While the year may have just begun, registration for several summer camps in Santa Barbara are opening soon, and some are already accepting sign-ups.
Over a dozen different types of summer camps are being offered by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department this year for children ages 4 to 17, depending on the camp. Registration for these camps opens on Friday, Feb. 2.
These camps being offered by the city range from sports-related camps — such as basketball, pickleball, soccer, volleyball, tennis and swim, skate, and ice skating camps — and arts-related camps, junior lifeguards, entrepreneurship camps, and nature and outdoor camps — like the Lobster Jo’s Beach Camp, nature camp, and ocean explorers camp.
Parks and Recreation staff advised that some of the camps can fill up quickly, with some even filling up on the same day that registration opens.
“I’ve had camps that filled the morning of camp registration opening,” Senior Recreation Supervisor Jason Bryan said.
Bryan said that ceramics camp is “almost guaranteed” to fill up on day one of registration.
Registration for some of these more popular camps — ceramics camp, junior lifeguards, and nature camp — is opening early at 9 a.m. on Feb. 2, while registration for all of the other camps opens at noon that day.
Bryan added that camp registration is opening early this year, with past years beginning registration in March or April.
“I know families — they want to know what’s going on and fill up their summer calendar,” Bryan said. “It wouldn’t surprise me if February registration does as well as it typically does later in the year.”
More information on the city’s camp offerings, including how to create an account in advance and details on scholarships and inclusive services, is available here.
Other popular camps offered through Santa Barbara include the Santa Barbara Zoo Camp, for which summer registration is already open here, and summer camp at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.
The Botanic Garden’s website says that registration for Garden members opens on March 5 here.
The Hearts Summer Camp Horse Experience offered by Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Center — another popular summer camp that used to host its registration with the Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department — will be hosting its own registration on its website with more information to come at a later date.
The Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department will also be offering a free Summer Fun program for children entering first through sixth grade with recreation activities, sports, crafts, and other special programs.
Registration for the Summer Fun program is $25, but there are no other required fees.
The city has not said when registration for the Summer Fun program will open, but information on the program is available here.
For more on summer program offerings, keep an eye out for Noozhawk’s ParentNooz Summer Camp Guide, which will be published March 18.