Noozhawk’s ParentNooz Camp Guide is officially here and we made sure to make things easy when planning your child’s summer!
To give parents the tools to help make informed decisions about Summer Camps for their kids in Santa Barbara, Noozhawk has conducted a series of interviews with representatives of local programs for this year’s Summer Camp Guide.
In this interview, Noozhawk spoke with Scott Wilkinson of Playland Club in Santa Barbara, to learn more about the summer programs they offer.
Playland Club
Question: What is the name and focus of your camp or program?
Answer: Our name is Playland club and our focus is to safely and compassionately facilitate a day in our family-style environment, in and of nature and through sports, where more magical days of “awww” moments appear, and the smiles are infectious!
Q: How long have you been running the program?
A: Since 2005
Q: What goals will the participants be working on to achieve?
A: The goals for participants at Playland Club is experiential learning. We facilitate and the child get to take the lead day to day. Our Award-winning video on our website supports this. It’s important to us that we monitor and support the daily and weekly goals of each of our campers.
Q: How would you best describe the educational aspects of your program?
A: For us, education comes in all forms. Our program and philosophy has not changed since before “nature deficit disorder” was coined in 2005, and well before my friends coined “playborhood” 5 years later. Mother Nature is our best teacher, and our staff knows that facilitating the day (and let the kids lead more) is our program essential.
Additionally, this nature and neighbor model has helped fuel not only passion, but tremendous skills, in many young athletes here at Playland. It is sort of our secret.
Q: Describe the types of activities a child would participate in on a typical day.
A: Whether we are talking about an outgoing 13 year old athletic girl (or 17 yr old coach on staff too) or a shy 8 year old boy who loves sports but hasn’t tried it much, both will shine in our program much the same.
Imagine starting your day 7-9am with music and kickboxing and dance and/or hit a few golf balls, soccer balls, hoops, baseballs, footballs, all in one. Parents are welcome to come and enjoy over coffee and talks as well.
At 9am, we then break off in to 3 tribes: nature adventures, sports or the arts. All will enjoy being outside, hiking/adventuring somewhere by foot (or in our 15 passenger vans), and enjoy plenty of games and sports (and repetitions) at our facility.
Q: What is the typical age range for your camps?
A: We service families with children 1.5 years old through college age. Most campers are ages 3-12, but we spend a huge effort for the 13-15 year old range, resulting in our wildly popular coach in training program.
Q: Do you offer full day and 1/2 day options?
A: Indeed.
Full Day: 7am-7pm, Monday – Friday.
Half Day: 7am-1pm and 2-7pm, Monday – Friday.
Q: What is your policy regarding background checks and training for staff? What is the child to staff ratio?
A: Playland Club is compliant in all respects. Our child to camper ratio depends upon the age, age discrepancies, and activity but 5:1 to 6:1 is our good number.
Q: What is the cost of your camp? Do you offer any scholarships?
A: Our price ranges from $350-$500. We offer family discounts and scholarships, and we want it known that inclusivity is what we stand for, and we very much consider other hardships (e.g. sliding scale).
Q: Is there anything you would like to share about your program that was not already mentioned above?
A: This summer in Santa Barbara, there are approximately 35 camps each in 3 large categories (sports only, outdoor/nature only, arts/dance only) with some variety within those specific disciplines.
At Playland Club, we really smile and focus on fun. We can and will likely cover 80% of all of these three categories, all in the Great Outdoors with help from our multi-sports facility!
From younger to older children in this camp, most all will enjoy it the same way. From daily local hikes all over Santa Barbara, to excursions during the week in our 15 passenger vans (eg. painted cave, Los Padres, or a wellness retreat of sorts in the hills and with the San Lorenzo seminarians), to hitting 500 balls a day (golf, soccer, baseball, hoops, more), to oddball & fantastic video/music making, and theater, to kickboxing and dancing, and fun loud music to start the day at drop off, to some martial arts and pop ups for the whole family (e.g. Parents/Child or Dads vs. Dads sports challenge). We have a lot to offer and it is a blast!
Come join us as a whole family. Your kids will not want to go anywhere else.
Click here to learn more about the Award-Winning Playland Club’s Camps and Programs!