One of the best parts of writing “Edmonds Kind of Play” is bringing all kinds of good news, by way of cool, local groups and events, to people in my boat; an overcrowded, messy, loud boat that costs too much and doesn’t listen. So, sharing the news that Edmonds Parks and Recreation will no longer offer day camp is an absolute bummer. It is sad personally because our youngest was finally old enough to join the camp and because, it was close, affordable and run by people I’ve come to trust. It is also a drag because while I like that I can help you plan ahead, I don’t love being the bearer of bad news. I waited ‘til the news was official and went to the source to find out why there would no longer be day camp in Edmonds and what there would be instead. I also have some other, similar options if you need summer care or are just looking for fun specialty camps.
I spoke with Interim Assistant Parks Director Renee McRae to find out what happened to Summer Day Camp, as well as to find out what Edmonds will offer for summer programs. First I asked her, “Why?!?” After having had a kid in Summer Day Camp for the last three years, her answer doesn’t surprise me. McRae told me that since 2010, enrollment has declined by 30 percent and, even with staffing cuts, revenue was down. Last summer, on the camp’s biggest day, there were only 60 kids in attendance. It was very obvious at pick-up, that camp just wasn’t as full as it had been in previous years. When we started talking about why Day Camp had been less popular, McRae told me “We did it to ourselves.” She explained that they got “excited for specialty camps” and started adding week-long camps, like the super-popular and still available Lego Camp, while other local cities stuck with mainly day and sports camps. It sounded to me like the city felt some relief knowing that even if they cancelled summer camp, that there were still local options. McRae mentionedThe Boys and Girls Club in Edmonds on top of day camps in both Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace.
To account for the loss of Summer Day Camp, more week-long camps are being offered and some of the camps were given a longer duration. While Senior Adventures has also been cancelled, Beach Camp and Camp Goodtime, the preschool camp, will still be available. Camp Goodtime is, as always, something I highly recommend.
The options I found on reczone.org seem to cover each kind of kid. There is Acting Camp for kids 8-14, which spends two weeks working on a Monty Python production. Challenge Island is a STEM-based camp for kids 5-11; this week-long camp can be broken down into mornings or afternoons if the full day is too much. iPad Animation Camp, for kids 7-12, provides iPads for groups of kids to make stop-motion animation with clay. There will be Lego Camp, Art and Sports camps, Cheer Camp and even Jump Rope Camp.
Camp registration starts on March 2 and information on all of Edmonds’ summer camps is available currently on reczone.org. The info is also available in a pamphlet found in the France Anderson Center and online at Edmondscamps.org.
When the rumors of “no day camp at FAC’ went through my group of friends, one mom started a group Facebook message titled “Summer Camp Suggestions.” Lots of ideas were thrown around, some people talked about traveling to Seattle to do a Zoo camp or a Pacific Science Center camp. Others mentioned Beach Camp at Sunset Bay, which, per McRae, has already opened registration. The options given in those messages that seemed to mirror what Edmonds had offered with their day camp were Lynnwood’s Kamp Kookamunga and the Dale Turner Y’s Outdoor Camp, held in Shoreline, and Discovery Camp, held at Chase Lake Elementary.
On top of the above options, in the past there have been great summer camps offered by Quiet Heart Wilderness School, The Edmonds Center For The Arts, and ARTSpot Edmonds.
— By Jen Marx
Jen Marx, an Edmonds Mom of two young boys, is a traffic reporter by dawn and writer and PBJ maker by day. She is always looking for a fun place to take the kids that makes them tired enough to go to bed on time. You can find her trying to make sense of begging kids to ” just eat the mac n cheese” at SnackMomSyndrome.com. If you have a kid-friendly event you’d like to share, email her at play@myedmondsnews.com.
Thanks so much for all of the information. Very disappointed to hear there will be no more day camp at FAC!