Our family had long appreciated the mission and values of Camp Tawonga. One of our children…read moreattended Taste of Camp and had a truly wonderful experience. As someone who works in the Jewish community, I had frequently recommended Tawonga to others, believing in the strength of its programming and community spirit. Unfortunately, our experience left us feeling deeply disappointed. Our child was registered for a summer session but was unable to attend due to the sudden passing of a close family member just days before camp began. As the family member's funeral was held out of state and organized by us, attending camp was simply not possible. We informed camp staff in advance, sharing both the situation and the fact that we are a financial aid family, and asked if any credit or accommodation could be made for a future session. We received single-sentence emails with zero condolences stating that the policy was no refund (which we didn't request) or credit. It was such a strange response we wondered if it was AI. Despite multiple follow-ups from us during a time of grief, we were told nothing could be done because the deadline had passed. At long last, the only acknowledgment of our loss was a brief line hoping the funeral preparations were going well--no further condolences or recognition of our child's disappointment were offered. By contrast, another camp we had registered with for a different child responded with immediate compassion--offering a partial refund without being asked, sending condolences, and even making a small kind gesture when our child was finally able to attend for a shortened period. As a family raising Jewish children and deeply involved in the Jewish community, this lack of empathy from a camp we had held in such high regard was especially painful. We weren't asking for a refund, just understanding and flexibility in a time of extraordinary personal loss. We struggled to name the Jewish value being demonstrated by Tawonga and still do. We will never return to Tawonga in the future--both due to financial constraints and a lack of confidence that our children's emotional needs would be supported in difficult times. The Jewish sleepaway camp we've attended for the past several years has actually lived and walked the values they advertise, and we couldn't be happier. We share this with the hope that it encourages a deeper reflection on how grief, compassion, and community care are handled. We continue to believe in the power of the Jewish community and wish all campers and families positive experiences in the future. -- A Jewish Family in the Bay Area

My kids had an incredible time at Camp Tawonga and will be returning next year. They are a…read morefantastic team, running a fun, safe, joy-filled and child-centered experience.

CBB was very accommodative to my child's needs and flexible with our schedule. They provided a…read morefun, group learning environment that he wanted to return to every day. He came home sharing all the experiments conducted. Mr. S was such a great fit for him. We look forward to joining in future Summers.

We had high hopes for Camp Brainy Bunch given the reviews we saw, the higher than average camp cost…read more(even compared to other "STEM" camps), and the seemingly low student-to-teacher ratio. We were sadly disappointed with the multiple weeks we spent there. The topics were interesting and had a lot of potential, but our kids didn't get a whole lot from the experience. We took the lawyer class, but our kids didn't seem to pick up a lot from it (vs. other STEM camps we've placed them in). At the prices Camp Brainy Bunch charges, I expected more. At the end, our child's writing project wasn't even included in the booklet that was sent out. Talk about the ironic lack of attention to detail. Once we pointed this out, it took multiple weeks to fix the problem, and sadly, the fix was simply a "regularly" printed copy. I thought some of what we paid for was the smaller class size and attention to detail, but looks like we were mistaken. I recommend avoiding Camp Brainy Bunch and spending your time somewhere else.

Unlike most summer camps that focus on indoors activities (outdoor time is just the playground),…read moreAvid4 is very different. The kids have focused activities every day that include biking, hiking, kayaking, paddle boarding as well as other activities like yoga. Older kids get to go climbing (how cool is that!). For most major activities the kids get safely transported in vans to nearby parks and reservoirs. I initially thought that my kid would get a limited experience (e.g. mountain biking in the parking lot, kayaking in a pool, etc). I was pleasantly surprised to find out that they actually provide even the littlest adventurers the full experience! This means that after the initial lessons in a flat area like a parking lot where beginners learn to bike and get comfortable, and more advanced kids to ride safely and learn new tricks, they actually get to go mountain biking on trails. Kayaking and paddle boarding is done at a local park or reservoirs. Hiking is done at a local park where others also go hiking. I'm not sure why I was expecting anything different (the experience but not the setting), but they actually go all in to truly give the kids the full outdoor adventure. If you're nervous for your little one or unsure whether she or he will like it, I suggest giving it a try for just a week and see how it goes. Every kid is different. I signed up my incoming 1st grader for just one week as I wasn't sure how he'd like it. At the end of it, he begged me to sign him up for more weeks, but unfortunately it was their last one. What makes this experience that much more special is that the counselors are young, energetic, encouraging and very motivating. They never push kids to do anything that they do not want to, but they try to motivate them to try at least once. They also work with different kids levels and skills to maintain a very safe environment. The equipment is top notch and in pretty much new condition (Specialized bikes, kayaks, paddle boards, floatation vests, etc.). The cherry on top is that on the last week they actually sell off most of the items they used at a great discount. My little guy attended the Campbell location last time as the Los Gatos location is new this season. He waited a whole year to be able to go again, and this time his brother will also join him. He was so excited after last year's experience that even his little brother is pumped up and looking forward to it. I highly recommend this camp.

Excellent summer camp. Can't recommend it enough. The staff are awesome. My son actually said at…read morethe end that he was sad it was over, that it was the best summer camp he has ever attended, and next year he wants to do their camp every single week. The kids are kept busy with a different activity each day: biking, hiking, paddle boarding, climbing and outdoor IQ. I think what makes the difference is the staff. They are constantly interacting with the kids, even during the game at the end when they are waiting to be picked up. They help the kids get to know each other, rather than leaving them to their own devices. My son didn't know anybody in the camp to begin with, but by the middle of the week he was exchanging contacts to play fortnite later in the day. Well worth every penny.

This WAS a great camp experience for my daughter. Unfortunately the women who started the camp sold…read moreit to Chrissy Mulvihill and it did not continue as the loving and inclusive community that it had been. My daughter had looked forward to continuing to be part of Go Girls. from being a camper to being part of Leadership Team and then a junior counselor. Instead she was rejected by the Director in a very hurtful way. I can no longer recommend this camp experience.

My daughter spent a week at summer camp at Glitter & Razz and talked about it for 6 months. She…read moreloved everything - the drama, the art, music. And the staff is incredible. The fact that they can corral 20 4 - 6 year olds and write, create sets and costumes and perform an original play speaks volumes about their talents. My kid loved it so much she begged for a G&R birthday party. Our first drop-off party, Lynn and Andrea lead the kids in creating their own play. The kids got to be whatever character they wanted and Lynn made it gel into a story that the kids performed 2 hours later. WOW! Love G&R and can't wait for next summer.

Junior Leadership was a disaster from the jump. There is no actual leadership training at the…read moreJunior Leadership camp. It is just paying for the opportunity to help the actual paid leaders do their job so they apparently don't have to anymore and otherwise perform grunt work. I get it, that's entry level, but there should be some leadership learning opportunities as well, and there was NONE. As my son put it, "how am I supposed to know what to do when I don't know what I'm doing?" Additionally, the Junior Leadership camp was advertised as being an opportunity to learn about all the camps, including hiking days, rock climbing days, and aquatic days. There was ONLY aquatic. The advertised variety of activities and learning opportunities was a complete lie. I reached out to Lauren Gregory, the director of the camp, on day 2 because our expectations were not even close to being met. She didn't respond to two emails, and it was only when I registered a complaint that I actually heard back from her. Her response was a long-winded nothing of an answer, and my follow-up also went ignored. My son was really excited about this camp and the chance to learn more about leadership and take on more responsibility, but it was a complete disappointment and Lauren Gregory is a disgrace.

The group leader was hired 6 months before camp started. No personal touch. No one cares.read more

My daughter has attended Go Girls camp for many summers and she adores it. She loves the teachers,…read morethe activities, and learns valuable social emotional skills. She is so excited to finally be old enough (rising 5th-7th graders) this summer for the Go Girls Productions where the girls make a movie. For more information, see https://gogirlsoakland.com/Go-Girls-Camps

My daughter loved Go Girls Camp! She enjoyed making crafts, singing, and creating a play with new…read moreand old friends. She was more confident after camp and even kinder to her brother. I also love the safety skills she learned through the KidPower workshop. We need a compassionate revolution now more than ever and I feel fortunate to have discovered Go Girls.

Amazing singing and acting! Very cute performance spade and costume were fun (though could have…read morelooked more like the characters from the books!) 4 stars because the show started 30 min late and the staff had very poor communication to the audience regarding the delay - which got very challenging with many younger than 5 year olds. Appreciated the mask rule!

There are so many hidden virtues of exposing developing minds to theatre. Besides the fact that…read morechildren love to play dress-up, role-play, and explore, children are open-minded, imaginative, and full of wonder. I'd argue that theatre is the perfect way to nurture those aspects of childhood that we, as adults, sometimes forget. That's why the Bay Area Children's Theatre is so amazing. The Bay Area Children's theatre has been around for a bit now; I think it was founded in 2004 and has seen all kinds of productions. I've personally seen at least three with the most recent being the Lion Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. I won't go into every production I've seen, but overall this experience is great for children. It would be wrong to go in as a jaded adult and criticize the production values compared to Broadway shows. The Bay Area Children's Theatre is an environment for children to cultivate their imaginations; the productions here mirror their lived-experience through props, sounds, and lively characters--think about it: Kids naturally use simple things to act out grand adventures through play and make-believe. Theatre and drama, like that offered here, gives children an opportunity to interact with the actors and feel as though they are part of the live action on stage. Brainwise, it's a great chance to learn other skills like listening, concentrating, and language, not to mention creating topics of conversation about the characters between themselves and adults. I could go on and on about my opinion of the value of theatre for children, but if you have the chance, the Bay Area Children's Theatre productions are highly recommended.

Our daughter attended Avid4 for one Monday this summer. While she was enrolled for the full week,…read morewhen we picked her up that afternoon we discovered she was crying after being physically struck multiple times (bruises remained for almost a week) by one of the campers. We further learned that the same camper similarly struck other campers that same afternoon,. We were surprised to learn that Avid4 doesn't have a "no tolerance" policy for physical abuse, and made the decision to permit that camper to remain in the camp session for the rest of the week, at which point at great inconvenience my wife & I had to stay home with our traumatized daughter for the rest of the week, lacking a better "Plan B". Unsafe at any speed.

This is the first time I've put my kids in any kind of summer camp, so I was a little nervous…read moreputting trust into the unknown. I am so happy to say that my son has had a great time so far. The staff has been great, Nikki has been awesome, thank you. Not to mention that I applied for financial assistance through Avid4 adventure, because I am a single mom and these camps are not cheap, and was awarded with 75% off. I would absolutely recommend this program. My kids are very easy going and make friends quickly, so I don't have the challenge of a child that's more shy or less eager to try new things. But if you do, I don't think your child will have a hard time adjusting.