Henry is reluctant to tell me what he did at camp last summer. That’s because he was a secret agent, tasked with solving mysteries and completing missions for Spy Camp at the International Spy Museum (700 L’Enfant Plaza SW, www.spymuseum.org). But Henry does consent to divulge one bit of information. “I was the best on my team at cracking codes,” he said.
If you attended camp as a kid, you might have memories of canoeing, roasting marshmallows over open fires, archery lessons, crafting and overnights in rustic cabins. Those general camp offerings of mixed activities still exist, but they are becoming eclipsed in popularity by week-long sessions of sailing, gourmet cooking and spycraft as more and more children are spending their summers in specialty camps.
What is a Specialty Camp?
Specialty sessions offer campers the chance to take a deeper dive into their favorite topics. For instance, a general camp experience might include a talent show. But a specialty camp like Rock the Hill (www.rockthehilldc.com) centers all activities around developing a musical performance, from selecting instruments, rehearsing songs, and costuming to stage blocking and sound management. Students spend the week developing the performance they will put on Friday afternoon. With a 4-1 camper-counsellor ration, it is still fully student-led, which keeps it fresh. “We might have an instrumental quartet performing a song from a video game, followed by a Metallica song, followed by an original song written about Platypi, followed by a Tom Petty classic,” said co-founder Laura Tsaggaris.
Lauren Kasnett is co-founder of Summer 365, a camp consultant service that helps parents navigate camp choices for their child. She says that because specialty camps are so centered on one topic, often working progressively through the week to a final product or a shared goal, you need to ensure your child is committed to the camp topic. “You really have to have a sustained interest to focus in a specialty camp,” she said.
“If your kid is wanting to bounce around, they might be better suited to a more general camp,” she continues.
Specialty camps in the DMV focus on everything from coding (www.idtech.com), to yoga (breathingspacedc.com) or dinosaurs (www.dinosaurfund.org).
One of the most important considerations in choosing, Kasnett said, is the ability of the program to accommodate your child’s needs and interests. Does your child want to be outside? Are they considering music lessons during the next school year? This is the opportunity to try something on their own .
“That’s a benefit of going to a specialty camp,” Kasnett said, “to take a deeper dive and focus on something in a more meaningful way.”
Skills Outdoors
Outdoorsy campers might like to be on the water for some smooth sailing. DC Sail Director of Business Operations Traci Mead oversees the nonprofit’s Kids Set Sail camp (dcsail.org), offered to children ages 7-15. In addition to Kids Set Sail camp, DC Sail is bringing back Schooner Camp (dcsail.org/schooner-camp).
Under the leadership of a licensed United States Coast Guard Captain and three skilled crew, campers will have the opportunity to learn how to sail DC Sail’s 65-foot schooner, American Spirit, the only such vessel in the District. The camp was first offered in 2011 but has been unavailable since the pandemic.
Sailing from the pier at Diamond Teague Park (99 Potomac Ave. SE), campers learn seamanship, local history and marine science. They’ll learn piloting, navigating, crew coordination and by the end of the week, Mead said, they will be able to manage the boat.
Mead said comfort on the water is a critical life skill. “For children that live near water, such as those in Washington, DC, with two rivers running through their backyards, so to speak, building an awareness of water and boating safety is very beneficial,” said Mead.
Managing boats is one thing; horses are another. Camp Horizons (camphorizonsva.com) is an equestrian camp for kids aged 8-16. All activities at Horizons, even crafts and games, are centered on horses. Campers spend up to three hours a day riding. But other activities are tailored to help them learn about horses, including stable management, care and grooming and preparation for horse shows.
Try Out A Career Field
Specialty camps can be a good opportunity to experiment with different careers. Do you have a kid who loves farming? AgDiscovery, the US Department of Agriculture summer internship program (www.aphis.usda.gov/careers/students-grads/agdiscovery), is a sort of summer camp for middle and high school students. Participants live on a college campus, expand their view of agriculture and explore careers in agriculture sciences. These include agribusiness, veterinary and botany studies and a combination stream.
Or do you have a budding architect? Send them to a session of DACKids (dcarchcenter.org/programs/youth-programs), the District Architecture Center (DAC) camp, available for kids aged 8 to 10 and 11 to 13. “Like all of DAC’s youth programs, we strive to encourage good stewardship of the built environment,” said Washington Architectural Foundation Youth Programs Manager Heidi Sohng, who oversees the program.
Campers go on field trips to see classical, modern and historic buildings. Experts in the field teach them about drawing, structure, design, measurement and scale and practicing these skills. The one-week session that culminates in the completion of a 3-D model. “We have themes each summer to inspire the students,” Sohng said. Past themes have included The Future of Living, Superheroes, and Frank Lloyd Wright Inspired Designs.
At the International Museum’s Spy Camp (www.spymuseum.org/education-programs/youth-family/spy-camp/), where Henry completed his missions, kids get top secret briefings daily, said Aliza Bran, the museum’s director of media relations. Then they head out to a location in the District and put their spy skills and street smarts to the test to fulfill their mission.
Sometimes, campers get to visit a Federal agency. Kids learn about the history of spying through stories of adventure and intrigue. They develop a disguise for cover and practice evasion techniques.
But they also learn how to make and break code and how to create and use gadgets. They explore the science behind spying. “We use the fun and intrigue of spying as a lens for the kids to learn without realizing they’re learning,” Bran said, ”which honestly is the best, most memorable way to learn.”
Dreaming and Exploring
Kids can also go to camps focused on arts and culture, exploring the world and putting their dreams to the test. For nearly 15 years, Kids and Culture Camp (kidsandculture.com) has helped children learn about and appreciate global traditions. Each week of camp focuses on a different nation, exploring its language, food, music and traditions.
A variety of focused DEAN Adventure camps (summeratpotomac.org/programs/) are on offer at the Potomac School (there’s a bus from Capitol Hill), many focused on art and design. For instance, in Fashion and Machine Sewing, young designers develop creativity and build resilience through the natural cycle of trial, error and improvement as they bring their own fashion designs to life. Designers and tailors work with students to help them develop or modify patterns and then ensure the deigns become a reality.
Potomac Schools also offers a musical theater camp, where students bring a musical to life Thursday evening for friends and family and on Friday for their fellow campers. But if your child loves the Bard, kids aged 6 to 11 and 12 to 18 have the opportunity to dive into the world of William Shakespeare with the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Camp Shakespeare (shakespearetheatre.org). Campers develop acting and stage combat skills as they bring words to life.
Multi-arts Camp Arena Stage (arenastage.org ) accepts children aged 8 to 16 years for offerings in theatre, dance, music, visual arts, film-making and writing at the Georgetown Visitation High School campus (1524 35th St. NW). Campers select from a wide variety of classes in multiple art forms. Each child is placed in small groups with a leader that functions as ‘home base’.
Students are encouraged to put themselves out there at Arena Stage, to look for unique and individual responses. “As they explore the arts, young people gain a sense of their own power, and their own value and the realization that they have something to say, that taking a risk and trying something is to be applauded,” said Director of Community Engagement Anita Maynard-Losh.
Taste of Summer
But camp can also be delicious. Do you have a budding chef? Want to be sure your child can safely handle a knife? Cooking camp is for you.
There are a wide variety of cooking camps available in DC. Culinary Arts Adventure Camp at Sidwell Friends (sidwellsummer.org) gives kids in grades K to 8 a chance to explore the process and meaning behind all their favorite foods. The Hill Center DC plays host to a wide variety of specialty camps in their spacious kitchen (hillcenterdc.org).
But did you know the world’s biggest summer cooking camp is offered in the District? Summer Culinary Camp at Union Kitchen helps kids build confidence, focusing on safety and skill-building as they prepare lunch and dinner.
Kids will feel like they are participating in their own cooking show, plating and photographing their meals while receiving encouragement from the chefs. “You don’t have to be that good to come to our programs. And, you can get that good,” according to a Summer Culinary rep. “Our chefs love it when a student has little experience…they have yet to learn any bad habits!”
Summer Culinary Camp accepts students from 12-17 for their day camp. They also have an overnight camp. Students are supervised 24/7 in the dorms at Gallaudet University, walking 15-minutes to the kitchen. They also get out of the kitchen to explore the city in Rogue Squads, chaperoned small group excursions to monuments, restaurants or for shopping. (summerculinary.com/washington-dc/)
Factors to Consider
There are so many great specialty camps in the District. Only you can determine what is appropriate for your camper. In addition to their interests, you will want to consider the cost of tuition. But beware of the potential for additional costs for things like transportation and aftercare costs, t-shirts, photographs, supplies, and additional medical insurance where required.
“Understand what your goals are for the camp, location, your budget, the areas of interest in camp programing,” said Kasnett. “But also —and maybe more importantly— consider your child’s personality and interests as well as the way the camp complements your family values.”
Whatever you choose for your child’s summer camp experience, the different experiences and new friendships will be an education that will last a lifetime. “Camp is an opportunity to do things kids are not doing in the school year,” said Kasnett. “Overnight and summer camps in general are one of the greatest classrooms without walls.”
Learn more about Summer365 by visiting their website at summer365.com. Explore summer camp options in one room at the J.O. Wilson Summer Camp Fair, Feb. 1, 2025 at Stuart Hobson Middle School (401 E St. NE), www.dccampfair.com
