I am raising my girls in the city and sometimes I feel guilty about that. They love being outside and exploring. While we have very beautiful parks and some open land in San Francisco, I just don’t get them out in it enough.
While the benefits of raising kids in an urban environment can be huge (diversity, street smarts, survival tools, tolerance of motion and of others) I wonder if in certain ways I am selfish. I LOVE LIVING IN SAN FRANCISCO, but is it right for the girls?
A few weeks ago a summer camp called Avid 4 Adventure contacted me and I pretty much hit the roof with excitement. This camp was founded in Colorado and has been running there for ten years. They feature activities that keep kids outside all day doing fun things like rock climbing, mountain biking, kayaking and paddle boarding. They’ve also had a camp in the Bay Area (Corte Madera) which sold out last year. They just opened two new locations in the East Bay. One in Berkley and the other in Oakland.
I asked the girls if they wanted to go and they said, “Yes, for sure! Yes.”
I am partly happy Avid 4 Adventure contacted me because I am really bad at planning summer camps. I am always trying to register last minute and summer often ends up being a hodgepodge of random camps, bring to work days, or do nothing at home.
How fun will it be to do all these activities? I wish I could go.
Avid 4 Adventure is running a special right now for their grand opening in the East Bay. You will get $50 off a camp week and as well Our Urban Playground readers will get an additional $25 off for a total savings of $75. Use the code urbanplayground when registering.
Oh, and they are fully licensed, insured and trained professionals (21+) running the camps so you need not worry. The normal camp hours are from 8:45 to 2:30, but they also have extended care from 8-5:30 for a nominal fee. The founder of the camp, Dave Secunda, is a dad so he has a strong purpose to help children get outside, connect with nature and thrive, but also make it easy for parents with extended hours. There is even a scholarship program. The camp serves Pre-K through 7th Grade.
I cannot wait for my girls to come home dirty, happy and tired.
You can go register here!
Note: I was compensated for this post with a discount off the girls camp tuition. The discount is appreciated, but I would have sent them anyway. All opinions are my own.
How fun!
I really commend you for raising children in the city. I lived in San Francisco and NYC for a little bit (I’m originally from suburban Florida) and it was difficult enough for me as a young adult – I can’t imagine with children too. But exposing them to all the culture and things to do is an invaluable experience they’ll never forget. Kudos to you my dear!