U.S. News

Diversions 4/1/02

Smarty Camps
Parents and kids learn by day, bond over songs and s'mores by night

By Ulrich Boser

Jean-Michel Cousteau isn't your typical camp counselor. Son of famed underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau, the 63-year-old Frenchman is himself a world-renowned environmental activist. Most recently, he's led the fight to reintroduce Keiko, orca star of the Free Willy movies, to the wild. But for five days each summer, he jumps into the water with parents and kids to go snorkeling and hunt for starfish at the Jean-Michel Cousteau Family Camp on Catalina Island, 22 miles west of Los Angeles in the Pacific Ocean.

Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh, welcome to family camp 2002. These days, it's likely to be part school and part theme park, with a healthy dose of bonfire bonding. You and your offspring can swim alongside fish, fly to the moon (in a flight simulator), or make your own teddy bear. Baby boomers and their kids are enrolling in specialized family camps (as well as the old-fashioned variety) in record numbers. This year there are 508 programs accredited by the American Camping Association, up from 231 in 1997.

Good deal. Back in the 1940s, family camps, often run by the local ymca, had little more than Army tents for family campers who wanted to swim, boat, and hike. The price was right–then and now. Even today, a family of four can typically get a week of camp life for less than $1,200.

Specialized camps cost up to $1,000 per head. But baby boomer parents are willing to pay to send their own inner child to a cool camp. "We would go to kid camp fairs, and the dad would say, 'I want to do this, too,' " says Cassie Gotthardt, founder of Time Walkers Ranch. This year, the Hobson, Texas, ranch is offering its first weekend family camps–1800s style. Parents can drive a pioneer wagon, while kids toss tomahawks and load cannons (don't worry; they fire blanks). There's a family camp for just about any brood's taste, from studying religion to folk dancing. During the day, parents often spend time apart from their children; families come together at night for meals, singalongs, s'mores, and talent shows.

Sandy isn't dandy. Unless you stay at a family camp run by an upscale resort (Club Med and others offer their own posh camplike programs), adults need to do a reality check before signing on. Food is usually self-service, rooms are rarely air-conditioned, and dirt and sand are a constant. Be prepared to sleep on a cot. And don't count on peace and quiet. Not only are toddlers often welcome, but younger parents may stay up talking loudly into the wee hours. Hint: Request neighbors who mirror your sleeping habits.

From most reports, today's kids (and parents) enjoy the experience. Lisa Mathews of Belvedere, Calif., 44, says her kids, ages 4 to 12, relish the variety of activities, from snorkeling to a ropes course, at Jean-Michel Cousteau Family Camp. She loves Cousteau's nightly lectures. In fact, she loves the whole family camp routine. Says Mathews: "No tv. No phone. No cooking. No cleaning up. It allows you to focus on your family."

Grandparents are showing up, too. For the past three years, Arthur Bernstein, 76, his wife, and granddaughter have attended Idyllwild Arts Family Camp in Idyllwild, Calif. He takes classes in digital photography and guitar. But the best moment was carving a set of wooden house numbers and watching his granddaughter paint each number a different color. "Pretty garish," he says. "But we made them together."

But family camp isn't just about togetherness. Last summer at Camp Seneca Lake in upstate New York with his 8-year-old son, Ben, Peter Lovenheim of Rochester stood in centerfield during a softball game for the first time in 30 years. A fly ball came sailing into his turf. Would he remember how to make the grab? The 48-year-old writer did, and for a minute, he was a kid again. And if you drop the ball? Perhaps then you'll wish you were at a place like Wonder Valley Family Camp near Fresno, Calif. One of the few family camps with a beer and liquor license, Wonder Valley has nightly happy hour.

SPOTLIGHT
A camp sampler

Any search for family camps should start at www.kidscamps.com. Here is a short list of theme camps that still have openings this summer.