summer camp Archives

Learn To Ride A Bike All Stages Beginning to Mountain Biking: Summer Camp

March 4, 2014 by Momstart Leave a Comment

We are receiving one week of camp for only one child.

It’s so hard to believe that it’s time to start thinking about summer camps but it is. I’ve been getting notices from everyone I’ve worked with in the past and I’m trying to decide what to put my kids in. We’re looking at some acting lesson camps, and some dancing and well I feel like the sky is the limit.

Pedalheads is a very established learn-to-ride bike program for children in Canada. For the first time this summer they are coming to the U.S. and they are starting out in my backyard, Seattle! They have already taught over 160,000 children how to ride their bikes using their own unique teaching methods, small class sizes and exceptional instructors. I can’t teach my daughter. She and I but heads like nothing else. We’re too much alike and I like to allow her to express her opinion. So we can’t work together like that. She doesn’t know how to ride her bike and I think she would love it. So I’m really thinking about signing her up. I would sign Miles up too just to have my kids in a camp at the same time but they would be at different levels. He’s an avid rider and she is using training wheels.

Whether it’s mountain biking, street riding, indoor spinning or a leisurely cruise, cycling is increasing in popularity for families on the West Coast. According to the Gluskin Townley Group’s American Bicyclist Study, the cycling industry in the US is made up of 10.8 million youths, aged 17 and under.

Not only that, but the US’s youth are growing up with greater awareness of two major issues facing their generation: health and environment. Cycling is the answer for combating both and the industry is predicting a major increase in cycling by 2020.

Open Houses will be available on the following dates:

· Saturday, May 31, 2014 at 10:00 – Noon – Cherry Crest Elementary – Bellevue

· Sunday, June 1, 2014 at 1:00 p.m – 3:00 p.m. – Soundview Playfield – NW Seattle

· Sunday, June 8, 2014 at 1:00 p.m – 3:00 p.m. – Hiawatha Park – West Seattle

Washington Summer Camp Fair At St. Thomas School Feb 2nd 10:00 to 2:00 pm

January 26, 2013 by Momstart Leave a Comment

Are you sending your kids to Summer Camp? What age do you feel your kids are ready to go to Summer Camp. I think I’m ready to send Zoe and Miles to a week long camp, it might just be the kind that I take them to every day, they aren’t ready to spend a week away from home yet, still too young. But they do need some kind of activity. It’s already time to start planning summer fun for the kids when they get out of school.

Marking the start of summer camp registration for 2013, ParentMap, a Seattle-based business committed to providing innovative and award-winning editorial content through a variety of media to support parents, is offering families thousands of ideas for summer fun at their FREE annual (some 15 years running) 2013 CAMP FAIRS.

February’s CampFair event brings together 100+ local and out-of-state camps organizations and schools, so that families can efficiently research options, compare programs, ask questions, learn about costs/financial aid and more.

The kick-off event is St. Thomas School CampFair on February 2nd, 2013 at 10:00 to 2:00 pm. More Details below.

St. Thomas School CampFair

St. Thomas School

8300 Northeast 12th Street

Medina, WA 98039

RSVP for the St. Thomas’ School CampFair and win a chance of fun camp giveaways, including:

· One free week at YMCA’s awesome Camp Orkila or Camp Colman.

· Seattle Children’s Theatre Drama Camp (up to $195 value)

· i9 Sports is offering a week at their Sammamish or Issaquah sports camps.

Plus the first 50 families to arrive on the day, will receive a free copy of ParentMap’s essential local travel book: Northwest Kids Trips

Please check out other ParentMap 2013 CampFair events around the Puget Sound at the following locations:

Seattle/Central

March 9, 2013

10am-2pm

Hamlin Robinson School

1700 East Union Street

Seattle, WA 98122

North Seattle/North Sound

March 16, 2013

10am-2pm

The Evergreen School

15201 Meridian Ave. N.

Shoreline, WA 98133

South Sound

March 23, 2013

10am-2pm

STAR Center – Metro Parks Tacoma

3873 S. 66th St.,

Tacoma, WA 98409

Can’t Afford Summer Camp? 5 Alternatives

June 13, 2012 by Momstart 26 Comments

By Daniela Baker :

According to the National Camp Association, the average cost of one week at a private sleepaway specialty camp is between $500 and $2,000, while a full seasonal sleepaway camp that lasts seven to nine weeks ranges in cost from $3,500 to $11,000. While nonprofit organizations like the Y and Federation run less expensive camps – particularly day camps – even these can be out of the price range of some families.

If you’re looking for something fun for your kids to do this summer but can’t afford summer camps in your area, below are five affordable alternatives.

1. College Based Programs

Many local, state, and private colleges put on summer camp-like programs. Some are sleepaway programs, and others are day camp type programs. Oftentimes, these programs are very affordable or maybe even free, as they’re often learning opportunities for college students who teach their skills to students who visit the program. These programs can last anywhere from a couple of days to the entire summer, and, while they are typically for middle and high school aged kids, they can work with a range of age groups. Often, these programs are focused in specific areas, such as speech, drama, engineering, science, film, photography, or other areas of interest.

2. Team-up with Friends

If you’re a stay-at-home parent or even stay home part of the time, consider forming a summer camp co-op with friends who have kids. Choose one day each week where one parent will host all the children for fun summer camp-like activities, such as baking, crafting, exploring nature, or visiting the local zoo. You can do one day a week throughout the summer, or create an entire week-long summer camp where each parent hosts one day of the week.

A summer camp co-op is great because it’s incredibly affordable (just pay for supplies for the snacks and activities you plan) and your kids get to play with others they already know.

3. Plan a Stay-cation

If you’re looking for a way to build fun memories for your kids and to save money this summer, a stay-cation can be a good idea. Stay-cations, more popular these days as families are trying to save money, involve finding fun things to do near your own home. You can stay at home during your vacation week, or you can stay in an affordable hotel near your home for part of the week, especially if you want access to a pool facility. Hotel credit card offers can help you save even more on the hotel price, but if you really want to save money, you probably will want to stay in your own home for at least part of your stay-cation. Then, use your time to discover new restaurants, parks, and free or affordable attractions around your hometown.

4. Check Out Local Park Offerings

Very often, local parks will offer day camps or classes that last for a few hours at a time. These can be very affordable, and sometimes even free. Park systems in various areas might run nature walks for young children, yoga classes for high-school kids, or even day-long camp experiences in the outdoors. Be sure to check out your local park website for information on what might be available in your area.

5. Consider an Au Pair

An au pair is traditionally a foreign college-aged student who is looking for a way to experience new cultures. An au pair will usually help with childcare and light housework in exchange for room and board (and maybe a little pay on top of that). If summer camp is normally your summertime childcare when school is out, an au pair may be an affordable way for your kids to meet someone new and to learn about new cultures while giving you a way to keep working throughout the summer.

Even if summer camp is out of your price range this summer, you can still build great memories for your kids or find daytime childcare for part or all of the summer with these options. Just be creative and look at various options in your area to figure out your best bet for summer care alternatives this summer.

Daniela Baker is a mother of two and a personal finance blogger at http://www.creditdonkey.com/

Elmer’s Kids Craft Camp For Preschool & Toddlers Giveaway

July 21, 2011 by Momstart 439 Comments

Elmer’s contacted me and asked me to host a very small Kids Craft Camp. Everyone we know is of the Preschool and Toddler age because that is also where we are age wise. So thought and planning had to actually go into our little event. Toddlers need organization, or perhaps this mommy needs organization. Elmer’s actually helped quite a bit with the “organization” part. They sent me an already organized into individual sets camp kit:

One Adult Kit

· CraftBond Gel Pens
· CraftBond Extra Strength Glue Stick
· CraftBond Tape Runner
· Painters Markers
· X-ACTO Zigzag and Scallop scissor packs
· X-ACTO 8” Scissors
· X-ACTO Punch

5 Kids Kits

· CraftBond Extra Strength Glue Stick
· CraftBond Glue Spots
· Project Popperz Markers
· Mini Bi-Fold Foam Board

Plus they sent me a gift card to get extra supplies needed.

You know, stickers, colored paper, more stickers, kid safe markers, and some snacks. Can’t have kids camp without some snacks. Anyways, as I was saying, I still had to be even more organized, crafts with younger children is much easier on my soul if every step is “pre” done. So I had to pick a craft. We looked at three different craft ideas together before I made a choice. Based on what I had with me, we decided to make little summer photo books with the bi-fold foam boards.

It’s best to have everything pre cut. Say paper shapes, little pieces of ribbon. We like to use pipe cleaners and yarn for a lot of our crafts and Zoe and Miles are becoming quite the experts at making a mess I mean, using glue! So getting all of the supplies ready before hand is a huge help in crafting with preschoolers.

Have smocks ready. We have a lot of baby bibs left over and they make really great smocks. They are the elastic kind and stretch around the neck, fitting most preschoolers.

Make sure your supplies are age appropriate. The packs that Elmer’s sent us were geared for 5 to 6 plus. My kids still get markers all over every piece of their unclothed body so I had to switch out the makers, but everything else was ok for their age.

Lastly, the key is for everyone to have fun. For me doing all the work ahead of time to premeasure everything for each child works best. You may come to my house and think it’s a disaster, but I can’t handle a mess. So whatever I can do to minimize it, I will. Using Elmer’s scissors and X-ACTO products made pre-assembly a breeze for me. I love all the different scissor shapes for scrapbooking.

The kids decorated the outside front and back. Then, one thing that’s really nice about technology and having enough adults around is that you can take pictures digitally and just print them off right away and add them to the photo book. Then let the kids take the rest home and add their own photos of summer adventures and then they can have the artwork and photos in their room on display. It’s a fun and easy idea. I guess it’s more like a photo collage than a photo book, either way the kids loved the chance to make their own “books”.

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winner, Trisha Lynn.

All rules can be found under giveaway rules. We received samples and a gift card to get supplies for our little camp.

$250.00 SavvySource Summer Camp Sweepstakes

April 23, 2011 by Momstart Leave a Comment

Speaking of Summer Camp do you have your summer camp check list. Sending your kids off to a week of summer camp takes preparation and organization, two things I’m very lacking in. Labeling everything they own is one of those things that should be on your todo list too. But before I can even think of those things, I’m thinking about the COST of summer camp. So is SavvySource!!!

SavvySource is giving away $250.00 to use towards summer camp to five different families. You know, because summer camp can get pretty pricey, I guess it just depends on what you are looking for. And the SavvySource Summer Camp website has everything you need to find a great summer camp right at your fingertips.

If you are interested in learning more about their summer camp $250.00 sweepstakes then all you need to do is check out their sweepstakes page. But here are the basics!

To Enter:

Visit the sweepstakes page and give them your name and e-mail address. Then you tell your friends about the sweepstake and every time they visit you get an entry. You have the opportunity to share a direct link to the site to your friends over e-mail, or you can share your link directly over twitter and Facebook from their page. Remember, the more people you get to enter, the more chances you have to win.

Need to Find a Summer Camp? Try SavvySource.

April 21, 2011 by Momstart Leave a Comment

Feels like Spring just sprung but all I hear are moms looking for Summer camp. What’s available in your area, do you know or have any idea how to start? I’m apart of a MOMS Club of over 50 moms and we always turn to each other for advice. I’ve seen the request for Summer Camp a few times, so when I found out about the Savvysource Summer Camp for Kids resource I had to share it with all of them.

I went to the savvysource website to check it out for myself. You can search by state or zip code and then you can refine the search with your own parameters. Just typing in my zip code pulled up quite a few different options for Summer Camps. I found 29 just within 5 miles of my house and with kids just 3 and 4 I wouldn’t want to send them too far away. When I used the filter for age 3 then the number went down to 9, but remember that’s still 9 within 5 miles of my house. So finding a summer camp in your area is at your fingertips now with such an easy site to use to find them. So if you’re in need of finding Camps & Classes for this summer just check out the resources at savvysource.

Just a few of the local camps:

· The Children’s Museum, Seattle: Presenting Discovery Days! From A to ZoLO running from Memorial Day to Labor Day! Parents can design a camp experience that best fits their child by selecting from half day, full day or week-long activities that take children on learning adventures inside the Museum and around the Seattle Center Campus.

· KidsQuest Children’s Museum: Loads of fun and learning for ages 3-7, through hands-on science experiments, arts and crafts, collaboration and Museum exploration! Register by March 31st for the Early Bird Price!

· Canoe Island French Camp: Find a little bit of France in the San Juan Islands. Learn French while kayaking, sailing, swimming, fencing, and doing art, theater and archery.

· Boys and Girls Clubs of Bellevue: Traditional day camp programs, themed specialty camps and programs for teens, your child is sure to have a great summer experience at the Boys & Girls Club.

· Allegro Performing Arts Academy Dance Camps: A hit for dancers of all ages and levels with a variety of dance and themed camps, technique, drama intensive and much more!

This is a sponsored post.