I think that one of the first things you think about when choosing a summer camp is what sort of activities you want to do. There is an amazing selection of different types of summer camps that you can go on that will satisfy the adventurous, sporty, tech geeks and nature loving child in all of us.
So, what types of summer camp are on offer?
The traditional activity summer camp
The popular idea of a summer camp is to go off for up to nine weeks, get away from your parents and have a great adventure in the wilderness somewhere. Imagine days filled with exploring the woods, swinging on rope swings, swimming in rivers, and generally having a great time.
If you want to focus on one particular activity, there are some specialist summer camps available.
Horse Riding Summer Camps
Summer camps such as Elk Creek Ranch in the US provide summer camps where you can learn how to look after the horses, and go riding every day. Spring Hill Farm in Wales , UK, has some fantastic scenery to ride through. Or you could go to Spain with ISC International Spanish Camps and go horse riding in Alicante.
Tech and Science Summer Camps
If you love your gadgets and computers, then a tech summer camp might be right up your street. Learn how to code, write apps, control robots or even design and build a robot. There are summer camps where you can learn all about car maintenance, science experiments, or how to build all sorts of wacky gadgets.
Sports Summer Camps
For those who love their sports, you could spend your time playing your favourite game. Be it soccer, football, or individual sports such as kayaking or motocross, there is a summer camp that caters for you.
Watersports Summer Camps
If you don’t want to stick to just one sport, you might like to try a summer camp where you get to try a range of similar activities. Watersports summer camps differ depending on whether you go to one near the ocean, a lake or river. The sea will offer sailing, sea kayaking, surfing, bodyboarding, snorkelling, SCUBA diving and kite surfing. Rivers offer whitewater kayaking and rafting experiences. There will be plenty of opportunities to jump from a rope swing into the water.
Summer camps on a lake can be the best, where you get to do plenty of wilderness activities as well as make rafts, go sailing, kayak or canoe. You can fish, or perhaps the summer camp offers adrenalin watersports such as wakeboarding or waterskiing.
Mountain Biking and Cycling Summer Camps
Learn the technical skills required to ride off road down mountain trails. During the summer camp, you will be taught skills such as how to deal with drop offs, bunny hops, jumps, and riding on a variey of tracksurfaces including mud, dirt, gravel, granite blocks, and tree roots.
As part of the camp, you will also learn about bike maintenance, including setting up your gears, adjusting and changing cables, brake repair and maintenance (V brakes, mechanical disc and hydraulic disc brakes), and repairing the sort of damage you can expect out on the trails.
Rock Climbing Summer Camps
During the summer camp, instructors will help you to go from no experience to potentially being able to lead your own climbs in a controlled and confident manner. You will get to learn all of the basic ropework, equipment selection and climbing techniques.
Exploration Summer Camps
Exploration summer camps involve travel, trip and expeditions. These could be lots of day trips out to see and do fun stuff. Or, they could be hikes over several days, camping out in the wilderness.
Drama, film and acting summer camps
For the more outgoing teen, these summer camps are great for developing your acting talents. If you don’t like to be in the limelight, you can get involved with filming the action, or learning about how to set up the lighting.
Dance Summer Camps
Improve your rhythm and moves at a dance summer camp. Learn a range of dance styles, from street dance to tap and jazz.
Fashion Summer Camps
Fashion summer camps give you the opportunity to be creative with clothing. You will learn how to design, create patterns, sew and stitch your cloth into something stylish and amazing.
Circus Skills Summer Camps
From trapeze to tight rope walking, juggling to balancing, circus skills camps are ideal for acrobats and entertainers.
Music Summer Camps
You’ve seen Camp Rock. Some music summer camps are like that, but whether you want to develop your inner rock star or learn a new musical instrument, you can be assured that you will leave with a new skill and lots of new friends.
Artistic and creative summer camps
Summer camps aren’t just about action and adventure. You can go on a summer camp where you can be creative with photography, painting and drawing.
Academic Summer Camps
Need to catch up on your skills, or learn something new? Academic summer camps are a great opportunity to improve
Family Summer Camps
If you can’t bear to leave your parents behind (or it’s more likely they don’t want to miss out on the fun), then perhaps a family summer camp is for you. More and more family camps are being setup. The advantage of a family camp is that the activities and equipment is there for you in wonderful surroundings. You get to meet other teens, whilst having your parents around when you need them.
Air Summer Camps
Fancy flying? Well, you can go on a summer camp and learn how to fly a variety of aircraft. From microlights, gliders and light aircraft, you will get instruction on how to take off, fly and land.
Cooking summer camps
For those who love their food, culinary summer camps are a great way to learn how to cook lots of new dishes. You will also get to cook on open fires.
DJ Summer Camps
Want to provide the tunes for some big parties or festivals? Learn how to be a DJ.
Motorsports Summer Camps
For teens who love to race, motorsport summer camps give you the chance to drive some amazing vehicles. Cars, offroad buggies, bikes and quads. Get muddy and dirty and leave with the biggest grin ever.
Summer Camps for Those with Disabilities
There are a range of summer camps that cater for teens with physical disabilities, and learning difficulties. If you have dyslexia or attention deficit disorder, there are camps that can help you to think in different ways and have lots of fun and adventure.
Overnight Camps or Sleepaway Summer Camps
Summer camps offer overnight camps, where you just go for a couple of days. You can also stay for the full nine weeks if you want to. It all depends on your budget and what your parents are planning. If they have to work, then you may have to just put up with an entire summer of fun and adventure without them
Summer Camps for Boys
For some more rough and ready stuff, you could go on a boys only summer camp.
Summer Camps for Girls
Summer camps for girls tend to focus more on the importance of personal growth, self-confidence, and an appreciation for nature’s beauty. You still get to do lots of fun activities.