La Jolla, CA, USA
Children explore the world one continent at a time through a hands-on Montessori summer program built around culture, geography, creativity, and movement. The five-week July theme, “Passport Around the World,” gives campers a new region to discover each week. They learn about traditions, practice greetings in different languages, work with maps and geography, and take part in special international food experiences. Each child receives a summer passport for collecting stamps as the journey moves from continent to continent.
The program combines these weekly themes with a broad mix of activities. Campers can take part in Montessori-based work, art, sports, cooking, hands-on science, music and movement, and water play. The school’s Montessori approach emphasizes learning by doing, using concrete materials and guided practice to support curiosity and independence. Children explore through their senses, manipulate materials, and practice lessons at an individually appropriate pace after teachers introduce new challenges. Summer materials also list language, math, practical life, sensorial work, geography, and cultural subjects as part of the academic curriculum.
Montessori by the Sea serves campers from infancy through age 8 across its La Jolla summer program. The format is especially suited to children who enjoy active, tactile learning and varied creative experiences while exploring a clear weekly theme.
| Ages: | 1–8 |
| Type: | Day |
| Gender: | Co-Ed |
| Setting: | City |
| Sports: | Sports |
| Water: | Water |
| Academics: | Academics, Science, Career, Culinary, Learning, International Studies, Language |
| Arts: | Arts, Fine Arts, Arts & Crafts, Music |
| Meals Type: | Bring Your Own |
| Time: | 08:30 AM - 02:00 PM |
You won’t be charged yet. The camp will contact you to confirm all terms first.
You can still submit a quick request to let the camp know you’re interested.
The summer program is organized as a five-week “Passport Around the World” experience. Each week focuses on a different continent, giving children a simple structure for exploring geography, traditions, and language. Themes move through North America, South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia and Australia. Campers practice greetings in different languages, work with map skills, learn about diverse cultures, and take part in international food experiences. A personal summer passport gives children a concrete way to mark each stop along the program’s global journey.
Montessori learning is woven into the camp rather than separated from the theme. The school’s method centers on hands-on materials, guided lessons, and opportunities for children to practice independently. Summer curriculum materials include language, math, practical life, sensorial work, art, geography, and cultural subjects, alongside daily or recurring enrichment such as Spanish, music, woodworking, gardening, hands-on science, arts and crafts, cooking, water days, and special visitors.
That mix creates a program with both focused learning and varied activity. Children move between academic, practical, creative, physical, and cultural experiences while the weekly continent theme keeps the different parts of camp connected.
Families provide lunch and nutritious snacks for camp. The summer registration materials ask parents not to send sweets, candy, or cookies and encourage healthy, nutritious foods. The program also includes special international food experiences as part of its continent-based cultural themes.
The summer registration form asks families to list food allergies and gives the school permission to call a physician for medical or surgical care if an emergency arises. The form also states that reasonable efforts will be made to notify parents promptly in that situation.
Regular camp hours run from 8:30 AM to 2:00 PM. Extended care is available from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM at the Mt. Soledad campus only. The official registration form asks families to choose a campus and submit the completed form to secure a spot. Prospect serves summer campers ages 3 to 6, while Mt. Soledad accepts campers from infancy through age 8. Families should use the campus choice on the registration form to match their child’s age and care needs.
