Summer Camps are a great way to keep kids busy during the break and to mix things up and give them the chance to try something new. The great thing about this list is that you are sure to find a camp that matches your child’s personality and interests. Being around other kids during the summer in a structured environment, getting fresh air, and giving you a little break? It’s a Win-Win
Birmingham Summer Camps
Acting Out Academy
AOA is the premiere on-camera acting academy in the greater Birmingham, Ala., area. Acting Out’s parallel mission is to provide quality performing arts education where it is most needed — namely, in communities where it is lacking. The core of all of our programs is designed to build self-confidence in young people through the performing arts.
June 5th – 9th and 12th – 16th
2 Week Movie Maker Camp. Ages 10 – 18. $500
June 19th – 23rd
Movie Camp Two. Ages 7-13. $325
June 26th – 30th
Movie Camp Three. (Teens Only, Ages 12 and Up) $325
July 10th – 14th
Movie Camp Four. (Ages 7-13) $325
July 17th – 21st
Film Acting Intensive (Ages 8 and up) $550
July 24th – 28th
Movie Camp 5 (Ages 7 and up) $325
Visit their site for more information or to register
Aldridge Gardens
June will be a full month long of excitement, entertainment and, of course, education at Aldridge Gardens. We have plenty of camps to choose from for boys and girls entering Kindergarten through 5th grades. Whether your little campers like American Girls, Art, or building and engineering, we’ve have something they’re sure to enjoy! See below for more on camps being offered this summer, details on registration, forms, and more.
Entering 5K – 3rd Grades:
June 5 – 9 American Girls in Aldridge Gardens
June 12 – 16 American Girls in Aldridge Gardens
June 19 – 23 American Girls in Aldridge Gardens
June 26 – 30 American Girls in Aldridge Gardens
Entering 5k – 2nd Grades
June 12 – 16 Engineering FUNdamentals: Create, Construct, Connect!
June 12 – 16 Observing your Observing: Using ALL your senses mindfully
June 19 – 23 Construction in Nature: Experimenting with Materials
June 26 – 30 Cool Art in the Gardens: Looking at the World differently!
Entering 2nd – 4th Grades
June 19 – 23 Cool Art in the Gardens: Looking at the World differently!
June 26 – 30 Construction in Nature: Experimenting with Materials
Entering 4th – 5th Grades
June 5 – 9 Cool Art in the Gardens: Looking at the World differently!
June 5 – 9 Paper Circuitry: Light up your life!
Day camps run from 9:00 a.m. to Noon, Monday through Friday. Mid-morning snacks and drinks are provided.
All teachers have Alabama Certification in Education.
Pre‐registration required. Register early. Camp enrollment is limited!
Cost:
Family Level Members of Aldridge Gardens: $115 per camp
Non-Members of Aldridge Gardens: $135 per camp
Changes to registration (moving from one camp to another, etc) will cost an additional $35
Click Here to Register.
ArtPlay
The University of Alabama at Birmingham hosts several summer camps on campus each year. Presented by UAB departments and groups, the camps offer fun activities for children and easy and convenient choices for parents. Check this page for updates and camps added as they become available.
Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Programs are designed to actively promote your child’s natural sense of creativity and discovery with fun learning experiences in the unmatched setting at Birmingham Botanical Gardens!
June 5-9 Young Artists in The Gardens 9-1 p.m. [5K-2nd]
June 5-9 Young Artists in The Gardens 9-1 p.m. [3rd-6th]
June 5-9 Growing through Yoga 9-1 p.m. For children entering grades 5K-4
June 19-23 Let’s Get Growing: The Tiny Seed 9-1 p.m. For children ages 4-5 years
June 19-23 Microworlds in The Gardens: Creepy Crawlers & Insects 9-1 p.m. Entering grades 5K-2
June 26-30 Summer Garden Chefs 9-1 p.m. [K-2nd]
June 26-30 Summer Garden Chefs 9-1 p.m. [3rd-6th]
July 10-14 Enchanted Garden Parties 9-1 p.m. For children ages 4-5 years
July 10-14 American Girl * Girls Just Like Me 9-1 p.m. For children entering grades 5K-2
July 17-21 Growing through Yoga 9-1 p.m. For children entering grades 5K-4
July 17-21 BBG Wonderland Explorers 9-1 p.m. For children entering grades 5K-2
July 24-28 Ahoy! Treasure Gardens 9-1 p.m. For children entering grades 5K-2
July 24-28 Young Builders: Legos in the Landscape 9-1 p.m. For children entering grades 3-6
Summer Camp Shirts included with each registration fee: To Register for one of their camps, Click Here
Birmingham School of Music
Summer Drum Set Camp: June 5th -9th. 8am – 3pm, ages 7 and up
Rock N Roll Band Camp: June 19th – 23rd. Ages 8 and up
Musical Theater/Voice Camp: July 10th – 14th. Ages 7 and up
Guitar Camp: July 17th – 21st. ages 7 and up
For more Information or to Register visit their site
Birmingham Zoo
Zoofari Camp allows your children to have up close animal encounters, exciting lessons, splash fountains, guided tours, animal demonstrations, rides and so much more!
Primary Camps Include:
4k – 5th Grades: Pirates of the Zooribbean, Nature Detectives, and Freestylin’
Grades 3rd – 5th: Jr. Zoo Keeper
Grades 6th -8th: Cat Week
Specialty Camps Include:
5k – 5th Grades: Art Safari
Grades 6th – 8th: Zoo Keeper and Behind the Scenes
Grades 9th – 12th: Animal Wellness, Conservation Connections
May 30th – June 30th. Ages 4k – 12th grades
Click Here For More Information and to Register for Birmingham Zoo Camp
Camp Indian Springs
Camp Indian Springs is a summer day camp for kids ages 5-13 at Indian Springs School located on HWY 119. Campers will spend their summer engaged in on-campus activities including tennis, hiking, beach volleyball, gymnasium sports, outdoor sports, gardening and arts and crafts along with field trips such as bowling, movies, skating and more!
Week 1: Welcome to the Jungle
Week 2: Luau
Week 3: Decades
Week 4: Party in the USA
Week 5: Cowboys and Aliens
Week 6: Spy Kids
Week 7: Color Wars
Week 8: Carnival
Week 9: Hollywood
For more information visit their site. Open house April 26th and May 17th
The Dance Foundation
Summer Day Camps are led by by caring, enthusiastic professional staff in our studios in Downtown Homewood. Early drop-off option is available for full-day camps. All campers should bring a lunch each day. Snacks provided for full-day campers. All campers receive a T-shirt.
Once Upon a Fairytale
entering 4K | Tu-Th 9am-1pm | Cinderella, The Girl Who Wore Too Much, The Snow Queen | June 6-8 • June 20-22 | $135/session
entering 5K | M-F 9am-1pm | Sleeping Beauty, Living Quan-Yin, Robin Hood, Twelve Dancing Princesses, Peter and the Wolf | June 12-16 • June 26-30 | $180/session
Imagination Lab
entering 1st – 3rd graders, half-day | “Land of Oz” | M-F 9am-1pm | June 12-16 | $180
entering 1st – 3rd graders, full-day | “Fairies” | M-F 9am-4pm | June 19-23 | $245
Shadow Play
entering 3rd-6th graders | M-F 9am-4pm | June 5-9 | $245
Dance Explorations
entering 3rd-6th graders | M-F 9am-4pm | June 26-30 | $245
Theatre Explorations
entering 3rd-6th graders | M-F 9am-4pm | June 26-30 | $245
Workshop for Dancers
entering 7th-12th graders | Tu-Th 4pm-7:45pm | June 27-29 | $135
For More Information or to Register, Visit their Website
Fresh Air Family
Gross Out Camps
This year we are offering 8 Gross Out Camps in Birmingham, six of those will be held at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, our partner in education. One of our camps will be held at senior living centers with our partner, Nolan Health Services, located in Pell City. Join us! For more information on what wll be available at each location or to register, Click Here.
Girls Rock Birmingham
Two sessions of camp for you to choose from!
– June 12-16, with the camper showcase on the evening of the 16th
– July 24-28 with the camper showcase on the evening of the 28th
Camp is from 9 AM to 4 PM each day and all meals and snacks are provided! For more information or to Register, visit Girls Rock Birmingham
Highland School Summer Camp
Dates: June 5th -August 4th including a three day week July 5th-7th
Hours: Morning Care: 7:15am – 9am
Morning Camps: 9am – 12pm
Traditional Day Camp: 12pm – 4pm
Afternoon Camps: 1pm-4pm
Full Day Camps: 9am-4pm
Afternoon Care: 4pm – 6pm
Highlands School’s Higher Degree of Learning does not end when the school year is over. We offer a quality summer program as well. Highlands summer camp offers challenging activities, talented teachers and the great variety that you have come to expect from Highlands School. Camp is open to all students entering Kindergarten through the 8th grade, regardless of the school they attend during the school year. We also offer a couple of options for rising 4K and a new Counselor-in-Training program for rising 7th through 11th grade.
Highlands, offers unique opportunities, some specifically tailored to your child’s age group. All camps indicate the grade the child will be attending in the fall. We strive to offer camps and activities that will enable your child to continue to learn while having a great time! Our camps include active, artistic, academic and just plain fun choices. Be sure to note that we offer morning sessions, some afternoon sessions and some full day camps!
This year most full day camps include hot lunch. As always we have some new camps as well. We also offer Traditional Day Camp in the afternoons for Kindergarten through 6th grade that includes a hot lunch, weekly themes, trips to the pool, outdoor play time, activities and exciting, creative projects. Morning and afternoon camps can be paired for full day care. Please look through the catalog for camp descriptions, ages, costs and dates. Please also note the times each camp begins and ends.
Contact Mrs. Gabe McCool with any questions about summer camp via email or at (205) 956-9731 ext. 105.
Kidcam Oak Mountain State Park
Dates: May 30 – August 4th 2017
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Before & After Care: FREE before camp childcare available as early as 7:00am. After camp childcare is available at a rate of $2/half-hour (siblings $1/half-hour) as late as 6:00pm.
Fees: A non-refundable one-time Registration Fee of $50 for the first child and $35 for each additional child. Registration fees are subject to change after April 1st based on the camp enrollment.
About: For campers entering Kindergarten through age 13, Kidcam Summer Day Camp thrives in the heart of Alabama’s Oak Mountain State Park. Kidcam offers 9 weeks of summer fun with all the best activities offered at Oak Mountain State Park. Full summer and weekly camp sessions are available online now for registration. Purchase only the weeks you need and build your summer around you! Boating, Archery, Golfing, Petting Farm, Interactive Wildlife, Playgrounds, Sports Courts, Geocaching and Swimming will be a part of our weekly schedule.
Our theme for this summer is Mission Possible, a summer of thrills, suspense and amazing adventures. This summer, camp will be swarming with young “operatives” as we delve into the secret world of spycraft. Each week, Commander M will drop off a case file with a new code word for our recruits to explore. In order to conduct their mission campers will enjoy themed challenges, games, activities, technology, food, crafts, music and movies. This exciting program will teach teamwork, reasoning, agility, and resourcefulness while delivering a summer of top secret fun. Mission Possible? More like Mission Awesome! Are you in?
For more info, visit their site
LJCC
Camp LJCC offers day camps to the entire Birmingham community for kids entering grades K-8. We offer camps 11 weeks of summer and most importantly, our camp has a “camp a la carte” system that allows you to plan your summer exactly as you wish – sign up for one week or all eleven. You can mix and match weeks with Day Camp, specialty and/or sport camps.
Camp LJCC Day Camps offer something for everyone! For more information or to register, visit their website.
Mason Music
Singing Safari Preschool Music Camp
June 12-16, 2017: Mountain Brook Studio
June 26-30, 2017: Cahaba Heights Studio
July 10-14, 2017: Bluff Park Studio
July 24-28, 2017: Greystone Studio
Mason Music Camp for Beginners
For students 6-9 years old who have little or no experience with music and may be wondering which instrument is right for them.
June 5-9, 2017: Bluff Park Studio
July 17-21, 2017: Mountain Brook Studio
July 31-Aug. 4, 2017: Cahaba Heights Studio
July 31-Aug. 4, 2017: Greystone Studio
Rock Band Camp
Rock Band Camp is geared towards students 10-18 years old who already have a grasp of their instrument and are ready to take it to the next level.
June 19-23, 2017: Cahaba Heights Studio
July 10-14, 2017: Cahaba Heights Studio
Over Drive
For students who have at least 2 years of experience on their instrument or have been to our Rock Band Camps or Rock Band League.
July 24-29, 2017: Cahaba Heights Studio
For information or to Register, visit their site.
McWane Science Center
A week of fun and learning awaits your child at McWane Science Center Summer Camp. Weekly camps June 5th through July 28th. There will be no camps the week of July 3th-7th.
All new this year: All camps for students entering 1st through 7th grade will be full day camps. Pre-K-Kindergarten will remain half day camps from 9:00 AM-1:00 PM.
4k – Kindergarten Morning Camps: Astro Tots, Little Leonardos, Ocean Commotion, Prehistoric Pals, Storytime Science, Building Blocks, Animal Antics
1st and 2nd Grade Full Day Camps: Animals Far and Wide, Robots Rules, Creative Chemistry, Flight School, Rockin’ Dinosaurs, Mystery Science, Build it Better.
3rd and 4th Grade Full Day Camps: Science Fiction Science, Forces of Nature, Bits and Bytes, CSI McWane, Robot Engineers, Junior Veterinarians, Design Challenge.
5th – 7th Grade Full Day Camps: Tech and Tinker Lab, Biology Bound, Advanced Robotics, Storm Chasers, Engineering and Designs, Citizen Science, Land and Sea.
For More information or to Register for McWane Science Summer Camps visit their Website
Red Mountain Theatre Company
RMTC camps teach theatrical craft while providing performance opportunities for youth. The curriculum includes vocal, dance, and drama training and culminates in a staged performance, where students perform for live audiences.
Summer Blast Students Students learn a repertoire of musical theatre songs and dances during a weeklong workshop, culminating in a performance for family and friends. This opportunity is open (non-auditioned) to interested students ages 7-12.
For more information on the camps they offer, visit their website.
South City Theatre
The South City Theatre camp offers students a fun-filled program to help them develop:
Confidence, Imagination, Enthusiasm, Theatrical Skills, Vocal Ability, Self Esteem through the study of acting, singing, dance and more, students will work with professional performers and teachers to become better artists.
Tuition Cost for the two week camp is a low $325.00 (T-shirt included) of which $50 is non-refundable. Refunds are available up to two weeks prior to the start of camp. Registration is open until June 12 or until full.
Visit their website for more information or to register
Villager Yoga
June 5 – June 9 | Growing Through Yoga | 9:00 am – 1:00 pm |
Birmingham Botanical Gardens | Grades K – 4
June 12 – June 16 | A Week at the Spa | 9:00 am – 12:00 pm |
Highlands School| Grades 1 – 6
Tuesday, June 20 | A Day at the Spa* | 9:00 am – 12:00 pm |
In-studio | Grades K – 7
Thursday, June 22 | Super You Camp | 9:00 am – 12:00 pm |
In-studio | Grades K – 4
Tuesday, June 27 | A Day at the Spa* | 9:00 am – 12:00 pm |
In-studio | Grades K – 7
Tuesday, July 11 | Super You Camp | 9:00 am – 12:00 pm |
In-studio | Grades K – 4
Thursday, July 13 | A Day at the Spa* | 9:00 am – 12:00 pm |
In-studio | Grades K – 7
July 17 – July 21 | Growing Through Yoga | 9:00 am – 1:00 pm |
Birmingham Botanical Gardens | Grades K – 4
July 24 – July 28 | Yoga Camp | 9:00 am – 12:00 pm |
Highlands School | Grades K – 5
If you are interested in including yoga as part of your camp curriculum, please email us at info@villageryoga.com or call 262-2012.
*Each Spa-Day single camp will have a different focus
Weezie’s Candy Emporium
923 Oxmoor Road Homewood Alabama 35209
June 26-30 (Art + Science) 10a-2p
July 24-28 (Going Green + Animal Kingdom) 10a-2p
July 31-Aug 4 (Fashion Camp) 10a-2p
Have you ever really taken the time to think about how you address your kids? Do you react or respond? Do you know the difference? Knowing the difference is crucial to improving your communication experience with your children. Reacting is what we do when we just want to get our kids away from us. I am so guilty of reacting. Right this minute I am trying to write this blog post, and if my son came up to me I would probably give him a reaction instead of a response. I wouldn’t be worried about WHY he needed me, I’d only be worried about getting him back involved in what he was doing before he came to talk to me. Here are some examples of reactions vs responses to prove my point- how many times have you said these today?
OPEN: Sunday-Thursday 11am-9pm – Friday-Saturday 11am-10pm
The full bar features fresh Hand-squeezed Lime Margaritas (so yummy, so yummy) Make sure to check out the flavors you can add for just .50. Whether stopping by for a quick lunch, bringing the family for dinner, or taking time to enjoy a pitcher of Fresh Fruit Sangria on the patio, The Local Taco will be a neighborhood favorite.
I’ll admit, gardening is something that intimidates me, but something I still find myself wanting to do every spring.. The weather has been perfect, the kids love digging in the dirt, so grab a shovel and follow some of these simple guidelines to get your garden started and you’ll have some yummy Summer Vegetables before you know it!
Head to McWane Science Center for Spring Fever March 1st-April 15th! Symptoms include: science, wonder and fun!
Birmingham Area Easter Egg hunts are kicking off soon! Grab your baskets and make a plan to attend your favorite hunt! Lots to choose from in and around the Birmingham Area!
Longer days and warmer weather have arrived and that means kicking the tiny humans outside and locking the door… Ok, maybe not locking the door, per se, but strongly encouraging them to play outside rather than destroying your freshly cleaned house 5 minutes after you put the broom away.
One of my favorite things about Spring is the beautiful flowers.. and Tulips are one of my favorite! Did you know that American Village in Montevallo has over 70,000 tulips just waiting to be picked?
Have you seen any Happy Rocks around Birmingham?
What to do: Did you find a rock in a neighborhood park? Awesome! They have been hidden or set out at various times hoping to surprise park patrons. When you find one, post your picture to their 
Spring time is always one of our favorite times to visit the zoo, as the weather warms up it’s a great way to get out and enjoy the weather and hopefully catch the animals out enjoying it too! In addition to their Spring Break Camps, here are some other things you can expect to see and do at the Zoo this Spring!
