YMCA Summer Camps (Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Dunwoody: daycare, home, high school)

[starstarab926]

Does anyone have an experience/knowledge about the YMCA summer camp program? I am looking at the one in Norcross as well as the Buckhead and Ashford-Dunwoody locations. Any insight you might have would be appreciated!

[darekk]

Originally Posted by starstarab926

Does anyone have an experience/knowledge about the YMCA summer camp program? I am looking at the one in Norcross as well as the Buckhead and Ashford-Dunwoody locations. Any insight you might have would be appreciated!

good to see this thread opening here
i was considering to send in my kids to one of those
but as i am new to states, i have no experience with that

[anadyr21]

There are different programs depending on the age of your child. Most of the Y's in ATL have this mix/max of art, wilderness, sports for the under 12 crowd, adventure, sports, and technology for the pre-teens and teens. What exactly do you want to know?

[RoslynHolcomb]

I would like some feedback as to how safe they are, how hand's on and interactive. I think it would be a good thing for my son to do to get ready for kindergarten this fall. He hasn't been in a group environment, but of course, I'm concerned for his safety and the possibility of being bullied by other kids. Are the camp counselor mainly college kids or are we talking about adults? I got very frustrated when he had swim class at the Y back home become the teacher changed each week and they were very young and seemed inexperienced. I'm not sure I trust a teenager to take care of my kid.

[RoslynHolcomb]

Oh, and I didn't see one in Dunwoody that had summer camps, at least it wasn't listed on the camps list. The nearest one I found was the Dekalb Decatur one.

[lastminutemom]

There are YMCAs on Ashford Dunwoody and in Peachtree Corners that are pretty close to you RH.

http://www.ymcaatlanta.org/Branches/...ult.asp?id=844

http://www.ymcaatlanta.org/Branches/...ult.asp?id=895

We have never used either for camp so I can't vouch for their programs.

Also consider some of the week long camps at Dunwoody Nature Center. They are generally pretty good.

If he is into Arts and Crafts at all, the best deal in town are the half day camps over in Sandy Springs at the Abernathy Arts center.

http://www.fultonarts.org/sites/fult...artbook09s.pdf

[anadyr21]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

I would like some feedback as to how safe they are, how hand's on and interactive. I think it would be a good thing for my son to do to get ready for kindergarten this fall. He hasn't been in a group environment, but of course, I'm concerned for his safety and the possibility of being bullied by other kids. Are the camp counselor mainly college kids or are we talking about adults? I got very frustrated when he had swim class at the Y back home become the teacher changed each week and they were very young and seemed inexperienced. I'm not sure I trust a teenager to take care of my kid.

They're as safe as any camp experience with teenagers (supervised by adults) can be. Take that as you will. The Y camps my son went to (as I did many years ago) were all high school kids. We made a big deal about the counselors turning 16.

Safety has never been an issue. These aren't Camp Crystal Lake teenagers we're talking about. The couselors we met seemed like nice, responsible kids, and one of the adult supervisors was a teacher from my son's school. When kids get together, teasing happens. I've never seen or heard about anyone being bullied.

But, here's my gripe, and this is an Atlanta Y issue (or maybe just the specific one we used). Good ghod did my son come home dirty. You expect them to get dirty, but I wasn't expecting them to go into the creek. Also for my son's age group, they didn't go on any trips into the city. When we lived in Houston, once a week the kids would go to the zoo or circus, etc. When I was a kid, we went all throughout NYC once or twice a week. Here, they don't go anywhere. There is an adventure camp of some sort for older kids to go to Lake Lanier and other places.

I wouldn't do the Y for a kid unless he was at least going into first grade. Before that, we kept him in his pre-k school summer program and were very happy with it.

[RoslynHolcomb]

I would imagine they don't go to the zoo here because it's so blessedly expensive. I wouldn't want him to go to the circus.

I wouldn't do the Y for a kid unless he was at least going into first grade. Before that, we kept him in his pre-k school summer program and were very happy with it.

Is this because they don't go anywhere or for some other reason you haven't mentioned? I'm not that concerned about the not going anywhere thing, though I can see why it would bother some.

[anadyr21]

Is this because they don't go anywhere or for some other reason you haven't mentioned? I'm not that concerned about the not going anywhere thing, though I can see why it would bother some.

Moreso b/c I don't really see them doing much. For the younger kids, it comes off more like daycare. Mostly, I see the younger kids supervised by adults rather than teens.

[RoslynHolcomb]

I was afraid you were going to say that. Heck, I can babysit him at home for free. I was really hoping that he'd get to do some tumbling, swimming and arts and crafts like the brochures say. He'll be five and I can't imagine him just sitting around all day. If nothing else, he'll drive them nuts!