Art Students League of Denver, 200 Grant St., has added new camps to its summer palette: Kindergarten camps (they fill fast!) – and more two-week camps for deeper study. Camps are available for the following age groups: Kdg., grades 1-2; 3-5; 6-8; & 9-11 (entering fall 2011). All campers must be current ASLD members.

Every camp teaches the fundamentals of art of focus, taking on the beginning skills of working with paint, clay, wire, fabric – plus learning tools that open the doors of creativity. Extra hours of supervised care are available, 8-9a.m, 12-1p.m. & 4-5p.m. for an extra fee. Registration is by phone, or mail in a registration form. The website will tell you at a glance which classes are already filled – link to “Summer Camps” from “Youth Programs” on the home page. Full catalog, registration details: ASLD.org, 303-778-6990, ext. 100.

Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy., hosts one- and two-week camps and classes to keep kids of all ages entertained all summer. Craft classes for 4- and 5-year-olds include: Around the World in Four Days & Tales with Tails. Options for older kids feature Crazy About Horses, Hot Off the Press, Oh, the Clay You Will Sculpt & Modern Design. Classes begin June 8. Visit denverartmuseum.org (click on “Learn and Play” – some camps are already filled), or call 720-865-5000.

Rock music camps have claimed center stage for lots of starstruck kids in recent years, although rock ‘n’ roll’s certainly not the only musical genre in town.

Swallow Hill House of Rock Teen Summer Camp was spawned in 2007, when Chad “Chadzilla” Johnson helped create a venue introducing kids to the thrill and fun of playing live music with other musicians. Chadzilla’s 30-year performing career, his encyclopedic knowledge of instruments and styles, and impeccable credentials (mainly teaching drums) as part of Swallow Hill’s Music School faculty help assure a smashing experience for teens; he’ll be ably backed by Shane Provost.

House of Rock is open to all those who have some experience playing guitar, bass, drums, keyboard, horns, or any other instrument, or singing. In each session kids will learn: how use their gear; play through a sound system; to find and create their part in a band; song write; play with peers; and put it all together in a band; as well as gaining individual instruction on their instrument in sectionals every day. Each band camp (held at Swallow Hill, 71 E. Yale Ave.) will finish up with a live performance at Moe’s BBQ (part of the Gothic Theatre).

Songwriting and recording students will get to use Swallow Hill’s recording studio to produce professional quality recordings of their own songs. Studio time with Swallow Hill’s sound engineer is included in the camp’s cost.

Info/register at swallowhillmusic.org or call 303-777-1003.

Broadway’s definitely the boulevard for fledgling – and already accomplished musicians -- and Broadway Music School, 1940 S. Broadway, can certainly widen their horizons. BMS offers summer day camps for kids 10-18 at varied ability levels, in 4-day rock bands and jazz groups, 6-day vocal (music theater) camps, and classical ensembles. Members learn to play in a group setting and work with a professional coach to polish their repertoire. Each camp culminates in a performance for friends and family in Broadway Music’s acoustically splendid recital hall. Guitar Club, string clubs, percussion ensemble, horn group, and vocal classes are also forming and scheduling now.

BMS was founded in June 2005, from a vision for a community resource that fosters music education and enjoyment at all levels and for all ages. So don’t think all the music’s just for young ones! Camp details and musical possibilities for everyone from 3 to 103: broadwaymusic.com or call 303-777-0833.

Learn a set of great classic rock songs, practice stage craft and have FUN in preparation for an end of the week concert at School of Rock’s Summer Boot Camp, a one-week program held at Grant Avenue Community Center, 216 S. Grant St. Five camps are planned for rockers ages 10-18 – June 6-10 or 20-24; July 11-15 or 25-29; and Aug. 1-5. Camps are held Mon.-Fri., 10a.m.-3p.m., with final concerts Fridays, 6p.m. Details at SchoolofRock.com, or 720-221-6991.

Budding chamber music enthusiasts are invited to a week of Intermezzo Chamber Music Sessions for instrument and voice, July 11-15, 1220 S. Fillmore St. Students participate in private coachings, supervised rehearsals, yoga class, theory class, helpful master classes and Dalcroze eurythmy – all in the context of a supportive and enriching environment.

Anyone ages 10-18, at or above a Suzuki Book 3-4 level or equivalent for violinists, and book 2-3 for violists and cellists may apply for the camp. Students outside these parameters can be accepted with the director’s permission. Also encouraged: applications from pre-formed ensembles and individuals wishing to be placed in a group. All instrument and voice categories are considered. In addition, applications are accepted from student composers who have written small chamber works and have ready-to-use parts and a score. Info/register at IntermezzoCMS.com, or 303-902-1831.

The Mizel Museum, 400 S. Kearney St., presents a remarkable line-up of artists-in-residence who will guide kids on a summer full of exploration and fun. Each camp is a unique journey with renowned teaching artists focusing on visual arts, theater, music, movement, photography, storytelling and more.

This season is exceptional because it incorporates Mizel’s new, permanent exhibit, 4,000 Year Road Trip: Gathering Sparks. Campers will literally “set up shop” amid a vibrant setting of art installations, objects, photography and interactive media – bound to inspire everyone’s creative journey.

Creative Journeys camps, for ages 3-5 and grades 1-6, are affordable one-week sessions, May 23-Aug. 12 – and include Theatre Intensive for the Wacky and Wise:Rabbi Harvey Rides Again!; The Musical Tent: Build It & They Will Jam!; and Creative Clicks and Sounds: Chronicling the Summer Through Photography & Music, among others. Questions? Visit MizelMuseum.org or call 303-749-5018.

Kids 6-11 can spend their days in relaxed but fun-filled style at Summerville, Washington Street Community Center’s May 31-Aug. 11 day camp, at 809 S. Washington St. Swimming, field trips, art, music, drama, lemonade stands, car washes, games, food and sports offered. A variety of daily/weekly attendance options are available. Call Martha Horstman-Evans for packet and to check availability, 303-733-4643. Info: wscc-denver.org.

WSCC is a not-for-profit organization that unites the neighbors and neighborhoods of south central Denver – an inter-generational gathering place for the community since 1967, and a center providing services to meet the needs of families, seniors, children and adults.

Dig into Denver Botanic Gardens to explore; kids 6-12 can discover and investigate the world of plants in summer camps full of garden explorations, games, activities, cooking and plants to take home. Choose from a variety of week-long camps held at both the York Street (1107 York St.) and Chatfield (8500 E. Deer Creek Canyon Rd.) locations, including Budding Botanists; Deer Creek Discovery–From Plant to Plate; Junior Master Gardeners; & Tree-mendous Travels Garden Camps (Ages 6-15).

There’s something new each week and all camps (except Junior Master Gardeners) have fresh activities every year. Kids can come back week after week, year after year, and experience something new. Camps are held Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Be sure to also visit the Mordecai Children’s Garden on York St. – drop-in programs are available daily, weather permitting. Info: call 720-865-3656 or visit botanicgardens.org (look for “Children & Family Programs” in the “Programs” menu).

South Platte River Environmental Education (SPREE) summer camps bring the river to life in out-of-the-ordinary ways for kids entering grades 1-6.

SPREE Force Special Agent Training Camp is set for July 26-28, 9a.m.-2p.m.:SPREE is recruiting new and old special agents to attend training camp this summer. Agents will receive all-new top secret missions from Chompers (SPREE’s mascot), play outdoor games, make crafts, sing songs, and catch critters. Upon completion of camp, agents will graduate from training and become certified SPREE Force agents!

Splash In the City is all about water – Aug. 2-4, 9a.m.-2p.m. Play games with water, catch critters, take boat rides, complete water quality testing, create art projects, and much more!

Kids don’t need to head to the hills; consider Urban Wilderness Adventure Camp, Aug. 10-13 – 9a.m.-2p.m. on Aug. 10-11 – and an overnight with parents on Aug. 12. By the end of this camp kids will be experts in the wilderness; they’ll learn how to set up camp properly, leave no trace in the wilderness, create and read maps, build a shelter, identify birds and animals, and much more. Each day will begin with a GPS treasure hunt that leads to daily activities. The final day of camp will be an overnight camping experience at Habitat Park where families will join campers for a campfire program, games, night hikes and s’mores!

For details on all camps, plus year-round activities on the Platte designed for kids and families, visit SPREEweb.org, call 303-743-9720 or check in at SPREE Headquarters in Habitat Park, 610 S. Jason St.

Pioneer summer day camp on the banks of Cherry Creek at Four Mile Historic Park, 715 S. Forest St., will be a welcome change for your child, a way to experience a simpler way of life at a slower pace just as Colorado children did in the late 1800s. In the fresh air, they’ll pan for gold, take a horse-drawn wagon ride and play games played long before the age of television and computers. Summer day campers will have direct and meaningful contact with the 12-acre historic park and Denver’s oldest standing house. The log portion, built in 1859, shows the lifestyle of Colorado’s early pioneers. The 1883 brick addition illustrates how lifestyles became more prosperous when the railroad brought more fashionable furnishings to town.

Week-long half day sessions, 9a.m.-noon, feature Homesteading Camp, June 6 or July 11, where campers help build a new community as they experience the unique situations associated with early homesteading in Colorado. They will visit a blacksmith, make a historic quilt, attend a one-room school, and cook in a wood-burning stove.

In Trailblazer Camp, June 20 or July 25, campers will learn about Native American life in Colorado: Cheyenne, Arapahoe & Ute, become a Mountain Man for a day, and participate in a rendezvous. Ranches to Railroads Camp, June 27 or Aug 1, will help campers discover the many opportunities available to both men and women on the frontier by trying their hands at ranching, newspaper publishing, working on the railroad, and other jobs that helped to “tame” the Wild West.

Week-long full day sessions: 9a.m.-3p.m. will focus on How the West Was Fun!, June 13 or July 18. The week will provide hands-on experiences as kids learn about several different groups of immigrants and their unique experiences in the Westward Expansion. The customs, traditions, and crafts of the African American, Hispanic, Jewish, and Chinese pioneers will come to life for your child. This is a culture-based curriculum, offered in cooperation with the Mizel Museum.

Denver’s Robert E. Loup Jewish Community Center, 350 S. Dahlia St., offers an impressive and wide-ranging array of weekly camping options, May 31-Aug. 15. The following programs are only a tiny sampling – visit jccdenver.org and peruse the innumerable camp options for yourself.

Mizel Art & Culture Center (MACC) arts & culture programs take place on the JCC campus, and strive to illuminate the human experience through creative cultural programming in the performing and visual arts. Check out Art Academy for grades 1-12, everything from traditional art forms like drawing, painting and pottery to contemporary media classes in digital photography and filmmaking ... and everything in between.

Or, Wolf Theatre Academy – one of Denver’s most professional theatre experiences for young performers, which offers classes in production, creative dramatics, beginning dramatics, audition skills & more. Also offered are sports, tennis and swim camps and camp for ages 2-5.

Details about Camp Shai and specialty camps, held at Denver Jewish Day School, 2450 S. Wabash St. and Ames Elementary in Littleton, and Ranch Camp, at home in Colorado’s beautiful Black Forest in Elbert County are also available at jccdenver.org, or call 303-399-2660.

Smart-Girl is one notable camp which partners with the JCC: Smart-Girl is a prevention and enrichment program designed to engage girls in activities that develop their social-emotional skills. Smart-Girl gives girls the chance to think about and discuss challenges they encounter and to formulate and practice appropriate and productive responses.

A unique strength of the Smart-Girl program is utilizing the power of positive peer influence by pairing highly trained older teens with groups of middle school girls. The older teen group leaders (called Guides) are carefully selected and trained mentors who facilitate discussions and activities amidst lots of glitter and giggles.

Smart-Girl empowers girls to develop leadership ability, group and social skills, problem solving and critical thinking skills, self-worth, empowerment, and more. Topics such as peer pressure, bullying, and body image will be addressed in a fun, safe and highly interactive environment. Camps (9:15a.m.-5:15p.m.) for girls entering grades 6-9 will be held June 13-17; entering grades 7-8, July 11-15; grade 9, July 18-22. Info, 303-815-1921 or visit smart-girl.org.

Spanish is Fun has been helping Denver kids (and adults!) learn Spanish since 2001 – they’ll celebrate their 10th anniversary with Fiesta Camp offerings for kids starting in June. Children ages 4-10 can attend week-long camps to improve, maintain, or practice their Spanish – and have great fun in the process. During Fiesta Camp children will learn about Latin American culture – including three basic salsa dance steps, and how to play Latin instruments like congas and bongos – as well as learning commands, daily expressions, vocabulary, and Latin cooking. Each camp will culminate in a grand celebration on Fiesta Day.

Full- and half-day camps are offered throughout the metro area; locations in the Profile environs include: First Reformed Church, 1601 S. Clarkson St., June 20-24; Teller Elementary, 1150 Garfield St., June 27-July 1; and Montclair Rec Center, 729 Ulster Way, July 18-22 and/or July 25-29. For information, visit spanishisfun.net or call 303-200-0622.

Colorado International School is hosting immersion in language at summer day (PreK-2nd grade only) & mountain adventure (7+) camps, which will focus on Mandarin Chinese, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Farsi or Arabic. Mountain Camp will be held June 26-July 2 (teen camp); and July 24-30 or July 31-Aug. 6 (both camps 7+ only) at YMCA of the Rockies’ Estes Park and Granby sites. The two-week day camps are scheduled at CIS, 4100 E. Iliff Ave., June 13-24; July 11-22; and Aug. 1-12. Information: 303-282-6666 or coloradointernationalschool.org.

Although maybe not an option for summer 2011, since spaces sell out quickly, the University of Denver’s Ritchie Center offers P.A.S.S. (Pioneer Athletic Super Summer) Camp – an energetic recreation camp that introduces sports and recreational games to children ages 5-11 years old.

The Ritchie Center offers an exceptional facility including multiple basketball courts, a state-of-the-art lacrosse field, two NHL-sized ice arenas, a gymnastics venue with the famous “foam pit,” and more. Each participant will be introduced to multiple sports while they utilize the same venues as Division I champions.

Throughout the summer your child can pick different majors to focus on while still being given the opportunity to experience other sports and activities. Campers will focus on the sport of their choice for two hours of the day and then participate in a variety of activities in the remaining hours.

The program is fully supervised with a 1:15 staff member/camper ratio or better, with an emphasis on sportsmanship, interaction, and fun. Campers will be grouped together by age and will have the same group counselor throughout the week. For information, visit recreation.du.edu or call 303-871-3908. Next year, get a jump on P.A.S.S. camp early!