Artists Unlimited Inc., 223 N. 12th St., Tampa (813-229-5958). This center for creative thinkers is offering week-long art camps for children ages 4-14 in areas such as candlemaking, cartoon drawing, mosaics, silk painting, printmaking, pottery, painting, drawing, photography and music. The Summer Arts Institute Program runs June 4 to Aug. 10, and prices for the camps range from $80 to $165.
Busch Gardens Zoo Camp, 3000 E. Busch Blvd., Tampa (813-987-5082). Busch Gardens, one of North America's largest amusement parks and zoos, has day camps for kids from preschool level through fifth grade, and all-inclusive resident camps for sixth graders through college level. The camps emphasize the animal aspect of Busch Gardens, but the amusement rides are also open to camp participants. Fees start at $115, and season pass holders get a discount. Camps run from June 11 through August 27.
City of Clearwater Camps, The City of Clearwater Recreation Department offers a variety of camps for students ages 5-21 from June 11 to Aug. 17. Prices vary for each camp but most are around $120 per two-week session for participant card holders. Participant cards are $3 for Clearwater residents and $70 for nonresidents. Camps focus on sports, arts, music and water activities, with an additional camp for the mentally disabled. Camp sizes are limited and filled on a first-come, first-serve basis, with priority given to Clearwater residents. Camps take place at various recreation centers. Call 727-562-4800.
City of St. Petersburg Camps, St. Pete offers several Playcamps for grades one through eight, and Teencamps for grades seven through nine. A 10-week Playcamp session costs $385 while a Teencamp session is $410. The city also offers a 9-week Playcamp session for disabled children ($347). Non-residents must also purchase a $100 non-resident card. Fee assistance is available for eligible St. Petersburg residents. Camps are held at 16 locations throughout St. Petersburg. Call 727-893-7441.
City of Tampa Camps, 1420 N. Tampa St., Tampa (813-931-2121). Tampa offers a wide variety of day camps at various locations for ages 7-13. Most camps are priced around $50, and run from June 11 through July 27. Themes include art, team sports, tennis, fishing, ecology and snorkeling, along with a day camp for children whose parents or family members are affected by HIV. Registration started in April, and space is limited.
Cypress Gardens Camp Cypress, State Road 540 West (off U.S. 27, 22 miles south of I-4), Winterhaven (800-282-2123). Cypress Gardens, a 200-acre tropical theme park, offers daily camps for groups of 10 children or more. Day camps include the Calling All Animals nature show, European Circus Magic, Fairy Tales on Ice and many other CG shows and attractions. Groups of 10 or more pay $6 per child, and $8 for adults. Reservations are required. Camps run May 1 through Sept. 3.
Florida Aquarium AquaCamps, 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa (813-273-4015). Held at various locations around Tampa, AquaCamps include interactive activities, crafts, Aquarium visits and field trips. Fees for full-day, week-long camps begin at $130 for Aquarium members and $163 for nonmembers. Week-long travel camps, residential camps and two-week sailing camps are also available.
Florida Gulf Coast Museum of Art, 12211 Walsingham Rd., Largo (727-518-6833). Camp Create allows ages 6-13 to explore their creative and artistic talents in a fun, safe environment. The museum offers two sessions: June 11-22 and July 16-27, and costs start at $86, with a $10 discount for museum members.
Great Explorations: The Hands-On Museum, at The Pier, 800 2nd Ave., St. Petersburg (727-821-8992). Great Explorations has camps for ages 6 and 7, and ages 8-10. Ten different week-long camps includes themes like Secrets of Science to Space: The Final Frontier. For $95 (members) or $110 (nonmembers), kids enjoy daily activities at the museum, as well as excursions to Fort De Soto, Weedon Island and more. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., but for an extra fee, kids can be dropped off as early as 7:30 a.m. and picked up as late as 5:30 p.m. Camps run from June 11 through Aug. 16.
Largo Recreation & Parks Summer Camps, at various sites in Largo (727-518-3016). Largo Recreation & Parks offers several summer camps for kindergarten level up to 17-year-olds. Camps start June 11 and run through Aug. 17, and include Come Along Kids Camp, Kid City Southwest and Odyssey Camp for grades K-5. Sports camps for ages 6-17 include baseball, basketball, football, soccer, tennis, golf and bowling. Prices range from $40 to $73, and discounts apply for Largo Recreation Card holders.
Lowry Park Zoo, 1101 W. Sligh Ave., Tampa (813-932-0245). Lowry offers more than 100 different camps this year, including off-site camps at Lettuce Lake Park and English Creek. Theme camps include Manatee Rescue, Oh Baby!, Creepy Critters, Reptile Roundup and Icky Insects. Camps are five consecutive weekdays, some half-day, some full-day. Call for information on possible Tot Camps for kids 3-4. Fees run from $65 to $210.
MOSI Summer Science Camps, Museum of Science and Industry, 4801 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa; University of Tampa, 401 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa; Craig Park Center, 100 Library Circle, Tarpon Springs (1-800-995-MOSI). MOSI easily offers more summer camps than anyone else in the Bay area (247 different topics, to be exact) including Scuba Adventure, Fossil Finders, Space Race, Crime Solvers, Dinosaur Days and Roller Coaster Physics. Activities start June 4 and run through Aug. 10. Fees range from $15 up to $1.350, and MOSI members get a discount. Space is limited. www.mosi.org.
Nature Explorers Camp Series, Moccasin Lake Nature Park, 2750 Park Trail Lane, Clearwater (727-462-6024). The Science Safari and Clearwater Parks and Recreation Department present this series, which offers eight five-day camps, each examining different topics. Camps include exploration of Moccasin Lake Park, games, crafts and activities aimed at introducing children to nature and science. Camps run from June 11 through August 16 and cater to ages 6-11. Each camp is $135, with a $45 discount for Clearwater residents and Participant Card holders.
Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen Booth Rd., Clearwater (727-791-7060). Spend the summer in the spotlight. REH offers a fun and educational camp, for kids ages 3-17 interested in the performing arts, that includes dance, voice and theater lessons. Each one-week and two-week session (from June 11 to Aug. 10) offers a variety of classes, from hip-hop dance and mime lessons, to writing and producing an original play. Prices range from $120 to $475
St. Petersburg YMCA Camp, The St. Petersburg Family YMCA arranges camps from June 11 through Aug. 17. Camps are open to the public, and cost $70 per week for the first child, $65 for each additional. This year, camps for ages 3-15 are held at Sexton and Campbell parks. Activities include field trips, arts and crafts, camping, athletics and character development. Call 727-895-9622.
Sunken Gardens, 1825 4th St. N., St. Petersburg, FL (727-551-3103). Science Safari of Sunken Gardens presents Nature Explorers Summer Camp, half-day camps beginning June 11 and running for seven weeks, focused on exploring nature through hands-on activities. Camps cost $90 per week with a Participant Card, $135 without.
Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, 1010 MacInnes Place N., Tampa (813-222-1111). TBPAC offers theater, music and art classes for ages 3-7. Classes take place June 5-16, 19-30 and July 10-21, and costs range from $100 to $150.
Tampa Boys & Girls Club Camps Camps run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, for ages 6-18. Activities include field trips, indoor gamerooms, swimming lessons, computer labs, arts and crafts, and athletics. Participants must be members of a Boys & Girls Club, and prices vary from club to club. Call 813-875-5962 or your local Boys & Girls Club.
Tampa Museum of Art, 600 N. Ashley Drive, Tampa (813-274-8130). The museum offers week-long, full or half-day Art Camps for age 7-13. Topics include Georgia on My Mind, DaVinci's 'da Best, Dancing with Degas and Dabbling in Dali. Camp runs June 4 to July 20, and range from $70 to $80 per morning or afternoon session, with midday sessions running $25.
Tampa YMCA Camp, Central City YMCA, 110 E. Palm Ave. (813-229-9622). For YMCA members only, this camp runs from June 1 until school starts in August. For a $90 fee, YMCA members ages 5-16 can participate in activities from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. every weekday. Individual YMCA memberships cost $100, while a family membership is $125. Scholarships are available to low-income families, and a one-time program membership can also be purchased for $30, which allows for nonmembers to join camps for $105.
Westin Innisbrook Resort, 36750 U.S. 19 N., Palm Harbor (727-942-5221). This upscale resort offers three different golf camps for aspiring pros. Golf camps start July 10, and offers ages 10-17 instruction on the short game, full swing, on-course strategy and management, and concludes with a junior tournament. The cost is $575, which includes lunches. The resort also offers a tennis camp for ages 6-16, starting June 11 and running for 6 weeks. Tennis camp costs $130 weekly, $40 daily. Enrollment is limited.
Wildlife on Easy Street, 12802 Easy St., Tampa (813-920-4130). This big cat and wildlife sanctuary hosts five camp sessions throughout the summer. Participants tour the compound of 200 animals, including over 170 wild cats from around the world, and learn how to care for farm animals such as llamas, peacocks, horses and swans. The art of butterfly gardening is introduced, and games, movies and arts and crafts are also included. The four-day camps, open to ages 7-15, run June 4 to July 30, and cost $125 per session plus a $25 material fee. Because the park is non-profit, all fees are tax deductible.
This article appears in May 17-24, 2001.