and fifth).
June 4-July 16; $300-$350/week; times vary.
767 Clifton Road, Atlanta 30307
404-929-6341
www.fernbankmuseum.org/discover-and-learn/summer-camp-2012/
MOVEMENT CAMPS
Circus Camp
The day camp will introduce children to the circus, performing and visual arts. Activities include trapeze, juggling, magic, clowning, face painting, acrobatics, tightwire walking and more.
June 4-July 30; $250-$660/week (try-me-day $50-$60); times vary.
Three locations: Dunwoody, Decatur and Sandy Springs
404-370-0001
www.circuscamp.org
Atlanta Gymnastics Center
Camps include full day (ages 6 and up), half-day (ages 4.5-5), mommy and me (ages 14 months-3 years) and team camps.
May 28-Aug. 13; prices and times vary for age groups.
2617-B Talley St., Decatur 30030
404-687-9911
www.atlantagymnasticscenter.com
COOKING CAMPS
Young Chefs Academy
Older campers participate in Baking Wars, Just Chillin’ (summer treats), or the Best of Summer Camp (a mix of all the camps). Younger campers (ages 3-5) will bring their favorite stories to life or make some treats to beat the heat.
June 4-Aug. 13; $155-$275/week; times vary for age groups (camps vary by location also)
Toco Hill Shopping Center, 2903 N. Druid Hills Road, Atlanta 30329
404-633-2633
www.youngchefsacademy.com
Viking ToGo
Summer Lovin’ From the Oven for ages 7-12 offers hands-on kitchen experience. The menu includes loaded baked potato soup, chocolate cobbler, bacon-wrapped barbecued shrimp, mini calzones and pillow cookies.
June 18-22, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. except Friday, 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; $325/week
1745 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, 30309
404-745-9064
www.vikingtogo.com
MUSIC CAMPS
School of Rock
During the rock camp, campers work to improve their music and performance skills with music theory, instrumental technique and performance practice. The summer songwriting camp lets students write and record music with a full band.
June 11-Aug. 6; $375/week, ages vary.
321 Pharr Road, suite H, Atlanta 30305
404-857-4861
atlanta.schoolofrock.com
Camp Jam
There’s several levels to this camp including a day camp for ages 11-17, kids camp for ages 7-10 and overnight camp, ages 12-17. Campers learn playing techniques, stage presence, songwriting and more.
June 10-June 25; $399-$1,595/week
Oglethorpe University, 4484 Peachtree Road, Atlanta, 30319
800-513-0930
www.campjam.com/atlanta.html
Girls Rock Camp ATL
Details for this rock camp for girls ages 10-16 will be posted in March.
July 9-14
www.girlsrockcampatl.org
OTHERS
City of Decatur summer programs
Details for camps in 2012 will be released in March. Past camps include learning about the outdoors, experiencing past decades, water fun, sScience experiments, physical fitness and more. Camps are offered for ages 2-17.
Dates to be announced; prices vary.
Glenlake, McKoy and Beacon Hill complexes and Ebster Rec Center, Decatur.
404-378-1082
www.beactivedecatur.com
MJCCA
Traditional camps include activities like archery, cooking, arts & crafts, low ropes and free swim. Specialty camps have themes like Legoland, Aquatic Adventures or Science Adventure Travel. There are also teen camps as well as drama and athletic programs.
May 21-Aug. 13; prices vary.
5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody, 30338
678-812-4004
www.atlantajcc.org/daycamps/
Imagine That Fun
Programs include science, art, robotics and technology camps and classes. These camps serve ages preschool-middle school.
May 21-Aug. 31; prices vary.
Locations vary.
770-455-1980
www.imaginethatfun.com/summer_camp_home.html
Girl Talk Camps
This week-long camp is just for middle school girls. Campers will attend impact sessions, practice community service and be paired with high school girl mentors.
June 4-7 (Sandy Springs) and July 23-27 (Brookhaven); Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; $295/week
Sandy Springs: Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, 805 Mt. Vernon Highway, Atlanta, 30327; Brookhaven: Marist School, 3790 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Atlanta 30319
www.desiretoinspire.org/GTCamps/GTCamps.html
