You know a camp is amazing when your kid can't wait to go in the morning and is happy and exhausted…read more(in a good way) at the end of the day. My 9-year-old had a blast. He loved taking BART, the ferry, Muni, the bus, even hiking. He loved going to San Jose to the Tech Museum and to San Francisco to the Exploratorium and into the Oakland hills to the Chabot Space & Science Center. He loved the counselors. He would go back in a heartbeat. Thanks, UA team for a great experience!

This is a phenomenal camp. My kids got to choose the themes they wanted to do, and really loved…read morediscovering new activities and sights around the Bay Area. The use of public transit is amazing, the staff is great, the photo updates throughout the day (on X) and the photos from their adventures lets you live a little vicariously (and helps to get more details other that "it was fun"). I grew up going to a lot of these places over the years as part of school field trips, but my kids missed out on a lot of that, both because of the pandemic and because schools don't seem to do them anymore (budgets probably). I feel like this helped them catch up on missed opportunities. We take them places, but doing it with a group of other kids feels different. I'm so happy for them and grateful for this camp--we'll definitely be back for a third year and beyond!

Whenever I mentioned that my daughter was going to Fairyland Summer Camp people gushed about how…read moregreat the camps were. And they were right! Topaz, Fairyland's Community Engagement Manager, is kind, organized, and patient. In fact, she probably deserves a promotion and commensurate salary increase. Hers is not an easy job and still I never saw her flustered and she was especially skillful at handling parents and kids alike with care. We were originally waitlisted for Maker's Wonderland and Farm to Table. To my horror, the email notifying us that our daughter had been offered a spot for both camps went to spam. Thankfully our neighbor tipped us off and I wrote to Topaz right away and she managed to get our kid in for three weeks of camp. And she couldn't have been nicer about it. My daughter made butter from scratch, performed skits, and made a good friend at Fairyland camp (and both our families are better off for it). I highly recommend these summer camps for their super staff, excellent Oakland vibe, and engaging activities for kids.

Fairyland Summer Camp (FSC) is an absolute gem! It is a unique and valuable experience for young…read morechildren. The activities at this camp will inspire, encourage and stimulate their minds and creativity. It is awesome that my children get to spend the day outdoors in a safe environment and with caring staff members. Most of all, they are given the time and space to be themselves and PLAY.... after all, play is the primary way children LEARN. The Education Specialist Shana, is a genuine, intelligent, and professional Leader. She has a positive and loving energy that is contagious. My children have attended FSC for 3 years and I always see her connecting with all the campers and parents. My children really, really enjoy their time at Fairyland Summer Camp and I am a happy and grateful Mother.

I took the 4-hour stepping stone mosaic class with my 10-year old niece and we both had a lot of…read morefun. First time, taking any class at the Alameda Art Lab but not a newbie to mosaics or the arts. I used to be quite artsy and crafty back in the day and now, it seems like a luxury to find time to do something creative and take a break from adulting! All supplies of cutters, nippers, stepping stone and glass provided with a quick introduction to using the tools with some guidance and instruction to start your art piece. JaYing, the friendly and patient owner/instructor will walk around to assist if needed, check your progress and guide you to ensure you get your item complete. Item is left for grouting and student called when ready. A great class to bond with a friend(s) or family and make a day to get in creative mode and have fun. Personally, it allowed me to take time to enjoy something I really love as I find art very therapeutic along with spending time with my niece. The time flies by... :) The Alameda Art Lab offers a variety of classes from stained glass, mosaics, glass fusing and jewelry making and other fun things. Items are available for purchase for yourself or as a gift. Highly recommend trying out a class!

I absolutely love this place! Both my kids have attended summer camps here and my husband and I are…read moreregulars in her stained glass class on Wednesday eve. JaYing got me my start in stained glass and now I can't get enough! Plus, the community here is wonderful- you can meet some really nice people .

Really great instruction, not only are the teachers experts at what they're teaching, they're also…read moreskilled at teaching. This is different from most maker spaces, where you're lucky if someone teaching a class is either an expert or good at teaching -- most likely, they're a hobbyist who's just put a little more time into it than you and isn't particularly good at teaching. Some instructors who are excellent (non-exhaustive list): Eric Blanpied for Wood and Metal, Mark Metz for Blacksmithing, David Weisbach for TIG Welding, and the Machining instructors (anonymous because they work at companies that don't want them on social media). The Crucible is one of the highlights of the bay area, worth visiting for a weekend day-long class as a tourist or for the weekly classes if you live in the area.

I wish I were writing a review of the facilities, instructors, class quality, or my experience in a…read moreclass, maybe even showing a picture of my cool finished art... but I can't, because of failure after failure on the part of the management. I received a glass flameworking class as a surprise for Christmas, paid for, with the option for me to move it to a number of dates. I chose the March 8th date. It's been THREE MONTHS of multiple calls, voicemails, and emails per week to The Crucible. We have gotten ONE single response the entire time: something to the effect of "so sorry we dropped the ball - we'll get back to you," then.... nothing. None of our calls or emails or voicemails have been returned. The March class date has now passed, and not a single offer of a refund or a reschedule. We're doing a chargeback, which we really hate to do since it's so detrimental to the business, but... if it weren't for all these other reviews I'd wonder if this place even exists? Three full months of effort on our end and not a single useful human answer?Hoping this review plus the chargeback gets us some sort of resolution.

We had such a fun and chill birthday party with JG! I am really impressed with their communication…read moresetting up the party and how friendly, flexible, and fun they were on the day of. When asked what did you think of the party my kid said, "It was so fun! Can we do it again here next year!?" Highly highly recommend. Perfect for a range of ages as well. Thank you JG coaches!!!

Jumpin' Gymsters is great for both camps & birthday parties! I first sent my then 5yr old son to a…read morefew of their summer sessions in 2023 and was really worried about how he would do. He really struggled at a previous camp but things were so different at Jumpin Gymsters. Carol, Carlos and the other staff members really helped him to feel safe and keep him happy and engaged. He had so much fun, he didnt want to leave at the end of the day. They really helped build his social confidence as well and he made a lasting friend there that summer. We had such a great experience with them that we decided to hire them for my son's sixth birthday party (which went really well) and also sent all three of our kids to some 2024 summer sessons. I can't recommend them enough!

I have two issues with Oaktown Boulders: communication and organization. It was impossible to get a…read morehold of them by email or phone to sign my daughter up, so we drove there and showed up to talk to someone. I signed my daughter up for a class, and after she attended one session (and after getting her excited about climbing), they emailed me to say they messed up, and the class was full. So they cancelled her enrollment and gave me a partial refund. Totally unacceptable! My daughter was so disappointed. After that experience, we joined another climbing gym and asked Oaktown Boulders to take us off their email list. They have literally emailed me half a dozen times, promoting new classes and letting me know about openings. EVERY SINGLE TIME, I ask them to remove me from their email list! No response. Also, unacceptable! Get your sh*t together, Oaktown Boulders!

Part of loving Oaktown Boulders is loving that they are aiming to make climbing something that ALL…read morekids have access to. And doing so by providing quality and fun instruction - there's no compromising in what they offer. It is exciting to see the growth that they have achieved over the past couple of years and moving locations, hiring/training new staff is never easy. If I wanted big box climbing lessons for my kid I'd go elsewhere. Yet, in addition to wanting this confidence boosting and camaraderie building experience for my kid it matters to me to give my money to a place also working to do good in our community. Have you read the Mission?

Really cool spot. Took a handstand class here which was excellent but there are also a ton of other…read moreclasses I want to take. Friendly folks, great facility.

Took a beginner silks class here and had such a great time! I was a little intimidated at first,…read morebut the excitement quickly took over. The instructor was super kind, encouraging, and explained each step clearly, which made it easy to follow along even as a total beginner. A few years back, my kids also took the parkour class and absolutely loved it--it was the perfect way for them to get moving and burn energy. Overall, this place has such a fun and welcoming vibe. Highly recommend for both adults and kids looking to try something new!