By Emily Shwake

If you are considering giving the gift of camp for a niece or nephew, each of these five camps offers something special to appeal to a range of locations and preferences. And we added a sixth for Savvy Aunties and nieces and nephews staying local this summer!


1. Cheley Colorado Camp is all about outdoor fun. Campers will get to explore all that Rocky Mountain National Park has to offer. This camp is built on almost 100 years of experience and it shows in the extensive program list and the well-trained staff.

2. Campus Kids is a “Weekday Sleep-Away Camp,” so if the kids are timid about their first year away from home, this might be a good way to stick their toes in the water. Campus Kids-New Jersey is located at Blair Academy—a prep school in a rural area with plenty of room to roam—and Campus Kids-Minisink is near Port Jervis, New York and is better for the more adventurous campers as it has lakes, adventure courses, and boating.

3. Send your niece or nephew to The French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts and they will come back a star! With everything from circus training to private lessons in an instrument of their choosing, this camp does it all.  They will see (or perform in) over 77 theater performances and will go to a rock concert put on by their peers. What would camp be without the wilderness? French Woods is surrounded by more than 700 acres of wilderness and a 40-acre natural lake.

4. Surf Diva’s All-Girls Overnight Surf Camp, California is great if your niece is the adventurous type. The girls will attend two surf lessons a day at La Jolla Shores, California. At night, the girls will explore San Diego, go on sunset walks, learn arts & crafts, and much more! Get your spot now, because they are almost completely sold out for this summer!

5. Westcoast Connection/360 degree Student Travel gives kids the opportunity to travel with people their own age (Grades 7th-12th). They can use the trip to volunteer, learn a different language, learn a skill, or just see the world! You can’t go wrong with this program. Sadly, we just learned that registration is closed for this summer, but check it out for next summer because all that attend rave about the great service and incredible experiences.

Of course, not every aunt is able to send a niece or nephew to camp. If you are spending time with the kids this summer, consider starting your own AUNT CAMP!  And we're happy to help. Each Wednesday this summer, Savvy Auntie will present new AUNT CAMP activity ideas, so you'll never run out of ways to keep them busy. Check out our first week of AUNT CAMP here.

Photo: macsim
Published: June 3, 2015