Redwood Heights Rec. Center Camps

Archived Q&A and Reviews

March 2002

Has anyone sent their kids at ages 9 to 10 years old to the Summer Camp program at the Redwood Heights Rec.Center? How were the counselors? Program quality? Were the kids friendly? Clickish? Any bullying? This year everyone must wait in line to sign up their own kids, no piggy-backing off another family. I've heard that the program sells out fast and that parents arrive early in the morning to reserve a space in line. Is this true? How early must one arrive? Helene

My son attended Redwood Rec Center's camp for most of last summer. The program is indeed very popular. Last year I arrived at 5:30 and was given number 52. I think this actually speaks more to the absolute dearth of quality, affordable summer programs, rather than the high quality of the program, although I do think it's quite a good program.

The program itself is good, standard ''rec center'' care. Large groups of kids and decent counsellors. They go swimming at Holy Names Pool every day, but they don't have swimming lessons. The do Arts and Crafts depending on the individual counselors. They go on one field trip a week, usually some high-kid appeal place like Great America or Water Slides.

My child got mostly quite good, early college age counselors. One thing they do that I like is keep kids entering first grade separate from the largish groups.

The children were a mixed group from a wide variety of public and private schools, with the largest contingent from Redwood Heights and St. Lawrence O'Tooles. They seemed like a friendly diverse bunch who could get a little wild, but not unreasonably so.

We liked it fine, and will probably do a week or so. They have a new payment and sign up system which should make things a little easier to get signed up.

All in all, we had a good experience, and we are generally pleased with the staff at the Rec Center. Myriam

The opinions and statements expressed on this page are those of parents who belong to the UC Berkeley Parents Network and should not be taken as a position of or endorsement by the University of California, Berkeley.