NAVIGATING

THE WORLD OF
SUMMER
CAMPS
Camps
Choosing a camp is a high-stakes babysitter interview. This quiz is the first step
in evaluating which ones are a good fit on paper. Well leave the grilling up to you.
S
T
A
R
T
Do you want an
academic camp
experience?
YES
NO
Do you want an
in-state camp?
Do you want a
religious camp?
YES
NO
Do you want an
overnight camp?
A+ SUMMER
Stanford University
aplussummer.com
510-548-6612
YES
SEAWORLD CAREER CAMP
San Antonio
seaworldparks.com
1-800-700-7786
NO
ID TECH
TCU and SMU campuses
internaldrive.com
1-888-709-TECH
OIL & COTTON
CREATIVE EXCHANGE
North Oak Clif
oilandcotton.com
214-988-9189
YES
Do you want an
in-state camp?
YES
NO
NO
KANAKUK KAMPS
Branson, Mo.
kanakuk.com
417-266-3000
CAMP OZARK
Mount Ida, Ark.
campozark.com
870-867-4131
Do you want an
overnight camp?
SKY RANCH
Van
skyranch.org
903-266-3300
BALCONES
SPRINGS
Marble Falls
campiscool.com
830-693-2267
PINE COVE
Tyler and Columbus
pinecove.com
877-474-6326
Do you want an
in-state camp?
YES
NO
CAMP QUEST
SMOKY MOUNTAINS
Townsend, Tenn.
campquest.org
614-441-9534
Do you want an
overnight camp?
NO
YES
TOWN NORTH YMCA
Preston Hollow
townnorthymca.org
214-357-8431
PARK CITIES YMCA
University Park
pcymca.org
214-526-7293
MERRIWOOD RANCH
Garland
merriwoodranch.com
972-495-4646
CAMP LONGHORN
Texas Hill Country
camplonghorn.com
512-793-2811
CAMP QUEST
Possum Kingdom Lake
campquest.org
614-441-9534
YES
I
fun
Kid-approved
products
p. 2-3
NO
DALLAS
CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Mesquite
dallaschristian.com
972-270-5495
PARK CITIES BAPTIST
North Dallas
pcbc.org/summerfun
214-860-1570
1B | MARCH 30, 2012 PEOPLENEWSPAPERS.COM
2B | MARCH 30, 2012 PEOPLENEWSPAPERS.COM
Camps
May 7
Aug. 24
Cooper Fitness Center offers something for every child. Campers
have a blast while being active, learning the importance of good
health, developing teamwork skills and building friendships.
Swim Academy, ages 1-13
Our experienced instructors teach swimming in a controlled
and nurturing environment. Low student-to-teacher ratio.
Two-week sessions.
Fit and Fun Camps, ages 5-12
Children enjoy recreational games, swimming, sports,
tness/nutrition talks and more. One-week sessions.
Sports Camps, ages 5-14
Basketball, soccer, boxing, dance, martial arts and self-defense.
Our experienced coaches know how to get the most from
your kids and boost their condence. Ages vary by sport.
One-week sessions.
Athletic Development, ages 8-18
Focused on building overall athletic skills, our IGNITE! and
F.A.S.T. programs prepare kids and teens to perform their best
in any sport. The programs progress with your childs age and
skill development. Multi-week sessions.
Register Today! cooperyouth.com/dallas
12100 Preston Road | Dallas, Texas 75230
972.233.4832 | coopertnesscenter.com
ompared to packing, living
away from home for a few
weeks is a walk in the park.
Many campers and their
parents stress about
how to fill their precious trunk space when
heading to summer camp. But our guide to
indoor and outdoor essentials will make the
packing process as painless as possible.
STAFF PHOTOS: ALANA HARRISON AND CHRIS MCGATHEY
C
P
a
c
k
!
R
e
a
d
y
,

S
e
t
,

Lilly Pulitzer
diary set
$14.95
Swoozies
The Plaza at Preston Center
Plastic-lined laundry bag
$19.95
Swoozies
The Plaza at Preston Center
Under Armour flip-flops
$24.99
Team Sports
Preston Royal Village
Crossbody bag
$14.95
Swoozies
Preston Center Plaza
Tie-dye headband
$9.95
Swoozies
The Plaza at Preston
Center
JOIN THE FUN
To be mentioned in our next Camps section on April 20, call 214-523-5279.
PEOPLENEWSPAPERS.COM MARCH 30, 2012 | 3B
Camps
BATKY JEWELERS, EATZIS, LINEN BOUTIQUE, PHOENIX SALON, ZOS, TYLERS,
LISA CALAWAY-BATKY, O.D., AND MANY OTHER SPECIALTY STORES & RESTAURANTS
ON LOVERS LANE JUST WEST OF THE TOLLWAY PAVILIONSHOPPINGCENTER.COM
Open Daily
7am - 10pm
5600 W. Lovers Lane
214.358.3100
www.eatzis.com
Timeles engagement rings,
Different than all other.
Pioneered by
BATKY JEWELERS
O Lover Ln PH: 469.335.8900
WWW.BATKYJEWELERS.COM
214.352.5400 5600 W. Lovers Ln
www. Linen-Boutique.com
Be Bright.
Be Brilliant.
Be You.
Programs run June 4 through July 20.
11110 Midway Road, Dallas, TX 75229
214/357-1610
Register Today! gsesdallas.org/summer
Soffe shorts
$9.99
Team Sports
Preston Royal Village
Monogrammed umbrella
$32
Swoozies
The Plaza at Preston Center
Reversible sleeping bag
$59.95
Swoozies
The Plaza at Preston Center
Glasses case
$9.95
Swoozies
The Plaza at Preston Center
Paper airplane book
$7.95
Toy Maven
Preston Royal Village
Yomega Dash yo-yo
$29.99
Toy Maven
Preston Royal Village
4B | MARCH 30, 2012 PEOPLENEWSPAPERS.COM
Camps
Summer is filled with
action-packed fun at Cooper
Fitness Center in Dallas.
Offering fitness and sports
camps, swimming lessons
and athletic development
training, theres something
for youth ages 5-18. Our
experienced staff and ideal
camp settingthe beautiful
Cooper Aerobics Center
provides the ultimate camp
experience.
Swim Academy, for ages
1-13, teaches the skills chil-
dren need to be safe in the
water. Our low student-
to-instructor ratio creates
a nurturing environment
focused on helping each
child learn correct swim-
ming techniques. Two-week
group sessions and private/
semi-private lessons are
available.
Fi t and Fun Camps
deliver non-stop activity for
ages 5-12. Campers learn the
importance of good health
through games, sports and
daily lessons including
yoga, nutrition and more.
Full- and half-day camps
are offered in one-week
sessions.
Sports Camps are per-
fect for those aged 5-14
looking to try a new sport
or wanting to improve their
skills. In addition to basket-
ball, martial arts and dance
camps, thi s year we ve
added soccer and boxing.
Sports Camps are offered in
one-week sessions.
Athletic Development
Programs, IGNITE!, for
ages 8-12, and F.A.S.T., for
ages 13-18, are focused on
bui l di ng speed, agi l i t y,
power, strength and coor-
dinationpreparing youth
to perform their best in any
sport. Offered as one-month
programs.
Cooperize your kids today!
Register at cooperyouth.com/
dallas. Cooper Fitness Center
Dallas, 12100 Preston Road at
Willow Lane, 972.233.4832.
Where Fitness Is Fun
COOPER FITNESS CENTER
June 24 - 28
June 24 - 28
July 15-19
July 15-19
Resident Camp 1 10-18
15-18
15-18
10-18
College Prep Camp 1
Resident Camp 2
Girls Only
$565
$580
PRICE AGES CAMP DATES
$565
College Prep Camp 2 $580
Day Camp 1
Day Camp 2
Day Camp 3
June 11-15
June 25-29
July 16-20
5-14
5-14
5-14
$170
$170
$170
PREP FOR MAY 5 & JUNE 2 SAT
Mon., Apr. 2, May 19, 26 & Tues., Apr. 16 -7:00 - 9:30 p.m.
Sat., May 5, 12, 19 & 26 - 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
PREP FOR MAY 5 & JUNE 2 SAT
Wed., Apr. 4,11,18 & 25 - 7:00 - 9:30 p.m.
Sat., May 5,12,19 & 26 - 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Th e Me n s S o c c e r
Program at SMU would like
to invite players of all lev-
els who have the desire to
improve and develop their
talent within a fun environ-
ment. We are committed to
helping each player reach
their personal best through
t he use of chal l engi ng
instruction and competitive
games. Located on the beau-
tiful campus of SMU, prom-
ising players will be given
a firsthand look of what
it is like to be a Division I
athlete at one of the finest
institutions in the country.
T h e S MU S o c c e r
Academy for Boys is open
to any and all entrants
only limited by age, grade
level, gender and num-
ber restrictions. To learn
more please visit www.
smumustangs.com/socce-
racademy, email smusoc-
ceracademy@gmail.com
or call 214-642-1738.
Soccer All Summer
SMU MENS SOCCER
SPECIAL ADVERTISING CONTENT
ST. MARKS
SUMMER & DAY CAMPS!
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Tim McClements
SOCCER
ACADEMY
For Boys
DAY CAMP June 18-22 Boys Ages 5-13

OVERNI GHT CAMPS
Residential Camp 1 July 7-10 Boys Ages 10-14
College Prep Camp 1 July 7-10 Boys Ages 15-18
Residential Camp 2 July 11-14 Boys Ages 10-14
College Prep Camp 2 July 11-14 Boys Ages 15-18
2012
For more information, visit:
www.smumustangs.com/socceracademy
Email: smusocceracademy@gmail.com
Call: 214-642-1738
Per NCAA rules, all sport camps and clinics conducted by Southern Methodist
University are open to any and all entrants and enrollment is only limited based on
age, grade level, gender, or number restrictions as specied by each camp.
S
pring is here, and
that means its time
to figure out what
to do with the kiddos for
the summer. For the last
several years, Ive sent
my youngest to an assort-
ment of camps. I do this
for the sake of her enrich-
ment and my sanity. For
me, summer means late
nights, endless sleepovers,
and snoozing until noon.
It irritates me when the
kids ask for breakfast after
Ive had lunch. I like order,
routine, and beds made
before nightfall. If I had
to do it again, Id marry a
drill sergeant.
Summer camps are the
best way to add order to
your summer. Like most
parents, I research pos-
sible camps. For local day
camps, I hit the news-
papers. For sleep-away
camps, I surf the Internet.
Im always on the look-
out for the best, coolest,
or hippest camps. I know
this smacks of Snookie,
but I want my little dar-
ling to get some culture.
Despite my CSI approach
to a camp search, I ve
made mistakes.
Years ago, I enrolled my
youngest in her first camp
when she was 3 . It was an
art camp. Given that she
could barely hold a crayon
and cried whenever I left
the room, I should have
waited until she was older
for her camp debut. But,
the little Einstein s in the
neighborhood were learn-
ing French and European
capitals, so I caved under
the weight of parental
peer pressure. After two
days at art camp, she was
kicked out because she
was immature. What did
they expect?
The next year, when she
was a mature 4- year-old,
I sent her to gymnastics
camp. Again, I succumbed
to parental competition.
My sweeti es BFF and
the Mary Lou Retton of
her pre-school attended
gymnastics camp so, like
Simon says, I sent mine
too. Hands down, my red
leotard-clad girl was the
cutest in the class, but
I quickly surmised that
Olympic gold was not in
her future and neither was
a backward somersault.
Finding the right camp
is like dating it takes
several tries and a few
rejections until you find
the right one. Sleep-away
camp was our biggest chal-
lenge. While my little one
was ready to go away for a
few weeks, I wasnt. But,
by fifth grade, my daugh-
ters classmates and most
of Dallas were headed out
of town for camp.
I wanted to get thi s
one right, so I created an
Excel spreadsheet of must
have s. The camp had to
be fun, educational, nur-
turing, and regimented. I
wanted her to eat well and
learn responsibility and,
if possible, reach the top
of Maslows Hierarchy of
Needs: self-actualization.
Nothing measured up.
What if she cried? What
if she needed me? What if
I was lonely? Finally, we
settled on a camp in Vail
where they promised all
of the above for a mere
$5,000.
I packed, labeled, and
placed everything in air-
tight baggies. I decorated
her camp t runk wi t h
stickers, pictures, and
memorabilia as if she was
a castaway. I sent a phar-
macy of medications and a
phonebook of emergency
contact numbers.
When we picked her
up, she was climbing a
tree. She was happy, a
little dirty, and 5 pounds
heavier. When youre 11, I
think that qualifies as self-
actualization.
Over the years, Ive been
on a camp roller coaster.
Ive had a few scares and
some tense moments, but
if you relax on this sum-
mer ride, your kids will
thrive, and you will sur-
vive.
Mi c hel e Val dez i s a
slightly compulsive, mildly
angry feminist, a past attor-
ney, and a present volunteer.
She lives with her demand-
ing children and husband.
CONFESSIONS OF A MAD HOUSEWIFE
Finding The Right Camp
Is Akin to Finding Love
MICHELE VALDEZ
michele.valdez@
peoplenewspapers.com
The Learning Camp in Colorado proved to be the perfect match for Micheles fth-grade daughter.