AYN seems like a great outdoor day camp. Our 6 and 9 year old daughters went to the President's…read moreWeek camp near Krusi Park. They enjoyed spending the week outdoors, at the park and in the camp's backyard. From what they told me about their days (which is never much), they played a lot of group games, and enjoyed the trampoline and feeding the animals. They seemed worn out (in a good way) at the end of the day, but not too tired from sun exposure like at other outdoor camps that they've attended. We've signed the kids up for Water Week and Survival Skills Camps in the summer, which the kids are very excited about!

Super happy to share an awesome review after the camp we had our kids in. The counselors were…read moreexcellent, the space is perfect for kids, and the only reason why our kids were sad is because they wanted to spend more time there!

We recently moved to Oakland, and our daughter really needed some extracurricular activities to get…read moresettled in after leaving her school and all her friends. Mr. D's exceeded our expectations. The program is led by passionate, talented and caring people who bring out the best in the kids. The programs pack in a lot of different activities, including dance and movement, art and theater tech, and of course music. The theater at Holy Names Highschool is beautiful, and it is a pleasure to watch the performances at the end of the session. My daughter was especially inspired by the 'Leaders in Training' high school aged staff who helped mentor and instruct. And Ms. Hailey and Mr. D are incredible stewards of music culture and youth involvement. We feel very fortunate to have found this community.

Mr. D truly captures the spirit of creativity through singing, dancing, acting, and the arts. This…read morecamp has been a magical place for our 8-year-old, who loves being on stage. The thematic playlist spanning decades is absolutely captivating and adds so much charm to the experience. My daughter admires Mr. D and enjoys every moment with the wonderful teachers and Leaders in Training (LITs). Everyone is kind and knows how to engage kids in a way that makes learning feel like pure fun. The mixed age groups bring great energy to the performances. From day one, she said it was the best camp ever--and she already can't wait to come back next summer!

This was our first summer we have done a session of Kids for the Bay and my 8 year old absolutely…read moreloved it! He did the Stream Science session. Everyday he came home thrilled about his day and excited to go back the next. He typically is weary of trying new things but in this case we got a 2 thumbs up each day. He made new friends and the counselors were warm and kind. It felt very organized and thoughtful. We look forward to returning next year. Thanks Kids for the Bay!

My son has done Kids for the Bay's camp at age 6 and last summer at age 8…read more One of the highlights of the camp that I noticed right away is the engagement of the Counselors with the campers. Camp Leaders are full-time teaching staff with the organization during the school year. They were professional, warm and top notch educators. According to my son, "fun, and funny!". At some other camps that we've done, you drop your kid off and some summer staff can be kindof checked-out - but not here. You get the sense that the staff team is working together to make a great experience for the group. The locations change from day to day to explore different environments. Sometimes driving to different locations was a little long from Oakland (like Tilden Park, Lake Anza), but locations are not too far afield. A favorite for my son was Blake Gardens, where the group got to do a nature scavenger/treasure hunt.

This place is awesome. It's very unstructured: kids can choose to participate in scheduled…read moreactivities, pick an activity room instead, or even just spend the day roaming around playing with their friends. We haven't gone this year yet (I'll update when that changes!) but last summer, they had: * Baking: kids could learn to make the baked good of the day, from pies to pizzas, and help with baking lunch for the camp; * A sewing room: bins of fabric and notions, supplies for hand sewing, sewing machines and an instructor on hand to teach kids how to use them, patterns, and stuffing; * A fashion show where kids who got really into that sewing room could show their work off; * An arts and crafts room, with regular projects as well as the option to just come in and make whatever you wanted; * A STEM room with robotics, stop motion animation, and other cool supplies; * Sports, bubbles, etc outside; * A dance room with music playing and cool lights; * I think also a quiet room where you could just chill out and read or decompress; * And a different bounce house each week! The food looked great. There were a lot of options, from pizza to salad. The food changes each year, depending on who they can get to cater it. All of it sounded amazing, which helped a lot. Because my kid has struggled with separation anxiety disorder, and maybe agoraphobia. Finding a camp he'd actually be EXCITED to go to was the key here. He put in a lot of emotional work to make it in the door. We spent many days just driving up and sitting in the car outside, talking through his feelings, sometimes getting out for a little while, before the day he decided he could go in. And I cannot thank Steve & Kate's enough for providing a structure where that's POSSIBLE. Very few camps have drop-in policies. With most places, you have to sign up five or six months in advance, because they're on focused topics and have limited space. Even with more general camps, you can rarely sign up for just a day at a time, or let them know at the last minute that you're coming -- understandably!!! At Steve & Kate's, not only can you just show up the day of camp and register there if you need to - you can also show up at any point in the day, and they'll still let you in. That's HUGE. That's HUGE even under normal circumstances. When you can't tell in advance whether your kid will be able to go in, or will have a series of panic attacks in the car until you take him back home, BUT you really need to practice going to a place like camp before you try to go to Actual School, that's EXCEPTIONALLY HUGE. He can practice going, and test his own boundaries, and gently move out of his comfort zone, at his own pace, WITHOUT ME PAYING FOR A CAMP HE DOESN'T END UP GOING TO. And without holding an empty spot that some other family needed! In accessibility terms, that is HUGE. On top of that, my kid - who values kindness very highly, especially in adults - was super impressed by how KIND everyone there was. The first day he went, he had trouble getting lunch because the kids were crowding instead of lining up (or the line collapsed into a crowd) and he couldn't figure out how to get to the food. He spoke very highly of one staff member who noticed he wasn't eating, gently asked if he needed help getting food, and then brought him pizza. He said everyone was kind, but that one was SUPER kind. I also noticed, while waiting to pick him up, that lots of other kids were clearly on friendly terms with the staff. I heard kids talking about different staff members very positively, and I saw kids mobbing different ones to ask them interesting questions or joke around with them. I was personally very impressed by the staff's kindness too. I reached out to the camp ahead of time to tell them about my kid's struggles. They scheduled a time for us to tour the campus while it was in session, see all the different areas, ask any questions, and talk about anything they could do to support him. Just really super-nice people all around. I also loved having the option to check him in online the night before, or the morning of, if I was pretty sure he was going... and the refund policy that gives me back the money for days he doesn't go! Even though he was really excited about the sewing room and stop motion animation in particular, he spent most of the time just making new friends and hanging out with them. And I think that's great. He loved his time there. The time he spent practicing going, and actually going, made it so much easier for him to start school in the fall. 1000/10 stars. Love this place. It was about $100/day, which feels like a lot but is really just on the slightly high end for camps. Well worth it for the flexibility and the range of activities available, even without the accessibility. Absolutely delightful and fantastic, kinda wish they had one just for grownups!

Steve and Kate's is an absolute lifesaver. It's easy to deal with, and I love the flexibility of…read morebeing refunded for unused days if something comes up My son is 5 and has been attending since he was 4. He loves it. They typically have a bouncy house plus activity rooms. There's also group events where kids can win prizes. I don't think Steve and Kate's is particularly academic, but there's definitely lots to keep kids occupied. My son really looks forward to it. He's very proud of the pillows he has "made" from the sewing room, and loves the marble run when it's an option. While there's a limit to the lunch accommodations (and my son brings a packed lunch), they were able to get some dairy free puff pastry so he could be included in the cooking lab, and dietary needs and restrictions can be printed on the campers tags so there are no mistakes. We've had a positive experience with Steve and Kate's Emeryville.

We had such a fun and chill birthday party with JG! I am really impressed with their communication…read moresetting up the party and how friendly, flexible, and fun they were on the day of. When asked what did you think of the party my kid said, "It was so fun! Can we do it again here next year!?" Highly highly recommend. Perfect for a range of ages as well. Thank you JG coaches!!!

Jumpin' Gymsters is great for both camps & birthday parties! I first sent my then 5yr old son to a…read morefew of their summer sessions in 2023 and was really worried about how he would do. He really struggled at a previous camp but things were so different at Jumpin Gymsters. Carol, Carlos and the other staff members really helped him to feel safe and keep him happy and engaged. He had so much fun, he didnt want to leave at the end of the day. They really helped build his social confidence as well and he made a lasting friend there that summer. We had such a great experience with them that we decided to hire them for my son's sixth birthday party (which went really well) and also sent all three of our kids to some 2024 summer sessons. I can't recommend them enough!

Our daughter has been to Camp Chrysalis for the past three years, 2012 will be her fourth. She…read morestarted with Big Sur, then two years at Mendocino and this year will go to Sierra. She is an experienced camper, having been to Girl Scout camp and other sleep-away camps but Camp Chrysalis is by far and away her favorite! She loves that she learns about the environment they are camping in in a fun way and are taught to appreciate and respect nature. The counselors are outstanding - knowledgeable and engaged with the kids. Mr. Tempkin, the Director, is an established educator with many, many years of experience. If you only send your child to one camp this summer, this should be the one!

Camp Chrysalis is an incredible camp. The director Lee is very responsive and passionate about…read moreproviding a wonderful experience to the kids who attend camp. It was my kids first time away from home & one of the first things they said when we picked them up after a week long camp was that they would love to go back next year, no hesitation. They are still singing the songs that they learned and talking about the experience. It is obvious that the staff love what they do and outdoor adventures are an integral part of their lives.

My two girls went to A World of Peace since they were 7 years old until they became teens. This…read morecamp is a gem in a busy and congested city. Kids spent most of the day in the Cordonices Park, around nature. They cook, play, go on field trips and do some awesome arts. Karen Cagan has been running this camp for more than 20 years. She knows every kid and is aware of their well-being. This camp is affordable and flexible. We love to support small business like this, totally recommend to everyone! Check her Instagram account for videos and photos! @awop.karen.cagan

I have two kid's, a boy and a girl, who have been going to A World of Peace Summer Day Camp for 8…read moreyears, and love it. It's in a beautiful location, out of the hustle and bustle of city life, my kids have made priceless memories here! The director has a really good feel for who to hire for counselors, and always has staff that are really committed, and attentive to the needs of the camper's. There are always really fun projects for the camper's to participate in, and the field trips have been a big hit. The safety of the camper's is clearly a priority for the camp, both emotional and physical safety and I have always felt comfortable that my kid's were being well taken care, on many levels.

Our family is so grateful to have found Wise Roots Collective! My 6 year old is the kind of kid who…read morethrives outdoors, barefoot and free, with lots of time for movement, exploring nature, and hands on projects. Wise Roots has been absolutely worth it for all these reasons. They aren't just an outdoor program--they really work towards youth building a relationship to nature and the land. We were also looking for more of a mixed-age program after my son was past pre-school age and we love that there are kids his age, older, and younger at Wise Roots. The teachers are so kind and caring with the kids and they are so flexible and understanding with parents. My kid says his favorite part is making all the crafts, like making treasure bags and gnome homes! We really appreciate that there is a mix of games and play with structured activities and learning, so there is always something for my son to engage with!

My 4-year-old daughter has been attending Wise Roots since spring 2026, and we are so grateful to…read morehave found this one-of-a-kind program! She tends to get along better with older kids, so we really wanted a mixed-age environment, which is surprisingly hard to find for preschool-aged children. We also wanted the flexibility to attend just 1-2 days a week, and I haven't found many other programs for her age that offer that. I toured quite a few preschools in the area and often left feeling uncomfortable with how large and institutional they felt, especially given the high prices. Wise Roots has felt completely different. The teachers build close relationships with each child, the teacher-to-student ratio is often much lower than at other programs, and there is a genuine emphasis on community and children's well-being. From the beginning, it was clear that they truly care about the kids and want each child to feel welcomed, included, and valued. I've also been really impressed by how much art the kids are exposed to and how thoughtfully it's taught. I actually found out later that one of the teachers was a renowned artist whose work had been shown internationally before she became a mom, began homeschooling her own children, and eventually helped create Wise Roots. Once I learned that, the quality and creativity of the art experiences made a lot of sense! It's pretty special to have someone with that kind of background sharing her knowledge with young kids. I've stayed for several sessions to see what they do, and I've been really impressed by the experiences they offer. We've also met so many wonderful homeschool families who share our appreciation for nature, the arts, and community. We feel really lucky to have a program like Wise Roots here in the Bay Area!