If your kiddo loves music, making art, dancing, or performing, these camps and classes are for them! Check them out here and watch the recording of our Facebook Live event, where we give you the lowdown on many of these awesome options! Be sure to also check out our lists of recreational camps and classes, sleepaway camps and family weekends, social skills camps and classes, therapeutic day camps, and visual and performing arts camps and classes.
We've put together a guide for how to find the best camp for your child: questions to ask, funding options, and what camps legally have to provide.
And don’t forget that since Regional Center restored social and recreational funding, they can now help pay for summer programs (and support in accessing them). Our Public Benefits Specialist, Lisa Concoff Kronbeck, tells us, “Although funding was restored last summer for social recreation and camping, many regional centers are not adequately prepared to fulfill these funding requests, largely due to a lack of vendored providers. Every Regional Center should have a list of vendors on its website. If you know which program you want your child to attend and it’s not on the list, now is a good time to reach out and find out if they are willing to go through the vendorization process. Another option is to look at vendor lists for other nearby Regional Centers and see if anyone on their list is local to you.” You can read more in our article, Regional Center’s Social-Recreational Funding Is Back!
While we are here to help you navigate the system, save you time, bring you clarity and confidence, and connect you with the best available information and resources, please be aware that Undivided does not officially endorse or represent any of the resources, providers, services, schools, or clinics we reference or suggest. For more information, please refer to the disclaimer at the conclusion of this report.
1651 Westwood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 650-0919
Format: Online and In-person Programs
ASTEME is a non-profit program designed to enrich students’ understanding and enjoyment of math through real-world applications, providing a curriculum less focused on teaching a child just enough to pass their next test and more toward educating children in the myriad ways that math applies in life. Their goal is to develop a life-long love of math and science in their students. Offering full- and part-time curriculum throughout the year, ASTEME also offers a nine-week summer program. Each week focuses on a different theme and integrates math and science lessons into that theme. Early registration is encouraged as the program regularly sells out.
Dates: Monday through Friday, June 13 to August 13 (except for July 4)
Age Range: Kindergarten to ninth grade
Hours: In person 9:00 a.m.—3:00 p.m. Online 9:45 a.m.—2:15 p.m.
Cost: $675 for in-person classes, $350 online
Registration: The registration process begins here.
1:1 Aide: 1:1 aides can be accommodated, but ASTEME will need to approve them on a case-by-case basis.
13110 Bluff Creek Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90094
Manager of Environmental Education: Carolyn Everhart
(310) 306-5994
Format: In-person Program
Ballona Discovery Nature Camp is an outdoor science day camp based out of the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve. Children learn about the natural world while exploring Ballona, identifying plants and animals, learning about environmental responsibility, and more. Each week-long camp focuses on a different subject, and discounts are available for campers registering for multiple weeks or for families registering multiple campers for the same week.
Dates: Each different camp session runs for one week, Monday through Friday, from June 13 to July 29.
Age Range: Eight to eleven years old (third to sixth grade)
Hours: 9:00 a.m.—3:00 p.m.
Cost: $300 per session. Scholarships available upon request.
Registration: Registration for individual weekly sessions can be found here.
1:1 Aide: As much as possible, Ballona will work with a family to make sure a camper can participate in their summer camp, including allowing the presence of a 1:1 aide. Notifying Ballona of your camper’s needs prior to enrollment will ensure that the camp is capable of accommodating them.
700 Exposition Park Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90037
(323) 724-3623
Format: In-person Programs
After going virtual in previous years due to COVID, California Science Center is offering hands-on science camp again for 2022. Summer programming will cover multiple scientific disciplines from chemistry to earth science, space science, robotics, and more, with classes geared toward specific grade ranges. Class offerings can currently be explored on their schedule page. Previous camps included interactive tours of exhibits, live demonstrations, and exclusive Q&A sessions with onsite scientists and animal care staff. Instructors are trained educators who hold degrees in science and/or education. Class sizes are capped at twenty-two campers to better allow children to connect with their fellow campers and instructors.
Dates: Each camp session runs for one week, Monday through Friday, from June 13 to August 12, with no camp the week of July 4.
Age Range: Pre-K through eighth grade. Campers should be enrolled in the class that represents the grade they will be entering after summer.
Hours: Hours are still being determined, but classes will be available with morning, afternoon, or full-day options between 9:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Extended-day options will be available for 8:00—9:00 a.m. and 3:30—5:00 p.m.
Cost: Non-members: Half day $200, full day $400 per week. Members: Half day $180, full day $360 per week.
Registration: Member enrollment opens March 14, 2022, and general enrollment opens March 21, 2022. When available, registration will begin on their schedule page.
1:1 Aide: The Science Center is happy to accommodate student aides as needed. They request that after enrolling, you contact them directly at educationprograms@californiasciencecenter.org to inform them of the details for the student and their aide, so they can make the appropriate preparations.
2023 S. Westgate Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 899-9597
Format: In-person Programs
The Child Success Center’s creative and highly qualified team of educational therapists has created programs that support students with dysgraphia, dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, visual and auditory processing disorders, and difficulties with executive functioning. CSC offers a Kindergarten Enrichment Camp based in their sensory gym designed to enhance social skills of children entering kindergarten in a movement-based learning environment. They also offer a week-long Social Brain Building camp for children aged six to nine, consisting of a play-based curriculum designed to boost their social/emotional learning. Also offered is an elementary and middle school Spark Summer Program, which is designed to provide focused attention in math, reading, writing, or spelling depending on the student’s needs. While the Social Brain Building camp and Spark Summer Program 2022 dates are still being finalized, the Kindergarten Enrichment Camp is currently enrolling.
Dates: Kindergarten Enrichment Camp: Single-week sessions from July 18 to August 5, 2022. Two- and three-week sessions are also available. All other camps TBD.
Age Range: Kindergarten Enrichment Camp accepts pre-K students only. Social Brain Building camp accepts students aged six to nine, and the Spark Summer Program is appropriate for middle school students up to age thirteen.
Hours: Kindergarten Enrichment Camp runs five days a week, 8:45 a.m.—12:45 p.m.
Cost: Kindergarten Enrichment Camp costs $625 per week.
Registration: For registration, email officemanager@childsuccesscenter.com or call (310) 899-9597.
1:1 Aide: Yes, 1:1 aides can be accommodated.
Code Ninjas has locations nationwide. Find a camp near you with their location finder.
Format: In-person Programs
Code Ninjas is a nationwide franchise dedicated to providing fun and educational week-long computer programming and tech classes for kids. Many of the classes are available as either half or full day sessions. This summer’s curriculum includes classes such as 3D Design and Print, Jr. Adventures in Game Design, Stop Motion Animation, Become a YouTuber, Intro to Roblox Development, Jr. STEM Discoveries, Robotics with Lego, Modding With Minecraft, and more. Class availability varies by location.
Dates: Dates vary based on class and location. Class schedules can be seen by selecting your desired campus through their location finder.
Age Range: Five to fifteen
Hours: Hours vary based on class and location. Most camps meet for either a half or full day 9:00 a.m.—3:30 p.m.
Cost: Most classes cost $259 for week-long half-day sessions and $499 for week-long full-day sessions. The cost can possibly be covered under social recreation through Regional Center.
Registration: Registration begins by selecting your preferred Code Ninjas facility and class through their website.
1:1 Aide: Code Ninjas recommends contacting your selected Code Ninjas center to discuss the needs of your child and the possibility of accommodating aides in the classroom.
5580 Thornburn St., Los Angeles, CA 90045 (424) 235–0356 info@collegebound4kids.com
Format: In-person Programs
Located at St. Jerome School in Los Angeles, ColledgeBound4Kids offers a number of summer programs for children, including Hip-Hop Dance, Yoga 4 Kids, Kid Chef, Creative Writing Class, Joy of Reading, Book Club 4 Kids, and more. Their most popular summer camp for STEM is Mega Camp, which features morning academics and STEM curriculum (math drills, fundamentals, writing strategies, and reading comprehension) and three afternoon field trips per week (typically movies, beaches, bowling, museums, parks, or swimming).
Dates: June 13 to August 12
Age Range: Kindergarten through tenth grade
Hours: 7:15 a.m.—5:30 p.m.
Cost: $100 registration fee, $280 camp fees per week, and $60 field trip fees per week, which covers all three field trips. Daily drop-ins are also available for campers at $75 for Monday to Friday drop-ins, $90 per day for local field trips, and $120 per day for major field trips. Campers are limited to no more than two drop-in days per week. Cost could be covered by social recreation through Regional Center.
Registration: Registration begins on their registration page.
1:1 Aide: Upon registering, parents can notify CollegeBound4Kids of their child’s specific needs, and accommodations will be considered to the best of their abilities.
Brentwood Learning Center
11777 San Vicente Blvd., Ste. 129
Los Angeles, CA 90049
(310) 571-1176
Newport Beach Learning Center
1151 Dove Street, Ste. 140
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 381-7400
Format: In-person and Online Programs
Prior to COVID, Franklin offered small group or 1:1 online summer sessions covering a variety of topics, such as arts and crafts, music, drama, journalism, creative writing, foreign languages, STEM, and more. While the details of this year’s camp are still being finalized at the time of writing this guide, Clinical Director Daniel Franklin states that they intend to continue with the previous program’s curriculum. Franklin will also be offering premium in-home customized sessions where an instructor designs a curriculum to meet the needs of their particular family, perfect for multiple children in a single family or for children who prefer in-home instruction.
Summer Camps Details Coming Soon! Contact Franklin directly for more information or check back here as we will update you as information becomes available.
Dates: TBD
Age Range: Five and up
Hours: TBD
Cost: Small group online classes start at $30 a class. 1:1 online instruction starts at $50 a class. In-home instruction starts at $135 an hour for one student, with an additional $25 charge for each additional student.
Registration: Registration is not yet available, but Franklin encourages parents to call or visit their website for more information.
Aide: Yes, 1:1 aides can be accommodated.
1640 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Ste. 100
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(855) 333-7075
Format: Online
Fusion Academy is a 1:1 school with campuses in West Los Angeles and the South Bay that also offers online summer camp programming. The staff works with kids who have autism and few support needs. The Director of Outreach emphasizes that Fusion Academy is not specifically a special education school. However, if a student has some “slight learning challenges,” the school can accommodate them with a special education lead. Fusion offers five week-long “skill launch camps” during the summer: Finance, Study Skills, Modern Etiquette, Organization, and Crush Your College Essay. Classes are run on a 1:1 teacher-to-student ratio.
Dates: Because these classes are 1:1, scheduling is flexible. Prior to registration, campers indicate their preferred availability, and Fusion will work to accommodate that schedule.
Age Range: Grades six to twelve
Hours: Hours are flexible based on student availability.
Cost: $500 per camp
Registration: Registration begins by selecting your desired class on their schedule page.
1:1 Aide: Yes, 1:1 aides can be accommodated.
Headquarters:
1021 3rd St.
Oakland, CA 94607
(800) 854-3684
Camps are local to the San Francisco Bay, Southern California, Chicago, Seattle, Washington D.C. and Denver areas.
Format: In-person Programs
Offering summer camps all over the country, Galileo encourages children to think like innovators by creating new crafts, building, or inventing something every week, sparking their curiosity and imagination. This summer, Galileo is offering three week-long themed camps: Amusement Park Adventure, Castle Quest, and Dinosaur Dig. The curriculum of each camp is adjusted based on the age range of the camper. Classes are small with a 1:12 teacher-to-student ratio.
Dates: Dates range from mid-June to mid-August and vary based on location of the camp. To find information on a Galileo camp near you, visit their camp finder page.
Age Range: Pre-K to sixth grade. Seventh through tenth grades can enroll but are eligible for “Counselor in Training” curriculum only.
Hours: 9:00 a.m.—3:00 p.m., with extended hour options available 8:00—9:00 a.m. and 3:00—6:00 p.m. for an additional fee.
Cost: The first week of camp is $500. Each additional week is $475. Extended care options cost an additional $100 per week.
Registration: Registration begins here.
1:1 Aide: Aides are generally accepted, subject to approval by Galileo Camps.
900 Exposition Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90007
(213) 763-3466
Format: In-person Programs
The Natural History Museum is currently finalizing programming and dates for their upcoming summer camp after going virtual for COVID the last two summers. Last year’s camp consisted of hands-on, interactive classes ranging from dinosaurs to dire wolves to the creatures off our coast.
Contact NHM directly for more information or check back here as we will update you as information becomes available about summer sessions.
Dates: Week long sessions from June27th to July 29th.
Age Range: Kindergarten through fifth grade
Hours: 9:00 a.m.—3:00 p.m.
Cost: TBD
Registration: Registration is not yet available. For more information, email info@nhm.org or call (213) 763-3466.
1:1 Aide: This information was unavailable at the time of this writeup as the details of this year’s camp are still being determined.
Format: Online Program
Outschool offers over 140,000 class sessions covering a very diverse range of topics, ranging from languages and technology to art, science, and life skills. The classes are broken down by age groups and taught by enthusiastic educators. The setting encourages peer-to-peer interaction.
Dates: Classes are ongoing. See the schedule for details.
Age Range: Three to eighteen
Hours: Hours vary based on class. See the schedule for details.
Cost: Cost varies based on class. Most classes are $5-$20.
Registration: Register by finding the particular class in which you are interested on their website.
1:1 Aide: Outschool is generally fine with aides being present but recommends messaging instructors directly when you find a class in which you are interested to make sure they are open to accommodating. For more information, see Learning With Special Needs at Outschool.
2919 W Burbank Blvd., Ste. A
Burbank, CA 91505
(310) 443-7607
Format: In-person and Online Programs
Planet Bravo is considered LA’s leader in K–8 technology education and offers an award-winning summer computer camp for kids. In-person locations include Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Manhattan Beach, Pasadena, Burbank, and Encino, and some courses are offered online.
They offer individual day classes for summer or five tracks with varying themes:
Dates: Individual weekly sessions, June 13 to August 12.
Age Range: Students entering second to ninth grade
Hours: 9:00 a.m.—3:00 p.m.
Cost: $299-$549 per week depending on the particular class.
Registration: Registration begins here.
1:1 Aide: Yes, 1:1 aides can be accommodated.
704 Bart Earle Way, #201
Rolling Hills Estates, CA, 90274
2951 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064
201 N. Brand Blvd. #B120
Glendale, CA 91203
(888) 762-6808
Format: In-person and Online Programs
A group of aerospace engineers who love robots started Rolling Robots to give all kids the chance to discover their inner scientists. They have multiple locations and offer classes from beginner to advanced in robot-making, Minecraft, coding, artificial intelligence, and 3D printing. Online classes are available. In-person classes are offered in Palos Verde, Glendale, and West L.A. No prior experience is necessary. Rolling Robots teaches children of all learning backgrounds the core concepts of STEM, robotics, and coding. They aim for six to eight students per instructor.
Each camp lasts one week, and campers will have a different theme to choose from, including Game Design, Python Coding, 3D Design, LEGO Robot Build and Code, Artificial Intelligence, Minecraft MODs, and more.
Dates: June 6 to August 12, 2022
Age Range: Five to fifteen
Hours: Morning sessions run 9:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m. Afternoon sessions run 1:00—4:00 p.m. Bootcamps lasting the entire day are also available.
Cost: In-person classes range from $249 to $299 for the week. All-day in-person bootcamps are $555 for the week. Online courses are $224-$255 per week. Discounts are available when enrolling in multiple classes or multiple campers in the same class.
Registration: Site-specific registration can be found on their summer camp schedule page.
1:1 Aide: Yes, 1:1 aides can be accommodated.
Santa Monica, CA
(424) 835-5324
youngscholarsacademyla@gmail.com
Format: Online Programs
Young Scholars Academy is a virtual enrichment program designed to supplement and enhance neurodiverse students’ learning experience through small group, online courses. They are still finalizing details of their summer camp, but their spring camp programming featured courses on speech and debate, math, finance, and engineering. YSA states that all their camps feature a “strength-based, positive psychology approach, nurturing mentors who are experts in working with neurodiverse kiddos, small class sizes (average 1:6 teacher-to-student ratio), executive function and metacognition support, and a 100% money-back guarantee within twenty-four hours of the first class.”
Summer camp details are scheduled to be available on Friday, March 25. Contact YSA directly for more information, or check back here as we will update you as information becomes available.
Dates: Summer camp consists of daily one- or two-hour sessions, Monday through Friday, from June 6 to August 12.
Age Range: Fifth to twelfth grade
Hours: TBD
Cost: One-hour sessions are $275 per week. Two-hour sessions are $425 per week.
Registration: Registration is not yet available, but Young Scholars Academy encourages parents to call or visit their website for more information.
1:1 Aide: Aides and parents are welcome to be present during camp sessions.
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