Planning holidays for children is similar to planning your own holiday. Parents’ attitude is similar as well. Some people plan everything to the last detail, others just leave it to take its own course. Another issue is how much money you can afford to put into your children’s summer activities.

How to choose last minute summer camps

This year, travel agencies have been offering a great number of last minute holidays. The growing trend of last minute arrangements is also visible by the growing demand of summer camps at the very end of the school year and at the beginning of summer holidays.

Although many camps are already full, there are others which are still accepting applications and there is a large choice. The biggest traditional catalogue of camps published by Borovice.cz Information Centre features over one thousand different camps.

“Despite the fact that holidays start in less than two weeks, the offer of summer camps is still great. Those who have not yet decided can still apply for a place in a camp without any problem. They will not be too limited as the choice is still good. What is more, many organizers offer discounts,” said Josef Hordina from Borovice Information Centre.

Choosing a camp from a catalogue or on the internet should not be the end of parents’ efforts. If they want their children to really enjoy their holidays, they should pay a lot of attention to the focus of the camp and whether it corresponds to their children’s needs and interests. “It is certainly not a good idea to send a child with no interest in sport to a sports camp,” says Josef Hordina. “The best is when the parents and their children choose the camps together,” he adds.

Personal experience and recommendation by a person you know can help. It is also helpful when the child already knows somebody who will be in the same camp. This can help the children to overcome the initial shyness and homesickness.

Another important factor is the credibility of the camp. A camp offering an attractive programme is not necessarily good in other respects. “Parents should actively seek information on how the children are looked after, whether the accommodation fulfils sanitary norms, whether all the leaders are experienced and well prepared for the demanding task that falls on them during the camp,”says J. Hordina.

The programme of individual camps can be very different. The majority of camps accommodate children in tents with wooden base, cabins or Indian tepees. There are, however, camps that house the children in guest-house type of building.

The programme is often motivated by a game that takes place throughout the whole stay. “The motives of games are very varied and inventive. From time to time there is a strong motive copying a current trend. Three years ago, there was a great number of Harry Potter camps,”says Josef Hordina.

There is also a variety of specialized camps focusing on languages, sports, chess, music or experimental archaeology. It is not a problem to find an international camp abroad, travelling camp, cycling or canoeing camp.

Tips for some interesting camps still offering places:

Holidays in the city

So called suburban camps form a category of their own. “These are actually not like the classic camps, they are a series of trips with a programme after which children return home every evening,” says J. Hordina. “This way, parents know that their children are being taken care of without the children leaving the house for more than one day. This way, the child can take part in the events only on those days when the parents are not free.”These camps are often organized by Children and Youth House to complement the school year offer. These camps usually last for one week, starting between eight and nine in the morning each day and finishing between four and five in the afternoon.

Some clubs are also open during holidays and a number of individual events are organized for little Praguers.

Prague suburban camps

  • PRAGUE CITY CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE (price 150–350 CZK per day)
  • CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE PRAGUE 2 (price 150–450 CZK per day)
  • CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE PRAGUE 3 (price 150 CZK per day)
  • CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE PRAGUE 4 (price 100 CZK per day)
  • CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE PRAGUE 5 (price 500 CZK per day)
  • CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE PRAGUE 6 (price 100–500 per day)
  • CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE SUCHTOL (price 30 CZK per hour)
  • CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE PRAGUE 7 (price 150 CZK per day)
  • CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE PRAGUE 8 (price 300–750 CZK per day)
  • CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE PRAGUE 9 (price 100 CZK per day)
  • CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE PRAGUE 11 (price 100 CZK per day)
  • CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE PRAGUE 12 (price 100 CZK per day)

Open clubs

  • PRAGUE CITY CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE(from 1st Jul. to 31st Aug., Pfromsklepeno Club, Children’s corner Jungmannova Street, Atrium open sports grounds, Petarda Club, 4list Club, Stadion Mládeže sports grounds)
  • CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE PRAGUE 2 (from 1st Jul. to 31st Aug., Club Síť, Club Vyšehrad)
  • CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE PRAGUE 3 (from 1st Jul. to 31st Aug. Beztíže Club)
  • CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE PRAGUE 4 (from 1st Jul. to 31st Aug.Club Déčko)
  • CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE PRAGUE 5 (from 1st Jul. to 31st Aug. Holubník  Club)
  • CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE PRAGUE 6 (from 1st Jul. to 31st Aug., Club Šestka, Dědina Dědina)
  • CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE SUCHDOL (from 1st Jul. to 31st Aug. Open Club for Youth)
  • CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE PRAGUE 7 (from 1st Jul. To 10th Jul. and from 1st Aug. to 24th Aug. Tea Club, K2P Club)
  • CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE PRAGUE 9 (from 1st Jul. To 22nd Jul and from 3rd Aug. to 31st Aug. Club Most)
  • CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE PRAGUE 10 (from 1st Jul. to 31st Aug.Club 803)
  • CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE PRAGUE 11 (from 1st Jul. To 17th Jul. and from 17th Aug. To 31st Aug. Club Beroun)
  • CHIDREN AND YOUTH HOUSE MODŘANY (from 29th Jun to 10th Jul and from 17th Aug to 28th Aug. Club Pfrom prahem)

Other events

  • HISTORICAL TRAM RIDE (every Wednesday from 3, 4 and 5 p.m. from Střešovice – free of charge)
  • CHILDREN’S DAY PUBLIC TRANSPORT MUSEUM (working days in the middle of July and middle of Auguse from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. – free of charge)
  • FAIRY TALES IN THE ZOO (every summer weekend in Archa Theatre in the Zoo)
  • NIGHT WALKS IN THE ZOO (in July and August from 8.30 p.m.)
  • LITTLE TRAIN GUIDED TOUR (13th to 19th July and 17th to 23th August in the upper and lower part of the Zoo)

Source:  www.borovice.cz and others