Academy by the Sea and Camp Pacific offer three separate residential camps for kids ages eight through 16.

The month-long Academic program focuses on improving study skills and strengthening students' education. Campers choose four classes from a variety of subjects, and focus on these academic areas. Fun is part of the curriculum, with plenty of afternoon and weekend recreational activities. Boarding is encouraged, though day students are welcome to attend.

Camp Pacific is for the camper looking for recreation and sports. Skill-building, teamwork, sportsmanship, and self-improvement are elements the campers focus on - as well as on having fun. Those in Camp Pacific have the option of participating int the Surf and Bodyboard camp.

At the week-long Surf and Bodyboard camp, campers learn how to surf and bodyboard - or improve on existing skills. The sessions include instruction on the beach, classroom instruction, and independent practice.

The cost includes meals, internet access, all athletic and social activities, and a T-shirt.

Amazing Science gets kids excited about science with hands-on, innovative programs that include make-and-take-home projects.

Many of the Amazing Science programs take place in schools, but their birthday parties and summer camps are also highly successful. Birthday party sessions can take place at a home, school, or park and run for close to an hour (depending on the ages of the kids and the season). At the party, the instructor performs eight to 10 high-energy highly entertaining demonstrations - with the birthday child in assistance. In addition, each child completes a project to take home. Theme-related goody bags are included.

Amazing Science summer camps focus on two different topics, with each child making two make-and-take-home projects each day. The camps, held in Del Mar, are scheduled during two weeks in July.

If your kids are fascinated by the underwater world but you can't fathom the cost of a visit to SeaWorld, then the Birch Aquarium is the place to go. The aquarium is the public exploration center for world-renowned Scripps Institution of Oceanography, part of the University of California, San Diego. For more than a century, the aquarium-museum has inspired visitors with the wonders of the ocean. The aquarium features interactive exhibits and fabulous educational programs.

Perched on the side of a hill overlooking La Jolla Shores, this beautiful facility enjoys panoramic views of the Pacific, which are best appreciated from the outdoor tidepool plaza. Visitors are encouraged to touch tide-pool creatures such as hermit crabs, sea stars, sea cucumbers, and more with assistance from trained volunteers.

Inside, children will be mesmerized by a giant tank of silvery sardines that marks the entrance to the Hall of Fishes. The aquarium features a stunning variety of Pacific marine life in more than 60 habitats. A crowd favorite is a 70,000-gallon kelp forest tank where interactive dive shows are held Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12:30pm and Sundays at 10:30am.

Scripps Explorers Gallery features a museum showcasing cutting-edge discoveries by Scripps explorers. Dive into exhibitions that showcase the mysteries of ocean, air, land, and life through interactive displays and media.

Wonders of Water entices visitors to make a splash as they experience rippling, streaming water in three outdoor waterplay stations. Imaginations will overflow as guests of all ages build dams and create rapids, design watersheds, and explore water.

During the summer, the aquarium holds Summer Learning Adventure Camps for kids ages four to 15. The programs give campers opportunities to explore ocean habitats, learn about marine biology, meet animals up-close, and learn to surf and snorkel.

The aquarium offers two-hour themed educational birthday parties that include hands-on activities with live animals, marine-themed crafts, aquarium tours, and other activities.

Family Days, held on the third Saturday of each month from 11am to 3pm, merge earth and ocean sciences with art and literacy themes for all ages. Each month's theme is introduced through crafts, stories, interactive exploration, and occasional activities with researchers from Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Family Days activities are included free with admission.

Let your children's imaginations run wild this summer at the national Camp Invention, a weeklong day camp offered in elementary schools across the country. In San Diego, the camp is held at Valley Vista Elementary, in Bonita.

Kids in the first through sixth grades participate in fun, hands-on activities that enhance their understanding of the arts, sciences, history, and math.

Created by the National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Camp Science Safari offers a variety of camps, all focusing on archaeology, palentology, science (which may include cooking), and engineering - all designed to get the kids thinking while having fun! Kids spend the morning involved in a group activity, woodwork and paintshop lessons, game zone time, a daily sports lesson in hockey, basketball, indoor soccer, softball, and inflatable rope climb), water play, and playground time. The day gets even better in the afternoon when the campers focus on a special project. Each week concludes with a family finale, where family members get to be a camper for a couple of hours. Careful you don't get wet!

The camps are offered in two parks: one in Rancho Bernardo and the other in Carmel Valley. For detailed information about the different camps, refer to the camp's web site.

Camp Science Safari offers a variety of camps, all focusing on archaeology, palentology, science (which may include cooking), and engineering - all designed to get the kids thinking while having fun! Kids spend the morning involved in a group activity, woodwork and paintshop lessons, game zone time, a daily sports lesson in hockey, basketball, indoor soccer, softball, and inflatable rope climb), water play, and playground time. The day gets even better in the afternoon when the campers focus on a special project. Each week concludes with a family finale, where family members get to be a camper for a couple of hours. Careful you don't get wet!

The camps are offered in two parks: one in Rancho Bernardo and the other in Carmel Valley. For detailed information about the different camps, refer to the camp's web site.

Camp Science Safari offers a variety of camps, all focusing on archaeology, palentology, science (which may include cooking), and engineering - all designed to get the kids thinking while having fun! Kids spend the morning involved in a group activity, woodwork and paintshop lessons, game zone time, a daily sports lesson in hockey, basketball, indoor soccer, softball, and inflatable rope climb), water play, and playground time. The day gets even better in the afternoon when the campers focus on a special project. Each week concludes with a family finale, where family members get to be a camper for a couple of hours. Careful you don't get wet!

The camps are offered in two parks: one in Rancho Bernardo and the other in Carmel Valley. For detailed information about the different camps, refer to the camp's web site.

Camp Science Safari offers a variety of camps, all focusing on archaeology, palentology, science (which may include cooking), and engineering - all designed to get the kids thinking while having fun! Kids spend the morning involved in a group activity, woodwork and paintshop lessons, game zone time, a daily sports lesson in hockey, basketball, indoor soccer, softball, and inflatable rope climb), water play, and playground time. The day gets even better in the afternoon when the campers focus on a special project. Each week concludes with a family finale, where family members get to be a camper for a couple of hours. Careful you don't get wet!

The camps are offered in two parks: one in Rancho Bernardo and the other in Carmel Valley. For detailed information about the different camps, refer to the camp's web site.

Club Xcite is an innovative after school and summer mentoring organization dedicated to assisting families who need a helping hand in educating, mentoring, or just involving their children in athletic, academic, or social activities.

Club Xcite has structured programs that fit the need of kids who have learning disabilities, hard time making friends, social anxiety, difficulty focusing, struggle getting movtivate, bi-polar, behavioral problems, or any other special needs.

Mentors can provide transportation from school to your house (if needed), make sure homework gets done correctly, provide one-on-one academic tutoring in problem areas, instruct child in different sports and outdoor activities, and act as a positive role model and friend.

Club Xcite! also offers a summer camps for kids ages eight to twelve who have a harder time making friends. The camps build and maintain an environment where kids feel that they can be themselves, open up, make friends, and most importantly, have fun. All activities, sports, and games are selected to help inspire and develop friendships, with a ratio of one counselor to every two or three campers.

Converse International School of Languages ffers an intensive summer Spanish or French language program for teens. Students study the language by speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills from 9am to 12:30pm and afternoons from 1pm to 5:30pm.

Students also have the option of attending supervised fun activities and excursions with teens from Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Mexico, Brazil, and Japan. Activities include beach day, movie day, volleyball day, a Harbour cruise, San Diego Zoo, and Seaworld. Excursions include trips to Six Flags Magic Mountain, Disneyland, and much more!

Choose between Option A (Spanish only) or Option B (Spanish plus activities). A placement test is administered to determine student's level prior their start date. Levels start at Beginner and continue through Advanced/Bilingual. The enrollment fee of $75 covers the cost of text books and placement test.

CSUSM-ES Summer Youth Camps offers three camps that stimulate kids' creativity.

Engineering with Lego: Kids, ages six to 12, learn about engineering and design using the LEGO® Technic kit; build houses, bridges and motorized machines. Participate in design challenges and competitions.

Celebrate America: Slightly older kids (ages 8-11) explore the rich heritage of our country and its founders, and participate in a musical production featuring highlights of American History.

Creative Youth Academy: Creative art enthusiasts (ages 10-16) can develop their talents in workshops that include video game design, computer graphics, cartooning, fine arts for kids, website animation, and website design.

All three summer programs take place on the Cal State San Marcos campus. For working parents, the Boys & Girls Club in San Marcos offers morning and afternoon activities from 6:30am-7pm with transportation to and from the youth program on campus.

Accredited by Stanford University, Digital Media Academy (DMA) is a nationally-recognized organization offering creative, hands-on learning experiences in a broad range of the most current and relevant digital media technologies. Topics include video game design, film-making, robotics, and 3D animation, among others.

DMA offers Digital Media Adventures courses for kids nine to 13, and Summer Computer Camps for teens. All courses are project-based, using industry-standard, professional software tools.

For more information on camps and courses, call or visit the DMA website.

Gateways Summer School is designed for kids entering first through 12th grades, who like to learn, to achieve, and explore academic and artistic concepts in depth. This popular camp is for higher-achieving children.

Gateways Summer School is designed for kids entering first through 12th grades, who like to learn, to achieve, and explore academic and artistic concepts in depth. This popular camp is for higher-achieving children.

Named for its founder, California native and animal lover Helen Whittier Woodward, the Animal Center is dedicated to teaching people how to help animals and animals how to help people. Located on 12 acres in Rancho Santa Fe, the nationally recognized Center houses adoption kennels, stables and arena for the Therapeutic Riding program, a pet boarding facility, small-animal and equine hospitals, classrooms, and more.

It offers tours of its facility and hosts a number of educational programs for children which focus on teaching respect and compassion for animals. These include Critter Camps, Animal Lover's Club, First Friends, and Pet Pals programs. Critter Camp is an animal-themed day camp held around school breaks during the spring, winter, and summer for ages four to 12.

Special programs are available for Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts and other children in youth organizations who want to earn badges.

iD Tech Camps are week-long day and overnight summer programs for kids ages seven to 17, held at 50 prestigious universities nationwide, including the University of California at San Diego. Kids can build robots, create video games, design websites with Flash, film digital movies, learn programming, and more. The program includes one computer per student and an average of six students per staff, and students take home a project at the end of the course.

Teen programs include iD Gaming Academy, iD Film Academy, and a Study Abroad program in Spain.

iD Tech Camps are week-long day and overnight summer programs for kids ages seven to 17, held at 50 prestigious universities nationwide, including the University of California at San Diego. Kids can build robots, create video games, design websites with Flash, film digital movies, learn programming, and more. The program includes one computer per student and an average of six students per staff, and students take home a project at the end of the course.

Teen programs include iD Gaming Academy, iD Film Academy, and a Study Abroad program in Spain.

IMagic School offers private instruction, specialized classes, and a children's museum program.

Not a must for kids, but if you're visiting Balboa Park, it's a nice spot to take a breather. You'll appreciate the calm of the well-tended pathways and bonsai trees. Your children will probably gravitate toward the giant koi pond in which swim scores of "living jewels," as the fish were called by the ancient Japanese.

Be sure to stop by the Tea Pavilion, which serves shaved ice and ice cream for the kids, and tea, sushi, and Japanese food for you.

A half-day summer camp, for kids in first through eighth grades, exposes the children to Japanese culture through crafts, games, language, food, and kimono dressing.

The YMCA strives to offer Something for Everybody in its La Jolla facility, and it mostly succeeds. Its programs are generally a solid, dependable value. Program registration is usually available by phone, but some, like summer camps, require that you show up in person.

Sports Programs: Offers a range of options, including Youth and Pee Wee Sports Leagues in soccer, t-ball, baseball, football, tennis; a complete Aquatics program in its outdoor pool for children eighteen months to high school; Gymnastics for children eighteen months to high school; Basketball in its indoor gymnasium; and Tennis instruction.

Vacation Camps and Summer Camps: These are extremely popular and often filled to capacity, so book early! Some camps are taught exclusively at the Y, others take place in the field. Overnight camps to semi-exotic destinations are offered for older kids. We have favorite childhood memories of the Y's Caravan trips to Catalina Island, still offered for kids 9-13. Other "Caravan" destinations include Northern California and Yosemite.

Y Guides and Adventure Princess/Guides Program: A program for boys and girls in Kindergarten-Third Grade. Fathers and their children participate in group activities that include camping trips and other fun outings.

Parties: The Y can make its facilites available for birthday parties.

A large fitness center, aerobics, and family counseling are also available.

The Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center (the JCC) is located in a gorgeous campus environment near University Town Center. Its newly renovated and expanded facilities include a state-of-the-art fitness center (which provides babysitting services), an art gallery, theater, tennis courts, an Olympic-size swimming pool, and the Nierman Preschool, a high quality childcare center serving children 18-months old to pre-kindergarten age.

The JCC offers a variety of social, educational, and sports programs for kids of all ages, regardless of race, religious affiliation, or cultural background. These programs include but are not limited to:

After School Youth Enrichment for ages K-6.
This program offers a variety of classes such as chess, Spanish, music, science, art, and computer skills to help make the afternoon hours a fun and educational experience.

A Teen Center, which provides a fun and safe place for kids 7th grade and older to hang out. Amenities include a pool table, foosball, large screen TV, computers and games. The Teen Center also hosts organized activities such as dances, game nights, and more.

A Youth Physical Education department that offers a wide range of leagues, classes, and opportunities for children of all ages to be involved in sports. Kids can join gymnastics, swimming, tennis, basketball, flag football, baseball, karate, and triathlon training.

Krav Maga, a martial arts/self defense program. (Contact Dana Kaplan at
619.682.7090 for class schedules and prices.)

Performing Arts classes include dancing, singing, music, voice and the very popular children's theater group, the J*Company, which performs full stage productions each quarter in the JCC's new 500-seat theater.

Camp Jaycee provides summer, winter and spring camps with themes such as sports, swimming, crafts, theater, cooking, and singing.

In addition, the JCC rents its facilites for birthday parties, hosts a kids' night out/parents' night off, and offers special all-day camps for school holidays.

Lil'Arts, Inc. offers dance, drama, musical theatre, art, and music classes, including piano and guitar. Music classes are offered for children ages one and up (an adult caregiver attends with the child); children must be at least three to attend a dance, drama, or art course.

Birthday parties are offered on
Saturdays from 1:30pm to 3pm. Choose from a selection of different themes: dance, musical theater, or art.

Lil'Arts Summer camps are held in June, July, and August. In the camps, children "journey" to different cultures by delving into different art forms.

After School Programs are offered through a collaboration between Lil'Arts and The Learning Tree. This
unique program brings to students a balance of core
studies and the performing arts. Pick-up service is offered at the Westwood and Monterey Ridge schools in Rancho Bernardo and 4-S Ranch.

Mad Science is on a mission to stimulate scientific learning through hands-on fun and activities that will get kids excited about science.

Mad Science offers birthday parties for groups of any size, ideal for children ages five to 12. A Mad Scientist comes to your house and presents a 45-minute show, adapted to the ages of the kids in your group, combining high-energy, interactive fun with entertaining science experiments that appeal to kids' penchant for goo, pop, and fizz. A variety of 15-minute "finales" are available for an extra charge, featuring dry ice, a laser show, a sound machine, or a rocket launch.

Other options, for an additional charge, include a cotton candy machine, goody bags, party favors, t-shirts, invitations, and decorations.

Mad Science also offers summer camps at several locations throughout the San Diego area. Camps run weekly from Jun through Aug, including full-day camps for children ages six to 12, and half-day camps for ages three to five. Registration and other information are available online.

International chess master Larry Evans leads two summer chess camps: a day in Balboa Park and a residential camp in Lake Arrowhead.

At the day camps, mornings are spent honing chess skills. Campers are divided into groups, based on chess expertise and experience - and each group is taught individually by Larry Evans - with additional help by his staff. Each day's session ends with a team-competition played on a giant chess set - every camper gets a prize and a trophy. The day camp is held at 2225 Sixth Avenue, on the west side of Balboa Park.

The week-long residential camp is located in Lake Arrowhead, on 12 beautifully wooded acres, and within walking distance of the lake. Campers spend half of each day playing chess, and the other half participating in a range of activities that includes archery, a climbing wall, swimming pool and jacuzzi, batting cage, arts and crafts, bug hunts, and ping-pong. Chess activities include a regulation chess tournament, blitz & bughouse fun tournaments, a simultaneous chess exhibition, free play on a life-size chess set, The Mate Race (a team oriented, chess-relay race) and a dozen classes. Every child gets a trophy and prizes.

The Museum of Photographic Arts (MoPA) is dedicated to collecting, conserving, and exhibiting the whole range of photography. Public exhibits aim to educate and inform on cultural, historical and social issues.

The Education Department at the Museum of Photographic Arts offers a variety of programs for children including a photography outreach program, Exposure, spring and summer camps, scout workshops, specifically designed classes, and tours of the museum. In addition, the department provides classes and workshops for adults ranging from digital to alternative photography throughout the year. Self-guided and docent-led tours are available for school groups free of charge with a two-week advance reservation.

Naturalist Adventure Camp is an interactive one or two week hands-on day camp for children (ages seven to 13)where they can explore and play in nature. They become stewards for the community while learning skills in observation, navigation, tracking, and nature appreciation. The children are challenged, make make new friends, and have fun embarking on an environmental adventure.

Session 1 emphasizes curiosity and wonder through playful explorations throughout San Diego's natural treasures.
In Session 2, campers participate in more challenging hikes while investigating and playing with different sciences on the trail.

Committed to producing "artistically demanding plays of high quality," the North Coast Repertory Theater (NCRT) does beautifully in a small, intimate setting. With just 194 seats in only six rows, there isn't a bad seat in the house.

In addition to a variety of theatrical productions, the NCRT offers a children's theater school.

The Theater School at NCRT is deeply committed to nurturing creativity and talent among young people, particularly those who have little exposure to theater elsewhere. Offering a multi-faceted array of cultural and educational programs, The Theater School serves youngsters of all backgrounds and socio-economic areas throughout San Diego County, and maintains a commitment to keeping program costs low to encourage participation from financially challenged youngsters.

During the summer, NCRT offers Summer Drama Fun Camp, where the young actors work on improvisation, movement, vocal work, music, script analysis, and memorization. At the end of the week-long camp, families and friends get to see the kids in action!

The Theatre School offers 3 sessions of classes, 3 productions, and a Summer Shakespearean Workshop.

Painted Earth Pottery offers an opportunity for visitors to paint-their-own pottery or to throw a piece on a pottery wheel, on a walk-in basis. Finished pottery pieces are usually ready to be picked up in about a week.

Parties for children ages five and up, can be held in the studio - or at a location of your choice. Painted Earth Pottery has Parties to Go where you can pick up all the supplies you need, then bring the completed items back to be fired. Party options also include a unique Adopt a Pig Party, where kids paint a piggy bank, and even receive adoption papers.

During spring and summer vacations, Painted Earth Pottery schedules classes for kids (ages six and up) on Thursday afternoons. Advance reservations are required.

The Rancho Bernardo-Glassman Recreation Center includes an enclosed building and a 38-acre park. The park area has two areas with play structures, eight ballfields, two outdoor basketball courts, six tennis courts, areas for lawn bowling, and a large gazebo. The Recreation Center building has an indoor gymnasium and rooms that can be rented (one includes a full kitchen).

Classes and camps for children are held at the Center. For details or a schedule, stop by or call the Recreation Center.

Named for benefactor and former aviator Reuben H. Fleet, the museum is, in the words of one parent, "one of the coolest museums ever." Located in Balboa Park, the museum has seven themed galleries that offer tons of hands-on opportunities to illustrate natural phenomena such as energy and motion.

Little kids can enjoy Kid City, a colorful, interactive exhibition that includes conveyor belts, air chutes, a factory, grocery store, a book nook, and several kid-friendly computers to teach young visitors (ages six and under) about the wonders of the everyday working world.
Throughout the exhibition, tips and strategies are offered on parent-child interaction to encourage children's learning.

Small group science demonstrations are held throughout the day in the museum workshops. The complex also boasts the world's first IMAX Dome Theater that projects multimedia Planetarium shows and films that make you feel like you're flying through space, climbing Mt. Everest, or plunging into the Grand Canyon. The first Wednesday of each month backyard astronomers can enjoy a planetarium show followed by a free telescope viewing (weather permitting).

The admission price varies depending on the package selected. The least expensive option is the Gallery Experience, where families can explore the museum, stopping at the many stations. Two other options include an IMAX film or two in the package. The motion simulator ride, Comet Impact! is a favorite with the older kids and costs an additional $4 per person. For complete details on admission pricing, visit the museum's website.

The Nierman Challenger Learning Center uses a realistic NASA Mission Control mock-up and a futuristic Space Station to transport school groups on simulated space voyages. Participants must complete tasks as a team in order to complete a successful mission.

Badge workshops centering around science are offered for both Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, and are held on weekends.

On site is a small gift shop and snack bar, but the food is not cheap; it's best to take a picnic and enjoy the park instead.

The people who put on the successful Sally Ride Science Festivals also have innovative science camps for girls entering fourth to ninth grades. At the overnight camps, held on the University of San Diego campus, girls delve into science, technology, and engineering concepts. Hands-on science activities, meeting other girls with an interest in science, meeting female role-models, gaining self-confidence, developing leadership skills, and having fun are the focus of the camps.