For many kids (and parents), summer camp is about boundless physical activity and coming home exhausted. But not every kid is the sports-til-you-drop type – mine included. 

If you’re looking for a summer camp that caters to the arty, crafty, thespy or just non-sporty kid, the run-’em-ragged approach of many holiday childcare camps might not float your boat. And if your child doesn’t enjoy it, that’s a whole lot of money and/or guilt that you don’t want to squander.

Looking through the list of activities at Camp Beaumont, the most established of the holiday camp operators, it was refreshing to see such a massive range of activities, from the quirky to the downright bonkers (CSI for 10-year-olds anyone?). We love that the emphasis is not just on keeping kids entertained and get them outdoors and active, but to challenge them, teach them how to relax and unwind, learn to express themselves and connect with other kids. 

Now in its 41^st year, Camp Beaumont has announced a raft of new activities this year and we’re totally won over. Forget the offspring – we want our week of smoothie making, a mini music festival with glitter make-up, and solving an escape room mystery. Those are a few of the new teen activities for 2021, alongside buggy building, an inflatable Ninja Warrior obstacle course and introduction to yoga. But it’s not just the teens getting the attention – new ideas for the youngest age group this year (3-4) includes making giant bubbles, creating a soft play medieval castle and dinosaur discovery with drama, arts and games. 

The well-rounded approach includes the essential daily dose of fresh air, and there’s sport for all ages. Incidentally the relatively narrow groupings by age (3-4, 5-7, 8-11 and 12-16) are a bit of a clincher when it comes to kid enjoyment – what 13 year old wants to hang with a bunch of littlies? 

Local Muddy families might also be interested to know that a couple more locations have opened in Kent for summer 2021. The new Camp Beaumont sites are at Kent College in Pembury and St Michael’s Prep School in Otford. And for those parents who are new to the holiday camp set-up, there’s reassurance in booking with the longest established day camp provider in the country, knowing they’ve had a fair bit of time to test the format. 

The day camps can be booked flexibly for anything from one day to multiple weeks at 35 sites around London and the Home Counties, and cost from £47/day or £213/week . 

The best bit? Not only have we nailed your holiday childcare, but we’ve bagged you a discount too. Muddy readers can use the code MUDDY to get 10% off all day camps this summer, when booked by 1st August.  

Glitter and giant bubbles at the ready campers!

There are daily camps running throughout summer at both Kent College and St Michael’s Prep School. For dates and prices of camps in Kent (including dates right up to May 2022 for the super organised), click here.