My daughter attended what was advertised as "writing camp." Her experience was awful. None of the staff was qualified to teach writing, and for that matter nobody attempted as much. There was no writing instruction. In addition, the staff seemed to have neither talent, nor experience in working with children and regularly treated the kids as if they were much younger than they were. It was amateur hour to be sure. Finally, and I'm just going to be blunt, the staff were weird. If you're looking for some kind of legitimate writing experience for your kid, then look elsewhere. This is just oversold babysitting, and bad babysitting at that. But the food was actually pretty good. read more

My kids really enjoyed their time at Dean camp. The flexible pick-up and drop-off times are so helpful. And the fact that lunch is included is amazing. My kids really liked their instructors and the activities they did. We have already signed up again for camp this summer. read more

My daughter has attended Dean Adventure camp for several years now, both in the summer and in the winter as part of the days off program. It is a wonderful camp. The counselors are engaged and care about the campers. The staff provide detailed surveys about lunch preferences, ranging from whether your child has allergies to if you would like them to consume sugary beverages and dessert as part of their lunch. It might sound minor, but as a former teacher, this shows that they truly care about us as parents and respect our wishes. Perhaps two of the greatest aspects of this camp is that before and after care is included in the cost as is lunch and all snacks. As a working mom, it takes the pressure off from having to pack a lunch and snack every day, and my daughter loves getting to choose her own food at the cafeteria. Finally, she attended the general camp as well as the more specific camps Dean offers, such as American Girl doll camp. This piqued her interest in sewing and she has since made additional clothing items for her dolls at home on my machine. read more

Smiling faces, great energy, and always willing to help the kids!! Can you ask for more? If you did, they would work with you!! Looking to do a birthday party or class for your crafty kid, you can't go wrong with these smiling ladies! read more

Consistently educational, supportive and fun. My daughter has been a camper since the age of 5 and has learned (and retained!) so many handwork skills! She's currently in her second summer at FASHION BOOT CAMP and loving it! It's totally worth the drive to Rosemont College from the city. read more

My daughter loves the Handwork Studio! Great staff and adorable projects !

There aren't enough good things that can be said about this place. The staff and owner is tremendous. The services are not cheap but the owner is willing to allow you to make payments under certain circumstances- to me that is noteworthy. Not many small businesses will do that and more kudos to her. The purpose of the service is to teach knitting, sewing, and the like to children and teens to "pass on the tradition". Classes are intimate and children are given a great deal of individual attention. I also love the inside of the studio- the walls are purple, not your typcial institutional gray or white. Absolutely reflects the personality of this place and feels like a good place to give your dollars and your time. read more

The staff is very nurturing to my creative young sewer. She is excited to get there, Always feels welcome and comes home eager to apply her new skills. My only hesitation was it was a little spendy (for us), but it is worth every penny. Highly recommend this place. She's so excited I think we will have her birthday party there and she will definitely be going to additional classes and camps in the future. read more

My 9-year-old daughter took her first class at the Handwork Studio Camp in 2018. Initially, she only did because it had the word American Girl Doll in it, but she absolutely LOVED it. After her first week focusing on handwork stitching, she begged to do a second class using a sewing machine. She was hooked. It was her top ranked camp of all times, and I am pleased that she can now repair her own stuffed animals! read more

My 9 year old daughter attended this summer camp in Baltimore County last year and it was the only camp she requested this summer. This year was also a hit. I have to give a shout out to the instructor, Ms. Cindy who was so fabulous. This program is truly one of a kind and I am happy to see my daughter so passionate about this virtual "lost art." It is also lovely to watch her cuddled "forehead to forehead" with her Mimi conspiring over needlework strategies. read more

I signed my 10 and 12 year old up for a what was described to me as "a pattern making, designing, and sewing class." There were about a dozen kids in the class, and it was a 2 hour class at $40/ kid. I was expecting something like a simple shirt or and easy wrap around skirt or something basic but that they could wear and be proud of. Instead, all they came out with was a pathetic "belt"!!! This "belt" was just a strip of cheap cotton scrap folded in half and sewn together (no reinforcements or buttons or even some fuse tape to give it structure). It had a small "bow" in the middle that makes no sense since the bow keeps the belt from being able to pass through belt loops so the whole thing is essentially useless. For $80 I could've gotten the kids a few real leather belts of good quality instead of something that looks like it came out of the scrap drawer. The "class" was a complete scam! The kids were bored out of their minds and they learned nothing. It was a waste of time, money, and if this is their idea of passing on the "tradition" of handworks, then save yourself the frustration and pass on the "tradition" of keeping your money for something worthwhile. The only "work" your hand will do at the Handworks Studio is hand over too much money for overpriced services of inferior quality!!!! read more

This place is awesome! Expensive? Maybe a bit (for those of us on a budget, but probably not for the typical main line parent). My daughter has done various classes and camps through the years and all went well. The best, though, was her birthday party. All the kids (boys and girls alike) were well attended to, guided through the selected project, and made to feel special. When a latecomer who had gotten lost for an hour showed up, the little girl was very upset to realize she had just missed the activity. No worries, the staff sprung into action to help her complete the craft and catch up in the fun. We couldn't ask for anything better! read more

My two girls have taken machine sewing and knitting classes at the Handwork Studio for a number of years. I have been sewing since I was a kid and wanted to pass along this skill to my girls. As often happens when a parent tries to teach a skill, I was unable to get them interested. But the Handwork Studio did! The staff was very skilled and patient with my girls, especially my older daughter who often works at her own pace different from the rest of the group. The girls will have the sewing and knitting skills for the rest of there lives and I'm glad the Handwork Studio was able to pass on these skills to my daughters. There is no other place like it! read more

My 7 year old is having a such a great time that we have now signed up for an unplanned second week. She comes home every day excited about what she made and learned, and excited to go back the next day. . . In addition, Catalina and the administrative folks that answer questions about the camps and the studio in general, could not have been nicer and more helpful. I feel like we are getting a great value for the full-deal: painless sign-up, problem-solving instant help when I had to make a last minute schedule change, happy kid, and a fun learning experience. read more

I can't say enough about the staff, owner and creativity of this great company. Within one lesson of a six week series, my 9 ear old was knitting - joyfully. And a year later she had the same experience with machine sewing. in her first knitting class she made a kitten and a pillow. And in machine sewing she made a handbag and a fabulous top for herself within the first four days! They have fabulous studio space where they host classes and birthday parties. And in the summer there are camp locations across multiple states in the northeast. I have never written a review on-line before, but wanted to speak-out so that other young children don't miss this hands-on, esteem building experience. It's a must! read more