The last day of class for public schools in Vancouver is coming up fast (June 29th). Luckily it’s not too late to register your kids for summer camp and we’ve picked nine excellent options for you to choose from.
Arts
For the petite picasso, the Kitsilano 4Cats studio with its welcoming and enthusiastic instructors, has two to five day camps, either half or full days. Workshops include painting, sculpture, drawing, crafts, printmaking, and mixed media. Ages 5-12.
4Cats Art Studio, 3730 West 10th Avenue, 604-221-4849, 4catskitsilano.com
Past the fairy garden and into the eclectic surroundings of this centre for literature and art, summer campers will find an inspiring environment for creative writing and imaginative art projects here. Ages 3-18.
Christianne’s Lyceum, 3696 West 8th Avenue, 604-733-1356, christianneslyceum.com
Nature
Not quite in our neighbourhood but definitely worth a mention, the wonderful UBC Farm runs various one-week FarmWonders summer camps that include forest adventures, planting, bee-watching, eco-crafts, popsicle making, and, of course, a chance to harvest, cook, and eat fresh garden produce from the organic farm. Ages 6-11.
UBC Farm, 3461 Ross Drive, 604-822-5092, farmwonders.ca
Sports
Have a Cirque du Soleil enthusiast? The summer circus camps held at Bayview Elementary School are perfect for kids who enjoy dance and gymnastics. During the five day sessions they will learn how to juggle, ride a unicycle, jump on a trampoline, and even build a human pyramid. Ages 7-14.
CircusWest Performing Arts Society, 2251 Collingwood Street (Bayview), 604-252-3679, circuswest.com
The Diving Locker hosts five day summer camps that are designed to introduce scuba diving to young people in a safe and fun atmosphere. Participants will find themselves swimming through hula hoops, playing underwater frisbee, watching diving movies, and even exploring the scenes at the Vancouver Aquarium. Fees include all gear. And, upon completion of the camp, if participants wish to receive a full PADI Junior Open Water Certification (upon instructor’s approval), they can add two days of ocean diving at an upgrade price. Ages 10-16.
Diving Locker, 2745 West 4th Avenue, 604-736-2681, divinglocker.ca
Here kids can choose from half or full day camps and learn sailing, canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, beach soccer, or lifeguarding skills, all at our beautiful Jericho and Kits beaches. Ages 5-18.
MacSailing, 1300 Discovery Street, 604-224-7245, macsailing.com
STEM
Another option that’s just outside our neighbourhood (at UBC and at CDM) but worth a mention is the STEM-focussed Startup Skool. Week-long programs prepare kids for the future of technology and include coding, business development, design, and other problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. Ages 8-16.
Startup Skool, 2053 Main Mall (UBC Sauder School of Business) or 685 Great Northern Way (Centre for Digital Media), 604-398-3992, startupskool.com
Various
The five-day camps at the KCC run throughout the summer and have a different theme every week. Activities will include visual arts, sports, mini day-trips, cooking, coding, and much more. Ages 6-12.
Kitsilano Community Centre, 2690 Larch Street, 604-257-6976, kitscc.com
The five-day camps at this private school and learning centre include such themes as Medieval Times, Marine Biology, Painters Pallet, Space, TV Reporters, and many others. They also provide before and after care, and hot lunch options. Ages 5-14.
Pear Tree Education, 215-2678 West Broadway, 604-355-2155, pear-tree.ca
Last modified: June 9, 2019
