Looking for a creative or active summer camp? One that keeps the kids brains or bodies engaged? Well our VM Picks: Top Vancouver Summer Camps list features some of our favourite camps for kids. We connected with Aurora van Roon of Place des Arts, a gem of an arts centre in Coquitlam.

Give us a brief description of your camp

Place des Arts’ Summer Fun! art camps run for 6 weeks from July to August. These camps include a wide variety of classes in the visual, literary and performing arts for children and youth ages 5 to 14. Summer Fun! offers everything you need: flexibility, creativity, excellent instruction and, of course, lots of summer fun!

What makes your summer camp unique?

This year, Summer Fun! has both online and in-person options for camps. For ages  5-7, 8-12 and 11-14. Our 90-minute Hybrid Camps will be taught by our amazing Summer Fun! teachers and students have the option of attending in-person at Place des Arts or online via Zoom. This format includes a variety of visual and performing arts classes, providing you flexibility and choice. Parents can sign up for one or two camps per week. Summer Fun! art intensives for older youth provide opportunities to delve more deeply into a specific discipline. Camps are 90 minutes and can be attended online or in-person. 

What are some of the highlights of your camp?

Place des Arts offers a warm and friendly environment that is perfect for allowing kids to express their own innate creativity. Add highly skilled professional arts instructors to this non-threatening environment, and you get happy, creative kids who have lots of summer-time fun!

This year, we also have many safety precautions in place to make sure everyone can enjoy themselves in a secure space. 

What will kids learn at your camp?

Children can explore a wide range of artistic activities and try out many new art forms, mediums and disciplines. Many children discover new passions during Summer Fun! 

Give us a quick tip(s) on how to prepare kids for camp?

• Arrive 10 minutes early on the first day of camp
• Read the Summer Safety Plan we have created 
• Advise staff of any health concerns, including food allergies or special needs
• If you’re attending camp online, make sure Zoom is working on your device and you have all the necessary supplies before the first day of camp (Supply lists can be found on our registration site)
• Place des Arts is a nut-free zone, please ensure all food and drinks are nut-free.  
• Let your child know that staff and volunteers are available to help, answer questions and supervise snack and lunch breaks
• Send along a water bottle, hat and sunscreen for sunny day outdoor activities
• We recommend wearing closed-toed shoes and to dress for mess and movement
• Please make sure your child doesn’t bring any unnecessary belongings to camp (eg. toys, games, etc.)
• On the last day of camp, please bring a box or large bag labelled with your child’s name to bring artwork home in!

This post is sponsored by Place Des Arts Coquitlam

Since 1972, Place des Arts―a not-for-profit arts centre in Coquitlam―has provided a warm, welcoming home to our arts community, offering a rich, inspiring environment that is accessible to all who wish to learn, explore, express and create through the arts. www.placedesarts.ca