In-person summer camps for kids in Ottawa

This is the first summer in a couple of years that summer camps are starting to feel like they’re back to what we’re used to pre-pandemic. Check out this list of some of the summer camps available this year to see if they still have spaces available for registration!

Dovercourt Day Camps

https://www.dovercourt.org/camps/

Beginning August 4th, half-day camp programs are 4 hours – 4.5 hours with pick up and drop off. These longer half-day programs will now be offered to children who have just finished Kindergarten (5.5yrs old) to 12yrs old. 

Starr Gymnastics

https://www.starrgymnastics.ca/

National Kids Camps

http://www.nationalkidscamps.com/

Tennis, mountain biking and more!

ORC Academy

https://www.ocracademy.ca/camp/

Full-day camps in their indoor obstacle course

GNAG at the Glebe Community Centre

GNAG at the Glebe CC offers fantastic recreational day camps and a wide range of specialty camps including: Acro Dance, Art/Pottery, Musical Theatre and Cooking. GNAG’s well loved Leadership camps offer an opportunity for youth to be their best self. Camps are geared to children ages 3-16 years; we do our best to send everyone home happy and excited for the next day!

https://gnag.ca/camp/

YMCA Day Camps - Camp Otonabee

https://www.ymcaywca.ca/camps-outdoor-education/day-camps/neighbourhood-day-camps/

https://www.ymcaywca.ca/camps-outdoor-education/day-camps/camp-otonabee/

City of Ottawa

https://ottawa.ca/en/recreation-and-parks/recreation-programs/summer-camps-and-other-camps

Summer camps (full day) with lots of outdoor time, sports, games and crafts.

Gloucester Pottery School

https://gloucesterpotteryschool.com/programs/

2-hour pottery camps, morning or afternoon.

Ottawa Circus School

https://ottawacircusschool.com/circus-day-camps/

Full day, outdoor seasonal location behind the church at 55 Appleford Street in Ottawa, Ontario. 8 weeks of camp beginning July 6th for kids aged 8-15 years old.

The Ottawa New Edinburgh Club

https://www.onec.ca/

Sailing and Tennis camps for ages 7 to 17.

Rideau Canoe Club

https://rideaucanoeclub.wildapricot.org/event-4689198

The Canoe Fun Summer Camp is a one-week half-day camp with an introduction to all aspects of safe paddle sports, including canoeing, kayaking, and stand up paddleboarding (SUP) for kids aged 7 to 12.

ORCC Ottawa River Canoe Club

https://www.ottawarivercanoe.com/pages/summer-camps

Ages 8 to 14. Campers receive instruction in various types of paddling from certified coaches and enjoy spending time on the water practicing what they’ve learned in both single and team boats. 

Good Morning Creative Arts & Preschool

https://www.gmcaps.com/

Located on First Ave, camps run daily for kids 3-8 from 9am- 1pm and have weekly themes. Contact them directly at goodmorningpreschool@gmail.com for more information.

Pedalheads Biking & Trail Riding Camps

https://www.pedalheads.com/ontario

Ottawa School of Art

https://artottawa.ca/register-for-a-class/?focus=Summer+camps

uOttawa Camps

https://www2.uottawa.ca/campus-life/athletics-recreation/camps

Corona School of Gymnastics

https://www.coronagym.ca/pages/birthdays-camps/summer-camps

RA Centre camps

https://www.racentre.com/child-youth-programs/2022-ra-camps/

Carleton Athletics Camps

https://athletics.carleton.ca/camps/summer-camps/

Ottawa Art Gallery

https://oaggao.ca/learn/activities-and-public-programs/kids-and-family-programs/art-camps/

Ottawa Catholic School Board Camps

https://conted.ocsb.ca/summer-programs/summer-camps/

Community Activities Group of Old Ottawa East

https://www.ottawaeastcag.org/summer-camps

Old Ottawa South Community Association

This year’s programming has options for ages 3-17 including some programs like Dungeons and Dragons (for 3 hours in the afternoon) and pottery, for older teenagers.

https://oldottawasouth.ca/

Nepean Sailing School Camps

Nepean Sailing School offers a variety of summer sailing camps for children and youth, ages 7 to 17. Our programs create the perfect mix of learning and fun for all levels from never sailed to the advanced racer. Programs are offered Monday to Friday 9 am to 4 pm during July and August. After Sail child care is available to 6 pm. Non club members are welcome.

https://nsc.ca/web2/sailtraining/youth/

Patro Ottawa day camps

Located in Vanier, the theme for these day camps all summer long is Patro Lympique.

https://www.patro-ottawa.com/camp-de-jour-ete-2022

School of Rock

Located in Orleans these camps are great for students 7-13. Students will put on a live performance at the end of the week.

https://www.schoolofrock.com/music-camps

Skateboarding & Scooter Camps with Evolve Camps In Ottawa

Sports camps come in many varieties from the general all-sports camp offered for all ages to intense training for a specific sport. We get it - choosing the right summer camp for your child is not easy. Evolve Camps operates action sports programs for children across Canada including here in the Capital.

Some Great Questions Ask Your Child

Many times parents like yourself think to themselves “I found the best program, I can’t wait to register my child for this they are going to love it!”, but they do not consult their child before signing them up. In most cases, the parent just ends up with an unhappy camper because the child was put into a program they were not excited about.

Before choosing a program - whether it is with Evolve Camps or not - make sure you ask some of these questions to your child:

• What do you want to do this summer?

• Do you want to skateboard or scooter every day?

• Do you want to learn how to ski or snowboard this winter?

• Would you have fun at a sleep-away overnight camp?

• Do you want to just hang out at home?

• What are some of your friends doing this summer/winter?

• Do any of your friends want to try skateboard/scooter/ski/snowboard with you?

• I found this program called [Evolve Camps]. Here is what they do; how does it sound?

• Out of the camp options that [Evolve Camps] offers, which would you prefer?

About Our Skateboarding & Scooter Summer Camp Sessions In Ottawa

Drop off Summer Camps vs. Bussed Summer Camps

Summer camps also offer a variety of services to help you have easier mornings and even easier afternoons. Generally speaking drop off summer camps are cheaper. These type of summer camp options are great for parents or guardians who work from home or have a flexible schedule a camp.

Evolve Camps like many other programs offers a pick-up and drop off service in various areas throughout Ottawa. The beauty of Evolve’s program is that the kids visit different skateboard parks throughout Ottawa. Campers get picked up in the morning between 7:45AM and 8:30AM and drop off back at the same spot between 3:45PM and 4:30PM.

Some of the pick up locations include:

Earl of March Secondary School, Merivale High School, Hopewell Public School, Lester B. Pearson Catholic High School and Broadview Avenue Public School. Full Details HERE.

Read Online Reviews

We could spend all day telling you about all the amazing things that your child will experience as a camper with Evolve Camps in Ottawa. Rather than hearing it from us, you can read for yourself from our many reviews on Facebook and Google that were written by parents of other children that had a great experience with Evolve Camps. We encourage you to hear first-hand from these parents about the positive growth and benefits that they have seen in their child since attending one of our programs. We also recommend to do the same for any other camp you are considering.

Kids In The Capital Discount

If Evolve Camps skateboarding and scooter camp in Ottawa sounds like a good fit for your child use the following code to SAVE $25 of any session. At check out use KIDSINTHECAPITAL.

Register here: https://www.evolvecamps.com/scooter/ottawa-scooter-camp/?dp=OTTAWA

Follow Evolve Camps online:
Evolve Camps: http://www.evolvecamps.com
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/evolvecamps @evolvecamps
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/evolvecamp

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Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Evolve Camps.

Packing Tips for Sleepaway Camp

I'm on year four of packing my kids for sleepaway camp and every year I learn something new that helps with making the process go a little more smoothly - for both the parents AND the kids. So, I thought I would share some of those tips with you and save you some of the trial and errors we've gone through.

1. Labels - lots of labels

It takes a LOT of labels to label everything for summer camp. I often under estimate how many we'll need or forget to order them until the last minute.

I love Mabel's Labels because they ship really quickly and they have a camp specific kit that makes it easier for me to know what I need. I go through a lot of their little labels on clothes (and stopped bothering to label their socks) and put multiple big labels on the really valuable things (like life jackets!).

I also just order our last name since a lot of the stuff passes from kid to kid and when I'm lucky, some of the things are already labeled when I go through it the next year!

While I am sometimes tempted to not label everything, the camp my kids go to do the entire cabin's laundry in one go, once a week, so having names on things is an easy way for everyone to get their own stuff back.

2. Send the old stuff

These kids are going to get DIRTY and stinky and wreck a lot of the clothing that gets sent to camp. Send the old crappy clothing and don't worry about trying to get them all kinds of new stuff.

Along this same note... be prepared that some things won't make it home - the brand new water shoes and lifejacket that disappeared are ultimately a small price to pay for the amazing experience of camp! :)

3. Plastic bins and plastic drawer systems

I've been using the bins for three years and only just discovered the drawer systems so haven't implemented it yet, but will definitely be doing this next year.

Plastic bins are a great way to store all the non-clothing stuff and get it to and from camp easily. I've found that some of the cabins have shelving and storage and some don't, so having an easy way to separate the clothing from the other things the kids will need is a handy and easy way to pack.

I recently discovered something other parents do and plan to try it next year: buy plastic drawer systems and essentially deliver your children to camp with a dresser and their clothing already organized! 

4. Make sure your kids know what's theirs

The first year my child tried to use shampoo as insect repellant for a week (WHAT?!) because he never took the time to read the bottle carefully and last year one of my kids thought he didn't have a toiletries bag because he didn't recognize the one on his shelf with all of his stuff (that was also full of his stuff) so BORROWED toiletries all week. 

Make sure your kids know what they have with them, even if you're only finalizing all the packing late the night before you leave, or all your time and effort may go to waste if they don't even realize all the amazing stuff you packed them is theirs!

5. Get your kids involved in the packing

My kids each get a copy of the packing list and they are responsible for getting me everything they're bringing in one spot, creating a shopping list for what they're missing and labelling the items. Packing kids up for camp is a big job and I get them as involved as possible. See note above for what happens when they aren't involved in every single step! ;)

I keep learning more every year but hopefully these tips will help make packing your kids up for sleepaway camp a bit easier!

Pedalling away

I first heard about Pedalheads last year and thought it sounded like a great idea for parents (like me) who are a bit nervous about taking the training wheels off. After hearing more great reviews from friends, I signed the kid up for a week of half days. She was very excited to get out on her bike with the other kids. 

When I dropped her off, with training wheels, on her first day I was immediately impressed with the two instructors. They were greeted her and made her feel welcome, as well as explaining a few things to me. 

When I picked her up that first day she told me that on the second day she was going to take her training wheels off. 

We knew that her bike was a bit small for her, and I sought advice from the instructors on whether she needed a new one and what size it would be. They were very helpful and we dropped her off on Tuesday with a bigger bike, no training wheels, ready to go. And go she did. 

With their encouragement she was able to ride by herself by the end of the second day, and then she spent the next three days working on stopping and starting. 

They also spend time playing games and learning about road safety. One day they built a bike rack and another day they built a bike wash, which they then got to ride through. There was much giggling. 

Before the end of the first week I had already signed her up for a second and soon she'll be road ready. 

I really can't express how impressed I am with the way the camp is run. My husband and I watched from a parking spot one day before and saw how excited the instructors get for every success a child has. They seemed almost as thrilled and my daughter was and there were many high fives thrown. 

We were at the Kanata camp, but there are camps across Ottawa and some still have space for this summer! 

Summer Camp at Starr Gymnastics!

When you send your kids to camp, you want to know that they are safe, with good friends (or ready to make some new ones), and having fun all week long. You want the price to be reasonable and you want to feel that your children will come out of a five day journey with stories to tell and a desire to go back again. When they want more, you know you've made the right choice. Well, if you send them to Starr Gymnastics Summer Camp, you might be shocked when they tell you that this is the ONLY camp they ever want to do!

Your child's week starts with gymnastics. After all, that's what Starr does best! Every child will learn something! It might be that they learn to flip for the first time, or they finally get that cartwheel that they've been practicing at recess for the last month. Every athlete is made to feel special and will learn new skills. Even kids that take regular lessons will find they are doing tons of "outside the box" moves and twists. The purpose of the camp is to explore the less conventional side of gymnastics and really get excited about the creativity of the sport.

Follow Monday with some group games, trips to the park, crafts, weekly themes ranging from Disney Day to Space Day (yes, that's where they do gymnastics with glow sticks and black lights!) and you're left with the highlight of the week - Friday's BIG SHOW TIME. If your child is falling asleep in the car on the way home every day isn't enough satisfaction, you are invited on Friday afternoon to see a live performance of all they've learned, packaged neatly with music and cheers - in true big top style! The Coaches even put on a show, reminding the parents that your children are surrounded by true role models who love what they do!

And that's another point that sticks with families that register for Camps at Starr. The staff are the most dynamic, caring and friendly people you will ever meet. They seem to genuinely have a passion for excellence, and they help every child achieve their best by inspiring them, not ordering them around. They are always approachable and happy to accommodate your needs whenever possible. Their flexibility (no pun intended) is matched only by their safety-conscious approach to the finer details of camp. You think you are dropping your kids off to learn gymnastics, but once you see how seriously Starr manages allergies, outings, lunch-checks, and attendance, you realize that you are getting so much more.

So it might not just be your kids that want Starr, and ONLY Starr! 

For more information - please visit www.starrgymnastics.com or call their central office at 613-721-4868

Editorial note: this post was sponsored by Starr Gymnastics.