My heart started racing when my summer babysitter let me know she “might be sick” the next day. I was overbooked at work and I knew my husband wasn’t going to be thrilled about taking the day off. So I took a leap of faith, and looked up Steve and Kate’s Camp. I had read about it on a mom’s board I’m part of, and it almost seemed too good to be true. Drop-in care? Hours that covered the entire workday? Lunch was included? Locations near my home and my husband’s office? I decided to check it out.
My husband went to the website and printed all of the paperwork necessary for the location in Alexandria, VA (only some of this would have been required if we’d opted for the DC location). He easily signed both children up online and paid the fee. He handed me an address and a pile of paper the next morning, and off I went.
When I arrived, I was greeted by two camp counselors, signed in within about a minute on an iPad, given a cup of iced coffee, and my children (ages 7 and 9) were both given lanyards to wear around their neck with a color that signified it was their first day at camp.
I was nervous -until I saw what my children would be doing. Children move about studios and outdoors, choosing what to do. My son glommed onto the Animation Studio (even prompting us to buy him a stand for his iPad so he could pursue his new hobby at home) and the coding room. There, he made movies and very simple video games. My daughter’s head almost exploded with pride when she walked into the sewing studio with an interest in the sewing machine and walked out with a simple skirt one day and a dress the next. (Note: we were in a hurry with the dress and tossed it in the dryer. Huge mistake. It’s a shirt, now.) She also did a bit of knitting. They both did some reading, baked bread, played on the weekly special – which was a WATERSLIDE, and my son met some other boys playing hockey.
They had so much fun that they went back for a second day.
I was totally nervous about sending my children to a camp that I hadn’t thoroughly checked out. I even told the person who showed us around that if things weren’t going well to just call me. We wouldn’t be in town enough this summer to try and make it work. No need though. My kids had fun, I was able to go to work, and now I have a back-up for next year, assuming they come back again. I’m thinking of buying a pass with more days (they have a very generous refund policy)!
Elaine
I was not compensated for this post, nor did I ever mention I was a writer at TheDCMoms. We went to the Alexandria location. I am not affiliated in any way with Steve and Kate’s Camp!
