No kidding, this is fun

Suzie Harrison

Ahhh, to be a kid again.

Especially to be a kid and be able to enjoy some of the carefree

elements of summer, which include things like going to summer camp.

These days there is a plethora of options if you are lucky enough to

live in Huntington Beach.

One such camp is called Funtime Day Camp. With a name like that,

how can it not be fun? By watching the children enjoy their day with

smiles o’plenty it seems indicative that they are having a good time.

Funtime Day Camp is a product of the city of Huntington Beach’s

recreation and community services department. Jami Shannon is the

director of the camp and has been enjoying her fun job for 12 years.

She believes the camp has been around closer to 30 years.

“There are so many activities each day it’s hard to say which

activities are the most popular,” Shannon said.

The day camp lasts a week, and each day there is a schedule of

fun-packed activities with Wednesday’s being either Disneyland,

Knott’s Berry Farm or Soak City.

“The campers are always excited especially on Wednesday because

it’s amusement park day, but they get a great variety of activities

every day throughout the week,” she said.

The other days the campers enjoy myriad activities such as

swimming, bowling, roller skating, playing at the park, as well as

travel to various fun centers and arcades.

The children attending Funtime Camp had glowing reviews about

their experience with a large percentage of campers attending more

than one week and several years in a row.

“I’ve been here last year and this year with my brother,” said

Tiffany Robbins, 11. “It’s fun and very entertaining. There are a lot

of nice kids. I like to go to all these places. It’s all really fun,

but going to Disneyland is my favorite thing.”

There are 60 campers a week ages 6 and up with seven different

sessions during the summer from June 24 to Aug. 16. The camp is at

capacity for this year.

“This is my third year at Funtime,” said Brian Denning, 10. “It’s

so great you get to go to a lot of places that are so much fun. You

have nice counselors. I love being at Nickel Nickel today and playing

basketball and baseball.”

Hearing the campers’ delight over such games as L.A. Guns, air

hockey, Sega NASCAR, War Final Assault, MS Packman and Hydro Thunder

was a testament to their feelings about the camp.

“I like when on Friday they give us ice cream,” said Taylor Le, 8.

“This is my third time here and I like to go roller skating and when

we get to go to the adventure parks.”

For more information regarding camps and other recreational

activities, please call the city’s community services office at

536-5486.