Variety of camps can help children learn, fight off boredom this summer

Whether they want their children to experience the rite of passage that is summer camp or just find an activity to keep kids busy until a new school year begins, local parents are sure to find something to meet their needs among the dozens of camp offerings this summer.

Camp shouldn't be considered as just a way to fill a child's empty summer days, though. In addition to a variety of activities, they also experience things they might not be exposed to otherwise, says Mary Killion, a field supervisor for the Las Vegas Department of Leisure Services.

They might get to see and touch a horse for the first time; scuba dive or build their very own robot.

Las Vegas' Department of Leisure Services offers hundreds of camps for valley residents, from the basic Kids Kamp, for children ages 4 to 15, to specialty offerings such as K'Nex Science Camp, for kids 7 to 15.

Prices for summer camps range from $20 a day to as much as $200 a week.

The Kids Kamps run on nine-week schedules, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., for $65 a week, Killion says. Specialty camps last one week and vary in price.

Clark County offers traditional overnight summer camps, such as Camp Lee Canyon in the Toiyabe National Forest at Mount Charleston. For $350, kids ages 8 to 15, or 21 and older for developmentally disabled adults, can spend six days in the mountains, hiking, huddling around campfires and playing traditional camp games.

Summer camp can introduce kids to subjects that may spark an interest in a career field, such as the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' math/space camp. Offered through the Division of Educational Outreach, the camp is the idea of Dieudonne Phanord, chairman of UNLV's mathematics department. The weeklong, overnight camp, based on campus, introduces campers to the many uses of math, especially in the STEM disciplines, Phanord says. STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Phanord hopes the camp will stimulate kids' interest in those fields.

"If you look at education in the United States, we don't have too many women or minorities in the STEM disciplines. If we can reach these youngsters at this level we can mentor them. Camp is the pipeline that can anchor these students," Phanord says.

The city of Las Vegas also offers a variety of camps for kids ages 4 and 5. The specialty camps run for one week starting June 9 and run through Aug. 4. A camp costs $100 per week and includes such topics as My Little Scientist, Tumbling Fun, Play, Pretend and Perform and My Little Artist.

Following is a list of some of the more unusual camps offered this summer. Camps are on a first-come, first-serve basis and fill up fast.

SCUBA CAMP

Veterans Memorial Leisure Services Center

101 N. Pavilion Center Drive; 229-1100

Costs $200 a week for the first child; $190 for each additional child for camps that run 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Aug. 4-8 and 11-15.

Campers ages 8 to 12 will learn the basics of scuba diving, including how to use scuba equipment and the buddy system. All equipment is provided. They're not in the water the whole time.

THEATER BOOT CAMP

Winchester Cultural Center

3130 S. McLeod Drive; 455-7340

Registration is $240.30 for June 9-27, $320.40 for June 30-July 25 and $240.30 for July 28-Aug. 15. The cost for weekly registration is $90.

Campers ages 6 to 16 are immersed in the world of drama at these camps sponsored by Clark County. Counselors have real theater experience onstage and behind the scenes. Attendees will learn the art of theater, including makeup and costume design, and take classes in hip-hop, music appreciation and other subjects.

To register, call 455-7340 or go online at www.accessclarkcounty.com/parks.

K'NEX SCIENCE CAMP

Veterans Memorial Leisure Services Center

101 N. Pavilion Center Drive; 229-1100

Cost is $150 for the camp that runs 9 a.m.-4 p.m. July 7-11

Kids ages 7 to 15 can build their own Division 1 and 2 K*bots, or two-wheel drive robots. Each camper will have his or her own pit area and parts department to create the robots.

The robots then can be entered into the K*bot World Championships, which are July 14-18, also at Veterans Memorial.

YMCA OF SOUTHERN NEVADA SUMMER CAMPS

6601 N. Buffalo Drive; 3521 N. Durango Drive or 4141 Meadows Lane

Cost ranges from $76 to $193 a week, depending on the child's age and chosen camp.

Kids ages 5 to 13 can take part in the YMCA's 11-week summer camps starting June 9. Activities include archery, dance, bowling, karate, tennis, cooking and other subjects. Drop-off hours are between 7 and 9 a.m., while parents pick up their children between 4 and 6 p.m. Register online at www.lasvegasymca.org/ or at one of the YMCA facilities.

BALL HANDLING AND SHOOTING CAMP

Tarkanian Basketball Academy

2730 S. Rancho Drive; (310) 903-6473

Cost is $235 before Saturday; $265 afterward for camp that runs 9 a.m.-5 p.m. June 23-27

This basketball camp returns to Las Vegas for its second year. Children ages 6 to 18 can participate. Campers will improve their ball-handling skills, court awareness and teamwork, says counselor Gil Llewellyn. These qualities tend to have an effect on other areas of kids' lives, he adds, teaching them communication skills, confidence and how to relate to others. Participants should bring their own basketballs. The camp is open to all fitness levels as counselors challenge kids at their own skill level. To register, contact Llewellyn at (310) 903-6473.

LAS VEGAS YOUTH BALLET DANCE CAMP

Charleston Heights Arts Center

800 S. Brush St.; 229-6383

Cost is $175, $125 for each additional sibling for camp that runs 9:45 a.m.-1 p.m. July 11-29

Intermediate and advanced dancers ages 12 to 18 are eligible to participate in this ballet dance camp. Campers will attend a range of dance classes, including ballet technique, pointe, modern, jazz and tap. To register, call 229-6383.

LIFTOFF WITH MATH 2008

UNLV

4505 S. Maryland Parkway; 895-3394

Cost is $875; scholarships are available based on need. The camps run 8 a.m.-4 p.m. June 16-21 and 23-28 for high school students and July 7-12 for middle school pupils.

Middle and high school students live in a dormitory and eat in a dining hall on the UNLV campus for these weeklong camps. It's a good way to introduce young people to college and math sciences, says camp founder Phanord. Campers are exposed to several applications of mathematics, including space mathematics, computer simulations, statistics, interpretation of data from space and others. Campers also will participate in daily sports activities. The deadline for registration is May 30 and requires a minimum deposit of $200. Register online at edoutreach.unlv.edu or call 895-3394.

CAMP LEE CANYON

Mount Charleston, 455-8824

Cost is $350 for each camp

On The Edge Camp runs June 25-30. Teens ages 13 to 15 take part in outdoor recreation, including a ropes challenge course, mountain biking, hiking and one night sleeping outdoors.

The Arts Camp runs July 9-14. Youngsters ages 8 to 12 participate in visual art, drama, music and creative movement classes, taught by professionals.

Omni Science Camp runs July 16-21. Kids ages 8 to 12 have an excuse to play with bugs and creepy crawlies at this camp. They have interactive sessions in amusement park physics, meteorology, entomology, herpetology and chemistry.

Camp Bristlecone runs Aug. 6-11. The camp is for developmentally disabled adults ages 21 and older. Campers participate in a variety of traditional camp activities, including hiking, arts and crafts, and sports.

Walk-in registration is accepted at the Sunset Park administration building, 2601 E. Sunset Road; Desert Breeze Community Center, 8275 Spring Mountain Road; and Hollywood Recreation Center, 1650 S. Hollywood Blvd., pending the availability of openings after mail-in registration. For more information, call Clark County Parks and Recreation at 455-8824 or go online at www.accessclarkcounty.com/parks.