4/6/25 Newsletter
Hello everyone,
Hope you had a good weekend!
This is the second-to-last newsletter of the season. I hope you’ve found summer camps that suit your family’s needs this year.
Over the past week, more regional and smaller-scale camps have started to pop up. Since I’m not sure where everyone will be staying this summer, I recommend checking this FB group 夏令營冬令營推薦 for more local camp information.
Here are a few local camps that opened registration this week:
1. Yuan T. Lee Foundation – Science Education for All (遠哲科學教育基金會) – Science Camp
These science camps are available for students ranging from elementary to middle school (depending on the location). They’re held in Taipei and several central Taiwan cities. I discovered this camp through a forum comment where it was listed as a popular option among local families. Unlike many for-profit camps, this one is run by a nonprofit established by Nobel Prize laureate Yuan T. Lee. This camp is led by certified elementary school science teachers, with their names and affiliated schools listed on the website. The program focuses on hands-on experiments and activities designed to inspire future scientists and engineers.
2. J’s Language Workshop (爵思語言學坊) – Chinese Traditional Theater Camp
I started following this organization after learning they offer Chinese language classes for international school students in Taiwan. This specific summer camp focuses on traditional Chinese performing arts and is labeled “Chinese-only.” Activities include Chinese opera, glove puppetry, shadow puppetry, and acrobatics. The camp is open to kids aged 6–10. Given that they’ve worked with students who may not be native Chinese speakers, they might be able to communicate with parents in English if needed.
3. CCEF Training Center (華視文教基金會) – TV Summer Camp
Hosted by one of Taiwan’s oldest TV stations, this long-running camp offers hands-on experiences in broadcasting—such as anchoring, acting, singing, and reporting. I’ve known about this camp since I was a kid, and their website is one of the few that still provides photos from past sessions.
4/1/25 Newsletter
Hello everyone!
It’s a busy week over here—I’m releasing a new episode of Our Chinese & English Journey podcast and picking new books for my Little Chinese Online Book Club. But I still wanted to share a few updates and findings from the past week:
1. Love Nature is running out of space for its two camps (大地廚房探險隊 & 生態偵探團) —sign up soon if you’re interested!
2. If you haven’t decided where to stay in Taiwan yet, these three universities—NTU (台大), NTNU (師大), and National Taipei University of Business (商業大學)—have multiple camp options at their campus. Staying in these areas may give you more choices.
3. Sleepaway camps are more popular than I expected! For younger kids, there are shorter options like 3 days/2 nights or 2 days/1 night. I just signed my kids up for a 3-day, 2-night camp last week. For older kids, 5 days/4 nights camps are widely available.
I had a parent book my personalized camp research service this week! My process starts with understanding the child’s age, interests, and where the family will be staying in Taiwan. From there, I conduct tailored research to find the best camp options that fit their needs. This service is perfect for parents who find it challenging to sort through camp details in Chinese or want guidance in choosing a reputable program. As a Taiwanese native raising kids in the U.S., I understand the common concerns parents have when selecting a camp abroad. Read more here.
Lastly, this newsletter will be winding down in the next few weeks. I’ll still be sharing Taiwan camp updates in Taiwan Camps for Kids FB group on my personal account (Grace Ju) and my page (雙語職場媽咪 Bilingual Working Mom), so feel free to follow along there!
Have a great week!
Grace
3/23/25 Newsletter
Hello everyone!
Hope you all had a great weekend! I felt pretty lucky yesterday—I got to meet one of the parents from this newsletter list in person at the kids’ Chinese book club I host. It was so nice to chat face-to-face!
I’ve been getting more messages from parents asking about camp recommendations. I’d love to help, but since I don’t always know your child’s age or Chinese level—both super important for picking the right camp—it can be tricky to give the best advice right away. Since researching camps takes time, I’m now offering a personalized, fee-based research service. If you’d like some extra help narrowing down the best options, just let me know!
Popular Local Camps This Week
One way to spot popular local camps is by looking at parent engagement—camps that generate a lot of comments and questions when they announce their schedule are usually in high demand. Here are a few that have caught my eye:
創藝樹設計工作室 – Children’s Architecture Camp
This hands-on camp lets kids build structures like treehouses, ferris wheels, and train tracks.
They offer both overnight and day camp options, but if your child is not staying overnight, having a car might be necessary since the camp isn’t in Taipei City.
Locations: Taipei & Taichung.
我們家的睡前故事 Podcast MVP Camp
Organized by the popular podcast 我們家的睡前故事 (Our Family’s Bedtime Stories), this camp focuses on voice performance.
At the end of the camp, kids get to record a segment that airs on the actual podcast! I’ve listened to past episodes featuring these student recordings—it’s pretty cool to hear their voices on the show.
If your child enjoys storytelling and performing, this could be a great option.
Locations: Taipei, Taichung & Tainan
大墩陽光 – Variety Camp
Offers a wide range of camps, including baking, LEGO robotics, Minecraft, magic, veterinary science, soccer, basketball, and more.
Mixed reviews: While one parent in Taiwan Camps for Kids had a less-than-positive experience, another mom told me she loved it! She found it well-organized, appreciated the structured textbook they used, and thought it was affordable. Her family is signing up again this year for a different camp option.
They currently have an early bird discount—if you like/share their FB post, the camp price can drop to NT$5,522, which is one of the lowest I’ve seen this year.
They also have a page outlining what overseas kids can expect and important info for parents.
Locations: Across Taipei & Taiwan.
Eye上大自然 – Nature Camp
A parent recently shared that this popular nature camp just launched its summer program (love this!).
I also shared my 2023 experience in the comments under her post. Search lovenature in the FB group.
Locations: Taipei and a few overnight camps in other parts of Taiwan
數感實驗室 – Numeracy Lab
This organization is on a mission to make math fun!
I first heard about them through a bilingual mom whose son attended their online summer camp. They have a strong local following, and many parents request new camp locations across Taiwan.
I came across a question from an overseas parent asking if the Chinese level would be too difficult. I screenshotted the camp’s response (with iPhone translation). Search Numeracy Lab in Taiwan Camps for Kids to see the post.
Let’s Keep the Group Active!
I’ve noticed more parents joining Taiwan Camps for Kids to ask for camp/activity recommendations, but I haven’t seen many sharing their experiences. Whether it’s posting about camps you’ve found, reviewing camps your child has attended, or even just liking posts to show engagement—let’s keep this group active so we can all benefit from more shared insights!
Happy Planning! – Grace
3/15/25 Newsletter
Hi there!
I can’t believe it’s already mid-March. Have you decided what dates you’re going to Taiwan? I use Google Flights to track plane ticket prices and it looks like there’s a jump in price when March hits and once we get close to summer, the plane ticket prices will keep rising. I’ve seen more and more camps have their early bird specials posted. I will list them here in case you didn’t see them in the FB group.
1. Pic a life天賦寶盒 Science/Art Camp – I wrote a review recently in Taiwan Camps for Kids FB group. I personally recommend this camp.
2. Train Your Mind Master Your Life 橙智夏令營 Theater/Scout Overnight/Public Speaking camp – they have a few camps that take as young as 4 year-olds (中班)
3. Sudo Academy 樹豆學苑 Coding/3D printing/Remote controlled Car – The age group is from 3rd grade to 8th grade who can use computer independently. I think this is a great option for older kids who are not necessarily interested in sports and are very into technology.
4. 墾丁 Tetsu 鐵宿衝浪所 Surfing camp in Kenting – Kenting is famous for its beach and its outdoor activity. This is one of the places I really want to visit. It’s all the way to the south of the Taiwan. Lots of resorts around there if parents want to enjoy themselves while kids go to the camp.
5. 孩玩KeePlaying Overnight camp – a variety of team building/scouting/travel overnight camp – I was particularly interested in this 【環島大富翁-小蕃薯西遊記2】3rd to 7th grade Monopoly Travel in the west camp where students take the train and go to different places each day. I think my kids may be too young for this but will be definitely interested in sending them to this one once they’re upper grade in elementary.
6. 築苗教育 Nature/Animal/Science camp across Taiwan – One of their highlights is their student and teacher ratio is 6:1 which is a better ratio than others that are 1 teacher to 10 students.
If researching these camps feels overwhelming, I’m offering a fee-based personalized summer camp research service to help with camp and accommodation planning for a few families in April. If you’re interested, just let me know!
Happy Planning! – Grace
3/1/25 Newsletter
Hello! Hope everyone’s having a great week so far. I’m still figuring out the best format for this newsletter, so I’d love any feedback you have.
Let the Algorithm Work for You: Finding Taiwan Camps
Ever wonder how I find so many camps and their details? About 50% come from keyword searches on Facebook groups or Google, but the other 50% simply show up on my Facebook feed. That’s because I’m intentional about what I click on.
We’ve all experienced clicking on one product and then getting flooded with similar ads. I apply the same logic to camp searches. I browse different FB groups and like relevant posts—especially those sharing summer camp schedules. After engaging with just a few posts, my feed starts suggesting new camps automatically. Once summer passes, these posts naturally disappear from my personal experience.
Local Taiwan Camps with Summer Schedules Available
1. WinWin 打包勝利
This is one of the general camps I mentioned in the workshop, offering a variety of options across Taiwan. One thing to note: Some sessions may not open if they don’t meet the minimum number of registrations. Their website states they’ll confirm which camps will run by June 1st.
One downside—I haven’t seen any real student photos, making it hard to gauge what actually happens during camp. Their ads only use stock and AI-generated images. If anyone has firsthand experience, I’d love to hear about it!
2. 茉莉花園新創教育
This camp caught my attention. They seem well-organized and even have their own website, which often signals a more established provider compared to those that only use Facebook and Google Forms for registration.
A major part of their marketing is promoting US-style English camps, which I assume most of us aren’t looking for. However, they also offer NOLA camps, which focus on independence and adventure-based learning. Their museum scavenger hunt camp looks especially interesting!
3. High Schooler Camps
This week, I came across a list of high school camps from last year. They never showed up in my previous searches, likely because I was mostly looking in FB groups for elementary-aged kids. With guidance from other parents, I learned that local Taiwanese high schoolers attend camps run by university students. Since most high schoolers are focused on college admissions, these camps are often organized by university departments—covering literature, arts, science, medical fields, and more. If your high schooler is near-native in Chinese, these camps could be a great way to meet local students, both in high school and college.
Local Camp Pricing in Taiwan
I’ve been discussing camp costs with parents recently, so here’s a general range:
NT$6,000 – NT$29,000 per week
Some camps may fall outside this range, but the pricing often depends on factors like:
Field trips – More expensive camps may include multiple or more elaborate trips.
Camp counselor ratio – A lower ratio (1 counselor to 5 kids vs. 1 to 10) can impact pricing.
Overnight camps – Anything above NT$16,000 is likely an overnight camp. The type of accommodation (hotel vs. dorm-style) can significantly affect the price.
Some parents debate between a NT$10,000 camp vs. a NT$6,000 camp. My take? If the camp meets your key criteria—proximity to your stay and a strong Chinese immersion environment—then paying a little extra may be worth it. After all, we only have a few summers to send our kids to Taiwan camps. Personally, I’m counting down—maybe just a few more years before my kids outgrow it. Most families I know reduce or stop Taiwan trips once their kids enter middle school.
Ways to Support This Community
If you find this newsletter helpful, here’s how you can contribute:
1. Leave reviews for camps your child has attended in the Taiwan Camps for Kids group. More reviews = more discussions, helping everyone!
2. Engage with posts even if you haven’t been to Taiwan for summer camp yet. A simple like keeps the group active and encourages more people to share valuable resources.
Looking for Taiwan Camps? Search with keywords (like 新店、林口) in this FB group: 夏令營 冬令營 推薦
No newsletter next week – see you in two weeks!
Happy Planning!
Grace
2/22/25 Newsletter
Hello!
Thank you to everyone who joined last Saturday’s Taiwan Summer Camp Planning workshop! If you missed the live session, you can find the recording and handout here. I hope the resources I gathered help with your planning.
I’m planning to send out a newsletter with updates on local camps. With summer camp registrations opening in the next couple of months, I’ll be sharing information to help with your planning. If you prefer not to receive more emails from me, just reply and let me know, and I’ll remove you from the list.
Here are a few camp providers that have recently announced their summer schedules:
Mini Fun Cafe 手做廚房 – Fun暑假夏令營
Locations across Taiwan
This camp is well-known for its cooking programs. According to their marketing materials, they’ve been running cooking camps for 10 years. They’ve also expanded to other types of camps, including modeling, crafts, fashion design, dance, and science.
CM 魅奇學院
Available outside Taipei
I came across this camp while researching options in New Taipei. It focuses more on indoor activities like board games, financial literacy (which has been a growing trend in Taiwan), card games, 3D printing and Rubik’s cube challenges. I know most parents prefer camps with some physical activities, but I actually think indoor camps like this can maximize interaction with local kids. Based on the camp descriptions, many activities involve teamwork, which can be a great way for overseas kids to practice speaking and engage more naturally.
2025 Merry Merry Learning Center 台灣夏令營
Not a traditional camp, but a 14-day tour around Taiwan
Looking at the itinerary makes me want to join! This tour covers many local spots and includes plenty of hands-on activities—all without the hassle of planning.
A parent recently asked me about camps in a specific location. I had just researched the same area for a friend, so I suggested posting the question in a Facebook thread I started. If you have camp-related questions, ask there—I’ll do my best to help! – Grace
Bao & Bun's Bilingual Journey 