Great List of Summer Camp for Kids

Kids are now a few weeks out of school, and they are starting to become restless.  This is the perfect time to enroll your child in summer camp.  Here are some great lists of camps for kids this summer in the area.


TRADITIONAL DAY CAMP EXPERIENCE
The Salvation Army Kroc Center Day Camp 
College Area - 619-269-1460
www.kroccenter.org
Ages 4-14; June 18-August 31  
Our ACA accredited camp provides children the opportunity to play and grow in a positive and safe environment. Experience up to 11 weeks of fun with Kroc Adventures, Sports, Specialty and Spiritual Discovery camps including: Swimming, Skateboarding, Ice Skating, Dance and the Armor of God. For more information, please call or visit our website or Virtual Camp Fair booth. 

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Air & Space Museum Aerosummer Camps
Balboa Park - 619-234-8291
www.sandiegoairandspace.org1st-12th grade; July 16-August 31  
The San Diego Air & Space Museum offers half-day, week-long summer programs. Kids learn air & space history and science by designing and building model airplanes, launching model rockets and flying simulators. We welcome children with special needs; working with Kids Included Together we ensure all children have access to our programs. Contact us to make accommodations for your child’s successful participation.

Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
Balboa Park - 619-238-1233
www.rhfleet.org
June 25-August 24 
The Fleet runs weekly, half-day summer camps this year from June 25-August 24. Camps are for Grades 1-2 and Grades 3-4, with additional camps for pre-kindergarten and Grades 5-8 on selected weeks. The camps are designed to be fun, educational, hands-on, and incorporate the Fleet’s exhibit galleries. Members $90 per child, per camp; Non-members $100 per child, per camp. Contact Mary O’Brien, Client Services at 619-238-1233 ext. 806 or clientservices@rhfleet.org.

San Diego Natural History Museum
Balboa Park - 619-255-0210
www.sdnhm.org/education/family-fun/summer-camp/
June 11-August 20
Discover dinosaurs, unravel animal mysteries, and explore nature’s wonders! Join the San Diego Natural History Museum for a summer of science, fun, and friendship! Summer 2012 will see the introduction of some new camps and welcome back everyone’s favorites. Our half-day camps are designed to teach and inspire children from Pre-K through 5th grade about the natural world. Please also visit our Virtual Camp Fair booth.

Summer Learning Adventure Camps at Birch Aquarium
La Jolla - 858-534-7336
http://aquarium.ucsd.eduJune 25-August 24
From the classroom to the seashore, Birch Aquarium’s accredited Summer Learning Adventure Camps for Pre-K through 9th grade merge scientific exploration with hands-on fun and learning. Campers investigate marine habitats, create ocean art projects, learn about careers in oceanography, and combine the science and sport of surfing and snorkeling.    


These are just a few of the camps.  Click the link below for the full list of summer camps in the area.

Summer Camps in and around Chula Vista.

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Communicty Celebration for the Chula Vista Area

The South Bay Expressway is about to lower its tolls for all users so a celebration is planned for the community.  On the day of the event the expressway will be free to users from 9am to 2pm.   The event will be held June 30th at the Otay Ranch Town Center.


To mark the start of lower tolls on South Bay Expressway, everyone is invited to attend a free community celebration the morning of Saturday, June 30 at Otay Ranch Town Center in Chula Vista. On the day of the event, driving on the Expressway, also known as the State Route 125 toll road, will be free from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The family-friendly celebration will feature live music from J.D. & the Blues Busters, face painters, a 50-foot truck with video game consoles inside, and more. The event will start at 10 a.m. and go until 1 p.m. at Otay Ranch Town Center, 2015 Birch Road, Chula Vista.

“Come out and experience the toll road for free between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.,” SANDAG Chairman and Encinitas Mayor Jerome Stocks said. “And the good news is that as of June 30, the new rate structure allows you to use the congestion-free highway for as little as 50 cents.”

SANDAG will offer special FasTrak promotions at the event, including $5 in free tolls on South Bay Expressway to the first 100 Expressway FasTrak users who bring in their transponders, $5 in free tolls for everyone who signs up for FasTrak at the event, and $5 in free tolls to Expressway FasTrak users who add a transponder to their existing accounts. FasTrak is the convenient, automated tolling system used on SR 125 and the Interstate 15 Express Lanes.

The event will feature plenty of fun. Costco will provide toll-cutting cake, the South Bay Family YMCA will host a craft area for kids, and Naked Juice will serve samples from a summertime ice luge. Visitors to the South Bay Expressway booth can enter a drawing to win a Family 4-Pack of tickets to the Disney California Adventure® new Cars Land attraction, among other prizes. Event sponsors include Sunroad Enterprises and Millenia – a new mixed-use urban-style village by The Corky McMillin Companies.

Effective June 30, tolls will decrease by as much as 40 percent on South Bay Expressway. Prices will range from 50 cents to $2.75 for customers with a FasTrak electronic tolling account and from $2 to $3.50 for cash and credit card users.

The revamped toll structure was approved by the SANDAG Board of Directors on May 25, 2012. SANDAG acquired the lease from a private entity to operate the toll road in December 2011.
As a public agency whose mission is to improve mobility in the region, SANDAG’s business approach is different from that of the previous toll road operator. The new toll schedule balances toll reductions against generating enough revenue to pay for operations and maintenance, debt service, future improvements, and contingencies.

For more information on the celebration go to Scoop San Diego.

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Nature Programs at the Chula Vista Nature Center

Did you know that the Chula Vista Nature Center has some great programs for adults and kids?  They have the Watershed Ashore Teacher Workshop, Arts and Crafts, and other various programs.  These programs can be scheduled and enjoyed individually or with a big group.

Daily Animal Interactions
11:00am Shark & Ray Interaction
1:45pm Sea Turtle Interaction
3:00pm Shark & Ray Interaction
3:30pm Eagle Interaction

Tours, Activities & Programs

About the Washed Ashore Teacher Workshop:
Angela Haseltine Pozzi, the lead artist and founder of Washed Ashore: Plastics, Sea Life and Art Exhibit, has been a teacher of all ages for the last 30 years. She has a master’s degree in education and has conducted multiple professional development workshops and classes for teachers. Angela will lead educators through a series of integrated learning including hands-on activities that involve sorting marine and household debris, creating a color wheel of trash, doing math problems and percentages with garbage and creating unique masks to take back to the classroom for creative writing lessons. The group will also discuss the importance of the Washed Ashore exhibit and learn the behind the scenes information that only Angela Haseltine Pozzi can reveal.

Teachers will:

· Explore the Washed Ashore exhibit with artist Angela Hazeltine Pozzi
· Learn about the health of the oceans and the marine debris issue
· Receive teachers’ background materials, pre and post activities, and activities to do during field trips at the Nature Center
· Make a project using recycled plastics to take back to the classroom.

VIP (that’s you!) Animal Encounters

Add on a special animal encounter to make your visit extra special!
Pick from the following menu of options for your next Nature Center adventure:

• Feed the sharks & rays
• Meet and feed the endangered green sea turtles
• Meet an owl up-close (5 different types to choose from)
• Meet a hawk up-close (2 different types to choose from)
• Meet a snake and tortoise up-close

Each experience is a 15-20 minute personal animal encounter. Each encounter is just $35 for a group of up to 10 people. Preregistration and prepayment (Visa or MasterCard) are required by calling the Education Department at 619-409-5904. Cameras are welcome
Join a guided tour of the amazing Washed Ashore exhibit with a docent every Saturday and Sunday at 1:00 (free with admission).
Arts & Crafts
 
Arts & Crafts are offered most Saturday and Sunday afternoons.  Please call to confirm availability and times.

Composting Programs
 
Composting Workshop
 
Find out why greens and browns are as good as gold! Come join the fun and learn all about the wonders of soils and compost.  We’ll cover practical ways to set up home composting systems in order to organically beautify our landscape and lessen our ecological footprint.  After attending the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to purchase a discounted outdoor composting unit. Composting workshops are held every Sunday from 1:00-2:00PM and are free for members and free for all with paid admission to the Nature Center. To reserve a space at the workshop, please call (619) 409-5900.

Master Composter Program
 
Thursday evening from 6:00pm – 8:30pm at the Chula Vista Nature Center. Topics will include Building and maintaining a pile, Soil ecology, Composting with Worms, How to lead your own workshop, and more. Volunteer and hands-on components are included. The course is offered for free. Space is limited so sign up soon! Call (619)409-5912 or email Mark@cvnc.us to sign up!

Day Camps - Online registration is now available!

The Chula Vista Nature Center offers safe, affordable and fun Day Camps programs year-round during school breaks for kids ages 4-17.  Through animal encounters, games, arts and crafts, outdoor exploration, role play and career exploration, the world of our amazing native wildlife comes to life!  Day Camps are offered year-round during school breaks.

Docent Training
Join our team of highly trained volunteers with a passion for promoting conservation and environmental stewardship. Email tina@cvnc.us or call (619) 409-5905.

Gone Birding!
Birding tours are led every Sunday at 11:15 AM. Free for members and free for all with paid admission to the Nature Center.

Kayak San Diego Bay
 
In partnership with Chula Vista Kayak, spend a Sunday morning in San Diego's back bay in search of the illusive Giant Green Sea Turtles. Spottings occur regularly. Call (619) 409-5905 for upcoming dates and prices and to reserve your kayaking adventure! Space is limited. 

Nature Discovery Tours
 
Guided tours of the Nature Center and surrounding area are scheduled for Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday at 2PM. Free for members and free for all with paid admission to the Nature Center.

Overnight Adventures

Overnight Adventures are a one-of-a-kind overnight experience at the Chula Vista Nature Center that include a full evening of fun activities and animal encounters finished with a movie and cozy indoor camping. The next morning, campers enjoy a continental breakfast and more opportunities to meet local wildlife up-close.

Biologist for a Weekend

For teens (age 13-17) who are interested in working with animals as a career!  This is a full weekend of behind-the-scenes and up-close animal experiences!  Call for available weekends or for information about our summer day camp version of the program, “Biologist Days”.

For more programs and information go to the Chula Vista Nature Center Site

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Affordable Summer Family Planning

Make this summer a memorable one.  Here are some ideas on how to plan your summer for your family, while making it fun and affordable.  Everything from field trips to lunch dates will make this summer one you will remember for a lifetime.   Do you have any other ideas about things to do in San Diego with your family?  Comment on Facebook and some of your summer vacation tips!

Read below to learn about 18 great tips from San Diego Family Magazine!

Many parents agree that the keys to keeping children happy in the summer include getting them active and outdoors, and sparking their imaginations in new ways outside of a classroom. Here are some great ideas to help get you started on lasting summer fun:

Field trips. Put a new spin on the school version by planning “mystery field trips.” Amy Strauss comes up with one adventure each week, but doesn’t tell her kids where they’re going.

“Beginning the morning of the trip, start to give your kids clues. See if they can guess where you are taking them,” Strauss says. “We’ve been to a recycling center, the state capitol, a candy factory, the downtown riverfront for a picnic and a walking tour.”

The summer months bring an ideal time to explore your community and region without going too far from home. “Many companies and factories offer free tours,” Strauss says.  “Children are so fascinated by how things are made.”

Pool parties. Having a baby pool party in your backyard is often as exciting as going to the city or club pool to keep cool.

Invite friends to bring their baby pools too. Fill each pool with different types of toys, from traditional floating toys to cooking tools, for kids to play with.

Theater acts. Many children enjoy creating plays and dances. Make costumes and tickets and invite an audience to watch it in your backyard. Complete the scene with popcorn.

Lunch dates. Meet dad, mom, a family member or friend for lunch.

“This is exciting for kids to have that special visit,” Strauss says. “It’s also a good way to get out of the house.”

Paint. Paintbrushes and sponges can be wonderful summertime toys.

“Find some paintbrushes—any size—and fill a bowl with water. Have the kids ‘paint’ the garage and the sidewalks too,” says mother Jill Exler. “Play catch with a wet sponge. This isn’t as messy or as scary for little kids as a water balloon.”

Garden. It’s an activity that parents and kids can feel proud about doing.

“Gardening with your kids is a great lesson on the natural world,” says mom Rachael Herrscher. “Kids get to see continuing results from their efforts, and learn responsibility and patience for their garden. They also can enjoy the benefits at the end of the season.”

Sprinklers. Children love sprinklers.

“For a twist on a traditional activity, simply attach the sprinkler to a tree branch or the top of a swing set,” says Silvana Clark, author of “301 Bright Ideas for Busy Kids.” Playing in the water takes on a new perspective when the water sprinkles “down.”

Color walk. Get some exercise and learn along the way too. Give your young child a scrap of colored paper.

“As you take a short walk, see how many items they can find that are of the same color as their paper,” Clark says. “Change the papers after a while to another color.”
With older children, hand them a triangle or square piece of paper. They can compare their square paper with a square window and other objects. Again, switch around the shapes.

Nature walk. Another idea for a hike is to walk on a grassy or dirt-covered area. Before going, lightly wrap a piece of duct tape—sticky side out—around your child’s ankle.

“Take a walk, and then come home and gently cut off the tape,” Clark says. “It’s fun to examine all the little twigs, pieces of dirt and other natural wonders attached to the sticky tape.”

You can do the same with duct tape to make a nature wrist bracelet. Have your children stick treasures they find on the walk to their bracelet.


Indoor games

Beauty school. Set up an area for the “school.” Offer to give manicures or pedicures, says Jen Singer, author of “14 hours ’til Bedtime.” Style their hair. If your child is old enough, allow them to take a turn to paint your nails. You can relax too!

Office. Another well-received game is “office.” Invite your child to set up a play area with an unconnected phone, a computer keyboard, pens, paper, old stamps and other office supplies.

Play-Doh. Don’t forget about the Play-Doh, which can keep many children occupied for a long time. Have your child pretend he’s a “dino” archeologist. Let him make imprints of plastic dinosaurs’ feet in Play-Doh.

Clean-up. Sort out the toy box together. It’s like getting new toys, which of course, will entertain your child for a couple of hours, at least.

Indoor picnic. Spread out a blanket on the living room or kitchen floor. Pack lunches or snacks in a basket and pretend to eat together in the great outdoors, along a stream if your imaginations take you there.

Get crafty. Having your kids do arts and crafts helps them easily get through a rainy day.

“Keep a large plastic container in the pantry or basement full of ‘recyclables’ that the kids can use to create such things as a robot, an invention or a city just for cars, trucks or dolls,” Strauss says. “I spread out vinyl tablecloths, give them some tape and scissors, and let them go to town.”


Maximize summertime

Make the most of your fast-flying summer months with the following tips:

Kick the snooze button habit.  Roll out of bed early for a little “me time” every morning before your kids wake up. A walk through the neighborhood or a nearby park is an energizing way to start the day.

Make a list. Ensure your family doesn’t miss out on any of their favorite activities by making a “must do” list. Get the whole family involved with planning your summer activities. Hang the list where it will remind everyone of the fun in store.

Stick to your budget. Summertime can be pricey, so take advantage of the “free” activities in your area. Libraries and universities often have story hours or special programs for all ages. Hit your local bike trails, community gardens, river walk trails and city parks for an unforgettable summer. 

For more summer vacation planning go to San Diego Family.

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