Camp: Now Custom Fit for Every Child

When it comes to summer camps, one size most certainly does not fit all. And why should it? Not every child is the same. And not every parent wants the same thing for his or her child. Kids know it, parents know it and luckily, camp directors know it, too.

At the 25th Annual Main Line Camp Fair, sponsored by the Devon Elementary School (Tredyffrin-Easttown) PTO, hundreds of camp representatives came to promote their summer programs. There were over a hundred options to choose from and what must have been hundreds of different focuses amongst the choices.

Summer programs have become customizable and niche offerings are now dominating the camp conversation. There are camps focused on crafting, farming and sustainability, beauty, video game programming, and even live action role-play.

Classic camps are still popular, but have had to expand their repertoire, adding options like ATV riding and paintball to the traditional swimming, canoeing, arts and archery that are typically offered.

But the options vary even more greatly than that.

“There’s sports stuff and there’s also arts and crafts and computers,” said event co-chair and PTO vice president, Amy Susanin. “There’s a sports broadcasting camp this year, the video games, and the Phillies and Sixers camp is always a big one. Many of the camps that are here come every year.”

There are day camps, sleep away camps, and camps that even offer door to door transportation. There are one week, two week, four week or six week programs. Some focus on one activity, while others allow for up to seven different choices each day.

The options are nearly endless. But one thing is for certain. No matter what a child’s interests, age, or personality type, there is a camp at the event, fit just for them.

Crafters

The Handwork Studio, is a kids needle arts and fashion camp. Since establishing in 2006 in Narberth, they’ve grown to twenty two locations around the country. On the Main Line, the summer day camp programs are offered at the Episcopal Academy and Rosemont College.

Handwork Studio is a big success with the kids at the Fair.

“We always go to Handworks studio because they’re hands on and they make crafts for the kids,” said Shiela Czepiel, a mother of three. “Last year she made a pillow. This year she made a bookmark and a pencil holder.”

“Our two main camps are handwork, ages 5-12: knitting, crochet, machine sewing, hand sewing and embroidery,” said Melissa Haims of The Handwork Studio, “And for the older kids, for 10-16, that’s our machine sewing and fashion camp. You get a ton of patterns from Simplicity, and we teach them how to make them: clothes, accessories for your room, hats, stuffed animals, laptop cases, all kinds of stuff.”

Nature Lovers

Located on a small dairy farm in Belleville, Pennsylvania, a summer of “youthful discovery” awaits girls ages 8 - 14. Gay Rodgers, owner of Hameau Farm in the Big Valley is in her seventeenth summer.

“I have Ayrshire cows. And the Ayrshire cows are on a watch list,” said Rodgers. “And so I talk about diversity, why it’s important to have animal diversity. I talk about sustainability. I talk about farm to table. Its very conducive for really neat conversations like that. It opens the eyes.”

In the mornings, she says, the girls are helping feed the calves, milking the goats, gathering the eggs and taking care of the pigs. They also spend time gardening, swimming, hiking and canoeing and do a lot of art, creative writing and poetry.

Techies & Beauty Buffs

The Lavner Camps, owned and operated by brothers Justin and Mike Lavner, are now in their fifth summer. There are five geographical locations in and around the Main Line, and nine different camp offerings. It began as a tennis camp, bringing together top-level instructors with talented kids. Since then the owners have applied their methods to other areas of interest.

“We’re a specialty camp,” said owner, Justin Lavner. “So we’re not a day camp where you do fifteen activities in a week. You come in for a week or multiple weeks with us and specialize and really improve. And you’ll see a quantifiable results.”

The biggest difference between Lavner’s programs and others that are out there is that they begin offering their specialties to campers at age six. Their newest programs include a salon camp and a video game programmer camp.

“We use these two different programs called The Games Factory and the Multimedia two,” said camp director, Mike Lavner. “It’s a lot of programming and they learn how to build their own video game and different levels, frame by frame.”

“With the salon camp, there are few principles we have in our philosophy,” said Justin, “It’s the safety, fun, its something that you can bring a friend to and have a lot of fun with that. And you’re just learning these techniques and getting comfortable with the practice of beauty. We find a lot of girls who are entering middle school are overwhelmed.

“We go Monday through Friday from 9am -12:30,” said Mike. “And we rented out the Hairs to You salon in Bala Cynwyd. We have the owner and two of the girls working with the campers and they learn everything from manicures, pedicures, how to properly apply makeup, they learn to use hair irons, and straighteners.”

Fantasy Gamer

At Epic Adventures camp instructors bring the world of fantasy and live action role play, or LARP, to life.

“We’re a little crazy,” said Melissa, an instructor at Epic Adventures. “I think we’re the only sword camp. It’s a cross between a theatre camp and a sports camp. A lot of running around outdoors. But then we also do a lot of acting exercises and improvisation. And then we put it all together in a non-scripted adventure.”

They’re based seasonally out of a carriage house in Fairmount Park. LARPers come during the days for six weeks and during the last three weeks, those ages 11 and up are welcome to sleep over.

“We all stay together and do a lot of communal living,” said Melissa. “So its a lot of making meals for one another, hanging out late nights, eating popcorn, putting together characters and stuff. And for the overnights, we’ll actually do a game at night. So we’ll start at 6pm and run straight until like 10pm.”