Our Kids Camp & Program Reviews

Our Take on 1-UP Leadership Programs at Ernescliff College

Leadership programs are a common element of a traditional camp experience, and the 1-UP programs reflect the best of them: positive mentorship; training in ethical and empathetic leadership; collaboration. Where it departs is in the setting—at Ernescliff College participants work together in the heart of the city as well as, with the Caribou sessions, at the edge of a lake. The benefits are many, including an ability for teens to attend throughout the year, through weekend and evening offerings, in addition to the intensive summer sessions. The focus is on service and community involvement, and projects are specific and object oriented. The sessions in Quebec City open the experience in some key ways, broadening the scope and reach of the Toronto programs. The values piece is also a draw.
 

Parent & camper reviews of 1-UP Leadership Programs at Ernescliff College

Our Take on Animation Portfolio Workshop Boot Camp

It’s often said that the way to improve at tennis is to play someone better, that a challenge lifts skills and confidence. That’s true of all things, perhaps, including animation. When participants enter sessions at APW, they’re entering an environment of excellence, one that is populated by instructors and peers who are at the top of their games. Founded in 1999 by Vince Peets and Gerard Sternik, both former instructors of Sheridan College, APW was created to allows kids to learn by doing based in an understanding that, per Peets, “experience is a big motivator.” Gaining experience with people who speak the same language, and who have navigated the geography of professional illustration and animation, is as well. While developing skills, participants gain insight into the various paths they might take to their careers, and very purposefully build their portfolios with those paths in mind. In all, it’s a strong, proven program, as inspiring as it is successful in developing the skills and talents of those who attend.
 

Our Take on Animation, Architecture and Illustration Summer Art Camp by PortPrep

PortPrep doesn’t look like a traditional camp, to be sure, but for those who participate within it, it functions in exactly that way: allowing them to grow into an understanding of who they are, and what they can do, while engaging with people who themselves have made a life in that milieu. Students come from across North America from British Columbia, Alberta, from Maine to Texas and even from as far away as Saudi Arabia. Here they interact with peers and mentors who are at the top of their games. For example, have sessions with Mike L Murphy, the animator who created Gollum from Lord of the Rings, and directed the animated sequences in Diary of a Wimpy Kid, who teaches from his studio in California. Most people don’t know that name, perhaps, but for the kids who gravitate to PortPrep, it’s something akin to a guitar player getting to know Keith Richards.

Parent & camper reviews of Animation, Architecture and Illustration Summer Art Camp by PortPrep

Our Take on Apostrophe Kids

At ApostropheKids, students are granted opportunities to gain more substantive experience with numeracy and language. The pillars of the math program include building experience with critical thinking math problems, developing problem-solving skills, and gaining proficiency with competition-based forms of questions. Similarly, development of literacy skills centre around effective communication, while exercising a natural affinity for critical thinking, public speaking, comprehension and spelling. It’s challenging, to be sure, though with the support and individual attention that delivers proficiency and confidence in both academics and life.

Parent & camper reviews of Apostrophe Kids

Our Take on Appleby College Summer Programs

Appleby is, of course, a world-class institution, having established itself and its facilities since it was founded in 1911. The campus is in the heart of things, yet feels a world away, including a wooded shoreline and a wealth of green space. That environment provides the context for a range of summer programs that extend the world-class offerings of the school’s programs. With sessions for kids from 4 to 17, there are also summer experience programs for students visiting from overseas. All contribute to a hive of activity, and the size and diversity of the camper population on campus throughout the summer is a benefit in and of itself. The camps are expertly run and administered, and the facilities throughout are as good as it gets, from the sports facilities to the arts studios to the STEM labs. The schedule is augmented by programs that are brilliantly unique, such as Game Theory enrichment session, Personal Finance, and a Short Story writing course, among others. Lunches are included, as are daily swims. Love it.

Our Take on Arrowsmith School Cognitive Intensive Program

The Arrowsmith School was founded in 1980 by Barbara Arrowsmith-Young to provide support for struggling learners. The school has been an object of interest ever since, due to the concept that Arrowsmith-Young built her program around. "If we look at a lot of special education programs, the majority assume the learner is fixed," she said. "What my program is saying is that we can change the learner so they can learn." While there are many things that set the school apart, that sense of what is possible is prime among them. The Cognitive Intensive Program extends the work of the school, based in a like model and similar goals. Each year it hosts both adults and school age students who arrived from literally from around the world--as close as the US, and as far as Australia. They come because of the success of the program as well as its uniqueness—there is literally nothing like it in terms of approach and outcomes. And the outcomes are these: taking struggling learners, specifically around cognitive function and symbol relations, and helping them develop as learners and growing into a more accurate understanding of their academic abilities and what they are capable of. It’s life-changing in every way. The program promises a lot, and it consistently delivers all of that and more. 

Parent & camper reviews of Arrowsmith School Cognitive Intensive Program

Our Take on Bayview Glen Camp

Bayview Glen provides a range of programming to appeal to a range of ages and interests, from sports to arts, with electives to underscore the need for challenge by choice. There is attention to the whole child, ensuring that minds are as active as bodies. The facilities are first rate, with both indoor and outdoor spaces. For parents, the transportation and food service, included in the cost of enrollment, are a welcome bonus.

Our Take on Bear Creek Outdoor Centre

Jill Baxter founded Bear Creek Outdoor Centre in 1999 as a means of providing meaningful outdoor experiences, something that the Centre has continued to do ever since. Baxter brought a rich CV to her role, including studies in therapeutic recreation at Trent University, and graduate studies in environmental education at Utah State University. In addition to her work at the Center, she is an instructor with the Algonquin College Outdoor Adventure Leadership program. Baxter remains as director of Bear Creek, bringing a nice continuity to the development of the programs offered here and extending the initial goals. Active Challenge is one of the means of doing that. The sessions were created to offer meaningful, mindful experiences to young women in a single-gender setting. As the name suggests, these sessions are about challenge by choice, promoting physical activity and active lifestyles in the purpose of developing confidence and positive self-concept. There’s informed attention given to all aspects of life in camp, including diet. Pascale Messier, a registered dietician councils campers about eating well—she is a public health Dietitian with the City of Ottawa, co-author of the Fuel-to-Xcell healthy school foods project—and her expertise informs the menu as well. In all, from diet to activities to lifestyle, the Active Challenge camps provide a unique opportunity for young women to engage substantially with like-minded peers. The support that the group offers to all participants can, alone, be a transformative experience.
 

Parent & camper reviews of Bear Creek Outdoor Centre

Our Take on Bond Academy Day Camp

Begun in 1978, Bond Academy has grown to include a wealth of programs, including those beyond the prospectus of the academy. The campus is proximate to a full range of physical resources and a rich athletics program. The camps extend the work of the school proper, allowing for academic support and enrichment through the summer months. Families are also drawn by the augmentation of the program with character and values education, which is a hallmark of the school.

Our Take on Branksome Hall Day Camps

To say that Branksome Hall has a lot to offer is a massive understatement. The environment is truly singular: 13 acres of stellar facilities, from heritage buildings to state of the art science, arts, and athletics environments, including two salt-water pools. And it’s all right here, in the heart of the city. The school is famed for empowering learners, and providing opportunities for them to find their strengths and their voices, and that’s an aspect of the camp sessions.

Our Take on Brentwood College School Summer Camps

There’s a lot that’s remarkable about Brentwood College beyond the obvious, which is the beauty of the campus, the stellar resources, and peaceful setting. In the 1990s, it became one of the first schools in the country to make a substantial commitment to sustainable energy, building a performing arts centre that includes a geothermal loop for heating and cooling. There’s also a salmon run along the school boundary. Brentwood is noted for both its academics and athletics, and all of the schools strengths come to bear on its summer programs. In many ways, and throughout the year, the offering at Brentwood is arguably second to none.

Our Take on Brick Works Academy

Not all camps are the same, but they all intend to do the same thing: to allow campers to learn about themselves, gain a sense of their talents, grow into a set of shared values, and then broadcast all of that to the world. David Goodfellow established Brick Works with precisely that in mind. While people normally think about summer camp as soccer balls in a park, or making pottery, he was aware that there is a huge group of children that want to learn with tech or socialize with others who share their passion and interests. That remains the core of the Brick Works offering. Kids are drawn by their interests in in subjects like Pokemon, Minecraft, or Harry Potter, and enter a community that shares those interests, and interacts with them in the same way. But that’s just the starting point. The camps allow them to grow together, work together, and exercise their minds around some shared projects. The success of the program is evident in its popularity with families, and its growth, now with multiple locations throughout southern Ontario.

Parent & camper reviews of Brick Works Academy

Our Take on Brigs Youth Sail Training

Resiliency, teamwork, confidence, stewardship, empathetic leadership—time spent aboard a tall ship as part of crew is a means growing a range of skills and attributes. Certainly, the program was launched in 1962 with precisely those goals in mind, and they’ve been achieving them ever since. Participants become part of a crew of up to 28 members, and they travel to destinations within the Great Lakes. There’s a lot to see, and while Brigs perhaps doesn’t lead with it, geography and history are always close to hand. It’s exciting and unique, to be sure. It’s also expertly managed, the product of more than five decades of experience running youth programs in the region.  

Parent & camper reviews of Brigs Youth Sail Training

Our Take on Bytown Brigantine Tall Ships Adventure

For many kids, camp is the only chance to really step outside of their comfort zones, whether that means getting caught in the rain, or speaking to a crowd, or simply engaging with others in a collaborative setting. At Bytown Brigantine, they’ll do all of that and sail tall ships with fully licensed youth crew on Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence, and the Atlantic Ocean. It’s as rustic as it is unique. “It’s not a cruise,” says Christy Griffin, the executive director. “You’re stepping aboard as a crew member.” There are lots of things to do, and everyone does them. At the same time, kids learn about the weather patterns, do chart work, even prep food in the galley. Hands-on all round, and unlike activities at other camps, there’s a sense of responsibility that runs through it all: the work of the ship needs to be done, and it’s the job of everyone on board to do it. It also isn’t for the faint of heart. Griffin recalls that one year there was a girl who was terrified of heights, and resistant to getting up into the rigging. Even so, the boat is its own world, with everyone leading by example, and within a few days, she was up there, too, getting the job done and loving it. They all do, even without their phones, and devices are only available to the kids while they are in port. Different sessions take different routes, including stops along the eastern seaboard of Canada and the U.S. In some instances, the boat takes part in festivals and events, at times along other tall ships and their crews. In port, the kids are the experts, representing the ship, its crew, and interpreting the experience aboard. For the right person, it’s an unforgettable life experience.  

Parent & camper reviews of Bytown Brigantine Tall Ships Adventure

Our Take on Camp Ak-O-Mak

Camp Ak-O-Mak is a truly a great Canadian camp, and it shares a pedigree with another great Canadian camp, Camp Chikopi. Both were formed as sports-centred camps at a time when that really didn’t exist in any tangible way. They were created by Matt Mann, a professional swimming coach who, among many other things, served as the coach of the US Olympic team. Swimming, naturally, was an initial focus, and it remained a highlight of the camp program, though other sports were added, all of which Mann saw as sympathetic to the program’s ideals: endurance, strength, character, and participation within a cooperative environment. Rosemary Mann Dawson, daughter of the founder, took on the directorship of the camp in 1941 and served—brilliantly, astonishingly—for the next 50 years. Her career in swimming soon became as notable as that of her father, including starting a program at the University of Michigan. While running the camp, she coached there, as well as at the University of Western Ontario. In all of that and more she was a pioneer in women’s sport, demonstrating through example what young women could accomplish and the place that sport might take in their lives; in a time when female empowerment wasn’t as central to the culture as it is, thankfully, today, Mann Dawson lead the charge. That legacy remains at the heart of the camp today. It’s a place where girls grow into a sense of their abilities in all areas of their lives, are encouraged to find their voices, and are inspired to the benefits of living active, healthy lives.

Our Take on Camp Big Canoe

Camp Big Canoe began in 1931 as Camp Ahshunyoong, founded by the York County Boys’ Work Board. It was a product of its time, though grew and developed considerably through the years. It moved twice and in 1965 ownership was transferred to the United Church of Canada, which has run the program ever since, having moved to the current location on Hart Lake in 1968. One thing that has remained since the very beginning is the goal of providing a place of community and belonging, a place where young people can grow and learn together into a shared set of values. It reflects the tried and true traditions of camping, including camp craft and tripping. The site is extensive, and if you have an idea of what an overnight camp should be, this is it. The facilities have been updated over the years, and the site maintained in such a way as to keep a close interface with the surrounding natural environment as well as the camp’s long-standing traditions. A wealth of all-camp programs during the evening are a plus, bringing everyone together for active events as well as three campfires per session. Cheese House is the camp’s take on talent night, and it provides something of a touchstone for the programs; it's an opportunity for campers to get out of their comfort zones presenting songs and skits to the group as a whole, and likewise being supported and encouraged by the group. In so many ways, that and the other programs are precisely what camping is all about.
 

Our Take on Camp Bil-O-Wood

Tradition is important. It provides a window onto a wider world, and a chance to tap into something larger than ourselves. That kind of tradition provides a basis for the offering at Bil-O-Wood. Founded in 1946 and run by four generations of the same family, it remains consistent with its roots, offering a chance to really engage with the foundation of camping in Canada. Kids perhaps don't really care, at least not in an intellectual way, and that's fine. What they do appreciate, whether or not they express it, is the opportunity to step outside the bustle of their lives, to spend a bit of time in nature, and to live for a time through a different set of priorities. For many families, that, very rightly, is what camp is all about. 

Our Take on Camp Can-Aqua

We often tend to think first of activities at camp: what kids will do there. Camp Can-Aqua, like all great camp programs, is developed with the full range of activities, though leadership addresses itself less to the 'what' than to the 'why'—the activities are there to provide opportunities to grow independence and character, to expose kids to new things, new ideas, and to have fun while they do all of that. That’s the spirit in which Louis Gyori founded the camp more than 30 years ago, and one that continues at the camp today. The core activities are those we associate with traditional camping, and all are applied to allowing kids gain a greater understanding of who they are and what they are capable of. There are specialty programs, including leadership training, which are a draw for many. The camp also offers family camp sessions, which is a great in and of itself, though can also provide a nice entrée to the camp experience and the culture of Can-Aqua.

Parent & camper reviews of Camp Can-Aqua

Our Take on Camp Celtic

Family-run since 1984, the program at Camp Celtic has been delightfully traditional and consistent ever since. Skills are important, though relationships and care are too, something that the camp rightly prides itself on offering. The site is vast, set on 200 acres with access to Lake Huron, and supports delivery of all the traditional camp activities and then some. Leadership programs extend the theme as well as the season, with four-day leadership training session offered in the spring and fall.

Our Take on Camp Crossroads

The location and facilities are, frankly, as good as it gets. Crossroads is in Muskoka, but it’s also very much of Muskoka, with the feel and aesthetic that makes the region so singular and charming. The range of activities includes all those you’d expect from a traditional camp—canoeing, crafts, horseback riding, leadership training—as well as a others that broaden the offering in sympathetic ways. The feel is vibrant and engaged, with the spiritual aspect adding meaning and depth to the experience. Family camp sessions are a plus, and can also provide an entrée for younger or reluctant campers before they make the move to an overnight program. There is also rich and varied programs on offer though the shoulder seasons and through the winter months. Staffing is experienced and professional, something that for the families that attend is rightly a draw.

Our Take on Camp Davern

Davern was established in 1946, and the values that it was founded with remain to this day. Of course, the world in 1946 was very different than today, but then, as now, there was a desire to get kids away from the stresses of life, to allow them to spread their wings a bit in a place beyond the concerns of school and home. It’s a place where kids have an opportunity to spend some time closer to nature and, by extension, through a different set of priorities and at a slower pace. The program is overseen by executive director Andrew Martin, who also directs Camp Can-Aqua, another great Canadian camp. He’s a champion of what traditional camping can bring to a young person’s life. The facilities are wonderful in that they continue to display the long history of the camp, while being up to date in all the essential ways. The site is gorgeous, which is a draw, though the values, spirit, and culture of the camp are the things that families and campers appreciate most.

Parent & camper reviews of Camp Davern

Our Take on Camp Ecolart

All camps are unique, and Ecolart is a prime example of that. It offers sessions on the campus of John Abbott College, a public CEGEP on the western tip of the island of Montreal. As such, the facilities and the resources to hand—including athletic, residential, and academic—are exceptional. There are six week-long day camp sessions that run concurrently with three two-week residential sessions. There is an international flavour to the residential programs, given that many campers arrive from quite far afield. The programs are mixed, so even the day campers experience a uniquely international culture, getting to know young people from across the country and around the world. Days are active, and include some day excursions, visiting local attractions and, during some sessions, venturing as far as Ottawa and a tour of Parliament Hill. The camp provides transportation to and from the airport at the beginning and end of each residential session, which is certainly a nice plus. Ecolart is a company based in Canada that also runs programs in Squamish, BC, and San Diego, California. The administration is experienced and professional, very adept at providing a high level of service and seamless programing with the needs of both local and international campers in mind.

Our Take on Camp Frenda

The location in the heart of Muskoka couldn’t be better, and the programs, too, are at the heart of the camping tradition. The activities are a draw, though there are larger goals at play as well—the activities, as is the case at all great camps, are a means of keeping kids active as well as working together around a shared of common goals and values. At Frenda, those values are grounded in a Christian perspective, which for many families that attend is a primary draw. Year round sessions, retreats, and family camps extend the offering.  

Our Take on Camp Hurontario

Pauline Hodgetts, the current director, has recalled how her father, Birnie Hodgetts was caught in a storm during a fishing trip in 1946, and sought shelter in a bay, where he and his brother hunkered down for the night. In the morning, he said “This is where I will have my camp.” It took a bit of work (which Pauline recounts here) but, as improbable as it might seem, he did. Founded in 1947, Hurontario remains today what it was at the beginning: a camp where boys can live and work together, form meaningful relationships, grow leadership skills, and gain a sense of themselves. The most traditional camp activities—canoeing, tripping, sailing, the arts—have been augmented over the years, though done very intentionally to ensure that the focus on values, character, and leadership remain the core of the program.

Our Take on Camp Kahuna

Camp Kahuna offers all the benefits and fun of camping and then some, from traditional activities to BMX bike racing to celebrity guests. The camps were founded in 1993 as an extension of Scott Graham’s work with young people around bullying and self-esteem. So, while the programs are notably varied, the intention is to help young people find their talents, their voices, and to build empathetic leadership skills in a range of collaborative contexts. Both day and overnight sessions are available, and both are close to home yet proximate to a wealth of green space. The day camps are on a 65-acre property abutting the escarpment, and includes indoor, outdoor, and nature environments. The overnight sessions are also nicely close by, hosted at the Blue Springs Scout Reserve, 200 acres of mixed woodland. Half-week overnight sessions are a nice addition, providing a chance for kids to get a sense of what the experience is like, warming them to the longer full-week sessions.  
 

Parent & camper reviews of Camp Kahuna

Our Take on Camp Kawartha

Since 1921, Camp Kawartha has offered a traditional camp experience based in outdoor activity and camp craft. The Clear Lake site, which includes 186 acres forests, wetlands, and lakefront, is the locus of the overnight programs. The environment centre, next to Trent University, is the mustering point for programs relating to environmental stewardship as well as host to the day camps. It's also a teaching facility, associated with the Trent School of Education, used to introduce concepts and strategies for effective environmental education and alternative, sustainable living. There campers gain a first-hand experience with environmental initiatives, both passively and actively, including sustainable architecture, solar ovens and cookers, and other innovations. Sessions offer a range of duration, allowing campers to start early, easing into the camp concepts and values as they move from the primary programs up through leadership training. Staff is well-versed in the culture of Camp Kawartha, including camp alumni, which adds to the quality of the camper experience.

Our Take on Camp Kennebec

There are lots of camps that are inspiring, and Kennebec is at the top of that list. It is designed to support a range of special needs, though to do it in a way that doesn’t foreground them. Kids need support, yes, but the point here is to provide the support and then get on with all the things that camp can be. Says Donna Segal, “We just work so hard to give them a typical summer that every kid deserves at summer camp.” Love that. The staff is exceptional, too, in that it’s composed of post-secondary students and professional teachers who are attracted precisely by all the positive impacts that an environment like this can have in the life of a child. Per the hiring guidelines, staff must demonstrate empathy, a sense of humor, patience, and a strong desire to give the campers the summer of their lives. Love that, too. The campers have exceptionalities, but at camp, they aren’t exceptional, at least not in the way they can be in other environments. Here they are understand, and their talents are seen ahead their exceptionalities; their personalities ahead of their challenges. Kennebec is the very definition of what camp can do in the life of a child.  

Our Take on Camp Kodiak

All camps, in varying degrees, personify what camp is all about, though some do that even better than most. Kodiak is one of those camps. It began from a place of pure, unadulterated care, when Dave Stoch explored how camp, particularly, could support kids with a range of special needs. He moved with his family to the US for 7 years, living and learning at a special needs camp there. His daughter, Shari Stoch, says that “in these special needs camping environments that he’d been involved in, he saw the kids really thrive, and they were able to find their place.” And that, right there, is absolutely what camp, any camp, is about. That’s what camp can do that other environments often can’t, or can’t do as well. The family returned to Canada in 1991 and founded Camp Kodiak, building it around all the best practices that they had grown to appreciate. It’s not about separating kids with needs from others, but realizing that, well, all kids have needs, though not necessarily all the same ones. Kodiak is a place where they can be integrated, where their struggles are understood, and programming is managed to provide fun, learning, growing, and inclusion for all. Dave Stoch’s daughters Ilana, Shari and Marni now direct the camp, having started that first year as counsellors and working into the leadership roles. Their expressed interest is to maintain all the goals, dreams, and culture that their father established those years ago. It’s a great story, and a great camp. This is truly what it’s all about.

Our Take on Camp Kwasind

For more than 75 years Kwasind has attracted campers from across denominations and faith backgrounds. They are drawn by the values that are expressed here, as well as the size and culture of the camp. Kwasind is a place where every camper is known and feels a part of the community while he or she is at camp. The lakefront is  focus, and rightly so. Cabins and infrastructure are up to date in all the important ways. The activities are those associated with a traditional camp experience, including leadership training. There are also opportunities for campers to explore their faith with peers and mentors, perhaps particularly within the 2-week LEAP sessions.

Our Take on Camp Muskoka

Fun is a priority at Camp Muskoka, though values are as well. Overnight, coed sessions in the heart of cottage country as well as the Canadian shield, the programming is active and varied.  A low camper to staff ratio is a draw, as is the breadth of programming. Campers choose daily from a wide array of activities, from the strikingly modern (flyboarding, paintball) to the very core of the camp tradition, including guitar, art, and camp craft. Camp-wide events are a chance to get loud, though the cabin groups and specialty activities allow campers a chance to exercise their quieter sides. The younger campers stay in a lodge, which is unique in the world of camping, designed to offer a sense of community. The older campers stay in cottages that sparkle with all the mod cons located within them. In all of that, the quality of the offering is what rightly catches parents’ and campers’ attention alike. From registration, to staffing, to food service, the camp is expertly and efficiently run.

Parent & camper reviews of Camp Muskoka

Our Take on Camp Nominingue

Nominigue has had a few ups and downs in its long life, though now is perhaps within its golden age, the one where the programs, the staff, and the culture are as strong as they are impressive. As when it was founded, Nominigue offers a boys’ program operating in English. As such, it draws boys from a wider catchment area, including Montreal, Toronto, and beyond. The draw is the strength of the program, one that seeks to allow boys to grow together, though fun and challenge, and allow them to better understand their strengths and talents, both individually and within a group. Grant McKenna is the current director—he’s a delight to speak with, and is as great a proponent of camp you can ever hope to find. He knows that camp can change lives, and that’s why he’s here. While he has a long history with the camp, he has also spent a good deal of his professional life within the world of business, a unique and valuable perspective that he brings to running the camp and its programs. Nominigue also builds canoes, so the ones that the boys use were built on site. Those canoes are found elsewhere, too, including other camps; Wanakita has a few that were bought decades ago but are still in use. The canoes—built here, by hand—underscore the unique yet very traditional experience that campers find here each summer.

Our Take on Camp North Star

Not all camps conform to the idea that many people might have of camp, though North Star, in all the best ways, truly does. On a wooded property, on a lake, it offers all the traditional activities that you’d expect from a summer camp. That said, the experience isn’t really about activities; those things are just tools that the counsellors and staff use to do other, better things, such as encouraging campers to gain a sense of themselves, their talents and challenges, and a greater understanding of their place in the world. Steven and Brooke Bernstein are the definition of camp people, having spent the better portion of their lives at camp, thinking about camp, and developing the programs at North Star. As such, were you to ask them about what the camp offers, they’d talk about values, friendships, resilience, and community. That’s what camp is all about, and is also the reason that parents, rightly, turn to Camp North Star. 

Our Take on Camp Northway/ Wendigo

Northway is the oldest girls camp in Canada, having been founded in 1906, and much of the camp’s charm comes from the long-standing traditions and the overall approach to the camping experience. It’s hard to imagine a more traditional camp than this: paper and envelopes are listed in what to bring, and campers really do write real letters home. iPods, jewelry, cell phones, and valuables aren’t allowed. When campers arrive, they are really here, immersed in all the priorities of the camp: spending time together, singing together, and experiencing something different. It’s not a time capsule, but rather a place that has stayed absolutely true to the ideals that it was formed around. And it’s as charming, and charmingly beautiful, as any summer camp you could ever hope to find. The programming is strong and varied, though the experience of place is the focus. The campers stay in canvas, cabin-style tents, and they spend their time doing the most traditional activities: canoeing, sailing, tripping, reading, making crafts. The current director, Brookes Prewitt, came as a child in 1951 because his mother was camp director, and he’s been at Northway literally every summer since. That’s a run of 66 years. His mother was director for 26 years prior to him. Wilson, Brookes’ son, first came to camp when he was three months old, and he’s been there every summer since, taking various leadership roles along the way. That’s pretty great too. Girls who have attended Northway know that they’ve participated in something quietly unique, which is an experience which unites them, even much later in life. 

Our Take on Camp Oconto

Oconto is one of the great girls’ camps in the country, with a long history of consistent leadership. Founded in 1924, Lisa and Bruce Wilson have directed the camp since 1982, taking over from Lisa’s parents, who purchased Oconto in 1949. Lisa arrived for her first camp season at three months of age, and she has been back every year since. She’s been a leader in the camping world for decades, having served as president of the Society of Camp Directors, and as member of the board of the Ontario Camps Association. In all, there’s an impressive pedigree here, one that is still evident throughout the camp, from the architecture—the main hall, for one, has been in continual use since 1924—to the values that are promoted through the programming. The sense of tradition is palpable and animates the Oconto experience; girls who have attended feel that they are part of a family, one that is shared with the campers who went before. The activities are varied, though it’s the experience of the culture of the camp that campers typically treasure the most.

Parent & camper reviews of Camp Oconto

Our Take on Camp Pathfinder

Founded in 1914, Pathfinder has a long and distinguished history, one that rightly informs the camp experience today. The camp facility is, frankly, stunning, occupying an island of its own. The structures sit beneath mature pines, with technology limited to basically to the kitchen. As such, it’s as authentic a camp experience as you could hope to find, and a traditional camp in the best sense of the term. On one hand that term refers to the activities, including canoeing, tripping, camp craft, water sports. More importantly, it refers to the culture of the camp. When boys arrive, they participate within an environment and community that is much, much larger than themselves, one that includes the many generations of campers that have come before. They feel a world away, yet part of a community that is formed around a clear set of values, including conservation, positive mentorship, team work, challenge, and growth. At Pathfinder, boys have time to focus on a different set of priorities, something that has been a core element of the camp experience since it was founded, though arguably more needed today than ever. Campers leave feeling that they’ve accomplished something, while having also become a part of something, a sense which they carry with them throughout the year. Pathfinder is, plainly put, one of the best all-boys’ programs in the country.

Parent & camper reviews of Camp Pathfinder

Our Take on Camp Ponacka

Founded in 1947, Ponacka has been family run for more than 70 years, providing a wonderful continuity to the programming and the culture of the camp. It was founded very much in the vein of what Taylor Statten was doing at Couchiching and the Algonquin camps that continue to bear his name today. Namely, these programs based in woods-lore and campcraft—all the most traditional camp activities—in order to promote confidence, social interaction, and a set of core values. Then, as now, that's why families turned to Ponacka. The all-boys atmosphere is attractive as well, giving boys a unique space to develop and grow into a sense of themselves and their talents.  

Parent & camper reviews of Camp Ponacka

Our Take on Camp Qwanoes

The setting is spectacular, and the range of activities extensive, added to each year. All the traditional camp activities are represented, augmented with many that most camps don’t have, though which campers are very happy to see. The skate park provides an example of how the camp approaches all of its offerings: nothing is done by half. All sparkles, and run by dedicated and enthusiastic staff. The values piece allows for a unique point of connection, and it informs the feeling of inclusion that campers have while on site. Vibrant, exciting, caring. There’s a good reason that campers have been drawn to this place for more than three decades.
 

Our Take on Camp Santosh

Camp should be fun, of course, though it should also be more than that, and Camp Santosh is a great example of that. The property is huge, including a wealth of woodland and shoreline, and just being within this environment can transformative. That said, the values through which the programming is delivered is a primary draw for many of the families that enroll here. There is a focus on active living, but also living well. Personal wellness is developed through mindfulness activities and nutrition. Campers are encouraged to look outward as well, developing stewardship toward each other, the natural environment, and beyond. The values of volunteerism, for example, are subtly reinforced at the beginning of each day. In all of that, Santosh offers a fresh take on the traditions of camping.
 

Our Take on Camp Tamakwa

Tamakwa is a camp that has become part of the national culture in ways that others can only envy. As a camper Michael Budman discovered a culture and an aesthetic that would later become central to the Roots Canada brand, a company he co-founded. When Roots ultimately outfitted the Canadian Olympic teams from 1998 to 2004, there was a little bit of Tamakwa in the image that Canada was projecting to the world. It wasn’t just the aesthetic that impressed Budman, of course, but also the values that were represented there: confidence, communication, leadership development, environmental stewardship, and self-expression. David Stringer has been at the camp for more than 60 years. He’s the son of Omer Stringer, the legendary canoeist and outdoorsman, and director at Tamakwa, as was his father before him. While the camp has grown and changed over the years, that continuity is one of the draws, and the program remains centred on the values that were there from the earliest days.  David says of his father, “If he could see this third generation of kids tipped over on the side of their canoe, paddling, he’d be thrilled.” It’s that experience—of participating in something bigger than ourselves—that remains a hallmark of what Tamakwa has to offer.

Our Take on Camp Tanamakoon

In some respects, Tanamakoon is the very definition of the camping tradition in Canada. It was founded in Algonquin in 1925, and has changed little in the near century since. It remains a place for girls to get out into the woods and to engage in the traditional activities associated with camp: canoeing, camp craft, singing, the arts. Dora Mavor Moore attended the camp, and the stage that she designed there to house the nascent drama program is still there today, still the cornerstone of the program. Maybe most of the campers don’t remember who she was, or the impact she had on drama in Canada, but the stage remains a symbol, nevertheless, of how the camp has reached out from the property, playing a quiet yet indelibly positive role in the larger culture as well as the life of the campers who have attended. Since 1984 Tanamakoon has been run by Kim and Marilyn Smith, providing a nice continuity to the program. The same is true of the director, Patti Thom, who has been involved since arriving as a camper 1964. She is a prominent voice in the camping world, and, as ever, she brings a vibrant spirit to the entire enterprise. For her camping is about values, which is just as it should be.

Our Take on Camp Tapawingo, YWCA

The camp says that “if your girl is 6 to 15 years old, she needs to be at Camp Tapawingo this summer.” And, actually, there’s more than a bit of truth to that. The program on offer is storied and, for more than 90 years, has provided an example that other camps have consistently looked to when developing their own programming. The camp has all the hallmarks you’d expect from a Y camp, including a strong foundation in traditional activities and camp craft, as well one in the spirit of camping: conservation, leadership, mentorship, growth. The environment allows girls to grow together, and into a sense of their abilities, in ways that other environments simply don’t allow. Tapawingo has a legacy of developing young girls into confident, spirited, engaged women, something which continues today. Sessions, busing, staff, programming, balance—all are as good as it gets.

Parent & camper reviews of Camp Tapawingo, YWCA

Our Take on Camp Temagami

Camp Temagami is, in so many ways, simply stunning. With more than a century of history, when campers arrive they step into an environment that has a long arc and a wealth of experience. The buildings show their age in all the right ways, and offer a view of the traditions that have supported the camp culture throughout its life. The staff and leadership all have a long association with the camp, as well as a deep appreciation for the ecology and geography of the region. The canoes are made by hand, with most of them built by Hugh Stewart who first arrived as a camper in 1959 and remains as part of the leadership team today. The canoes are canvas and cedar, just as they always where, and they and everything else about the camp feels like a natural expression of the environment and its heritage. The routes taken are, in many cases, those that were used by First Nations communities for perhaps hundreds of years. But, of course, the experience grows because of those things, but doesn’t exist because of them. Tripping is a chance for campers to challenge themselves, in small groups, to have an authentic experience of fellowship, teamwork, and their place in the world. There’s, frankly, a lot to love. For many campers, time spent with Camp Temagami is a transformative experience.  

Our Take on Camp UofT Scarborough

Camp U of T Scarborough hosts leadership training programs that bring closer to home something that is more common in overnight settings, providing an opportunity for young people to grow into new roles, new responsibilities, and a new appreciation of the skills and talents that they personally can contribute to a group environment. The afternoon programs—including academic topics cast in playful light—are run as mini-University sessions, giving kids a sense of what university academic life is like. In all of that and more, there’s a lot to love, both for parents and kids. These are some the best, and best run, day programs in the region.

Parent & camper reviews of Camp UofT Scarborough

Our Take on Camp Wahanowin

Wahanowin was founded 1955 by Harold Nashman and it has been owned and operated by the Nashman family ever since. It’s remained true to the initial values that Nashman hoped to express, namely to create an environment of care, one in which children would be challenged to grow into a sense of their abilities and their place in the world. The activities are what you’d expect from a traditional overnight camp with a few unique outliers (trapeze, parasailing) and used in order to build skills as much as grow character, from empathy to grit. The property dates back to the 1860s, and while some of the history of the site remains apparent today, the facilities are all up-to-date and sparkling. The cabins are all new. The Phyllis Weisfeld Theatre, a dedicated performance space, is notable as well. Camp leadership is exceptionally experienced. As ever, Wahanowin remains a strong option, and there’s certainly a lot to love.

Our Take on Camp Wenonah

There’s a lot to love about Camp Wenonah, one of the foremost being Jeff Bradshaw, the director since he founded the camp in 1982. The goal, then as now, is to provide “a healthy respect and appreciation for one’s self, for others, and for the natural world.” To say that they do exactly that is an understatement. Wenonah has long been an example of what camp can be in the lives of children, often in surprising, remarkable ways. For example, Wenonah was one of the first camps in Ontario to host Syrian refugees, something Bradshaw did without a blink. The program was an inspiration to others, and continues to be. Tellingly, the camp website doesn’t talk about future campers but rather “future families,” and that’s really how the experience is envisioned: as one that involves families, and does so over the longer term. The activities are those we associate with the core of the camping tradition, though have been thoughtfully augmented over the years. The site, too, continues to grow, something that furthers the breadth of what Wenonah is able to offer and the number of campers it’s able to offer it to.

Our Take on Canadian Adventure Camp

The Canadian Adventure Camp has a focus on gymnastics, including some very skill-based and frankly difficult activities, such as silks, which was added fairly recently. “We’ve also added hoops, these are all kind of like cirque, or circus elements,” says Justin Gerson, admitting that “it’s quite a difficult sport.” Still, even though a majority of campers don’t attend for the gymnastics program, they all try it, as they do the full range of activities, many of which—such as the gyro—are provided precisely because they are atypical. Campers are encouraged to get out of their comfort zones, to some extent, in order to grow into a better understanding of their strengths, talents, and capabilities. There is an attention to skill development, though character development is a goal of the program as well. Set on a private island in Temagami, with the full range of camp traditions, there’s certainly a lot to love. Staffing is sport specific, with experienced coaches in all of the activity areas. Leadership of the camp has also been consistent, with Skip Connett at the helm since he founded the Canadian Adventure Camp in 1975.

Our Take on Canadian Contemporary School of Art

Practicing artists engage children and adults in a range of genres and techniques, with an offering broader that a majority of afterschool and summer programs. Drawing and painting courses sit alongside sessions in animation, fashion, architecture, creative writing, and much else. Classes are warm and welcoming, with individual and online sessions also available. Skill development is key, though so is character and personal development, with a focus on building confidence, creative problem solving, and interpersonal skills. For beginners, programs rovide a great, lively introduction to new media. For the more advanced, sessions develop higher order skills and presentation, with mentorship from professional artists.  

Parent & camper reviews of Canadian Contemporary School of Art

Our Take on Canadian Opera Company

The COC is the largest opera company in Canada and one of the foremost companies in North America in terms of size, breadth, quality, and community outreach. There is a dedication to creative and accessible programming, and the children’s programs reflect that. The programs are able to draw on a broad range of resources, from professional instructors, performers and professionals, to facilities that are literally unequalled in the country. The foundational belief of the company, if not expressed in exactly these terms, is that opera is for everyone and that, from sets to stage work, can address a range of creative skills and talents in an integrated and collaborative way. The environment of the company itself is a principle draw—children who enrol enter an authentic arts environment, meeting and learning from mentors and peers who share their passions and interests. They also participate in one of the primary arts organizations of the city. For some children, perhaps most, it's a transformative experience. 

Parent & camper reviews of Canadian Opera Company

Our Take on CASMA Camps

“You name it, we have it” says director Michael Dmitrik, and indeed they do. The breadth of activity is a draw—from violin lessons to soccer to everything in between—in that it allows families to easily add variety to the summer season, and to give children a chance to try new things all while remaining within familiar environments. The location and the facilities are as good as they get. All sessions are hosted in the leafy Bayview/Lawrence neighbourhood, making use of classrooms, gyms, and outdoor spaces at the Junior Academy, the Glendon Athletic Club, and TFS. That all sessions are accessible through public transit is a plus. There’s a keen desire to make use of the resources of the city, from coaching and instruction to guest speakers, including NBA players Simmi Shittu, Myck Kabongo and Cory Joseph. The camper to staff ratio is low, and the directors and staff bring a wealth of professional and teaching experience to the offering. As such, the camps are both a window onto various activities, but also to the cultures that those activities represent. The violin teacher, for example, is a professional musician, having played in the Toronto Symphony. The basketball coach has played for Kent State. And on it goes. It’s those added plusses—the quality of the facilities, the experience and passion of the instructors—that add sparkle to the programming. Sessions throughout the calendar year, including March Break and after-school programs, extend the offering and provide opportunities for campers to visit and revisit familiar faces and settings well beyond the summer months.

Parent & camper reviews of CASMA Camps

Our Take on Cedar Ridge Camp

Cedar Ridge is unique in that it’s a relatively young camp—its inagural summer was in 2007—yet designed to offer a wholly traditional, time-worn camp experience. The founders gained a love for what camp can do, as well as the traditions, while campers and staff at Camp Mazinaw and Kilcoo Camp. The creation of Cedar Ridge was, in truth, a labour of love, and that labour has been rewarded. The days are active, covering all of the basics from canoeing and swimming, to horseback riding. If it’s a bit of a time capsule, it’s nevertheless one in all the right ways—in emulating the traditional camp experience, founders Peter Ruys de Perez and Grayson Burke wanted to create a space where young people can work together in order to stretch themselves, discover their talents, and build resiliency. Rightly, it's about environment and culture as much as it is activities and learning, and that’s why families turn to Cedar Ridge. It's also why the camp has gained an impressive reputation in a relatively short space of time.

Parent & camper reviews of Cedar Ridge Camp

Our Take on Central Montessori Schools

Since it was founded in 1995, CMS has grown to include five locations in the GTA. The program is founded on the core ideals that Maria Montessori promoted in her work, those of respect, community, purposeful engagement, and self-directed learning. The camps extend that focus into the summer months, offering a breadth of sessions that reflect the approach of the school and the interests of its student population. Balance between learning, challenge and fun is keenly upheld. For students of the school during the fall and winter terms, the summer sessions add a nice continuity to their academic and social experience.

Our Take on City Scouts: Urban Adventure Camp

We often think of camp as synonymous with the presence of a lake, some forest, canoes and campfires. Of course, camp isn’t that. You could even have all those things and still not have camp. A better definition would be this: counsellors who work to bring kids together to have fun, to grow, to experience new things, and to build friendships, skills and resilience. And, while City Scouts may not look like the camp stereotype, it nevertheless provides all of those things in abundance. Riley Millican founded City Scouts in a belief in the power of counsellors’ ability to build great relationships, and in the understanding that the urban jungle, in and of itself, is a fantastic place to explore. This isn’t about going to attractions—the ROM one day, the AGO the next, and Wonderland at the end of the week—but really digging in and experiencing the city in and of itself. Which, frankly, kids love, as well they should. The city is a vibrant place that they often only see while on their way somewhere; they lack authentic opportunities to interact with the spaces and the people they find there. City Camp is, for many kids, a unique opportunity to slow down, even within the urban rush, and to explore their world in a new way with a bunch of other kids just like them, and all wearing the same t-shirts. For parents, it’s a great, eminently cost-effective option, right there on your doorstep.

Our Take on Claremont Nature Centre

The Claremont Nature Centre was founded in 1970, and the main building is, delightfully, a lovingly maintained panabode structure, an example of the architecture of so many camps developed mid-century. Love that, and love the programs too. The camps are opportunities for kids to get outdoors, into nature, and they do it within 160 acres of variable green space. So much of the value of the experience is the experience itself—just getting out there within it, and having a first-hand, expert introduction to all the biology, fun, and adventure of the natural world. The centre is dedicated to stewardship, though they approach it first through joyful engagement. The location, of course, couldn’t be better. Kids experience the natural world through the eyes of expert staff and interpreters, all relatively close to home. Meals and extended care options make it easy for working parents to manage.

Our Take on Code Ninjas Meadowvale

Code Ninjas was founded in 2016 by David Graham after seeing the kinds of things that his  son’s martial arts class could do for the kids who enrolled there. He applied the approach to coding and, today, Code Ninjas is the largest program of its kind in North America and the UK, with hundreds of locations and a wealth of online programs. Size isn’t everything, though here means that the individual locations are personal and close-knit while able to draw on a vast range of resources, including expertise and program development, and administration. The programs are conducted in a belief that coding develops STEM skills—and that coding represents the very core of digital literacy—though has a capacity to develop many others as well, including collaboration, creativity, and confidence, and problem solving. With day sessions, holiday sessions, summer camps, and after-school programs, there are options that appeal to children simply interested in dipping in a toe, to those dedicated to developing higher-order skills.

Parent & camper reviews of Code Ninjas Meadowvale

Our Take on Code Ninjas Mississauga (Port Credit)

Code Ninjas was founded in 2016 by David Graham after seeing the kinds of things that his  son’s martial arts class could do for the kids who enrolled there. He applied the approach to coding and, today, Code Ninjas is the largest program of its kind in North America and the UK, with hundreds of locations and a wealth of online programs. Size isn’t everything, though here means that the individual locations are personal and close-knit while able to draw on a vast range of resources, including expertise and program development, and administration. The programs are conducted in a belief that coding develops STEM skills—and that coding represents the very core of digital literacy—though has a capacity to develop many others as well, including collaboration, creativity, and confidence, and problem solving. With day sessions, holiday sessions, summer camps, and after-school programs, there are options that appeal to children simply interested in dipping in a toe, to those dedicated to developing higher-order skills.

Our Take on Code-it Hacks

Everything about Code-it Hacks is at the very leading edge of coding and what it can mean in a child’s life. The goal, per founder and director Shirin Merchant, is to bring imagination, creative problem solving, and collaboration to the fore, and seeing coding as a basic literacy facilitating all of that. The gender breakdown of the camps is clear from the get go, in that there isn’t one—boys and girls are equally regarded and equally represented. The addition of Raspberry Pi coding programs hints at a desire to adopt new and emerging tech that underwrites the development of the programs and events. Campers meet and work with industry leaders, providing an introduction to the people behind innovation, and taking the learning out of the classroom and into the real world, granting an experience of the culture of  innovation as it exists in industry. It’s a vibrant approach to STEAM learning, wtih hands-on play as a core component. 

Our Take on Connections: Queen’s Summer Engineering Academy (QSEA)

For young people with a passion for engineering, attending the Connections sessions has the same gravity as, say, a child who loves basketball attending a week of practices with the Raptors. The setting, the staffing, the resources, the approach—it’s all the real deal, within one of the country’s foremost academic institutions. No punches are pulled, with attention to chemical, civil, electrical and computing, geological, mechanical engineering, and others. It’s not for everyone, to be sure, but, again, for the right child, it’s as exceptional as it is unique. Day and overnight options allow for a wider range of engagement, but the immersive overnight programs are a particular draw. Participants interact with peers of a like mind and academic ability, as well as academics and professionals in the field, all which can be both transformational and inspiring.

Parent & camper reviews of Connections: Queen’s Summer Engineering Academy (QSEA)

Our Take on COOKSMART

The program began in Kathy Stewart’s kitchen, slicing and dicing with her three children. For kids, that’s rightly the fun of cooking—getting your hands onto the stuff, feeling the textures, experiencing the tastes and smells, and producing something they can be proud of. And, indeed, that’s precisely where the COOKSMART programs begin—with hands-on, collaborative, creative fun in the kitchen. Cooking, however, is a window onto other worlds, as it were, from the culture of food, to how and what we eat, including fellowship and healthy habits. Food has a central position in our lives, and while kids perhaps aren’t entirely aware of it at every moment during the sessions, Stewart’s experience as a nutritionist is reflected within them. It’s about having fun, gaining skills and independence, as well as providing an entrée into making more informed, healthier lifestyle choices. All sessions are expertly run in safe, professional cooking environments located across the GTA.
 

Parent & camper reviews of COOKSMART

Our Take on Crescent Camps & Programs

Many independent schools are fortunate to have beautiful grounds, modern and professionally equipped facilities and highly experienced faculty, and that’s particularly true at Crescent. Where many day camps offer robotics, they can’t, for example, also offer theatre arts out of a fully equipped theatre facility, or printmaking out of a fully equipped studio. Crescent can—and does—do all of that and more. There’s also an ease that comes with having it all in one place; while campers have the option of doing ultimate frisbee one week and arts the next, the location allows them and their parents to fall in to some longer-term routines in terms of daily transportation and schedules. (And the fact that lunch is included is, from the parental perspective at least, kind of thrilling.) The camp is close to public transportation as well as a wealth of multi-use green space, including play fields and the ravine that abuts the property. Home to a low-ropes course, the ravine also offers abundant opportunity for exploration and nature study. There are programs here that you won’t find anywhere else, such as Architectural Concepts and Design and Money Matters, a session presenting financial literacy concepts. The Discovery Camp allows fun opportunities for younger campers to explore athletics, arts, makerspace and nature, combining these themes with different activities each week. Most of the programs are led by Crescent faculty who have expertise in their area of athletics, arts, robotics and business. Instructors who are not Crescent faculty have extensive expertise in the program areas, previous camp leadership experience, and are often alumni of the school. Ultimately, there’s a lot to love, particularly for campers who are looking for programming that falls outside the typical day-camp fare.

Parent & camper reviews of Crescent Camps & Programs

Our Take on Debate Camp

Nick Szymanis founded Debate Camp Canada after having achieved a long and impressive career in private schooling. He held teaching and leadership positions at Havergal, Crofton House, and was director of academics at Sterling Hall. Director Oona Craig has a CV that is similarly impressive. In all, this is an academic camp that is placed very firmly on a foundation of academic experience and expertise. It’s not a traditional camp, of course, perhaps particularly because it’s not about providing a wide breadth of experiences, but rather an intensive focus on one: debating. That said, there is more breadth here than you might assume. Debate is a tool, like any camp activity, to get at other things, including confidence, resilience, skill development, and effective collaboration. The kids that attend find themselves in a group of peers that share their interests as well as their academic disposition, and many come away—as with any camp—with friends and memories for life.

Parent & camper reviews of Debate Camp

Our Take on Families in the Spotlight

While it’s true that no camp appeals to all campers, KITS is a camp for perhaps more kids than you might initially assume. Dyed in the wool theater kids will of course find a home here, though those who don’t have their hearts set on a career on the stage will as well. Denise Goldbeck founded the camps nearly four decades ago based in her experience within the performing arts, though also based in her experience in the field of developmental psychology. She saw the camps as an opportunity to grow young peoples’ skills, but also as a means for developing resilience, confidence, and interpersonal relationships. The success of the camps over the intervening years has been well demonstrated, with literally thousands of kids attending the programs.

Parent & camper reviews of Families in the Spotlight

Our Take on Field of Dreams Baseball Camp

Field of Dreams provides opportunities for fans of baseball to get involved with the game, build skills, and work alongside like-minded peers and experienced coaches. As with all great camps, it’s about more than just the activities and the skill development. Jennifer Stitt founded the camp to provide an supportive, inclusive environment in which kids can grow into the values that sports can provide: teamwork, confidence, positive mentorship. The camp began in Thornhill and has grown to include locations in Aurora, Vaughan, and Toronto, making it accessible while also building the available infrastructure. Extended drop off and pickup times are a nice touch, as is a whiffle ball program. Various levels provide appropriate settings for this those just starting out, to those looking to build elite skills in an appropriately competitive environment.

Our Take on Focus Learning Academic Centre

Shelly Zheng founded Focus Learning in 2010 with a group of passionate educators who shared her perspective on teaching and mentorship. The key approach taken is based in the belief that by sparking curiosity around the core content, rather than just disseminating it, teachers can more meaningfully engage students as active, motivated learners. It’s style of learning that posits students as equals, in an environment of equals. Further, it’s not about marks so much as  growing each child's personal relationship with learning. In the years since it began, Focus Learning has grown to comprise a series of afterschool, weekend, and camp programs, offered out of three locations: North York, Don Mills, and Markham. There are courses based in STEM concepts, including robotics and programming, as well as the core curricula, but Zheng was keen also to build out the full range of curricular areas. Some programs, such as BizKids, are unlike any you’ll find elsewhere. All sessions are crafted to offer students opportunities to engage their core talents and interests in an environment that supports and prizes them. Adoption of leading edge programs, such as the Beast Academy math curriculum, is indicative of the desire to continually develop best practices and to use them to full advantage.

Parent & camper reviews of Focus Learning Academic Centre

Our Take on Fraser Lake Camp

Fraser Lake began in 1955 as a means of providing kids with an opportunity to get out of the city to experience a different set of priorities and values. Founded by the Danforth Mennonite Church in Toronto, it was an expression of the values of the church, including inclusivity, community, and faith. All of that remains today, and the need for it is greater than ever. The programming reflects all the traditional camp programs, including time spent together on the lake and in the forest. The property is 260 acres, so there is lots of room to roam, and the camp makes great use of that. But, as in that first year, the draw is principally to experience a different pace of life, away from the data smog of our devices, within a community that is focussed on each other, ecology, and physical activity.

Parent & camper reviews of Fraser Lake Camp

Our Take on French International Language Camps

Yes it sounds like a dream—learning French, nestled in the Alps—and for the students that attend, there are no doubt lots of pinch-me moments. That said, there’s more afoot here than glorious vistas and great food (though there are indeed both of those). Students come together with peers from around the world for the purpose of language learning, thought that’s just the tip of the iceberg. They learn about themselves, and their place in the world; they have a first-hand experience of what it means to be a global citizen within a truly global learning environment. Given that French is the one language that all the participants share, there’s an immediacy that comes with using it,  and an imperative not simply to make sure that verbs and subjects agree, but to make yourself understood to others. It’s an adventure, though one that, for many reasons, will have a substantive and lasting effect. An expressed goal of the program is to shape and influence young people to create a better world. Truly, if there's one thing that could do that, it's programs like this one: bringing young people together from disparate cultures to share some time, ideas, and fun. All sessions are impeccably run, out of impeccable facilities in the shadow of Mont Blanc. 
 

Parent & camper reviews of French International Language Camps

Our Take on Glen Bernard Camp

Glen Bernard was founded in 1922 with the intention of helping girls develop self-confidence and independence, and certainly it’s succeeded at that goal, and then some, ever since. One of the reasons is the leadership of Jocelyn Palm, who has owned and directed the camp since 1977. She’s a rock star in the world of camping, and rightly so. She’s impressive, and, frankly, inspiring. In 2014, she was asked by an interviewer why she had gone to the trouble of installing composting toilets and solar water heaters. She answered, “if I’m not prepared to be a role model and show kids the technologies that are going to make our environment sustainable, who’s going to do it?” She brings that spirit of leadership to the life of the camp, and passes it on to the campers who attend. Her advice to young people is to “set realistic goals and, once you’ve achieved them, set more.” In that regard, and indeed many others, Palm leads by example. The activities cluster around the camp traditions, though with an eye to the wider world, empathetic leadership, environmental stewardship, and interpersonal skills.

Our Take on Great Big Theatre Company

The GBTC was founded by Lily Small and her husband Charles Small in Dundas in 1994. Then as now it was a non-profit organization based in a passion for the arts and in the knowledge of how, through both passive and active engagement, can transform the lives of young people. The program grew, to say the least, based in the quality of the programs and supported by a growing community of participants. There are now locations throughout the GTA, with a participation rate in the thousands. Each session is close-knit, bringing kids together around a clear set of challenges—improv, theatre games, stagecraft, and performance—and the joys of meeting them. While each session is a week in length, the experience can be significant, sparking fast friendships in a deceptively short period of time.

Our Take on Harbourfront Centre Camps

Some camps are up north, in the bush, away from the all the hustle and bustle of the city, and one of the great strengths of the Harbourfront Centre programs is that it isn’t: it’s nearby, close to all of the resources of the city. Because of that, it offers a greater range of activity that you’ll find anywhere, including everything from theatre arts, to sports, to digital storytelling, and on and on. The staffing benefits from the proximity to the city, with instructors bringing a rich range of experience and expertise. Campers enroll within areas of interest, and in so doing enter a setting of peers who share that interest, an experience that in itself can be transformative. Most of the programs are day programs, though not all are—there are overnight options as well, including during the March break. There are PA day sessions as well. Now entering their fourth decade, the Harbourfront Centre programs are as established as any you’ll find anywhere, inclusive of a unique culture and approach to learning, doing, and having fun.

Parent & camper reviews of Harbourfront Centre Camps

Our Take on InterVarsity Circle Square Ranch Big Clear Lake

Begun 1929, the InterVarsity camps contribute to the goal of creating unique opportunities to bring young people together around the personal challenges that a camp setting can provide. At camp kids unplug and turn their attention to the community they find there. The activities facilitate a greater understanding of campers’ talents and abilities, as well as the Christian values that inform the programming. 

Parent & camper reviews of InterVarsity Circle Square Ranch Big Clear Lake

Our Take on InterVarsity Circle Square Ranch Grand River

InterVarstiy Circle Square Ranch Grand River was founded in the 1970s as a program of Crossroads Christian Communications TV program, Circle Square. The popularity of the show created an initial interest in the camp programs, though in time the quality of the camps themselves were the draw independent of it. In 2011 Circle Square was bought by InterVarsity, becoming one of nine camps that organization runs across the country. Begun 1929, the InterVarsity camps contribute to the goal of creating unique opportunities to bring young people together around the personal challenges that a camp setting can provide. At camp kids unplug and turn their attention to the community they find there. The activities facilitate a greater understanding of campers’ talents and abilities, as well as the Christian values that inform the programming. The equestrian programs at Circle Square date back to the camp’s founding four decades ago; as strong as ever, they are a particular draw for many of the families that enrol here.

Parent & camper reviews of InterVarsity Circle Square Ranch Grand River

Our Take on InterVarsity Circle Square Ranch Halkirk

The Circle Square Ranch camps were founded in the 1970s as a program of Crossroads Christian Communications TV program, Circle Square. The popularity of the show created an initial interest in the camp programs, though in time the quality of the camps themselves were the draw independent of it. In 2011 Circle Square Ranch Halkirk was bought by InterVarsity, becoming one of nine camps that organization runs across the country. Begun 1929, the InterVarsity camps contribute to the goal of creating unique opportunities to bring young people together around the personal challenges that a camp setting can provide. At camp kids unplug and turn their attention to the community they find there. The activities facilitate a greater understanding of campers’ talents and abilities, as well as the Christian values that inform the programming. The equestrian programs at Circle Square date back to the camp’s founding four decades ago; as strong as ever, they are a particular draw, including the weekly rodeo event, for many of the families that enrol here.

Our Take on InterVarsity Circle Square Ranch Spruce Woods

Begun 1929, the InterVarsity camps contribute to the goal of creating unique opportunities to bring young people together around the personal challenges that a camp setting can provide. At camp kids unplug and turn their attention to the community they find there. The activities facilitate a greater understanding of campers’ talents and abilities, as well as the Christian values that inform the programming. 

Our Take on InterVarsity Circle Square Ranch Wolf Creek

Begun 1929, the InterVarsity camps contribute to the goal of creating unique opportunities to bring young people together around the personal challenges that a camp setting can provide. At camp kids unplug and turn their attention to the community they find there. The activities facilitate a greater understanding of campers’ talents and abilities, as well as the Christian values that inform the programming. 

Our Take on InterVarsity Pioneer Camp Alberta

Pioneer Camp Alberta is one of nine InterVarsity camps located across the country. The camping program was begun 1929, an expression of InterVarsity, an association of campus ministries intended to bring Christian values and awareness to young people, and support their spiritual and social growth. The camps were part of the initial vision, designed to create a unique opportunity to bring young people together around the unique challenges that a camp setting can provide. That remains perhaps more true today than ever. At camp they unplug, and turn their attention to the community they find there. The activities facilitate a greater understanding of campers’ talents and abilities, as well as the Christian values that inform the programming. The camp has grown over the years, adding new activities and facilities, all of it furthering the initial goals.

Parent & camper reviews of InterVarsity Pioneer Camp Alberta

Our Take on InterVarsity Pioneer Camp Manitoba

Pioneer Camp Manitoba is one of nine InterVarsity camps located across the country. The camping program was begun 1929, an expression of InterVarsity, an association of campus ministries intended to bring Christian values and awareness to young people, and support their spiritual and social growth. The camps were part of the initial vision, designed to create a unique opportunity to bring young people together around the unique challenges that a camp setting can provide. That remains perhaps more true today than ever. At camp they unplug, and turn their attention to the community they find there. The activities facilitate a greater understanding of campers’ talents and abilities, as well as the Christian values that inform the programming. The camp has grown over the years, adding new activities, facilities, and sessions, all of it furthering the initial goals.

Our Take on InterVarsity Pioneer Camp Ontario

Ontario Pioneer Camp is one of nine InterVarsity camps located across the country. The camping program was begun 1929, an expression of InterVarsity, an association of campus ministries intended to bring Christian values and awareness to young people, and support their spiritual and social growth. The camps were part of the initial vision, designed to create a unique opportunity to bring young people together around the unique challenges that a camp setting can provide. That remains perhaps more true today than ever. At camp they unplug, and turn their attention to the community they find there. The activities facilitate a greater understanding of campers’ talents and abilities, as well as the Christian values that inform the programming. The camp has grown over the years, adding new activities, including family camp sessions, all of it furthering the initial goals.

Parent & camper reviews of InterVarsity Pioneer Camp Ontario

Our Take on InterVarsity Pioneer Camp Pacific

Pioneer Camp Pacific is one of nine InterVarsity camps located across the country. The camping program was begun 1929, an expression of InterVarsity, an association of campus ministries intended to bring Christian values and awareness to young people, and support their spiritual and social growth. The camps were part of the initial vision, designed to create a unique opportunity to bring young people together around the unique challenges that a camp setting can provide. That remains perhaps more true today than ever. At camp they unplug, and turn their attention to the community they find there. The activities facilitate a greater understanding of campers’ talents and abilities, as well as the Christian values that inform the programming. The camp has grown over the years, adding new activities and facilities, all of it furthering the initial goals.

Our Take on Junior Coders

For anyone over 30, coding can risk seeming cold, technical, dull, distant. For young people today, it isn’t. Rather it's one of the langauges they'll speak increasingly as they grow. With the right introduction they see coding as a language of personal expression, which is exactly the approach taken at Junior Coders. The tools might be technical, but these sessions encourage students to see that what you do with them doesn’t need to be—they are challenged to approach coding creatively, and to use coding as means of exploring their passions and interests. There is a conscious effort to make girls welcome in the setting, something that Junior Coders has had great success with. The facilities are exceptional, as is the passion that leads the instruction.
 

Parent & camper reviews of Junior Coders

Our Take on Kandalore

Founded more than 70 years ago, the Kandalore program is firmly based in the traditions of camping in Canada, as well as the traditions unique to the camp. All-camp campfires bookend the camper experience, including the Chapter Fire, a signature event held at the end of each month. There’s a lot of whimsy, too, such as the regatta, a day-long program held each session. Those things, and many more, contribute to a camp culture that is vibrant, active, inclusive, and fun. There are some very nice cross-generational programs, including Fairy Night, when senior girls dress up and visit the youngest campers to surprise them with a girls-only campfire. It’s as charming as it is affective. Leadership seeks to provide appropriate challenges, including canoe trips, as a cornerstone of the program, through which campers can build confidence in themselves and in their ability to work with others toward a common goal. 

Our Take on Kettleby Valley Camp

It’s a truism, but worth repeating, that at camp there is more than meets the eye, and Kettleby is a great example of that. It’s a traditional camp, with all the traditional activities, from canoeing, to swimming, to hiking, to arts and crafts. There are some updates, too, including paintball. But, as director Peter Truman says, “all the activities really are a medium for us to help kids understand that trying new things isn’t a big deal.” And with that comes a lot of social, emotional, and physical growth and development, something that the Kettleby program actively brings to the fore. There has been a camp on this site since the late 1950s. The cities to the south have grown, and it’s not as far from the urban environment as it once was, though that brings a nice plus as well: it’s close to home, something that both parents and campers appreciate.

Our Take on Kilcoo Camp

Kilcoo was founded in 1932, and is very much one of the great, classic Canadian camps. It reflects the Taylor Statten ideal, as did so many camps that were founded at the time. There was a nod to first nations culture, with John Lattimer, who took over the camp in 1938, know invariably as “Chief.” (The name of the camp, again like others founded at that time, was a similar nod.) The programs were traditional, based in watersports, canoeing, woods lore, and a boisterous celebration of the camp culture. Leadership has been absolutely consistent, with David Lattimer taking over the directorship from his father in 1985. Campers past and present are absolutely loyal to the camp, in large part due to the consistency of the program leadership down through the decades. They all feel that attending Kilcoo is about more than a summer, it’s a chance to participate in something larger, with a longer arc, and centered around an amiable set of priorities and values. And, indeed, it’s all of that, which is a draw for generations of campers, both locally and from around the world.

Parent & camper reviews of Kilcoo Camp

Our Take on Kinark Outdoor Centre

There are lots of great stories in the world of camping in Canada and KOC, frankly, is one of them. It was formed with some very specific goals, one of them being to offer respite to families of children who are on the autism spectrum. It’s been doing that beautifully since it was first opened. It also does what all camps do, which is to offer enriching, empowering, fun experiences to children within a caring, supportive, understanding environment. At Kinark children arrive to a setting that is formed around their needs, and run by staff that are well disposed to meet them. There are all the traditional activities, from gaga ball to canoeing, with barriers to participation removed. The work that the camp does is exceptional, and brings a rich, traditional camp experience to some kids who need it, and love it, yet would have trouble integrating in other camp settings. 

Parent & camper reviews of Kinark Outdoor Centre

Our Take on Kortright Summer Nature Day Camp

The Kortright Centre is named after author and conservationist Francis H. Kortright, an early proponent of environmental awareness, stewardship, and sustainability. Those are some very big, important ideas, and since it opened in 1982, the centre has dedicated itself to addressing them. Administration has also dedicated itself to bringing those concepts to a wider audience, and doing it in creative, age-appropriate ways. The summer programs are perhaps the prime example of that—they are based in all the big ideas, but kids see them more as fun than learning, which is exactly as it should be. Mud Madness sessions, for example, don’t announce themselves unduly as educative, and the same is true of the spy camp session. Nevertheless, in those as in all the others, kids come away having had a lasting, memorable, and fun engagement with the natural world, having also built an appreciation of nature and our place within it. It’s impressive, to be sure, and there is nothing quite like the Kortright Centre. Of less importance to kids is the infrastructure and the architecture, which is delightful in a way all its own. Staff are truly experts, engaged in their own ongoing work at the centre, including offering exceptional instruction and mentorship.

Our Take on La Citadelle Summer Camp

La Citadelle was established in 2000 with just 5 students and operating out of a church basement. The program has grown considerably since then, with an annual enrolment of 200 students spanning prep-K to Grade 12. Further, in 2015 the school moved into a new space, doubling the size of the physical plan and providing an opportunity to grow the student population and its programs significantly. Despite that growth, the approach remains true to the original intentions. Since its inception La Citadelle has been progressive, and while achievement is one of the six core values, so are compassion and harmony. The camps extend the work of the school into the summer months, and make use of the first-rate facilities. They include a nice range of activity, as well as academic support to help support learners, or couteract the academic effects of the summer break. Some families also use the camps to get a better sense of the school, or to acclimate new students, as well they should.

Parent & camper reviews of La Citadelle Summer Camp

Our Take on Laurus Summer Camp

The directors of Laurus are go getters, to be sure, which in itself is part of the program. It’s about mentorship, getting people together who are enthusiastic about living active, engaged lifestyles, and who can broadcast their enthusiasm effectively to young people. Founder Philip Cutler, at age 25, became the youngest councillor ever elected in Westmount, and he hasn’t slowed down since. He and cofounder Gabriel D'Amico-Mazza exemplify what it means to live a life engaged with the community that they live within, from physical fitness to philanthropy. Instructors are chosen with those attributes in mind, including experience in education. The activities are varied and broad, from yoga to guest speakers. Participants come away having had fun, though also jazzed about the entire experience, including the people they’ve met and the environments that they’ve experienced.
 

Parent & camper reviews of Laurus Summer Camp

Our Take on Lynn-Rose Heights Adventure Quest Camp

Tara Bullock and Marie Attard established Play and Learn Children’s Centres in Mississauga, offering a preschool with a stimulating academic program. Its child-centred approach to education, and its conviction that all children are capable and enthusiastic learners, solidified its success and grew its reputation. Based on that success, in 1997, Lynn-Rose was established as a primary school (JK to Grade 8) at what is now called its main campus, located on Millcreek Drive in Mississauga with some attractive landscaping and play areas. In the decades since, the program has grown—in now includes three campuses—though the focus has remained, as has the leadership behind it: to offer a child-centred approach to learning and social development. The summer programs extend it through the summer months. Days are active, making good use of the school’s resources as well as local assets. While it may not always be overt, there’s a dedication to an academic foundation, both to help students reach ahead as well as to offset the academic setbacks that can occur with two months away from the classroom.

Our Take on Mayfair Clubs

The Mayfair Clubs are a great example of fun you can take seriously. Camps and sessions are run by certified instructors with a keen interest in ensuring that kids get the right introduction to the sport as well as an active lifestyle. Instructors are also adept at ensuring that kids have a great time, and they do, as foregrounded by some of the session names, especially the younger kids; it's not group swimming lessons, but Splash and Laugh Camp. Those are nice touches that are also a hint at the overall approach. The three locations are a draw, broadening the reach of the camps while also contributing to the breadth of resources and expertise available at all. There’s lots of learning going on, to be sure, but what kids and parents also appreciate is the chance to get some beans out with some like-minded peers. There are sessions through the summer and throughout the year. All is professionally run and operating out of first-rate facilities.

Parent & camper reviews of Mayfair Clubs

Our Take on McMichael Children and Youth Art Camps and Programs

The McMichael facility is as much of a national treasure as the art that it houses. You really can’t praise it enough—it’s truly a jewel in the crown of Canadian arts. In addition to year round programs, the summer sessions, in particular, unabashedly get kids involved up to their elbows in art, from creation to appreciation. The sessions are active, though created to really promote the work and the collections to kids on their level, inspiring them to better appreciate their talents as well as the talents of those around them. The experience of being at the collection, too, creates a sense of ownership for the works collected there. The gallery intentionally blurs the line between art and environment, and the camps seek to extend that, getting kids out into the world, and to see how that world is reflected in the work of some of the country’s greatest artists. These camps are not just art classes or art appreciation workshops, they are vibrant, well-led programs allowing kids to have fun while interacting with others around the arts.

Parent & camper reviews of McMichael Children and Youth Art Camps and Programs

Our Take on Medeba Summer Camp

Medeba was founded in 1952 in order to provide a traditional camp experience, one where campers can enter a community of peers who share an engagement within the Christian faith, fostering spiritual growth. The programs are based in the traditions of camping, though have been updated over the years, including the development of rock climbing and mountain biking programs. Additional sessions to the summer camp extend the programming into the shoulder seasons; attention has also been given to the various age groups, with clear, sound programs developed for the various ages and stages. The focus of the camp is on inclusion and personal development, and all the activities have been carefully added and maintained in order to further those core goals

Our Take on Medics Camp

There is truly a camp to meet every interest, and Medics Camp is a great example of that. It was founded by Amanda Farris, who brings a wealth of experience, including some gained at the venerable Johns Hopkins University and medical school in Baltimore, Maryland. Play and roleplay are important aspects of the sessions, with kids diving in to their new identities as practicing physicians. There’s a strong curricular element as well, providing kids with a foundation in the medical arts, sciences, first aid, healthy living, and personal safety. Staff are vibrant and attuned to creating an interactive inspiring atmosphere. Before and after care is offered at all three locations, something which families understandably appreciate.

Parent & camper reviews of Medics Camp

Our Take on Mi-A-Kon-Da

One of the greatest advertisements for Mi-A-Kon-Da is undoubtedly Pam Lamont, who as directed the camp for nearly three decades. She’s personable, spirited, and given to saying things like this: “I believe sincerely in the educational, social and recreational values of camping. Camp provides an ideal environment for a young woman to grow and mature feeling valued, confident, and capable.” All of the activities at Mi-A-Kon-Da point to that overriding goal. The site, itself, is as remarkable and it is unique: it’s situated on its own island and surrounded by crown land. Arriving on site is like stepping into a painting by Tom Thompson, a world away from the bustle of city life. The programming clusters around traditional camp activities, and new programs are added only when they are sympathetic to the culture and goals of the camp. When rowing was introduced, for example, Lamont was careful to ensure that the focus was on the experience of working together as a team, and having a new experience, rather than competition. “I said I don’t want this activity to be about levels. I just want it to be an experience. If they want to pursue it in a competitive way, they may … a lot of the girls who do our dance program, they do it just for fun. And that’s great.” It is. Every camp is unique, though Mi-A-Kon-Da, in particular, proves that point.

Parent & camper reviews of Mi-A-Kon-Da

Our Take on Mooredale Day Camp

Location is important, to be sure, and Mooredale is a great example of that. Hosted in a charming community centre in the heart of leafy Rosedale, there is a sense of calm and community here that you may not necessarily expect of a location so close to the heart of Canada’s largest metropolis. It’s charming, with lovely outdoor play spaces, heated pool, as well as indoor facilities that give a sense of the lived history and heritage of the neighbourhood. There is a real sense of camp here, too, augmented by the tennis club and the nearby ravines and green spaces, which the counsellors make good use of, as they do of the resources further afield, through day trips to downtown locations, Kelso Conservation Area, and elsewhere. Great location, experienced staff, and a lovely feel—for those interested in a quiet, kid-oriented, kid-paced camp close by, Mooredale has a lot to offer.

Our Take on Muskoka Woods

Located in the heart of cottage country, the vast offering of activities, and sparkling facilities, are what attract families and delight campers. There are all the traditional camp activities, though there a host of others in addition, from axe throwing to radio production. It’s a lot, to be sure, and some campers might feel a bit overwhelmed deciding what they want to do on any given day. That said, the camp has a reputation for delivering a stellar experience, something it is uniquely able to do. Buildings are modern, and staff are engaged and supportive. Day programs are of interest to families with cottages nearby, and specialty weeks, including girls’ only sessions, are varied and appealing.  

Our Take on MWS Montreal Language Camps

Storied, old, beautiful—environment is important, and McGill, unquestionably, sets the right tone in the heart of Montreal. The MWS Montreal Language Camps are intensive language immersion programs, picking up where other immersion programs fall short, adding cultural immersion as well. Yeats said that education shouldn’t be about filling a bucket, but lighting a fire. In terms of language learning, as well as independence and personal development, that’s what MWS does.

Our Take on National Yacht Club Sailing Camp and School

The NYC was founded in 1894, and was first know, charmingly, the National Yacht and Skiff Club. It’s grown and changed over the years, but throughout has remained a cornerstone of sailing in the city. The location, to be sure, is one of the benefits—accessible by public transportation, it’s also a place of escape, a chance to get away from the bustle of the city and mess about in boats. The club remains an expression of the community it serves, and is also host to a number of annual regattas. When campers arrive, they enter that world—the culture of sailing, the community it represents—and are granted an opportunity to escape within it while also learning essential skills from some of the best. Certified instructors make it fun, active, and exciting, all within the shadow of the Toronto skyline.

Parent & camper reviews of National Yacht Club Sailing Camp and School

Our Take on Neilson Park Creative Centre

Neilson Park Creative Centre was founded as a centre for the arts, one that could supply spaces for a range of users, from professional artists to those seeking to try something new. It provides a hub for people to come together around the arts, and the summer camps are an important part of that environment. When kids arrive to the camps, they enter a place that includes them, though which they understand is for lots of other people too. They engage in active programs with peers and mentors, though they also see so many others doing the same thing, and the cross-pollination of it all is one of the things that makes the offering so unique and valuable. Kids will learn new things, and have fun, while being afforded a wider view of what it means to be involved in the arts.

Our Take on Northwaters & Langskib Canoe Tripping Programs

They’ve been running trips successfully, impressively, since 1971 when Langskib, the boys’ program, was founded. Northwaters, the girls’ program, has been run since 1985. Of course, the mission and approach is the same for both, namely to get kids out of their comfort zones, while remaining very much in their safety zones. The challenge is personal, and comes from interacting meaningfully with others around some core challenges. The trips are an opportunity to get beyond screens, fully immersed in the natural world. Participants are granted an entrée, as well, into the culture and natural history of the region from people who have lived it, and represent it. For a majority, the trips are transformative, often in unexpected ways.

Our Take on Olympia Sports Camp

All sports camps seek to develop skills, and competition can, understandably, seem like a natural aspect of that process. Olympia, too, is certainly about skill development, though leadership navigates the competitive aspect particularly well—not shying from it, but placing it within a context of personal goals and goal setting. “It’s not about getting to the top of the climbing tower,” says Nicole Nicole Christamtsis, “it’s about getting higher than you did the day before. That’s an important lesson.” It is, and one that Olympia is very adept at delivering. Many campers are true keeners, arriving at camp with some very sport specific goals, and intending to build upon their prior expertise. That said, not all do, and there is a place for them here, too. For many campers, Olympia is an opportunity to try new things as much as it is building on existing skills. The programs are vast, with facilities to match, and the instructors bring professional coaching to all of them. The focus throughout is on building confidence, independence, interpersonal skills, encouraging campers to meet new people and try new things. The experience is challenging and active, in equal measure to recognition and reward.

Parent & camper reviews of Olympia Sports Camp

Our Take on Onondaga Camp

Onondaga is one of the oldest camps in the country. It was established by Keith Crowther, a staff member of Upper Canada College, and was moved to its current site in 1931, and it’s been co-ed since 1975. There’s a lot of history, and the current owners, all past campers, bought the camp in 1992 and have since developed the property, including a new dining hall completed in 2004. While the site may not show its age in the way that other camps might, the program continues to reflect the ideals that were established with the founding of the camp all those years ago. Traditional activities have been augmented over the years, including high ropes, wakeboarding, and a driving range for golf instruction. The breadth of programming is a draw, both for campers looking to further develop their skills, as well as those interested in trying new things. The board of directors includes three past directors, which, in addition to Duncan Robertson’s 25 years at Onondaga, offers a nice continuity to the maintenance and development of the camp experience.

Our Take on Ottawa School of Art

The Ottawa School of Art began as a civic association in 1879 intending to help promote the fine arts. One of the first orders of business was to promote the creation of the National Gallery of Canada, which it successfully did. While it doesn’t share the stature of the National Gallery—and, indeed, no arts organization in the country does—the School has been an important part of the life of the city throughout its long life. The spaces and resources are varied, as are the programs on offer, from residencies, to credit courses, to community engagement. The children’s programs seek to inspire interest in the arts, and to appeal to the various curiosities that children have, from how things are created, to the people do who the creating. Sessions range from drawing and printmaking to cartooning, animation, and fashion design. Children who enroll are presented a unique opportunity to take part in the life of a premiere arts institution and to meet the artists who, in turn, give it life. That experience alone can be transformative. Sessions are fun, accessible, and well administered.

Our Take on Outward Bound Canada

Outward Bound was an early adopter/promoter of some of the things that are very much in the air today, namely providing young people with an opportunity to grow leadership skills, resilience, and grit. Getting people out of their comfort zones has been the operating principle since it was founded in 1969, though the basis in the values of ecological stewardship has also been a key component. The programs offered, included these summer sessions for young people, are well within the category of lifetime experiences: each is unforgettable, both for the sense that participants gain of the geography of Canada, and the sense that they gain of the geography of their skills, abilities, and capabilities. It’s not an understatement to say that these programs can be life changing, as they often are in a whole range of positive ways. For kids bumping up against the boundaries of their school and social environments, and Outward Bound trip can provide a welcome opportunity to spread their wings in significant, meaningful ways, all within a safe and supportive setting, guided by experienced, expert instructors. 

Parent & camper reviews of Outward Bound Canada

Our Take on Pedalheads Bike, Swim and Sport

Pedalheads began more than three decades ago as principally a biking program. Kids came, learned to ride bikes, and then rode them, together, all over the place. That has continued to this day, though the organization has grown during the intervening years in every way possible: size, numbers, locations, levels, and programs. There are now 75 locations in 4 provinces and 4 US states.  There’s good reason for that kind of growth: these are quality programs run expertly, with great care. It’s also due to the focus of the programs—it’s not about training for the Olympics, rather the focus is first on having fun, together with peers and mentors, and growing into active, healthy lifestyles. Kids feel less of a pressure to excel, perhaps as they would in a typical dance studio or gymnastics gym. Without the pressure of those kinds of goals, at least occupying such a central place in the culture of the camps, kids are free to develop skills, yes, but with fun, active engagement, and personal development as the true measures of success. In that, for many families inundated with so many competitive options, Pedalheads is a very welcome breath of fresh air. That isn’t to say there isn’t ample opportunity for skill development—there is—but it’s all within a charming context of, first, just getting out there and doing it. It’s about lighting a fire, before anything else, inspiring kids toward living actively.

Parent & camper reviews of Pedalheads Bike, Swim and Sport

Our Take on Pickering College Credits, Enrichment Programs and Camps

Pickering College was founded as the West Lake Seminary by Quakers in 1842 and, as you might expect, has had a long and interesting history since. It began—remarkably for the time—as a co-ed school, and as such provided an expression of the Quaker ideal that both sexes should be educated equally. In that, and so many other ways, Pickering has truly charted its own course, though always with an eye to the international community. The campus is frankly gorgeous, with the full range of amenities, including extensive athletic facilities. It’s also ideally located to be able to offer a true camp experience—campfires and s’mores—as well as trips to some of Canada’s foremost cultural and historic landmarks. (The campus itself has some nice landmarks of its own, including paintings by Franics Johnston, a member of the Group of Seven, who also taught here. Rogers House, the main building on campus, was designed by John Lyle, who was also the architect for Toronto’s Union Station.) The ESL programs build off the expertise of the faculty. They are run all year, though the summer programs are dedicated to language learning while offering a fun, vibrant, collegial experience. Campers gain a sense of the school, as well as a sense of the country—for some, the summer programs serve as a means of experiencing the school with an eye to enrolling in the boarding program. Certainly, it can be a great entrée, allowing for an easier acclimation come September. For others, it's a unique opportunity to gain langauge skills from qualified, experienced instructors. 

Parent & camper reviews of Pickering College Credits, Enrichment Programs and Camps

Our Take on Power of Words Academy

As workplaces become more collaborative, the ability to clearly express ideas is, perhaps more than ever before, a core skill across all areas of interest. No matter how good an idea is, if it can’t be expressed effectively, it risks being lost in the shuffle of a very busy world. Likewise, the old saw is as true now as it ever was: great stories happen to those who can tell them. That’s the point where Power of Words begins, namely that student success is tied to effective written and verbal communication. It’s also about finding a bit of joy in there as well—debate is a growing area of interest in the public and private school sectors, not only because it’s important, but also because it’s fun. Power of Words offers afterschool and weekend sessions throughout the year to give students a chance to grow their skills in a supportive, dedicated environment. In addition, the summer sessions offer opportunities to drill down on debate and language skills, offering some variety to the season’s activities while also helping with the summer lull in academic work. While some programs aim at the high school level, the Power of Words session allow younger students to get their feet wet, which is a draw for many of the families that enroll.

Parent & camper reviews of Power of Words Academy

Our Take on Prestige School Summer Programme

The Prestige School sets a high bar for its students, academically as well as socially and ethically. The academic program is designed and delivered to meet the needs of students functioning at the top of their peer groups. The bar they set for the summer program is high, too, if in different ways. It’s meant to offer experiences that are fun, first, though also intellectually enriching, social, and active. The camp uses the resources of the school campus as a starting point, though also makes good use of various resources nearby. That breakfast and lunch is included is a very nice plus as well.

Parent & camper reviews of Prestige School Summer Programme

Our Take on PSB & Interplay Dance

Karen Davies Thomas founded the school in 1989, and she continues to lead the programs today. She brings extensive professional experience, having worked closely with industry professionals, as well as a teaching experience that runs the gamut of the best schools in the GTA and beyond, both at the secondary and post-secondary levels. That she has that kind of background is a draw, to be sure, for students and families looking for a program that has a relationship with the national culture of dance and the arts. For students, Thomas’ experience is a window onto a big world, and can provide an important introduction to it. Classical ballet is a focus, though classes are offered in the full spectrum of styles, from tap to acro. Both competitive and recreational classes are offered, and in both there is a grounding in the core values of learning, discipline, and well-being.

Our Take on Ridley College Summer Programmes

The Ridley summer programs are robust and well attended. More than 1800 enrol each summer, so in a sense the camps have a population that doubles and then some the student population on campus during the school year. The reason they are so popular is because they are so well run. The symphony sessions—there’s one for young musicians who compete for spots, another for tyros—are staffed by members of the Niagara Symphony Orchestra. They’re the only true symphony camps of their kind in the country. Other offerings range across a fairly wide swath of interest, including those that appeal to international students, to those programmed with local kids in mind. It’s a great mix, and even though kids are in different sessions, many of them are run consecutively, allowing a nice interaction between young people of like interest as with as those with divergent interest. The campus is frankly gorgeous, with a wealth of green space. The facilities, too, are top-notch, including outdoor ed equipment, two professional-level performing arts spaces, and a wealth of resources. The camps make extensive use of all of it. The ESL camps are some of the best in the region and beyond. The attraction is multi-faceted, and the proximity to Niagara Falls and Toronto are included within that. The ESL sessions provide international students with a strong camp experience, a residence with peers from around the world, and an intensive language immersion and instruction. In those, and across the summer programs, there’s a lot to love.

Our Take on Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada Day Camps

Everything about Ripley’s Aquarium is world class, and the camps and programs are no exception. They are expertly run, with ample administration and support. The educational programs are sound, and the presentation vibrant and varied. Campers participate in the life of the aquarium, getting behind the scenes to get a sense of how it’s run, and what the animals within it require to stay happy and healthy. Days include a range of activity and, rightly, some time outside at least once every day. School break camps augment the summer programming, allowing opportunities for kids to check in from time to time. It’s a riveting environment, and the programs make great use of all of it.

Our Take on Rooks to Cooks

Lead by a professional chef in a professional kitchen, for kids with an interest in cooking Rooks to Cooks is a opportunity to be immersed in the techniques as well as the culture of cuisine. Camps stress the essentials, including navigating any kitchen safely and effectively, as well having fun, eating well, being creative, and working well with others. Sessions are nicely varied to drill down on specific skills and skill levels, from baking to international flavours, from tyro to master. Sessions are developed to appeal to growing palettes, nutritionally and culturally. As founder Chef Shai Mandel rightly notes, cooking is about much more than making good food. It requires a sense of materials, chemistry, organization, and managing complex steps and procedures. That perspective, and Shai’s ability to bring it to the fore is a strength of the Rooks to Cooks programs.

Parent & camper reviews of Rooks to Cooks

Our Take on Ross Creek Centre for the Arts

One of the great things that many camps offer is a chance to live within, in a sense, a new reality. When campers arrive at Ross Creek they enter a professional environment, and work alongside theatre professionals. For young people interested in the arts, particularly the performing arts, that experience alone can be transformative. That the setting is so beautiful, to say nothing of state of the art, only furthers the theme. The sessions here are a one-of-a-kind experience in a one-of-a kind setting, run by people who are passionate about their art. In all of that, there's a lot to love. And that's just the beginning. 

Parent & camper reviews of Ross Creek Centre for the Arts

Our Take on Rotherglen Summer Camp

Rotherglen School was founded in 1979 by Marie Laningan at the Erin Mills campus. The school has grown in the intervening years to include four locations, all of which share the same approach, including the Oakville location which hosts the camps. While aesthetics don’t mean everything, they nevertheless do mean something, and the school is physically beautiful, with dedicated, consistent, absolutely up-to-date learning and activity spaces. The camp programs make use of the school’s extensive resources and range considerably from performing arts, to cooking, to the more traditional day-camp offerings. Sessions are purposefully kept small, which is rightly a draw.

Our Take on Royal Conservatory School

For many there's a sense of awe when they enter the Royal Conservatory, and, well, rightly so. It's the premier music school in Canada, and can feel like ground zero in music education which, in many senses, it actually is. So many great artists have learned and taught here, something that can make it all seem more than a bit intimidating. The camps, though, turn that all on its head. There are sessions for experienced musicians to work together with others of equal talent, but the program is about more than that. It's about having a significant, fun experience with music. Sessions are available for all levels of musician, including those who are just starting out. There are opportunities to hear instruments, and touch them, and learn about what they can do. The fact that there are professionals coming in and out of the building, and working in the practice halls, augments the experience of the environment. For many, it's magical. For all, it's a unique experience, one that will generate lots of great memories and, more often than not, some new friends, too. 

Our Take on Ryerson Day Camps

There are some distinct benefits to camps run, as this one is, by a world-class educational institution. The resources are rich and ample in ways that, understandably, other kinds of camps could never replicate. Science sessions are held in world-class, fully equipped lab settings; sports are conducted in professional-grade facilities. That's true of all offerings, which are varied and unique. There are News Academy camps, where kids learn about journalism while participating within a professional news gathering and broadcasting setting. There’s a bit of imagination to it all—kids who dream of being on camera news readers, for example, will be living the dream—but not much, given that, well, it’s all real and it’s all happening, with real equipment. For the right kids, it's literally a dream come true. Less obvious at first glance, but equally true, is that camps are run by staff who are at the same level, and who are themselves looking to careers in the areas that they teach within, if not having already achieved that. The location is a draw, to be sure, in the heart of the city and easily accessible by public transit. The camps have been run since 1984, and are administered with expertise and experience.

Our Take on Science North Camps

We think of camp as a place, though it isn’t really, it’s an experience, one of getting together around some shared values, shared curiosities, and a bunch of fun. And, the Science North camps are all of that. The camps are expertly run in part because, given their reach and scope, they have to be. Each year the camps, with both French and English sessions, attract in excess of 3000 young people in locations from Kenora to Pembroke in the east and Sioux Lookout to Barrie in the south. It’s a huge catchment, with all programs doing the same thing: getting kids together and engaged around some key concepts in science. Instruction is informed and adept; it’s real science, and a lot of fun, too.

Parent & camper reviews of Science North Camps

Our Take on Shadow Lake Centre

The Shadow Lake Centre was established by Community Living Toronto in 1970 and has grown considerably since then. Through the 1980s and 1990s the completion of two major capital campaigns resulted in year-round facilities and programs. The motto of Community Living is “A society where everyone belongs. A society where everyone is valued.” In so many ways, the centre is the physical embodiment of precisely that. Campers arrive to a setting in which their challenges are addressed with empathy, understanding, and experience. They also enter a community of true peers. For anyone, that can be life altering—we all want to go where everyone knows our name, to be sure, and even better if they share our perspectives, challenges, and joys. The setting is well appointed, situated on a 300-acre property within the Oak Ridges Moraine. The staffing is well trained, and there’s a very high camper-to-staff ratio. There’s at least one staff member awake in each cabin through the night, which rightly adds to the sense of care and comfort all round. Health care workers are also on site.

Parent & camper reviews of Shadow Lake Centre

Our Take on Sidney Ledson Institute

The Sidney Ledson Institute was founded in 1982 in order to create a program that reflected the work of Sidney Ledson, an author and expert on topics relating to teaching technology and motivation. His methods gained traction internationally, at the core of which is the idea that we needn’t wait to introduce children to new skill areas, particularly around language and numeracy, and the sooner we start, the better. The approach in the school program is to challenge students to reach further, to expand and improve their abilities in order to reach their fullest academic potentials. The summer and March break programs extend that approach, including academic support and physical activity. All is expertly run, and the resources varied and ample.

Our Take on Spirit of Math

Founded in 1980, the Spirit of Math program has a long and impressive history of success. From the spark of an idea, it’s grown to more than 40 locations with more than 11,000 students. The sessions are vibrant and active, and motivate kids through competition and fun. The advanced sequential curriculum focuses on fluency and mastery in ways that other curricula, unfortunately, do not. The leadership of the program has been the definition of consistent, with a third generation of the founding family now moving into leadership roles. In the world of academic programming, Spirit of Math is a touchstone, one that other programs rightly look to as a model.

Our Take on Sports Camps Canada

The association with Nike is, rightly, a draw for both participants and coaches to the SCC programs. The focus is on skill development in hockey, soccer, basketball, golf, tennis, and training. The programs are run out of dozens of sports facilities, making the most of the best local resources, including expertise and experience. Campers enter an environment of shared interest, learning from mentors who have reached, literally, the top of their games. As such, the camps offer a chance to enter the culture of the various sports as they exist in Canada. The Nike swoosh adds a nice touch as well—kids feel that they are close to the core of the sports, and indeed they are. After all, the dream of success is part of the thrill of participation.

Our Take on Stanstead College Summer Camps

Stanstead College will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2022, as such it’s one of the oldest, most established and celebrated private schools in the country. The summer programs aren’t as long lived, but, now more than three decades out, they are as established in the world of camping as the school is in the world of education. The language camps draw students from around the world to attend immersive French, Spanish, and English programs. The hockey camps, run here since the 1970s are as good as it gets, with a wonderful focus on female athletes. The Capstone Project Internship offers one of the most unique academic summer programs anywhere, bringing students together around academic, project-based learning. In all, Stanstead has crafted world-class summer sessions that reflect the school’s strengths while extending through the summer months. All are held on campus making the most of the stellar resources there, including accommodation, teaching and coaching spaces, faculty and administration.
 

Parent & camper reviews of Stanstead College Summer Camps

Our Take on STEM Camp

The simplest definition of STEM is that it’s an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. But, as with so many things, the simplest definition doesn’t really do the object justice. The acronym really does refer to those disciplines, but STEM instruction is about much more, namely using those disciplines as a foundation for building a range of literacies while engaging collaboratively and thinking creatively. While we tend to think first of the stuff—the 3D printers and the makerspaces—STEM is more accurately thought of as a way of learning about the world, and of learning to work effectively with others. That’s what inspires passion in instructors, just as it did for STEM Camp founder, Kevin Cougler, who started the camps in 2013. To say that it’s been successful is an understatement. The camps are now run in nearing 50 locations, with 20 more likely soon to follow. In 2017, there were 8500 campers enrolled, and certainly that number has continued to grow in the summers since. What makes this program particularly unique is that it’s run as a not-for-profit solely to promote the benefits of STEM instruction in the lives of young people. There are francophone projects, as well as those mounted in First Nations communities. For all involved, the participants get to work hands-on, with their peers, on projects that are fun while also developing core learning and collaboration skills.

Parent & camper reviews of STEM Camp

Our Take on Studio PAVAS

Now into its third decade, Studio Pavas has an impressive history of offering high-quality arts programs. The environment is very much that of a arts institution, where kids enter an environment that is well-equipped and staffed, but also reflects the culture of the arts. The programs are as strong as they are varied, staffed by instructors who are all very impressively qualified. They are able to communicate their passion, as well as provide a window on the wider world of professional arts, dance, and performance.

Parent & camper reviews of Studio PAVAS

Our Take on Sylvan Learning Oakville

Sylvan Learning Centres were founded in 1979, and the company has grown to include locations throughout North America. Sylvan’s reputation has grown as well, principally through the visibility of the locations and their association with effective academic tutoring. Still, there is more to Sylvan than perhaps most people may know, and the seasonal camps and programs are included in that. Yes, the focus can look somewhat academic at first glance—engineering, STEM, robotics, coding—though the feel of the camps is less formal, less academic, and more geared to gather children around topics and activities that they are passionate about, in addition to having fun. They will learn a lot, no doubt, though often the empowerment that the camps can bring is, for many families and kids, their principal value, and the thing that keeps them coming back year after year.

Our Take on Sylvan Learning Thornhill

Sylvan Learning Centres were founded in 1979, and the company has grown to include locations throughout North America. Sylvan’s reputation has grown as well, principally through the visibility of the locations and their association with effective academic tutoring. Still, there is more to Sylvan than perhaps most people may know, and the seasonal camps and programs are included in that. Yes, the focus can look somewhat academic at first glance—engineering, STEM, robotics, coding—though the feel of the camps is less formal, less academic, and more geared to gather children around topics and activities that they are passionate about, in addition to having fun. They will learn a lot, no doubt, though often the empowerment that the camps can bring is, for many families and kids, their principal value, and the thing that keeps them coming back year after year.

Our Take on TAC Sports - Toronto Athletic Camps

There are some key boxes when evaluating any activity and sports program, and TAC checks all of them: facilities, resources, certified coaching and instruction, multiple locations. The thing that parents of children who have attended comment on first, though, are the qualitative aspects of the programming: leadership development, confidence, resilience, fun. TAC delivers skill development, though the program has been designed with personal development at the very top of mind. Another draw is the range of sessions on offer, from soccer, to coding, to financial literacy, all reflecting the same approach, namely to get mentors and children together, ignited and passionate about learning, growing, and improving together. Administration is professional, responsive, and very willing to work with families to ensure the right fit in terms of level, cohort, and program area.

Parent & camper reviews of TAC Sports - Toronto Athletic Camps

Our Take on Tamarack West Summer Camp

The Tamarack West Outdoor School was founded to provide outdoor experiential learning based in the values of appreciation, mentorship, exploration, and stewardship. The camps extend that dedication through the summer months. On the face of it, it’s a traditional approach to camping—getting kids out into the world, exploring nature with bug nets, magnifying glasses, notebooks and art supplies. And, frankly, that’s precisely the draw for the families that turn to Tamarack West. It’s based in the understanding that getting into nature, and to share that experience, is the best kind of adventure. The values expressed within the programming, including those of compassion and positive mentorship, are rightly also a draw.

Our Take on The Cube STEM Camps

Many camps don’t conform to some of the common ideas of what camp is, and The Cube is an example of that. The focus is technology, not canoeing or camp craft,  yet the goals of the camp are strikingly similar to those of more traditional programs: they are tools used to bring campers together around common interests and creating opportunities to work and grow together. For the campers, it’s a unique opportunity to work with others of like talents and passions, and to really indulge their curiosities in an engaging setting. It’s perhaps not for every child, but then again, no camp is. Campers finish the sessions with greater confidence, having learned something about themselves. Which, of course, is what all great camps share.  

Our Take on The Pine Project

While all camps are unique, the Pine Project is something of a rarity in that it offers both day programs in the city and overnight programs at a rural property. It’s a nice plus, allowing campers to attend different programs, and grow into overnight camp while staying within the same organization, culture, and to some extent personnel. In all, the Pine Project presents a tried and true array of camp activity, from woods lore, to skill development, to wilderness tripping and adventure. All activities are a means of getting at confidence, belonging, and fun, which is after all what camp is all about. Programs are based on academic research and insight, particularly undertaken at the University of Waterloo, so is sound both in curriculum, intent, and outcomes. Though, as with any great camp, kids learn and build skills entirely unaware that all the fun their having is good for them, too. 

Parent & camper reviews of The Pine Project

Our Take on The Second City Training Centre

Part of the thrill of attending The Second City Training Centre is simply taking part in a piece of history. Founded in Chicago in 1959, the theatre quickly became one of the most influential comedy centres in the world, famed as much for its alumni as for the quality of the workshops. The Toronto chapter, among many other things, gave a jumpstart to SCTV and all the characters, actors, and comedy history associated with it. Participants join that history which, for many, is itself worth the price of admission. Aside from all of that, it’s a great way for kids to step a bit out of their comfort zones, experiencing something new or building upon existing skills, along with like-minded peers, learning from professionals who are operating at the top of their craft.  

Our Take on The STEAM Project

It’s easy to think about STEAM instruction through the stuff—the 3D printers, the robotics, the makerspaces—though it’s as much, if not more, about people. The first three people in this particular environment were three teachers who wanted to spend their summers having fun while helping kids have fun learning about their world and their talents. Jay Wengle, one of them, brings an infectious energy to the work at hand, which is working with others to explore new concepts and apply them to new ideas. Communication and teamwork is part of it, as is learning to express yourself to others as much as you listen to what they have to say. The stuff, at the end of the day, is great—the kids solve problems, together, in unique ways—but it’s the relationships, and a way of being in the world, that is the biggest takeaway. These sessions are expertly, professionally run, and are supported through a wide array of resources. The camp, thanks to the personality and passion of the founders, is an expression of the wider community, with lots of diverse partners choosing to take part, including local schools, merchants, and the curling club. Session themes keep things fresh for returning campers. Enrollment is intentionally kept small to maintain the quality of the interactions. In every way, there's a lot to love. 
 

Parent & camper reviews of The STEAM Project

Our Take on The Taylor Statten Camps

The traditions we associate with residential summer camp—the values, the activities, the aesthetics—are in many respects due to the work of one man: Taylor Statten. Returning home from the Boer War, Statten joined the YMCA in 1902 and soon became the national Boy’s Work Secretary, a position that included the directorship of Camp Couchiching in Orillia, ON. He also established the Canadian Standards Efficiency Training program, a series of graded activity levels intended to give children the opportunity and incentive to develop intellectual, social, and physical skills.

Our Take on The Whale Camp

Some camps just capture the imagination, and this is one of them. Go to New Brunswick to live with like-minded people, learning from experts, and having daily, face-to-face experiences with some of the most majestic, inspiring animals on the planet. Who wouldn’t love that? Amy Lorenz and Cailin Burmaster lead Whale Camp’s educational program, and both bring armloads of academic expertise and insight, as well as a wealth of experience leading field research and educational programs. Lorenz’s master’s research focused on creating opportunities to engage students in science. Burmaster has done extensive fieldwork in marine biology and oceanography. It’s the real deal, from top to bottom. Kids who attend the camp get to experience the world, and whales, and they do that aboard a working research vessel, participating in data collection and analysis. That said, working alongside people who are so engaged in curiosity, science, and dedication can be as inspiring as it is life changing. Yes, there are whales, but camp is about relationships, something that Whale Camp offers in abundance.

Our Take on The-Cutting Room

Nothing exists in a vacuum, and the approach of The-Cutting Room summer programs begin from that perspective. Kids gain experience with designing and creating garments, though they also interact meaningfully with the others who use this space, including industry professionals. Visits by designers, as well as occasional trips to studios within the city, offer a view onto the culture of the industry, and real-world settings and challenges. For the aspiring fashion designer, it’s a unique, valuable, and often uniquely inspiring opportunity.

Parent & camper reviews of The-Cutting Room

Our Take on Timberline Ranch

In the foothills of Golden Ears Mountain, Timberline Ranch was founded in the 1960s as a retreat from city life. Horseback riding is a primary focus, though the activities have been developed over the years, as has the facility, creating a unique sense of place based in a promotion of gospel values. Leadership has been consistent over the years, as has an ongoing dedication to using the programs as a means of promoting physical, emotional and spiritual health. Year-round programs, including seasonal and family camps can provide an entrée to the programs, which, through the summer months, include both overnight and day options. The Country Christmas program is a highlight, one that makes great use of the environment and themed facilities.

Our Take on Toronto Kidz

Brigitte Gallegos, founder and director of Toronto Kidz Summer Camp created the camp to make the most of what the city has to offer. She wanted to allow kids to explore areas of their city, and to let experience the full range of what it has to offer. The programs—a series of weekly day camp sessions offered throughout the summer months—have been designed to access those possibilities. Each session is built around a specific theme, and the entire city is a programming resource: Pirates Week includes a cruise around Centre Island; Animals and Nature Week includes a trip to High Park Nature Centre; Pokémon Week includes a visit to Fort York. It is run out of a space within the St. Martin-in-the-Fields church, just north of High Park and in the heart of one of the city’s most varied urban communities. The location, in any way you care to look at it, has a lot to offer. There are private green spaces and a wealth of indoor activity space, all of it providing a welcome break from the bustle of the city. Each day at camp includes crafts and drawing, and stimulation with music and dance. The course of each day includes all of that, from running games in the park, to sitting quietly to record the day’s events in a journal.

Parent & camper reviews of Toronto Kidz

Our Take on Toronto Kyokushinkai Karate

The program is based in values as much as defence, if not more so, including self-awareness, personal development, discipline and perseverance. There’s a sense of belonging, too, that comes with participation in the programs, something that Toronto Kyokushinkai Karate rightly makes a point of capitalizing on. There’s a good flexibility to the program, with sessions offered all year long, including PA days and holidays. In that, as well as in the pick-ups from area schools, TKK operates with the parent perspective firmly in mind. Pricing is efficient and attractive, based in time spent within the facility and camp session rates rather than monthly fees. The camp sessions make good use of local resources, getting kids outside around a range of activities.
 

Our Take on Town of Oakville camps

The Oakville camps, in their breadth, depth, and wealth of resources, are unmatched in the region. They make the most of an extensive infrastructure, from performing arts centres, to arenas, to outdoor education centres. When kids arrive, they enter some of the key environments in the life of the city. From a parenting perspective, it’s a bit of a one-stop shop, with an extensive menu of options for building upon existing skills one week, to experiencing new things the next. Families are right to make the most of the camps, which are incomparably managed, expertly run, and staffed by passionate, experienced staff. From breadth, to environments, to engagement with mentors and peers, there’s truly nothing not to love.

Our Take on True North Sports Camps

If you’ve ever attended one of the Our Kids camp expos, you’ll have seen a clot of kids gathered constantly around the True North booth. There’s a great reason for that: True North was founded by young people for young people to have a lot of fun with young people. Kids, rightly, love it, and the reason is the vibrancy and expertise of the counsellors that run the various programs. There is method to any madness, and skill building, including team skills and sports specific practice are top priorities. But, it’s a credit to the camp that it’s the joy of involvement with others that has become the hallmark of True North. There’s nothing quite like it, as any of those kids crowding the expo booth will tell you, if you’re able to get their attention.

Parent & camper reviews of True North Sports Camps

Our Take on UTS: Experience Innovation

UTS is remarkable for all kinds of reasons, including an alumni that boasts two Nobel Laureates, twenty Rhodes Scholars, eleven Olympians, and three ambassadors. In the century since it was founded, UTS weathered some interesting times, including student protests in the 1960s. (At one point a student presented the headmaster with a blank sheet of paper saying "this is a list of our demands.") For many years, the school was at the centre of the debates that would, in time, bring some important advances to public schooling in Canada, including the abolition of matriculation exams and a 4-year secondary school program. In that and in so much else, UTS has marched to the beat of its own drummer, charting an innovative path through everything it has done. That’s true of the summer programs as well. They are of a kind that only UTS could supply. The sessions are unique, and uniquely inspiring, and lead by experienced school faculty. Kids who take part will find themselves in a group of peers who share their perspectives, their curiosities, and in many cases, their academic inclinations. That’s a lot. And it’s fun, too, all taking place in the heart of the country’s most diverse metropolis, and within one of the country's foremost academic institutions. 

Our Take on Venture Academy Summer Program for Troubled Teens

Venture Academy was founded in 2000 by Gordon Hay in order to provide support for students who, for a range of reasons, weren’t thriving within traditional academic settings. Hay had worked with teens in outpatient and resident treatment settings, as well as within corrections programs. He is the first to say that so many of the stories he has heard over the years are heartbreaking, and the impact of so many of those stories has been profound. That said, while he perhaps doesn’t use the term, he created Venture as an atmosphere of hope—a place of understanding, including the understanding that positive change can be made. It’s about working with the individual, but it’s also about working closely with families, not just teens in isolation from them. It’s an impressive model, evident in the success that Venture has had over the years. There are now locations in Kelowna, BC, Red Deer, Alberta, and Barrie, Ontario, though Venture extends well beyond the bricks and mortar, and operates today as an umbrella organization, bringing together expertise, parents, and teens. The goal isn’t to silo teens, but rather to provide the kind of care, support, and understanding needed to help overcome the challenges they face. The summer programs extend all of that through the summer months, providing a positive environment for those already enrolled in the Venture program, as well as those who may be entirely new to it. It’s true that camp can be a life-altering experience for many young people, and the Venture programs further prove that point.

Our Take on Whitchurch Riding Academy

Dianne O'Brien founded Whitchurch Riding Academy in 1979, and has since introduced thousands of students to the joys of riding, both for recreation and for competition. Her own passion began early in life, when as a ten-year old when she joined the Canadian Pony Club and went on to complete the Equine Studies Program at Humber College. In addition to competition and coaching, O'Brien has worked as an exercise rider at Woodbine Thoroughbred Racetrack, and has trained a variety of horses to a Grand Prix Level with Olympic Dressage Medalist Ashley Holzer. Her experience is vast, to be sure, and the other trainers and coaches have similar CVs. Riding is a sport, but it’s founded in a passion for working closely with animals, and stewardship and care are important aspects of the WRA programs. Sessions are available for all ages and levels of experience, from tyro to advanced rider, accredited by Equestrian Canada, Ontario Equestrian, and the Ontario Camps Association. Summer camps offered in addition to year-round instruction. Situated on 10 acres east of Newmarket, the site includes indoor riding arena with heated viewing lounge, regulation dressage and jumping rings. Busing is available.

Parent & camper reviews of Whitchurch Riding Academy

Our Take on Wilvaken

Located in the Eastern Townships, Wilvaken offers a close-knit, traditional camp experience. Now directed by Lara Willis, the third generation of her family to head up the camp, it has had a long and very consistent leadership that remains true to the initial goals for the facility. When you arrive you feel that you’ve entered an ordered, welcoming, and safe environment, and indeed you have. Families are drawn to that, as well as the values that form the basis of the program. The camp maintains a bilingual environment, which is a draw as well, allowing campers to continue their language learning while experiencing different cultures. Days are active, and evenings quiet, calm, and centered around friendship, fellowship, and the core traditions of the camp, including a candle-lit walk on the second to final night of each session. It's fun, with all the skill-building and exercise that you should expect, though there's a bit of magic here, too.

Parent & camper reviews of Wilvaken

Our Take on YMCA Camps Belwood, Ki-Wa-Y, Wabanaki and Day Camps

You really can’t go wrong with a YMCA camp, and there are a few very good reasons for that. The Y has been fully invested in camp programs since Taylor Statten first developed them for the Y in 1902. In the years since, the programs have grown and diversified, literally providing the models that the vast majority of camps looked to when they created their programs. The culture of camps has grown as well, and the organization now has an embarrassment of riches, from top-level administration to program staffing. Everybody involved is here because they want to be here, and have demonstrated a passion and ability to work with kids through the core tenets: mind, body, spirit. Because of the extent and breadth of the operations, the standards are set extremely high. It can be frustrating, at times, to fill out all the online registration forms, but, nevertheless, they are testament to how everything is run: professionally, with care, experience, and expertise. Between the three camps run out of the Kitchener-Waterloo YMCA, there is a diversity of options, allowing campers to grow from their first overnight experiences close to home, to intensive tripping in Killarney or sea kayaking on Georgian Bay. As such, the KW YMCA is a one-stop shop of the full range of quality camp offerings, and quality, established programs and locations.

Our Take on York University; Science Engagement

Science Engagement sessions engage with the outcomes of the provincial curriculum, extending them in a range of meaningful ways, through hands-on, cooperative learning. Students also work within a professional setting, and learn from student leaders that themselves are working in those fields throughout the year. The facilities, as you’d expect, are exceptional—a majority of the sessions take place within Faculty of Science at the Keele Campus of York University—as is the organization of the programs and sessions.

Parent & camper reviews of York University; Science Engagement

Our Take on Young People's Theatre/YPT

YPT,  by anyone’s reckoning, is a great Canadian arts institution. Founded in 1966 producing professional quality plays, and rightly gaining widespread attention because of it. Susan Rubes, the founder, was something of a force in the arts, and an indefatigable proponent both of what kids could do and what her programs should do for them. She believed that “only the best is good enough for children,” and built YPT in that vein. It soon grew to a stature equal to the professional companies in Toronto, becoming an important part of the city’s cultural scene. Directorship was filled by a who’s who of the theatre world, including Richard Ouzounian, and Peter Moss, who arrived from a role at the Stratford Festival. The perspective wasn't that children’s theatre was a lesser, smaller version of adult theatre, but rather that it was a unique and vital expression on par with it. That sense remains to this day, and kids who participate are truly participating in something very much at the heart of Canadian theatre and its traditions. Directorship is as good as it gets, as is the faculty who run the programs. For kids interested in the arts, the experience of participating in the YPT is as inspiring as it is singular. It’s arguably the foremost program of its kind in the country, a position it’s maintained for over half a century.

Parent & camper reviews of Young People's Theatre/YPT

Our Take on Youth Programming at the Daniels Faculty at U OF T

The building, newly built at the Spadina Crescent, is itself worth the cost of entry—it’s the latest home for the University of Toronto’s school of architecture, landscape, and design, one of the leading schools of urban design in Canada. It’s a hub of art, design, and community-building, hosting a range of programs and learners, from professional think tanks, to graduate studies, to undergraduate programs that use architectural studies as a means of augmenting a liberal arts-based education. The mandate is to provide research, teaching, and service. The camps are part of the overall project as well, bringing young people into this setting to explore the people, the environments, and the work done here. At the camp sessions, students engage in collaboration with peers to explore, well, just amazing stuff, such as the theme for the 2019 camps: how drones can disrupt aspects of city life. Programs for high school students offer opportunities to explore careers in design, while being exposed to a wealth of new ideas and cross-disciplinary thinking. The potential for these experiences to be transformative is very high. Barring that, they are simply a great way to spend some time with others. All is seamlessly administered and managed, staffed by instructors and mentors who are passionately involved in their fields of interest, and keen to express their enthusiasm for the work.
 

Parent & camper reviews of Youth Programming at the Daniels Faculty at U OF T

Our Take on Zebra Robotics

STEM is important, though Zebra understands that community is as well. The programs occur within an inclusive environment, allowing participants to engage and grow with like-minded peers. There is a sense of accomplishment granted most obviously by the competitions, at which Zebra excels, though the sense of belonging is a valuable aspect of the offering as well. Expertly run by skilled, engaging coaches, in settings that are well appointed.

Parent & camper reviews of Zebra Robotics