It's not too late for girls entering kindergarten to 12th grade to register for summer camp. Fully accredited by the American Camp Association, Girl Scout camps help girls build confidence and social skills, form lasting memories, make new friends and have fun. Many sessions focus on specialty topics such as aquatics, horses, sports, the arts, technology, high adventure and leadership.

Day camps - Camps run from Monday to Friday. Most sessions are held on the 13-acre Girl Scout headquarters in Balboa Park. Fees range from $154-$299. Adults may apply for volunteer positions; their children receive a significant discount.

• Horse camps (for girls entering grades 2-6) - These Monday-Friday camps at Heartland Ranch in Lakeside include riding and grooming horses, plus games, crafts and a petting zoo. The $299 fee includes bus transportation from Balboa Park.
  • Pony Tails (June 22-26) -Ride, read about horses, and enjoy western crafts and a guest storyteller.
  • Saddle Up (June 29-July 3) - Experience ranch life as a cowgirl, take arena lessons, and help with a western cookout.
  • Take the Reins (July 6-10) - Combine arena lessons with outdoor camping skills,
    including wilderness survival education, orienteering, riding and trail signs.
  • Hoofprints (July 20-24) - Try ranch-style activities with a carnival theme. Learn
    to rope a pretend steer and other rodeo basics.
• Sea Sampler (2-7) - Spend mornings enjoying Sea World's unique programs, and afternoons in Balboa Park, swimming, making new friends and working on badges; June 22-26
• Eco-Explorers (Grades 2-5) - Practice eco-friendly skills in Balboa Park, create cool crafts from recycled and natural materials, construct a "tower of trash" with your camp trash; June 29-July 3
  
• The Amazing Race (6-9) - Uncover clues in Balboa Park and its museums, create cultural crafts and engage in unique activities; Aug. 3-7
  
• For the Love of Animals (New! Now expanded to grades 3-10) - Spend a week at the Escondido Humane Society with a Wildlife Rescue representative, reptile expert, service and K-9 dogs, and exotic pets; Aug. 10-14

Resident camps - Camp Winacka and Whispering Oaks are located in the mountains near Julian. Sessions range from four to 11 days; fees of $240 to $620 include bus transportation. (An additional charge of $10 for non-members includes a year of Girl Scout membership.) "Camperships" are available for girls who need financial assistance to participate. Winacka campers sleep in open-air cabins, tent houses or cots under the stars, while Whispering Oaks provides the comforts of modern cabins. Camp facilities include a health center with 24-hour onsite health care supervision, modern bathroom/shower facilities, lodges, a swimming pool, challenge course, sports field, playground and
campfire rings.

• Splish Splash (for girls entering grades 3-4) - Snorkel, water games, learn new techniques; work on Red Cross swimming requirements; Tuesday-Friday, July 21-24.
• Paintbrushes and Pinecones (4-5) - Paint, sculpt, create textiles with natural and traditional materials; Sunday-Friday, July 12-17.
• Junior Explorer (4-5) - Hike, swim, cookouts, activities planned by campers; Tuesday-Friday, July 21-24 or Aug. 4-7.
• Counselor-in-Training (11-12) - Identify talents and leadership style, polish program skills, work with younger girls in an outdoor setting; Tuesday-Friday, July 21-31.
• Abracadabra (4-5) - Learn magic tricks and theater skills, put on a show; Tuesday-Friday, Aug. 4-7.
• Eco-Camp (5-6) - Explore recycling, composting, straw bale construction; Sunday-Friday, July 12-17.
• Just Add Water (5-6) - Canoe, play water games and water polo, make a boat; Sunday-Friday, uly 12-17 or Aug. 9-14.
• In Sync (5-6) - Synchronized swimming, night swims, snorkeling, water polo; Sunday-Friday, July 12-17.
• Junior Scramblers (5-6) - Bouldering, backpacking, and other high-adventure sports; Sunday-Friday, June 28-July 3, July 12-17 or 26-31, Aug. 9-14.
• Robin Hoods (5-6) - Hone archery skills, spend one night under the stars at the range; Sunday-Friday, June 28-July 3.
• Making Memories (grades 6-7, Tuesday-Friday, Aug. 4-7) (grades 8-10, Sunday-Friday, Aug. 9-14) - Create scrapbooks with mementos brought from home or found at camp.
• Kid Kare (6-8; must be 12 years old) - Earn Red Cross Babysitters Card, First Aid Certificate and Infant/Child CPR certification; Sunday-Friday, June 28-July 3.
• Photo Finish (6-9) - Master photographic composition, digital shooting and black-and-white developing; Sunday-Friday, June 28-July 3, July 12-17 or 26-31.
• Camp Spirit Squad (7-9) - Plan a pep rally, learn event-planning; Sunday-Friday, Aug. 9-14.
• Horsin' Around (7-10) - Learn to groom, halter and feed and ride horses; Sunday-Friday, July 12-17
• Backpacking (7-12) - Backpack basics, including map-and-compass navigation and "leave no trace" ethics; tents provided, packs available; Tuesday-Friday, July 21-31 or Aug. 4-14.
• Rock Out (7-12) - Climb, rappel, do team building, learn safety skills; Sunday-Friday, June 28-July 3.
• Arts Alive! (8-10) - Music, dance, theater, sculpture, and painting; Tuesday-Friday, Aug. 4-7.
• Leading the Way (9-10) - Develop leadership skills, lead programs, enjoy traditional camp activities; Sunday-Friday, July 26-31 or Aug. 9-14.
• Teen Escape (9-12) - Explore, swim, making new friends; Tuesday-Friday, Aug. 4-7.

For more information about Girl Scouts camps, visit www.girlscoutssdi.org/camp or contact Outdoor Education Manager Jen Nation at (619) 610-0726 or jnation@girlscoutssdi.org.