For many families in Orange County, summer camps are good places to send the kids to when school is out.
Summer camp is a place where kids can not only have fun, but learn valuable life lessons they may not learn in school or at home.
Many parents fondly remember the summers they spent playing outside with the neighborhood kids.
Whether they played baseball in the park, raced each other on bicycles or built forts in the yard, they had fun, stayed in good shape and learned how to play well with other kids.
Times are different now.
Orange County is crowded, and there are fewer wide-open spaces for children to play in.
Instead of going out to play, many children stay at home where they may spend hours watching TV and playing video games.
This sedentary lifestyle offers little opportunity for learning.
Fortunately, in Orange County, summer camps where children can engage in all kinds of activities are organized by numerous organizations.
There are day camps such as Camp James in Irvine.
Outdoor camps such as Earthroots Field School let children explore the world around them.
Specialty camps and workshops catering to various interests like sports and the arts let children hone their skills.
Big Bear Sports Ranch develops the skills of young athletes, while The Performer's Academy nurtures the talents of budding actors.
By doing things they love, children gain confidence in their abilities.
But perhaps more important than the practical skills are the life lessons children learn.
At camp, they are able to meet other children and make new friends.
Camp activities let children play, work together and learn lessons on fairness, trustworthiness and respect.
Orange County may look different than the hometowns of parents' childhoods.
But with its summer camps, it still provides great places for children to learn and play.