I'll start with this. My kids wake up at 7 for school, and go to bed at 8, they are used to good sleep. They had to be up at 6 to leave by 7. And get to camp at 7:30. They were absolutely EXHAUSTED. They came home filthy every day. That was tough. We were rushing to get showers in, a good dinner and let them relax a bit and they just melted down almost every night. My kids are 7 & 9 and my friends had the same experience with older and younger ones. I would not recommend the camp simply out of that fact. My kids were dead on the final day. Total exhaustion. That said, I'll address the "mess of 2022" known as pickup line. I'm not sure I was a fan, I definitely wasn't, but my friend had her kids there the week prior to me and she warned me. It took me 30-40 minutes each day to get through the line. Let's be real, not super Eco friendly, but it is what it is. Browns ferry Park doesn't have much parking and it's a busy summer destination as the Tualatin river is there for paddle boarding, kayaking, canoeing and swimming. I didn't mind waiting, as my fuo time job IS my kids, and I got most of a day for a break. I watched Virgin River on Netflix while I waited and watched the whole current season. That said, it's tough on working parents. The camo itself was fantastic. The kids had a blast everyday. For kids going solo, it seems like they didn't get as much attention or response from counselors, like my son said he didn't think he could ask for help at pottery. He's shier with adults he doesn't feel as comfortable as some kids asking for help. So he didn't get as much out of the camp as my daughter. All in all I think they had a good time and it was run well. read more

Willowbrook art camp sent emails about canceling or early dismissal due to heat. It's summer! Anyway, I can see how this would be ok with a stay at home parent at the ready to pick up, or if you have a nanny...but if you work and you have to actually go to work, this would not be a good option. Luckily, I can cancel tomorrow's meeting, so I can pick up child early. ALSO, pick up line takes forever...I mean forever. The attendants are apathetic and unfriendly. I'm writing this review 35 mins in line...no end in site. I wonder if they've sent her to extension? Hope she's having fun. read more

Truly amazing place. My kids have been campers, several weeks a summer, for three years. For my oldest son, who is 'dramatic', Willowbrook continues to be the highlight of his summer. Every two weeks they cast, rehearse and stage a play. So kids really get the full experience and can dabble in stagecraft, costuming, choreography, etc. in addition to acting. The plays are free to the public and held every Thursday and Friday evening on the lawn, so bring your blanket. The staff are all former campers (at least three years), so they really get into the spirit of the place and are wonderful. I see lots of familiar faces every year. And this will most likely be my son's first official job when he is old enough. Four stars reflects that I am a huge fan, but as noted in my earlier review, I've had hiccups paying and the drop off/pick up situation can be frustrating. They have a plan in place, so if you are attending, make sure you familiarize yourself with the process so you don't inconvenience everyone else. They also had a smaller than expected attendance this summer so they were a bit overzealous in their fundraising this year to the point where it was a little uncomfortable. Believe me, this place is worth supporting and it a pretty unique option for kids during the summer. Where else in the area can they learn European folk dancing, pottery, basket weaving and take a turn on the stage? read more

I had a child returning (I encouraged other families to attend, too) and we were all disappointed this year. There is so much responsibility placed on the teenagers. With poor management, they seem bored and distracted with their own social interactions. It seemed like some campers sat around, no adults engaging with them, little activities, etc. Our children started bringing their own crafts from home for something to do. The pick up line is awful, but I had been willing to brave it for a quality camp. read more

Best arts camp ever. Granddaughter is in her third year and talks about it all year. Unusual amount of freedom for young kids- camp appropriately increase freedom to roam through the camp as the kid grows up. 3 and 4 year olds in their own small village, 5-7s in a community of around ten tents , each holding a different art-focused activity- piano, drama, pottery, dance, story telling, painting, etc. child can move between the different tents for their age group pretty much at will although they do have a home base tent. Kids 8 on up have free range of the rest of the camp with an even more varied selection of arts activity. Every two weeks there is a different play - some more focused on younger children's stories and others ranging to Shakespeare. Even the young ones can choose to be in the plays which are shown on Thursday and Friday evenings at the end of the two weeks. I appreciate that the kids get to be outdoors all day and the sprinkler shower is a favorite spot for kids to cool off when it gets too hot. They even get to go on nature hikes in the more wild areas of Browns ferry park. A camp of different time and spirit - Woodstock is celebrated every summer with tie dye and lots of music that day- gives you a feel for the camp! read more

I was disappointed in my son's experience at this camp. He begged me to let him stay home after two days because of the "mean" camp counselors. Unfortunately I was not surprised, as I found them unfriendly and apathetic at pick up and drop off. You would think they would select empathetic and warm counselors for the littlest group of kids (3-4 year olds). The cost of 4 days at camp was quite steep and the arts and crafts they did were rudimentary (construction paper and paper plates). I got the impression it was a glorified daycare. Willowbrook touts a link to photos from "camp today" so parents can see what the children did that day. There were never any posts, so I have no idea what they did for 3.5 hours besides eat a snack and hang out in a fenced in area with a large blanket down on the dirt. I had read great things about this camp, but I guess they've gone downhill. Waste of money. The only good thing about the camp is the setting- Brown's Ferry Park is lovely. read more

My kids loved this arts camp. Lots of variety and the fact that it's outside all day is a bonus for them. They separate the kids by age so the activities are age appropriate. The one thing I don't like is the fact that it's surrounded by a chain-link fence. Makes it seem creepy. read more

This is a gem of a camp and we feel VERY lucky to have found such a wonderful creative and inspiring community at Willowbrook. My daughter has been going to this camp for three years now and my youngest will start this summer. My seven year old was in pure bliss the first day I dropped her off a few days ago. She loves this camp that much. The creative spirit is intoxicating for the kids. In the first week she had a part in the play, made a ceramic bowl, a couple puppets and a solar oven! So many different activities for them to choose..next week a piano lesson and dance are on the docket. Many, if not most, of the staff were campers themselves and been going to this camp summer after summer since they were in kindergarten. And now.. are working to make it as special for the current campers as it was for them. They are super flexible with attendance and you can pick and choose days or weeks and only need to book in advance for the little ones (3-4yrs old)..There are a few bugs administratively, but certainly not a deal breaker by any means. A truly unique, creative day camp. Your kids will have a wonderful time. No question about it. read more

I attended Willowbrook for 13 years as a camper! Every summer it was all I looked forward too, a few weeks of absolute fun! They have everything a kid can imagine especially at the artisan level Science experiments in the Nature tent, weaving, pottery, darkroom photography, stained glass, theater productions and multiple styles of dance. All of the the instructors are amazing patient and fun! Thanks Willowbrook for such a great experience! Highly recommended! read more

I think Willowbrook is great but I have some concerns. First, they are an unlicensed facility, of course, but I don't believe it is in a child's best interest to offer parents the option of dropping off at 7:30am and picking up at 5:30pm, a ten hour day! It's an intense experience and ten hours is a very long day. Also worry about food safety at the camp. Hand washing before eating etc... My sons went and being a bit on the shy side they were alone most of the day sort of wandering the camp. Neither of them wanted to go back. I think it's great if you have a kid VERY interested in acting. read more

My husband thought it looked like a big commune (in a good way)-- there are so many tents and activities, and the coolest teens/young adults who seem to be running the whole thing. It is amazing to be greeted by a ukelele player singing duets and directing traffic. My kids LOVE it-- and this is my 3 yr old's first time on her own. We had to sign them up again for next week. I imagine we'll be returning year after year. read more

This is the best camp experience that my daughter, who is 8, has ever had and she is super picky. She is enjoying the diversity of all the activities - ceramics, art, pottery, weaving, etc. There isn't a day that she doesn't want to go back. We live in N. Portland so the drive is a bit far, but it is worth every moment driving her to and from...I highly recommend it. read more