Jul 13, 2016 7 min read

Day camp

Bethel Park Nature Club Day Camp will be held from 9:30 a.m. to noon Aug. 1-5 at Community of Christ Church, located on South Park Road in Bethel Park. Kids will enjoy crafts, games, snacks, skits and presenters from the Pittsburgh Zoo, Fire Power, a Petting Zoo, Carnegie Science Center and a special visitor on Wednesday at the annual pet fair. The camp, for children ages 5-12, is $25 per child for the week. For more information, contact Julie at 412-833-4660 or jrossdix@verizon.net, or call Jan at 412-805-7194.

Pony camps

Horses Unlimited in South Park will hold two separate Pony Camps (Aug. 1-4 and Aug. 8-11) for beginner riders age 5 to 11. No experience necessary. Activities at each four-day camp, held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day, include: learning to groom (and bathe), saddle, bridle and ride a pony; how to feed and care for horses; “horsey” arts and crafts; blacksmith and veterinary demonstrations. New campers receive a free Horse Care Kit. Each Camp is limited to 12 children. Fee per camp is $335 per child. To register or for more information on the camp, as well as riding lessons for kids ages 4 and up and “Pony, Pop & Pizza Birthday Parties,” call 412-835-7726, or visit the Facebook page “South Park Pony Rides – Horses Unlimited.”

Playground Pals

Peters Township Parks & Recreation offers Playground Pals day camp from 9:30 a.m. to noon Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the weeks of Aug. 1, 8 and 15 at Elm Grove Park, for children ages 4-8 years. Three one-week sessions include games, sports, crafts and imagination, in addition to guest speakers. Cost is $35/member or $53/non-member (per week). Preregistration required at the Community Recreation Center or online at www.peterstownship.com.

National Aviary

The National Aviary will offer Teen Week from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 1-5 for teens interested in veterinary science or who simply love working with animals.

In response to popular demand, the National Aviary has created a full week of immersive experiences just for teens. Two concurrent sessions for ages 13-15 and ages 16-18 will be held the first week of August, during which participants will discover what it takes to care for, feed and train more than 500 birds and explore a day in the life of a zoo veterinarian.

Teens will take part in caring for patients in the National Aviary’s bird hospital, where they will conduct physical exams and perform a necropsy. They will meet with the Aviary’s aviculturists, explore free-flight exhibits, prepare diets for a variety of species, and work among flocks of lorikeets, flamingos and penguins. The week will include time to shadow the National Aviary’s certified falconer, while interacting with birds of prey, and learning the latest bird training techniques from Education Trainers. Birding hikes through Allegheny Commons Park and time to capture images of beautiful National Aviary birds through nature photography or sketching will round out this experience.

Participants will also have access to the National Aviary’s exhibits and free-flight rooms, as well as the Helen M. Schmidt FliteZone Theater, Sky Deck, Canary’s Call, Condor Court and many behind-the-scenes spaces not accessible to the public. Cost is $175 for members and $195 for non-members. Camp fees include admission, all scheduled activities, supplies, a camp T-shirt,and time to explore the National Aviary. Register online at www.aviary.org. For more information, call 412-323-7235.

Theatre Arts summer camp

Little Lake Theatre Company, Canonsburg, will hold its Theatre Arts Summer Camp Aug. 1-12. Campers, in grades 4-12, will benefit from training by theatre professionals in acting, movement and voice, musical theatre technique, improvisation, rehearsal techniques and audition skills. All campers will have a featured role in Little Lake’s final showcase performance. For enrollment and fee information, visit www.littlelake.org/programs/theatre-arts-camp. For more information, contact Jena Oberg at 724-272-3968.

Bricks 4 Kidz

WROC at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Upper St. Clair, offers Bricks 4 Kidz camp – learning and playing with LEGO bricks, featuring guided projects and challenges as well as time for free-play in groups for ages 5-8 and 9-12. Clash of Bricks is from 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 1-5. Cost of $125 per session includes t-shirt and a visit from the Kona ice truck on the last day of camp.

To register, visit wroc.westminster-church.org or call Kathy Long at 412-835-6630.

Carnegie Science Center

Summer science camps at the Science Center are an adventure for kids ages 4-14. Campers can investigate science careers, experiment with roller coasters, build a bridge and more as they enjoy a full week of themed activities, hundreds of hands-on exhibits, an Omnimax film, a summer camp T-shirt, interaction with dozens of science education professionals and even field trips for some camps (additional fees may apply). The Carnegie Science Center offers pre- and post-camp child care for a nominal fee. For more information, including a complete list of camps, call 412-237-1637 or visit www.carnegiesciencecenter.org.

Falcon Camp

This premier traditional summer camp, only 80 miles west of Pittsburgh in Carrollton, Ohio, is for boys and girls ages 6-16. Enjoy a beautiful lakefront setting, wide variety of activities and outstanding staff. Two-, four-, six- and eight-week sessions with a special one-week intro for 6-9-year-olds are available. For more information, call 800-837-CAMP or visit www.falconcamp.com.

Girl Scouts

Girl Scout camp is for every girl – you don’t need to join a troop. Each of Girl Scouts’ nine camps is different – campers choose based on interests, age or level of outdoor experience. For more information, visit www.gswpa.org/camp or call 800-248-3355.

Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh

Traditional Day Camps – Sabra for children entering kindergarten-grade 2 and Chalutzim for grades 3-6 – provide children with an enriching summer filled with fun activities. For teens, the JCC offers pre-counselor-in-training, Camp Ozrim for grades 7-8 and CIT Leadership for grades 9-10. Specialized day camps include Performing Arts Camp, Wet & Wild Camp, Adventure and Mini-Adventure Camp Specialty Camps.

Before- and after-camp care is available for all of the day camps.

For more information about South Hills Day Camps at the JCC in Scott, visit www.jccdaycamps.con/southhills.

Oakland Catholic high school

Available camps include basketball (with four different sessions), volleyball, Write Your Mind, Morning Masterpiece Art Camp, LEGO Mindstorm and Girls Night Out. For more information or to register, visit www.oaklandcatholic.org.

Pittsburgh CLO

Pittsburgh CLO Academy’s summer performance camps are designed to give kids of all ages the opportunity to experience preparing for and performing on the stage. Working with a director, music director and choreographer, students will create their own exciting musical theater experience. Dates and programs vary.

All camps take place at the CLO Academy, and all participants receive a free ticket for a Pittsburgh CLO Summer Season show at the Benedum Center. For questions about Summer Camps, call 412-281-2234 or email CLOAcademy@pittsburghclo.org.

Summer Playground Camp

South Fayette Township Parks & Recreation holds Summer Playground Camp each year for children ages 5-12. Counselors guide and supervise a variety of games, crafts, activities and entertainment for participants, including swimming on select weeks.

Half-day, whole-day and whole-week options are available to accommodate any schedule. The township also organizes a variety of other themed and activity-specific summer camps, included Jump Starts Sports, Awesome Art, Engineering for Kids, HappyFeet Soccer, Natural Science, Outdoor Classroom, Snapology LEGO and Challenger British Soccer.

For a complete list of programs, dates and locations, and to register and pay, visit www.southfayettepa.com/recreation.

Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center

A Fit Kids and Cameron Kids camps are offered at the Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center in Washington. Activities include swimming, climbing, traditional and unique sports, nature hikes, crafts and more. For more information, including dates, times and pricing, visit www.wrcameronwellness.org.