While many summer camps focus on a specific activity or skill, one West Vancouver camp offers a mixed bag of fun.
PJ Kids Club has been operating since 1981 and hosts a popular summer camp each year for kids ages five to 11. The club operates from the grounds of Pauline Johnson elementary, but the camp is not a French immersion program.
Director Diana Kadi explains that one of the camp's big draws is its focus on being outdoors, weather permitting, and offering a variety of activities.
In the mornings, kids participate in popular camp activities, such as art projects, and in the afternoons they play various games or take a walk to a local beach, a park, or just to explore the Dundarave neighbourhood.
Kadi says the outings are a way for the kids to enjoy nature and connect to their community.
"Everybody sees us so everybody knows we are PJ Kids Club," she says of the neighbourhood outings.
At least three times a week campers also head out on a field trip to a variety of nearby attractions.
"We like to be out," says Kadi, who notes that she tries to mix it up each year but some outings, such as laser tag and go carting, return every summer because they are so popular.
"We want to be out just exploring this wonderful city and all the city has to offer," she says.
When they're not out exploring, campers play in the school playground or participate in various activities, but it's not necessarily teacher-led structured play.
"Because in the summer time the children don't like structure. They want to be able to choose what they want to play," explains Kadi.
"We bring a little bit of everything," she adds of the unique variety of programs.
Another important element of the camp is that the kids are not separated by age. This allows for multi-age playgroups and for siblings to spend time together.
"We try to plan it in a way so that siblings can attend together," says Kadi, noting that also makes it easier for parents to pick up and drop off all their kids at the same location each day.
PJ Kids Club is a non-profit organization, and summer camp registration is on now. Visit the group's website for more information.
This story originally appeared in our special Summer Camps feature, which highlights various camps for kids on the North Shore.
