5 Best California Summer Camps for Middle School Students in 2021
5 Best California Summer Camps for Middle School Students
A summer camp should be a place that is safe and magical for the kids. It should be a place where kids make friends learn how to be independent and acquire some life skills. At a summer camp, kids should learn the value of working in groups, all the while surrounded by the great outdoors. A summer camp should also be a place of self-discovery. RunRex.com thinks these summer camps fit that description.
- River Way Ranch Camp – Sanger, California
This youth summer camp aims to provide young individuals with challenges that influence how they view the world. The camp is open to kids ranging from seven to 16 years. It has won numerous awards and received praise from both international organizations and parents for being one of the best places for summer camping in the US.
The camp, which is based in Wonder Valle Ranch Resort and Conference Center, has a wide range of activities in which kids can participate. Some of the activities that can be found at this summer camp are archery, riflery, soccer, horse jumping, martial arts, mini-bikes, and much more. If your kid is into the arts and crafts, there are activities for them such as yearbook design, photography, and digital graphics. Other past times that can be found at this summer camp are sailing, swimming, and kayaking.
- Mountain Meadow Ranch – Susanville, California
The camp is found on a huge ranch close to Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California. The ranch is a great summer camp destination for kids. This camp is ACA –certified. Thus, you can expect to get a good quality experience while staying here.
The summer camp was founded in 1956 as a retreat for boys to interact with the great outdoors. However, the policy was changed in the 60s to include girls. The summer camp is located on a site of pristine beauty, wide spaces, and great climate. At the summer camp, the emphasis is on the fun. Kids will have the opportunity to engage in numerous fun activities such as water and land sports, adventure pursuits, and arts and crafts of different types.
The aim of the camp is to help kids become more self-confident. Besides that, it aims to encourage personal growth and environmental awareness among those that attend the summer camp. Individuals who have been to the camp before say that it played an important role in shaping their lives.
- Kennolyn Camps – Soquel, California
Two teachers, Marion and Max Caldwell founded the camp in 1946. The camp is set is inside the Santa Cruz Mountains. It prides itself on being a secluded while at the same time being accessible. At the camp, you will have an excellent view of the Nisene Marks State Park and the Monterey Bay. The camp accepts campers of all ages, who will have an opportunity to participate in the leadership-training program.
The camp, which is ACA-accredited, offers various fun activities for the campers. They include basketball, rock climbing, archery, and BMX. Additionally, there are select activities in trapeze, fencing, horse-related activities, and surfing. Among the facilities offered at the camp are a rope course, a 25-yard swimming pool, and an equestrian center.
- Gold Arrow Camp – Lakeshore, California
If a magical experience for you involves watching the sun go across Huntington Lake in the middle of the Sierra National Forest, you need to visit this awesome summer camp. The Gold Arrow Camp was set up in 1933 as a place where girls and boys can unplug from the hassle of modern living and enjoy nature.
Each year, the camp has a limit of 260 campers for every session, to avoid congestion, this reducing the peace and quiet of a summer camp. At the camp, kids will have the opportunity to form lifelong friendships that may prove useful in future. Some of the fun activities offered at the camp are wakeboarding, motorboating, knee boarding, fishing, and sailing.
Besides those waterfront activities, there are many other activities such as riflery, horseback riding, archery, ceramics, canyoneering, and arts and crafts. The camp is only 30 miles away from the Yosemite National Park. It features another island on the nearby Shaver Lake. Campers get to enjoy some water sports and sleep under the stars.
- Pali Adventures – Running Springs, California
The camp is located in Running Springs, CA. It offers campers a getaway that is one or two weeks long. During the summer camp, kids are given 18 fantasy jobs from which to choose. The jobs include broadcast journalism, a rock star, fashion designer, a stunt double, a spy, or an adventurer. The aim is to give the kids an idea of what those jobs entail in the real world.
Other activities are Miss Pali and Casino Night. Andy Wexler created this camp, which sits on 74 acres of pristine land, in 1999. He envisioned the perfect summer camp where kids would learn autonomy and self-esteem. However, he envisioned imparting these values in kids through unorthodox means that are thrilling. He aimed to create something that kids would like more than video games.
