Summer camp options plentiful in south Fort Myers

Children in south Fort Myers are gearing up to take their final exams while their parents and grandparents scramble to get them signed up to area summer camps offering something fun, safe and educational.

Lucky for parents, the south Fort Myers area has plenty of summer camp options if they sign up early.

“We fill up very quickly,” said Debbie Derums, the program manager for Lee County Parks and Recreation. “We’ve been around for years and we have very popular camps and people like to send their kids to us.”

Sending your kids to area summer camps might be a challenge if parents become too picky or indecisive.

“A couple of our camps are sold out ... Wa-Ke Hatchee Recreational Center was full by the second day of registration,” said Derums, who oversees programs throughout the park system and makes sure there is something for ages 6 to 16. "All of our camps are similar but it’s the location of Wa-Ke Hatchee that is popular. Anybody who lives in that whole south Fort Myers area picks it as their biggest choice.”

There are several other options.

At Canterbury School in south Fort Myers there is a traditional summer camp and academic programs for ages 4 to 18.

This year the school has added a few new programs including an actors basic combat skills class for the stage and a soccer school taught by John Robinson, a professional soccer player from the United Kingdom.

“Parents want somewhere that their kids can have good supervision and learn something,” said Kathy Edwards, the school’s spokeswoman. “Summer shouldn’t be just a time to let your mind go slack. You should keep exercising your mind, and that’s what our summer camps and academic programs are about.”

Edwards said there is an added benefit to exposing children to Canterbury.

“It's a good way to see if Canterbury is a good match for their child. And I don't think many schools offer academic programs anymore,” Edwards said. “Canterbury has a tried and true reputation and parents bring their kids back year after year.”

Some of Canterbury’s offerings are selling out quickly, though. The marine biology and beginning band classes are filling up.

The Alliance for the Arts summer camps are also a big hit in the area because some children like to spend their summer in theatre, dance, voice and literary arts.

“We’ve been taking registration for two months and we always sell out,” said Amy Smith, the education coordinator for the alliance, who urges parents to make a reservation as soon as possible. “Our camps are really an opportunity for kids who are interested in experiencing something they wouldn't ordinarily get to do.”

And to give kids something out of the ordinary, the Alliance has partnered with the Broadway Palms Dinner Theatre to offer a month long musical theatre program.

Middle school aged children will spend time with professional actors and have a chance to perform on a professional stage.

“People usually can’t wait to sing up for camp because we have been doing it for so long ... we have it down,” said Smith adding that the new program will allow the Alliance to accept an additional 25 children a week.”It’s summer and kids should be having fun.”

But it’s up to parents and grandparents to ensure that summer fun.

“If people wait to long, those openings will be gone,” said Derums. “Summer camps fill up very quickly. If people wait to sign up two or three weeks before school is over ... it’s too late.”