FAQ

What does a day/week in Camp Ariel look like?

Mondays and Wednesdays are programmatically identical in that they emphasize our sports fundamentals and leagues, while incorporating our other chugim (i.e. arts, music, baking etc.). Tuesdays are similar in nature to Mondays and Wednesdays, while they include a component of unique programming or entertainment that will either take place on and/or off campus. Thursdays are our Big Trip Days. We take pride in taking our campers to the best of what our city has to offer. Our venues will differ based on age divisions as we are committed to providing the best age appropriate experience to all of our campers. Fridays are our Sports in the Park day. Along with our sports leagues, our campers will be swimming and enjoying our Camp Ariel famous weekly Skills Competition. Our weekly email will provide an elaborate breakdown of our upcoming week, including but not limited to what specific exciting programming is in store for the coming week, what our campers need to bring to camp every day of the week and what, if any, adjustments would possibly be made to the anticipated schedule. For a sample Daily Schedule in Camp Ariel please click here.



Does the price of camp include lunch? If not, is there an option to purchase lunch through a caterer?

The price does not include lunch. We do have an optional Hot Lunch program run by Schwartz's Bakery. Registration for the lunch program will open in May. Please view our hot lunch page here.



What staff does Camp Ariel employ? Do you do background checks?

Camp Ariel takes great pride in hiring the best staff our city has to offer. Our staff consists of seasoned educators, college and post-college program directors, as well as teenage counselors ranging from 15 to 18 years old. Along with our daily staff members, we employ sports program specialists that have vast experience in their respective areas of expertise. Any and all staff members employed at Camp Ariel go through a comprehensive interview process that includes a background check.



What is the staff to camper ratio?

At Camp Ariel we follow the ACA (American Camp Association) guidelines of employing at least a 7:1 ratio of campers to counselors.



How are the age divisions split? What is their sports program?

Our Age Divisions follow the Camp Ariel theme in the development of the Lion.
Our youngest age group is the Gurim age group which is for our 5 and 6 year old campers. Other than being our most popular age group (because they are the cutest!), with age appropriate programming and activities, these campers enjoy an array of fundamental sports programming and activities that promise to give them a summer they will never forget.Our Kfir campers are entering 2nd and 3rd grade respectively. In the Kfir division, the level of instruction and competition becomes more real and the program we provide reflects that. The sports fundamentals begin to focus on more individualized skills for each of the campers while our sports leagues expectations reflect the level of competition for these grades.Our Shachal campers, entering 4th and 5th grade, are well versed in the tournament style of play, and at this point are focusing on individual skill development and refinement. Our player profiles will track the areas of growth we asses with them at the beginning of the summer and track their development as they progress over the course of their three sessions.Our Aryeh Teens, entering 6th through 8th grade, will be challenged to continue developing their individual skills while learning and engaging in the fundamentals of team based skills as well. Our teens face other local camps in intercamp play and are challenged to improve upon their defined areas of focus over the course of the summer.



Are snacks and water provided throughout the day?

Water is not only provided throughout the day, but it is required and built in to all of our periods. In addition to water fountains around the campus there will be water coolers on all sports fields and campers will be well hydrated throughout the day. While we will often provide surprise snacks and treats, only our Gurim campers are formally provided with a daily snack. Campers should bring additional snacks as needed.



Is there swimming? If yes, please elaborate. Where will it be held?

Swimming and water activities will be weekly at Pan Pacific Park and Annenberg Beach House for our Kfir- Aryeh campers and at the Virginia Park Splash Pad for our Gurim Campers.



How many trips will we get to go on? What types of trips?

All age groups go on at least one weekly trip. Our older age groups have additional trips as well as night activities dispersed throughout the summer. Some of the trips include: -Knotts Berry Farm -Six Flags Magic Mountain -Sky Zone -Surprise Trip! -Dave and Busters -Paintball -Adventure City (For Gurim) -Ice Skating -Bowling and much much more….. All trips are designed to be age appropriate. Camp Ariel prides itself on exceeding our campers expectations at every corner.



Who will be providing security for camp this summer?

The ISA security team will be providing security for us this summer.



Do counselors run activities? Or are they run by professionals?

All specialties have a lead professional instructor. Some of our sports programs are run by specialists while others are facilitated by our counselors.