A Sneak Peek at Bay Area Camps This Summer

 Even though the vaccine rollout has started, when it comes to summer plans, things still feel very much up In the air. We checked in with some popular camps in the Bay Area to see what they are planning to offer.
 Action Day Primary Plus (Camp Tiki)
Action Day Primary Plus – a preschool through eighth-grade private school with campuses in San Jose – will offer its annual Camp Tiki this summer.
It will have full-day camps with themed activities June 7-Aug. 13 Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. as well as specialty camps.
Some specialty camps in the past have included sports, dance, princess camp, pirate camp, crafts, Star Wars, Pokemon and science, says Beckie Crozier, director of corporate services.
The school has a COVID-19 safety plan in place to protect its students and campers, she says. This includes social distancing, mask wearing, health screenings and temperature checks. The camp was open last summer and the school has held classes on campus this school year. So far they haven’t had any COVID-19 cases, Crozier says.
“Our kids have been amazing,” she says. “They have to wear masks, but they really want to be there. So much has been taken from them this year.”
Many of the campers are also students at the school, Crozier says, but there are some who come from the outside. They would like to draw more children from the community to their camps.
“We really want this to be a resource for more kids in the community,” she says.
Camps for children age 2 ½ through fourth grade are held at the Primary Plus Elementary School, 3500 Amber Drive. Camps for fifth- through eighth-graders are held at West Valley Middle School, 801 Hibiscus Lane.
Camps cost between $310 to $1,400 per week depending on the number of days and if you opt for full or part day. For more information, go to: actiondayprimaryplus.com.
Bay Area Pathways Academy
Bay Area Pathways Academy, which has offered enrichment and academic camps at College of San Mateo for 25 years, will only have virtual camps this year.
“We’re doing it virtual this year because we’re not going to take a chance,” says Julie Elmquist, College of San Mateo’s community, continuing and corporate education coordinator. 
It would take a lot of planning to hold the camps on site with the COVID-19 requirements, she says. “We’re going to try to do it in a virtual way that is fun.” 
They will offer week-long camps from June 21-July 30 with the possibility of tacking on another week with gaming-focused camps at the end of the summer.
In addition to developing math, writing and science skills, the camps will focus on money management, cooking, costume design, website coding, photography, art and languages (sign language and Spanish). 
Registration started Feb. 8. Camps cost $129 for a one period day and $258 for a two-period day. Scholarships are available. smccd.edu/bapa.
Camp Trinity on the Bar 717 Ranch 
Around since 1930, this co-educational resident summer camp in the pristine wilderness of Trinity County will continue to offer traditional camp activities with COVID-19 safety measures in place.
Located on a large ranch in Hayfork, the camp is open for ages 8 to 16.
“We are a working farm and ranch and offer activities such as hiking, swimming, backpacking, horseback riding, gardening, crafts, cooking, animal husbandry, blacksmithing, welding, woodworking, screen printing and more within a non-competitive community environment,” says camp director Gretchen Collard.
Safety measures include having campers quarantine seven days before camp and getting tested. There will also be changes to transporting campers and having visitors at the camp, among other things. 
The camp costs $3,580 for a two-week session. Registration opened in September and will stay open until sessions are full. For more information, go to: bar717.com.
Children’s Fairyland
While this Oakland institution remains closed to the public, it has opened registration for its summer camps, which also ran in person last summer. Full-day camps, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., will run in three-week sessions from June 7 to Aug. 6, with themed camps for campers entering kindergarten through fifth grade, Theatre Camp for entering third- through fifth-graders and counselor-in-training sessions for those entering sixth through eighth grades.
Themed sessions focus on magic, science and Fairyland Classics. Camps include behind-the-scenes activities in the gardens, arts and crafts, puppet theater and visits with farm animals. Among the safety measures, campers will be screened for COVID symptoms, placed in cohorts and required to wear masks when social distancing isn’t possible. Three-week sessions cost $1,170 for the public and $1,120 for members. fairyland.org/education-and-community/summer-day-camp.
 EDMO 
After pivoting to online-only options after last year’s shutdown, San Francisco-based EDMO is planning to offer in-person camps throughout the Bay Area this summer for kids in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. EDMO camps combine STEAM activities with social-emotional learning, with themes ranging from Engineering With Empathy to Sensory Scientists. Space will be limited, as most sites will have only 24-36 campers in small, stable groups with a single counselor. 
“We’re really trying to have the most precautions possible when it comes to COVID safety,” says Ed Caballero, executive director and co-founder. Camps will be offered in one- to three-week sessions, depending on county rules. Prices for full-day camps range from $489-599 per week, with financial aid available. 
EDMO will continue its live online camps and also offer an at-home option in which parents can hire a trained and screened instructor to come to their home to hold camp for a small pod of children. edmo.org.
 Landmark College
In addition to having summer camps for middle and high school students at its campus in Putney, Vermont, Landmark College also has a five-day online boot camp focused on preparing students for college.
The camp, which will be held July 26-30, is for new and continuing college students who learn differently. It helps students who struggle with remembering information for a test, organizing thoughts to write a paper, reading retention, managing time and starting and finishing a task.
This is the second year this online camp has been offered, but Landmark College has been offering summer camps at its campus for about 20 years. On-campus camps will continue this summer with COVID-19 safety measures in place.
The online boot camp costs $1,850. There are rolling admissions until the start of the program. For more information, go to landmark.edu/summer/west-coast-program.
Legarza Sports
Legarza Sports – which offers basketball, volleyball and all-sports camps for boys and girls in grades K-8 throughout the Bay Area – is currently enrolling for in-person summer camps. The San Carlos-based company, in its 32nd year, ran camps last summer, adjusting its offerings to meet differing county regulations. It has continued to offer camps during the school year. Among its safety measures are small groups, masks, social distancing, frequent hand sanitizing, individual equipment use and staggered drop-off and pick-up times. 
 “We have been able to successfully operate and give parents the relief they need and kids the fun they’re looking for,” says Stephanie Retchless, communications manager. The camp is using sites with ample indoor and outdoor space to provide flexibility. Half-day camps cost $245 per week and full-day camps are $495. legarzasports.org.
Trackers Earth Bay Area
Trackers, which offers outdoor education through themed camps, held in-person camps last summer and will do so again this June to August. Day camps, which range from kindergarten age through high school, will be held at Camp Herms in El Cerrito. Five-day overnight camps are planned for Freestone in Sebastopol.
Camps incorporate skills such as archery, parkour and wilderness survival with themes ranging from Forest Ninja and Secret Agent Academy to Elves, Wizards and Dragons. Special skills camps, such as blacksmithing and photography, are also offered. Camps take place outdoors with COVID precautions such as health checks, hand-washing and mask wearing when social distancing isn’t possible. Day camps run 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and cost $535-585, with early bird discounts available. Some sessions are already sold out. trackersbay.com/youth/summer-camps.php.