Gymnastics Summer Camps Orange County

Gymnastics Summer Camps Orange County

Summer is here and some, even in the midst of our hush hush depression, are looking for camps for their kids. We have experienced a few and have looked at others. I have my opinions and my child has hers. Let's start with gymnastics.

I give it a thumbs down, she gives it two thumbs up.

We've had experience with three different gymnastics businesses. There is Azarian on Argonaught in Aliso Viejo, Team OC Gymnastics on Clinton Street in Costa Mesa right at the end of the airport, and National Gymnastics on Journey in Aliso Viejo.

Azarian Gymnastics:
Azarian seems quiet and never over crowded. It is a great place to take your 3 year old for tot classes throughout the year. While there are other gyms for little ones, this one is full featured and offers what appeared to me to be a safe environment.

My daughter did a week of full day summer camp. Keep in mind, full day means like 9-3. ( I think they got the best of both the banker's hours and the teacher's hours.) When I signed up, I got very nebulous answers to my questions. For example when asked what they will do, the response was something to the effect " they will do this and maybe that and depending on the teacher and time, they may do a little of this". My daughter wanted to go so bad I overlooked it.

Well she LOVED it. All they did all day was jump off the trampoline into the pit. They weren't taught anything, they didn't get to use other aparatus, they just jumped in the pit. So I was disappointed because I know she wanted to learn how to do a cartwheel and other things. However, if you don't mind an expensive babysitter who has really cool toys, your kids will love it. If I ever find the video I took, I will put it up here.

National Gymnastics:
National struck me as extremely noisy and overcrowded. I tried my daughter there when she was 3 and I didn't feel comfortable. Of course that was a long time ago, so maybe I would today. The biggest problem I had with my daughter is that she was not a 3 year old who would sit and listen to someone teach when there was all this cool stuff to explore.

Since there was no one else in the gym at the time at Azarian, this was less of concern. However at National, it was quite crowded and seemed almost dangerous for a 3 year old to be wandering around. Unless your tot has had the "preschool treatment", this may not work for you.

We have not tried summer camp here but would like to some day try out the open gym or parents night out.


Team OC Gymnastics
We did this as a winter camp over Christmas. The winter camp attracted alot more kids and they did a few things more than the Azarian camp. However, for the most part, they just jumped into the pit from the trampoline. She made friends easily with the kids and just loved it. They have alot more going on here in general than just gymnastics. They have cheerleading, dance, and singing.

Apparently all of this stuff is incorporated in their camps but their old documentaion on their website wasn't clear. Now you are hard pressed to find any info about the camps on their site except a schedule and a waiver. I guess they don't need to market the program. One note of caution, be sure you will be doing the class when you pay for it as they don't give refunds.

So, bottomline, if you have small kids and they are high energy and banging their heads against the wall this summer and you have money burning a hole in your pocket, gymastics camp will thrill them. Especially the 8 year old and under group especially five year olds and six year olds. I personally have found dance camps to be the best and we'll touch on those in an upcoming post.