How to Choose the Right Summer Camp for Your Child

By: Neydy Gomez, Founder and CEO of Hive of Thinkrs, formerly Zaniac.

Summer camp has evolved far beyond simple childcare coverage. For many Miami families, it has become an opportunity for children to explore interests, develop confidence, build skills, and discover passions they may not encounter during the school year.

By the time June arrives, most parents are balancing work schedules, intense heat, and children with enough energy to power parts of the electrical grid. Camp selection often starts as a logistical decision, but the most meaningful summer experiences usually come from thinking beyond schedules and asking a bigger question: What kinds of experiences could help my child discover new sides of themselves this summer?

The answer is rarely one-size-fits-all. Children are not limited to a single interest, and summer can be one of the few seasons where they are free to experiment and try new things. Children are far more multidimensional than we sometimes give them credit for; the child who loves soccer may suddenly become fascinated by robotics or music production. The creative child who enjoys art may unexpectedly thrive in coding or cooking and I have yet to find a student who doesn’t love a Minecraft camp. Summer creates space for exploration in a way the school year often cannot.

That is why many families are intentionally mixing camp experiences throughout the summer. One week may focus on sports and teamwork, another on theater or visual arts, and another on STEM game-based learning or hands-on building activities. The goal is not overscheduling children into tiny executives with color-coded calendars before fourth grade. The goal is exposure, curiosity, and discovery.

Mixed-format camps have also become increasingly popular because they combine different experiences within the same day. Some programs, including game-based STEM camps like those used in programs at Hive of Thinkrs, blend focused enrichment activities with traditional camp experiences such as sports, games, creative projects, and social activities. For parents concerned about children spending too much time on screens, this type of balance can feel especially valuable.

The strongest camps are often not the ones trying to create miniature experts by age eight. They are the ones creating environments where children feel comfortable experimenting, collaborating, creating, moving, problem-solving, and sometimes discovering interests nobody saw coming, including the child themselves.

And honestly, sometimes the biggest summer win is simply hearing your child talk excitedly about something new they cannot wait to try again tomorrow.

For parents looking for a more detailed guide on practical camp evaluation tips, safety considerations, and questions to ask programs, additional resources can be found at Hive of Thinkrs’ Blog on our website https://www.beathinkr.com/blog