SUMMER CAMPS & KIDS

Keep your child learning all year long  with these fantastic summer programs! While summer is an important time for children to relax, travel, and enjoy a break from their school routines, it is also prime time for the summer slide to take over. It’s incredibly important that children start the new academic year ready to build upon their prior knowledge and move forward in their education instead of having to retrace their steps in the beginning of the fall term. Summer school can be one method to combat the summer slide—the academic regression that can occur over summer break—and it may be necessary if a child is truly struggling throughout the year. But unless your child needs a specific academic intervention, a great way to stay engaged in the summer is through camps or programs that encourage both educational achievement and creative development. Finding a summer camp that combines a fun, imaginative outlet with the skillset necessary to thrive in school will help...

PAW explores the difference between  Musical Theater and Voice Recording camps! Summer camps often offer various vocal programs for different interests. Two very popular varieties of vocal programs include musical theater focused on singing for live staging, and the recording arts focused on voice and technology. Learning to be a musical theater standout and learning to be a recording artist offer two very different perspectives on singing camps. On a typical day of PAW’s Rock the Mic camp, campers stand in front of a microphone and sound filter, guided by their teacher through the complex runs and beats of a pop hit or the soulful emotion and harmony of a rock ballad, riffing off the styles of the other campers in their duet or trio.   On a typical day of PAW’s Musical Theater camp, on the other hand, campers learn how to blend their voices in ensemble songs, project their voice to an audience for their solos, and hold a note while landing dynamic dance moves. ...

Go analog this summer and plug into exciting summer camp activities for your children to explore! Everyone is talking about the risks of too much screen time for children and young adults, and there are valid reasons for that. A joint study by Common Sense Media and the Center for Humane Technology concluded that the average American child spends 50 hours engaged with screens per week , and 98% of American children 8 and under have access to a mobile device at home . Additionally, the American Academy of Pediatrics has noticed that the “intensity of the online world” and its constant comparison to others’ “friend tallies, status updates, and pictures of others having a good time” can lead to classic depression symptoms in some preteens and teens. Of course, there are also benefits to online communication, especially as it pertains to maintaining connections with friends and family in other cities. A child can keep in touch with a friend who moved away as they play Minecraf...

From shy caterpillars to social butterflies,  help your child spread their wings at summer camp! There are many details for parents to consider when selecting the right summer camp for their children. Perhaps you have one child who loves all things outdoors, and another who’d prefer to enjoy the A.C. on a hot summer day. With the abundance of summer options available, there are almost as many unique programs as there are children. In addition to the specifics, there are a few common questions that all parents ask as they narrow down their summer camp search. One of them is some variation of: “Will my child make friends at this camp?” It’s completely natural to wish for your child’s social success at camp! Learning to make friends in a new environment is a great skill that you are never too young (or too old) to develop. Here are a few tips to help your child thrive at their new summer camp: 1.  BRING A FRIEND A great way to make friends at camp is...

Learn how to find the best bargains for a summer to remember! The best part of summer planning is getting excited about all the activities you can choose from. With everything from surfing to theater to coding and photography available, you can end up with a long list of potential options, but the tuition can add up quickly. Finding a  camp that provides the best value for your family requires some budgeting and planning, but you don’t have to settle for something less intriguing to your child AND it doesn’t have to break the bank! Keep an eye out for the following camp discounts and scholarships when you’re curating your summer plans! Early Bird Discounts A common way to cut summer camp expenses down is to take advantage of early bird discounts. Some early bird sales begin as soon as the fall season before summer, but they typically end by February or March at the latest. Another benefit to taking advantage of the early bird discounts is guaranteeing a spot in t...

If a picture is worth a thousand words, PAW’s Photography Camp Curriculum is priceless! Robert Heinecken once said,  “There is a vast difference between taking a picture and making a photograph.”   At Photography Camp, campers have the incredible opportunity to learn how to express themselves by capturing and mastering moments in time and bringing their artistic visions to life! With a camera in hand, access to photo editing software, an experienced photographer as a teacher, and the world around them, children are given the opportunity to create works of art that they can enjoy for a lifetime. At camp, structured workshops and activities guide campers through their individual camera settings, visual composition, photography genres and styles, special effects, computer software and editing, and even designing a photography portfolio. Kids learn how to truly make a photograph from start to finish instead of simply taking a picture. Along with the...

Ready…Set…Summer!  With these 8 simple tips, your child will have an awesome summer! Sorting out your child’s summer schedule as early as possible is essential for getting the best early bird deals and making sure spots don’t fill up—but it can sometimes be hard to focus your kid’s energy on what they want to do all the way in June!   As a leader in After School Education and Summer Camp Programs, and a contributor to LA Parent Magazine , PAW offers you our top 8 easy to use tips: 1. Ask: While you’re in the beginning stages of planning your child’s summer, ask them about their camp experience from the year before. If your child animatedly tells a story about the clay pot they made in arts and crafts, that might indicate they would enjoy a visual arts camp, such as pottery, painting, or photography.  If they rave about the feeling of being on stage for the talent show, maybe they would enjoy a camp that specializes in the performing arts.  Summer ...

Choosing the best summer camp for your child and family! For most kids, summer means a long break from school, but the fun of learning doesn’t have to end when the school bell rings. Attending summer camps builds character, strengthens academic skills, and provides children the opportunities to make new friends and reconnect with old ones. Given the plethora of camps in most cities, you likely won’t have trouble finding a camp, but how do you choose the right camp? Start with these steps to begin your evaluation process and find the best camp for your child. The first step to selecting the right camp is talking to your child and gauging their interests . If you have a child who is primarily interested in arts and tech activities, then you’ll narrow your research down to camps with those concentrations. It’s always great to start with word of mouth, reaching out to people in your community, from carpool friends to fellow snack moms, and get some ideas based on where their ch...