Find a Summer Camp on the Peninsula

Updated May 7, 2013 with information about Camp Jano India.

Summer camp is almost a rite of the season for some families. For others, summer programs offer kids something to do while mom and dad are at work, a chance to explore a new interest or an opportunity to improve an existing talent.

There is no shortage of summer activities on the Peninsula that will stretch your child's mind or challenge them physically.

We asked our readers this week for your suggestions on local camps, and the following are what you wanted us to include in our guide. If you see a favorite camp that's not included, let us know! Email Field Editor Jennifer Squires or leave us a comment, and we'll put it in the guide.

Art/Media

DigiQuest From advanced animation to digital studio production, this camp provides hands-on workshops on all things film-related for ages 10-15 in Palo Alto. All programs are Monday through Friday 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

General Recreation

Camp Calvary is a play-based, themed, hands-on preschool camp for ages 2.5 to 5. It meets three days a week at Calvary Preschool in Millbrae. Cost: $428 for the five-week camp. Info: 650-588-8030, calvarypreschoolmillbrae@gmail.com

SI Summer Programs offers academics, sports, arts and more for kids grades 1-9 at St. Ignatius College Prep in San Francisco. Cost: Varies. Info: 415-731-7500 x288, summerprograms@siprep.org 

Camp Keff has speciality camps for preschool through grade 12 in Foster City. Cost: varies, with discounts available. Info: 650-378-2704, iisrael@pjcc.org

Steve and Kate’s Camp has several camps including Palo Alto. This is a unique camp where the program is whatever the kid decides, including activities from film-making to water-sliding. Food is organic, fresh and locally grown. 

Language Immersion

German-American School of Palo Alto Children ages 3 to 12 participate in a variety of fun outdoor activities, all conducted in German.

LanguageArts Children ages 6-12 can immerse themselves in Spanish, French, Hindi, Mandarin or German through a variety of engaging, hands-on activities fthis language school in downtown Palo Alto. Weekly camps run June 3 to Aug. 16, and a pre-registration discount is available until April 30.

International School of the Peninsula This camp offers two-week sessions, June 24 to Aug. 2 in Chinese, French, and Spanish in Palo Alto.

Jano India A four-week daily camp that aims to teach kids about the culture and language of India. Camp start dates rotate but camp runs between June 10 and Aug. 2. The children get Hindi lessons in the morning from 9 a.m. to Noon and then cultural lessons from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. There are various camp locations (Mountain View, Fremont and San Ramon), but the Santa Clara location, at Scott Lane Elemenatary, is consistent for the entire summer.

Music/Theater

Peninsula Youth Theater These are two-week programs, June 10 to Aug. 9, culminating with a theatrical production at the end. With age-appropriate programs for kids ages 6-15, children cam prepare for the popular “Theater in the Park” program, with a range of theatrical styles, from musical theater, the pop star version to Robin Hood. There are also mini-camps for the preschool set. This year, PYT expands beyond its own studio into Saratoga Recreation, Congregation Beth Am and Landels School.

Pied Piper Players Summer Theater Conservatory is a musical theater, drama, acting, singing and dancing program at Baywood Elementary school in San Mateo from June 24-Aug. 3. Enrollment is limited to 35. Cost: $1,050 per three-week session. Info: 650-992-7433, camps@piedpiperplayers.org

iSing is a new five-day summer camp at First Baptist Church of Palo Alto for girls grades 3-12 who love to sing. Info: www.isingsv.com

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Still looking for the best camp for your child? Try these lists of:

• all the horseback riding camps in the region
• camps in Palo Alto this year
  
• Bay Area Parent has extensive lists of camps
• the 2012 Patch guide to summer camps in the Silicon Valley

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Nature/Outdoors

UCCE/Elkus Ranch Summer Camp is an outdoor ranch camp in Half Moon Bay. There are five one-week sessions. Cost: $55/day. Info: 650-560-9342, elkusranch@ucdavis.edu

SNAKE Camp is a nature, science and outdoor program for elementary school students with four one-week sessions at Barron Park Elementary School in Palo Alto. Cost: $475/week. Info: 650-208-7864, SummerPrograms@EVols.org

Audubon Society Summer Nature Days Camp Kids grades 2-6 can join the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, the Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District, Shoreline at Mountain View and Audobon’s naturalist experts for one week of exploring the amazing world of nature and the beautiful open space preserves. Cost: $295, scholarships available.

Explore! is a nature, science and outdoor program for middle school students with four one-week sessions at Barron Park Elementary School in Palo Alto. Cost: $580/week. Info: 650-208-7864, SummerPrograms@EVols.org 

Caterpillar Kids Club has various Peninsula meet-up locations where children can connect to nature through hands-on experiences. One parent must accompany each child on these nature adventures, which are tailored to preschool-age children. Cost: $85/three-week session.

Religion

JCC Summer Camp at the Oshman Jewish Community Center in Palo Alto has dizzying number of camps to choose from, from weekly, to two-week camps, and activities from gymnastics to Glee-style theater, all with an opportunity to explore Jewish culture. From specialty camps like archery to teen adventure camps, J-Camps cover Grades K-6 and Grades 7-10. Weekly camps run June 3 to Aug. 2. Some are overnight and some have multiple field trips. There are also pre-school-age summer camps.

Mount Cross Ministries in Palo Alto, San Mateo and San Carlos partners with local churches for a week of “faith-based fun,” which includes group games, arts and crafts, worship, community-building activities. In Palo alto it will be held at Grace Lutheran Church, July 8-12.

Science/Technology

Learningtech.org has STEAM camp this summer at Central Middle School in San Carlos. That's Science, Technology, Engineering, Digital Arts and Math. There are three one-week sessions for grades K-9. Cost: $199-$499, discounts available. Cost: 650-598-0105, camps@learningtech.org

Camp Brainy Bunch There are 10 locations in the San Francisco Bay Area, including Atherton and Palo Alto. They offered presentation and oratorical skills camps, design and engineering, storytelling, and flight design, of the Leonardo da Vinci mode for grades pre-K to 5.

Kidizens Designed for kids to learn problem-solving and analytical skills, “soft” skills in interpersonal relations, as well as leadership. Children create a city using LEGOs, become mayors for the day with a buddy, manage the economy, prepare for earthquakes, flooding and other natural disasters, interact with other cities and their mayors. Held in Belmont. Info: 650-384-0412

AwesomEngineering in Palo Alto helps kids ages 6-13 learn fundamental construction and engineering concepts using Erector sets and instructional toys. The weekly programs three hours each, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.

Camp Edmo & Camp EdTech has 17 locations in the Bay Area, including Los Altos and Cupertino. There are themed Arts and Science camps for PreK through grade 4 and Animation for grades 2-4 at Oak School and Stevens Creek Park. Runs from June 17 to Aug. 2. Additionally, Camp EdMo in the Park at Stevens Creek Park (Pre-K to 4th grade), runs through Aug. 16. and Camp EdTech has camps for grades 5-9, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Oak School up to Aug. 2.

Destination Science has 21 camps around the Bay Area, including Palo Alto. This science-is-too-much-fun camp for the K-6 kids boast themes such as “Ultimate Survival Zone” and “Wacky Megabot Tech. Cost: $364/week.

Camp Galileo has 38 Bay Area locations. It encourages kids to brainstorm and think like innovators through a variety of hands-on projects and activities. It's not only science, it's arts and music. Cost: $399 and up. Info: 800-854-3684, info@galileo-camps.com

• One program for grades 5-8, Galileo Summer Quest, is at in Palo Alto High School.
• There also are programs at North School and Crystal Springs Uplands School, both in Hillsborough; Woodside School, Arundel Elementary School in San Carlos; and Oak Knoll School in Menlo Park.

iD Tech Camp Set at Stanford University and other California campuses, students 7-17 years old can learn to create iPhone apps, video games, C++/Java Programs, 3D models, websites, movies, and more.

Sports 

Youth Sailing Summer Camp teaches sailing to kids ages 8-16 in Half Moon Bay. Participants must pass a swim test to join. Classes are June 17-Aug. 9, M-F 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cost: $290 members, $325 non-members. Info: 650-728 2120, sailingprograms@hmbyc.org

Bay Area Running Camp at Corte Madera School in Portola Valley will be July 22-26 from 8 a.m to noon for kids ages 12-18.  Great running areas, camp clinicians, New Balance training shoes, t-shirt and much more are included with your registration fee. Cost: $300, $50 discount for each team member if five or more students sign up from the same school. Info: bayarearunningcamp@gmail.com

Viking Flag Football Camp at Mills High School in Millbrae runs June 10-14. This is a non-contact flag football skills day camp for kids ages 6-13. Skills, sportsmanship and fun are emphasized. Cost: $275. Info: 650-296-7655, steveh@aragonfootballcamp.com

Camp Freeze is an ice skating camp at Belmont Iceland. Four one-week afternoon sessions are open to campers of any experience level. Cost: $225/week, with early discounts before May 17. Info: 650-592-0532, skatingdirector@belmonticeland.com

Aragon Football Camp will be held at Hillsdale High School and Aragon High School, both in San Mateo. This is a non-contact flag football skills day camp for kids ages 6-13. Skills, sportsmanship and fun are emphasized. Cost: $275. Info: 650-296-7655, steveh@aragonfootballcamp.com

Decathlon Sports Club teaches individual sports, but is rooted in the days-gone-by summer traditions of water fights, swimming, treasure hunts, trivia, arts & crafts, hide and seek, tug-of-war, kick-the-can, board games, card-trading, prizes.... that makes summer feel like summer. It it held in four-week sessions in Los Altos and Woodside. Cost: $1,380/four-week session.

BayArea Chess Camp locations in Palo Alto and Millbrae. The camp is eight weeks long. Cost: $167-$415. Info: 408-786-5515, admin@bayareachess.com

Half Moon Bay Yacht Club Summer Youth Sailing Camp will begin on June 17th and run through August 9th. There will be no camp the week of July 4th. Please click HERE for details and registration. Camp each week runs Monday through Friday from 9am to 3pm each day. Week-long sessions are open to novice through experienced sailors and are held with mixed ages and abilities. Curriculum is gauged to participant experience and enthusiasm but will include knots, rigging, boat handling, water safety and sportsmanship. One day each week will be a picnic excursion and each Friday will be regatta day with relay or course races in the afternoon.  Ages 8-16 are welcome.

Know about a great camp we missed? Add the information—including phone number, email address and/or website—in the comment section below. Thanks!