CAMP ROSTER : Primer for a Liberal Education and a Summer Cum Laude

Summer vacation.

It’s an endless stretch to adults who stew about how to keep the kids occupied when they’re not in school. But for youngsters who have dragged themselves through the eternity that follows spring break, summer is the Big Payoff, a golden time that seems to evaporate as quickly as their allowances.

Whatever group you fall into, you’re probably looking for something to make this summer special, and you may find your answer in some of the county’s day camps and workshops for kids. There are dozens to choose from, covering everything from the performing arts to Ping-Pong, so it’s hard to know where to begin. But Shirley Walch, executive director of the American Camping Assn., Southern California section, says there are some key considerations.

“First, it’s very important to examine the individual needs and personality of the youngster,” said Walch, whose organization accredits day and resident (overnight) camps statewide. “Is the camp structured or unstructured? Does it stress competition, and if so, is that the right thing for this child? Some kids thrive on competition; others can be destroyed by it.”

Also, added Walch, ask about the adult-to-child ratio and the background, training and experience of the counselors and camp directors. Don’t forget to take a close look at the overall safety and condition of the camp facility. For a copy of ACA’s directory of camps from San Diego to Fresno, call Walch’s office at (818) 223-9232. The Kid Care Hotline operated by the Orange County office can also provide callers with referrals to local day and resident camps; call them at (714) 543-2273.

Stage Directions

Whether it’s to brush up on established skills or dabble in theater for the first time, youngsters can choose from several programs this summer.

At South Coast Repertory and the Laguna Playhouse, children can participate in daily workshops culminating with a performance. And Costa Mesa’s Pacific School of Music and the Arts is one of several local art schools that offer weekly classes and day camps in such areas as musical theater, dance and music. (You can reach them at (714) 545-1217; for other possibilities, check under the Art Instruction & Schools and the Music Instruction categories in your phone book.)

In July, the Laguna Playhouse Youth Theater’s Summer Production Workshop gets underway at the theater’s Stage 2 facility in South Laguna. Classes meet Monday through Friday mornings and are open to ages 10 through 18 (classes are divided by age). Instructors from the company’s Youth Academy lead sessions that cover a range of theater skills, which students apply by staging their own show on July 27 and 28.

Laguna Playhouse Youth Theater Summer Production Workshop at Laguna Playhouse Stage 2, 32356 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. July 5-28. Fees for the three-week session have not been set but are expected to be in the $250 to $300 range. (714) 494-0744, Ext. 207.

At South Coast Repertory’s Summer Theatre Workshop, youths 8 to 14 get an overview of the theatrical process. Teachers from the resident theater’s Youth Conservatory lead the classes, and there are visits from professional set and costume designers as well as working actors.

The three-hour sessions are offered Monday through Friday at SCR’s Fourth Step Theatre in Costa Mesa.

SCR’s Summer Theatre Workshop at South Coast Repertory, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Aug. 7-19. Ages 8 to 11 meet from 9 a.m. to noon; ages 12 to 14 work from 1 to 4 p.m. $190. (714) 957-2602, Ext. 210.

Learning a Craft

Young artists would do well to hang out at local museums and galleries this summer. Here are just a few of the options . . .

At the Irvine Fine Arts Center’s Summer Arts Camp, 6- to 10-year-olds can take part in visual and performing arts classes, field trips and swim sessions at the aquatics center in adjacent Heritage Park. Topics include print making, drawing, painting, playwriting, music and dance. Classes are taught by certified instructors and arts professionals. Early registration suggested. Half-day, full-day and extended (7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.) sessions are available.

Irvine Fine Arts Center’s Summer Arts Camp, 14321 Yale Ave., Irvine. Two-week sessions June 26 through Sept. 1. $125 to $250. (714) 724-6880 for information; (714) 724-6610 for registration, which begins in late May.

In addition to its lineup of weekly art classes for children and adults, Newport Harbor Art Museum will present 10 series for ages 6 to 15 in conjunction with its upcoming “Western Artists/African Art” exhibit.

Among the offerings for ages 6 to 12 are “Africa Adorned,” a weeklong series in which students create beads, kente cloth and a Wodaabe mirror bag, and “The Art of Storytelling,” which uses African and African American tales to teach storytelling techniques. For teen-agers, the selections include “Unmasking African Culture,” a weeklong workshop that features poetry, movement and visual art activities that explore African and African American traditions.

Summer Art Camps at Newport Harbor Art Museum, 850 San Clemente Drive, Newport Beach. July 10 through Aug. 11; class hours vary. $65 to $150. Register through the Newport Beach Community Services Department, (714) 644-3151.

The Fullerton Museum Center’s Super Tuesday program runs through the summer. Geared to ages 8 to 12, the 90-minute sessions use hands-on art activities to introduce topics ranging from medieval knights (kids design their own heraldic shield) to animation. Reservations are suggested.

Super Tuesdays at Fullerton Museum Center, 301 N. Pomona Ave., Fullerton. 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesdays, June 27 through Aug. 8 (except July 4). $5. (714) 738-6545.

(Wet and) Wild Things

The Bowers Kidseum staff is planning a full schedule of summer programs for ages 5 to 12, including several in which wild animals, not kids, take the field trip.

In the “Cultural Zoofari” camp, visitors learn about animals from Africa, the Pacific Rim and the Americas through crafts, dancing and guest speakers. “Animal Crackers in My Suitcase” explores the relationship between animals and various world cultures; “Magical, Mystical Monsters” combines creative writing, dancing and music.

Day camps and activities at Bowers Kidseum, 1802 N. Main St., Santa Ana. Summer programs begin June 3; day camps run one week each, July 18 through Aug. 4, 9 a.m. to noon. Camps are $80 per week; most other programs free. (714) 480-1520. There are scads of city-sponsored day camps with field trips to the shore; check with your local parks and recreation department for details and prices.

If you prefer the full immersion approach to the marine scene, the Orange County Marine Institute is a good choice. And with last year’s addition of the R/V Sea Explorer high-tech research vessel to its fleet, OCMI can now offer a more intimate look at local sea life.

The day camps include “Mommy and Me and the Sea,” 90-minute sessions in which 3- and 4-year-olds and their significant adult learn about ocean life through theater, art and literature exercises, and “Junior Sea Camp,” where 5- or 6-year-olds can choose from two themed programs: Sailors and the Sea, which is based largely on the center’s 130-foot replica of the brig, Pilgrim; and Scientist and the Sea, which features hands-on projects aboard the R/V Sea Explorer.

For 7- to 9-year-olds, OCMI offers “Sea Adventure” camp, which includes tide pool explorations and shoreline activities as well as lab projects aboard the R/V Sea Explorer. Ten- to 13-year-olds can take the “Traveling Sea Adventure Camp.”

OCMI family programs continue through the summer. New this year is an overnight cruise to Catalina aboard a historic 114-foot schooner out of Newport Harbor. Children must be 12 or older and accompanied by an adult.

Orange County Marine Institute, 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point. Programs run June 10 through Aug. 26. Fees range from $8 to $199. (714) 496-2274. Although they are not day camps per se, the activities at Upper Newport Bay’s Shellmaker Island this summer sound promising for marine and history buffs.

According to wildlife naturalist John Scholl of the California Department of Fish and Game, plans are in the works for a “Fishing Buddies” program, in which experienced anglers will work with youths to develop their fishing technique while helping with studies of local fish life. (The island hosts a Free Fishing Day on June 10 with on-site aquariums, demonstrations, games and contests.)

Also, said Scholl, volunteers are now building a wickiup, or lodge, similar to ones used by members of the Gabrieleno and Juaneno tribes, and a second smaller lodge, or kisha , is planned. Scholl hopes to use the structures soon in an overnight living history program focusing on this region’s earliest residents.

Almost all of Upper Newport Bay activities require advance reservations.

Programs at Upper Newport Bay’s Shellmaker Island, 600 Shellmaker, Newport Beach. Schedules available through the Shellmaker Island office. Fees range up to $15. (714) 640-6746.

If you’ve been itching to get a look at the Santa Ana Zoo’s new female baby spider monkey, you might want to check into Zoo Camp ’95. In all, there are six different programs available, including Junior Zoo Camp for first-timers ages 6 and 7 and Animal Training in the Zoo for returning campers ages 12 to 15. New this year is Zoo Camp III, a session for Zoo Camp vets that focuses on animals of the rain forest.

Santa Ana Zoo Camps, 1801 E. Chestnut Ave., Santa Ana. Half-day or full-day sessions weekly, June 19 through Sept. 1. $75 to $145. Register through community colleges or city community service departments in Fullerton, La Mirada, Cerritos, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Costa Mesa and Santa Ana. Or call the zoo for info, (714) 836-4000.

Science & Health (& Stories)

Every child who has ever wondered why some stuff does different stuff than other stuff, and what the heck is in that stuff anyway, is a good candidate for Science Adventures Day Camps. This nonprofit Huntington Beach company runs in-school programs during the academic year.

This summer, they’ll hold their annual day camps at 50 outdoor sites from San Diego to Santa Barbara; in Orange County, there are camps in Anaheim Hills, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Laguna Niguel, Newport Beach, Orange, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano. Half-day and full-day sessions run weekly. Topics include “Gizmos, Gadgets & Goop,” in which campers build their own battery-powered car and create something temptingly titled Glowing Gooey Ooze, and “Space & Rocketry Camp,” in which children build and launch their own model rocket while learning about the solar system and space exploration.

Science Adventures Day Camps at 10 Orange County locations. Weekly sessions June 19 through Sept. 1. $95 to $105 (half day); $150 to $180 (full day). (800) 472-4362.

Over at the Launch Pad science center, ages 7 to 12 will find a variety of things to get fired up about, from a rocket launch to a study of constellations using the center’s Starlab inflatable planetarium.

Launch Pad Science Camp, 3333 Bear St., Costa Mesa (in Crystal Court). Weekly sessions run July 10 through Aug. 10; classes meet from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. $120 to $160 per week. (714) 546-2061.

The Children’s Museum at La Habra continues its Super Saturday storytelling workshops from now through summer, including a musical storytelling session with Lake Forest children’s singer Jim Rule (June 3) and “Mr. Music,” John Yeiser’s program with African and South American rhythm instruments (June 24).

Health-themed workshops are also offered on selected Saturdays, including a junior CPR class Aug. 26. The health and storytelling programs are at noon and last about one hour.

Summer programs at Children’s Museum at La Habra, 301 S. Euclid St. Through Sept. 10. Workshops and exhibits are included with admission: $4, kids under age 2 get in free. (310) 905-9793.

Green Scene

Although the Environmental Nature Center in Newport Beach was threatened with big funding cuts earlier this year (part of its operating costs are covered by the Newport Beach school system), a spokeswoman for the 2 1/2-acre outdoor classroom says ENC is hanging tough and will again host its popular summer series. Open to children entering first through seventh grades, the two-week sessions are under the guidance of credentialed teachers; field trips range from a fossil dig to a Sea World tour. Early registration is advised.

Environmental Nature Center, 1601 16th St., Newport Beach. Summer sessions begin June 26 and July 10 and 24 at the center, $175 to $225. (714) 645-8489.

Ages 4 to 10 who take part in O.A.K.S. (Outdoor Awareness Knowledge Skills) Summer Day Camp at the Oak Canyon Nature Center learn about the natural world through Native American arts and crafts and traditions. Each one-week session has a different theme, including “Time of the Ancients” (geology and dinosaurs) and “Fire in the Sky” (astronomy and weather). Early registration is advised.

O.A.K.S. Summer Camp at the Oak Canyon Nature Center, 6700 E. Walnut Canyon Road, Anaheim Hills. One-week sessions run June 19 through Aug. 18, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily. $55 per week. (714) 998-8380.

The Sporting Life

If it can be kicked, lobbed, dribbled or dunked, chances are you’ll find it at the “Sports Around the World” series, offered by the Sporting Club’s Step by Step Youth Enrichment Center.

Open to ages 6 to 12, the one-week sessions each focus on the sports of a different country. During Mexico week, campers will learn soccer, boxing and wrestling; during Japan week, it’s badminton, karate and Ping-Pong. There’s also indoor rock climbing, floor hockey, football, swimming and more.

“Sports Around the World” at the Sporting Club, 18007 Von Karman, Irvine. Sessions run weekly, June 26 through Sept. 1, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. $140. (714) 253-5312.

San Antonio Spurs player and Golden West College alum Jack Haley presents the seventh annual Complete Player Basketball Camp, held this year at Ocean View High School in Huntington Beach. The session is offered to boys and girls in third through 11th grades at all levels of ability.

Complete Player Basketball Camp at Ocean View High School, 17071 Gothard St., Huntington Beach. July 31 through Aug. 4, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. $195. (800) 554-2722.

For North County b-ball buffs in that age group, there’s the Bob Hawking Basketball Camp, led by Cal State Fullerton’s head basketball coach Bob (you guessed it) Hawking.

Bob Hawking Basketball Camp at Cal State Fullerton, 800 N. State College Blvd., Fullerton. One-week sessions begin June 19 and Aug. 7. $160. (714) 773-3711.

“All the fun’s in one place” is the motto at Camp Frasier, a 15-year-old day camp named for the legendary male lion at the old Lion Country Safari attraction, which is now the site of the camp’s Irvine facility. This summer, the camp will open a new facility in Yorba Linda, in its own private area of Featherly Park. It also operates a camp in San Diego.

Open to ages 3 to 13, the camps offer activities including gymnastics, horseback riding, archery, swimming, karate, crafts, dance and drama. In Irvine, campers also make daily visits to the adjacent Wild Rivers water park.

Camp Frasier at 8800 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine and at the Riverside Freeway and Gypsum Canyon Road, Yorba Linda. Registration is available in 10-day increments, June 26 through Aug. 25; $320 for Yorba Linda, $345 for Irvine. (714) 282-5661 in Yorba Linda, (714) 837-1200 in Irvine.