Since Victory Valley might be on your list of potential places to entrust your child in your absence, I'm happy to provide my honest, humble opinion (both pros and cons) based on my experiences. This is my 9-year-old's third summer at Victory Valley, and the camp has provided her with some amazing memories as well as some of those great extras that they're not exactly passing out at school these days like virtues, moral codes, ethics...stuff like that.
It's a Christian camp, though it doesn't seem to lean toward a specific branch (I could be wrong about that, but it doesn't seem obvious if they are. I'm sure their website addresses it, if it's an issue.) The campers learn lots of songs, some cute, church-y ones, but some just typical, funny camp songs. For the daycamp, there might be a day where they go creek-walking or a day where they'll do Goliath (this really cool climbing/zip-lining/ropes-course-type of activity) or a day where they'll have a cookout by a fire, horseback riding, etc...classic camp stuff.
They have a large pool that's always been super clean and stocked with more than enough lifeguards, and I'm pretty sure the kids swim in it at least once a day regardless of the day's planned activity. When it rains, they have plenty of covered areas and a gym that boasts a rock climbing wall as well as other standard gym games.
They offer a weekly daycamp (with the option of a 5:30 PM pickup,) and at 8 years old, they're eligible to do the overnight camp which seems to be the big goal for the younger kids. Last year, mine was old enough to try the overnight option and absolutely loved it. In fact, if given the option, she'd choose that over and over again.
The counselors are young and fresh, but they always keep their eyes on the kids and make a point of welcoming each child each day and making sure no one's left out or anything potentially traumatizing like what's in every camp movie you're ever seen.
As far as the cons, I think the main things I'd change are with regard to whether you sign your kid up for all seven or eight weeks of daycamp (I might be the only one who does this, but why anyone would choose a regular daycare over this is beyond me.) it's that if you do, their experience will be virtually the same each week. This can be good and bad, i.e. My kid's really good at Goliath now because she's done it so many times, while even new boys are usually terrified at first (as was she, at first...just terrified.) On the flip side, she has, like, 15-20 tie-dyed shirts and pillowcases. I'm thinking of sending a white beach towel next time just to shake things up a little. The other con is just that the counselors are often new each week, so your little camper might not make any close bonds with a particular counselor.
Bottom line - Victory Valley is indeed the wholesome camp experience you'd want for your child. They're nice people, they've apparently been doing this for decades, and they want you to have peace of mind when you entrust them with your child. They don't allow phones and other electronics to detract from the experience and they don't hammer any cuckoo ideas into your child's vulnerable brain. It's good stuff. read more
