This is my, and my daughter's, annual recommendation for Camp Winnarainbow in Mendocino County (http://www.campwinnarainbow.org)

Camp Winnarainbow is a fabulous camp, with a thirty year plus history. It's activities are centered around Circus and Performing Arts, and it is chock-filled with everything that makes for a lifetime of great camp memories. Most of the senior counselors have been coming to camp since they were kids, and are living examples of what the camp's goals for the campers are. from their website -

''Drawing from our knowledge of circus and performing arts, we teach timing, balance and a sense of humor. Kids learn respect for themselves, others and the environment. We honor the creative spirit of each child in an atmosphere of approval and mutual encouragement. ''

Let's see... random notes They have a one week session for kids age 7, for their first sleep away experience. They have a beautiful lake and a 350 ft. water slide. They have vegetarian and vegan meal choices at every meal

The camp's administration is absolutely amazing and every precaution and care you would want them to take - is taken to a tee. Research and you will find that they have the highest safety rating available to any camp in the country -and the beautiful setting is second to none in Northern CA.

Really. This is the very best sleep-away camp! And I'd be happy to answer any prospective parent's questions.. Lily's Dad

Re: Nearby Sleepaway Camp for 9 Year Old Girl
My daughter went, for the first time, to Camp Winnarainbow. It's farther away, but she says its the best ever. Lisa

Re: Overnight camp for 14-y-o computer addict
I recommend Camp Winnarainbow for your son.

Despite its slightly goofy name, this is an amazing, life changing camp, at which teen campers, especially, get a large amount of self-determination about their activities (of course there are no electronic devices around), and the main goal, though not overtly stated, is to help kids become good, caring people, in the context of having fun.

I wish I could explain this place's magic concisely!

It's nominally a circus arts and performance camp, but it does not intend to produce Cirque de Soleil performers.

About 1/3 of the campers are on full scholarships and come from foster homes and underprivileged neighborhoods. Most other campers pay full fees, at a fairly average rate. All the kids are supported and encouraged to try new things and work out conflicts amicably as they write poetry & songs, learn to unicycle and walk on stilts, walk a (low) tightrope, mime, clown, use costumes, juggle, etc., bicycle or walk to the lake, to swim (where there's a water slide donated by Waterworld) and prepare for the Big Show (using professional sound equipment donated by the Grateful Dead).

The kids get woken from their tee-pees by someone blowing a conch shell, or perhaps by a recording of Jimi Hendrix playing the Star Spangled Banner. Early risers can go to the outdoor ''dining room'' for cocoa. Real sleepy-heads get sprayed with a garden hose at some point.

The morning reading might come from Walt Whitman. Then they choose their own activities from an ample list, all day, with professional, adult staff and activity changes signaled by the aforementioned conch-horn.

At night there are performances, campfires, stories, and, for the oldest campers, a coming of age ceremony at the labyrinth, at the end of the season. (Patch Adams is a counselor in clowning at one session.) Then it's ''brush 'em if you got 'em,'' before bed.

My son (17) has graduated to being a junior counselor and will even get paid a bit this year. He credits this place with helping him to find himself. During the rest of the year he now puts on rock-concert benefits for charities, with a group of teens, many of whom attended Winnarainbow, and featuring friends' bands, including one band from camp, with kids for whom he was a ''teen-staff '' (junior-junior counselor) a couple of years ago.

Oldest campers are 14. I know there are still several openings in sessions D (July 21 - Aug 2) & E (Aug 4 - 16), and a few spots in earlier sessions.

www-dot-campwinnarainbow-dot-org

Best, and good luck, mimi

This is my, and my daughter's, annual pitch/recommendation for Camp Winnarainbow in Mendocino County (http://www.campwinnarainbow.org) It is a fabulous camp, with activities centered around the Circus Arts, and is chock-filled with everything that makes for a lifetime of great camp memories. Most of the senior counselors have been coming to camp since they were kids, and are living examples of what the camp's goals for the campers are. from their website - ''Drawing from our knowledge of circus and performing arts, we teach timing, balance and a sense of humor. Kids learn respect for themselves, others and the environment. We honor the creative spirit of each child in an atmosphere of approval and mutual encouragement. '' Research and you will find that they have the highest safety ratings available to any camp in the country -and the beautiful setting is second to none in Northern CA.

Let's see... The camp has a one week sleep-away session for kids 7 and up. The camp's administration is amazing and every precaution and care you would want them to take - is taken. Check it out! This is the best sleep-away camp!!!
Lily's Dad

My daughter had a wonderful experience at Camp Winnarainbow. It is nominally a circus camp, but the kids get to choose their activities, and there are some normal overnight camp activities like swimming as well. My daughter is kind of a timid type with respect to things like flying through the air on trapezes, but, much to my surprise, she became a great juggler and qualified stilt-walker. But none of this says what the camp is. When her friends had been, and she wanted to go the next year, I went and asked the kids what the camp was like, expecting to hear about stilt-walking, etc. I swear that they started to glow when I asked the question. Instead of telling me anything about activities, they talked about how everyone there was respected, no one teased anyone there-- basically, they told me how wonderful the values were, and how that made them feel valued and wanted and feel that they fit in. It isn't a wilderness experience, though the kids live outside in large teepees. So maybe it isn't what you are looking for. But it is wonderful, and unique in the sense that it takes kids, for perhaps the only time in their lives, to a place where life is what it ought to be. The office is in Berkeley, except in the summer when it is at the camp itself. The camp is up north of Eureka. There is a bus that takes kids there from Berkeley, though I found I always enjoyed the long drive. Christine

Has anyone out there sent their child to Wavy Gravy's circus camp, Camp Winnarainbow? I'd appreciate any information. My daughter will be almost nine and id begging me to go with a friend -- though I think nine is kind of young to go so far to sleepaway camp, but I'm probably being overprotective since she's very responsible. How have kids that age done at sleepaway camp? I'm anxious to hear. Thanks Stefanie

There are kids 7-14 there as campers, and then older than that they become jr. staff and staff. I know kids who have literally grown up there every year, and they are wonderful adults now. People make lifelong friends there. The fact that your child wants to go with a friend sounds great, because it's an easy way to break in and feel comfortable. I'd bet she comes home feeling like she has a whole new circle of people and activity in her life.

I went to a sleepaway arts camp as a kid, and it changed my life. Winnarainbow is less professional arts oriented, more geared towards having big silly fun, and acquiring some arts skills and some social skills of living in a group. Kids are supported well through the rare homesickness bout, and there are always an abundance of well trained staff to talk to.

This year, we'll most likely be there with our daughter, who's just old enough to start to participate. THis will be my first experience having a child as a camper, so I'll let you know how that perspective is at the end of June! isabel

The staff there is outstanding, and not only do they focus on fun things like circus skills: unicycle, juggling, tightrope and clowning, they also place quite an emphasis on "life" skills, working in community, caring about the people around you, etc. We were really astounded by the change in our daughter's whole outlook when she returned from camp -- she had become 100% more cooperative, generous, empathetic, etc. The older campers really look out for the little ones, and she had lots of new older buddies who were exceptionally kind to her. She can't imagine summer without Camp Winnarainbow, and starts counting down the days on the day that she comes home.

For people who are concerned about sending a child away, they are very understanding and caring and the counselors are very good about keeping in touch if need be. You can choose between a one week or two week session. We did a one week the first time, which was really nice except then there was no "big show" which is the highlight for the two weekers. Feel free to contact me if you have any more questions; my daughter Mollie would be happy to share her experiences about her Favorite place on earth. Susan