Steve and Kate’s Camp – Alexandria

I cannot begin to say enough good things about Steve and Kate’s camp. My 8 year old boy started in late June and has been there all summer and ABSOLUTELY loves it! He is a super smart creative kid with ADHD and has been in the same summer camp the last two years and I wanted him to have a better, more rounded experience. He has thrived at Steve and Kate’s camp, made a ton of new friends (he didn’t know anyone starting camp on Day 1), and has loved every minute of camp this summer — he can’t get there early enough and doesn’t want to leave. For parents: I love the flexible nature of the schedule, I never had to call in if he wasn’t going to be there one day or if we were going to be coming in late. I love that I didn’t have pack a lunch or snacks everyday — food is all inclusive and he really liked the food and it forced him in a good way to try new things! I loved that he found his own interests and could focus his time on what he wanted to do when he wanted to do it. The Director Carlotta is so hands-​on and she is phenomenal with parents and the kids, she made me feel at ease immediately. The counselors are all outstanding and they are really good with kids of all ages, they are more than adequately trained. My son knows every counselors name and loves them all, I feel like he has made friends this summer not only with the kids but also with the counselors honestly. And me too! I admit I was a little worried about the lack of «structure» at first but there is a lot of structure actually and the kids end up utilizing all of the activity stations on their own — bread making, go karts, water slides, rock climbing, outdoor stadium sports, animation studio, etc. Way more activities than most camps offer!!! My son gravitated toward one activity at first but ended up participating in EVERY activity on campus and loved all of it! He made so many friends — I was worried at first because he didn’t know anyone on his first day. He has had a WONDERFUL summer and been a super happy kid all summer long. Happy and pleasantly tired at night and can’t wait to go back each morning! I would recommend this camp to anyone and will do so and hope that it comes back to Alexandria next summer (2015). This camp is an A+ in my book. Jenny D.

I definitely would recommend this camp to anyone looking to put their child/​children into a summer camp. We were so excited when we first researched it and was not disappointed when our 6 year old son started attending. They are very organized/​creative/​fun and patient. Patience is key because our son can be a handful at times. They have something for every child’s interest. I’m hoping they will return next year to the Arlington/​Alexandria area as I will not only have my son return, but so will his brother! Steve and Kate’s Camp… you can’t go wrong!!!

My kids (boy 11 and girl 9) have LOVED this camp!
Pros:
* The opportunity to drop-​in and coordinate based on your needs
* The unique and fun activities and ability to pick and choose your activities
* The staff and counselors who have been really nice, professional and engaging with group games and activities
* The FOOD! My kids loved most of the lunches and even ate breakfast (again) when arriving at camp.
* The location was central – parking plentiful-​security checking-​in and out great and comforting
* My kids have learned new skills – my daughter now loves sewing, and my son learned how to make videos
*Giving my kids independence to make choices in their day – that does not often happen at school and/​or other camps
* My kids were happy at the end of each day and wanted to keep coming back
Cons:
* The camp does seem to have a ‘younger’ population – I am guessing 9 and under is the most popular group. My son will be going into 6^th grade and his ‘huddle’ was always the smallest. He had a friend that went for the whole summer making it an easy draw for him. I think there could be a ‘junior’ counselor program or something geared toward older kids – maybe some different activities for 10 and up? He will be 12 next year and loves the camp, but may not want to be back without peers in his age group.
The camp overall was fantastic and fun was had by all of our friends that attended. We hope the camp will be back in Alexandria next summer!

Great camp! Love the idea that it’s a drop in camp and you can go whenever you want. My daughter went for two weeks and loved it. She made bread, played soccer, made a video, did some rock climbing and overall had a great time. The staff was really friendly and energetic. I loved the location too so convenient. Looking forward to coming back next summer.