Gilchrist Art Camp
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Gilchrist Art Camp offers a highly engaging and enriching art experience, not only through summer camps but also 'no school day' camps, 'parents nights out,' and birthday parties. It excels in fostering creativity with diverse projects like painting, sculpture, and mixed media, ensuring children come home excited and proud of their 'adorable creations.' Parents consistently praise the excellent staff communication (e.g., 'Lisa is so easy to work with') and the camp's ability to keep children 'very engaged' with 'amazing different themes.'
Key Highlights
- ✓Kids consistently come home excited to share new art projects, including painting, sculpture, and mixed media.
- ✓Offers a wonderful blend of creativity, learning, and fun, where creativity thrives.
- ✓Excellent communication with staff; a specific staff member, 'Lisa,' is noted as easy to work with.
- ✓Staff is described as 'wonderful' with children.
- ✓Provides diverse program options beyond summer camps, including birthday parties, 'no school day camps,' and 'parents nights out.'
- ✓Known for being a 'fun, happy, easy camp option' for parents.
- ✓Children consistently come home with 'adorable creations' they are proud of.
- ✓Camps and classes are 'very engaging' and feature 'amazing different themes' (e.g., Disney themed events).
- ✓Children look forward to attending classes and camps.
Standout Features
- ⭐Diverse range of art projects and mediums (painting, sculpture, mixed media).
- ⭐Strong emphasis on fostering creativity and artistic expression.
- ⭐Responsive and friendly staff communication.
- ⭐Variety of program types: summer camps, no school day camps, parents nights out, and birthday parties.
- ⭐Engaging curriculum with popular themed events (e.g., Disney themed).
- ⭐Children produce tangible art pieces they are proud to bring home.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →Consider Gilchrist for various school breaks and evenings, not just summer (e.g., 'no school day camps,' 'parents nights out').
- →If your child shows interest in art and creative expression, this camp is highly recommended.
- →Inquire about specific themed events, as they are popular and mentioned as 'a ton of fun.'
- →Expect good communication from staff, as 'Lisa' was specifically highlighted for being easy to work with.
Things to Consider
- ⚠A parent expressed a hope for the return of a 'snocone machine,' suggesting it might not be a consistent offering, which could be a minor disappointment for some.
Price & Value
While no specific pricing details are provided, the consistent 5-star reviews highlight an 'engaging and enriching' program, 'high-quality' experience, and high child satisfaction, suggesting excellent value for money. The camp offers diverse programming and fosters artistic pride, indicating a strong return on investment for parents.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •No specific accommodations for special needs were mentioned in the reviews.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •No specific food and drink rules or policies were mentioned. The reference to a 'snocone machine' suggests some treats may be available or have been in the past.
🚗Parking Info
- •No specific information regarding parking facilities was mentioned in the reviews.
👥Crowd Levels
- •No specific information about crowd levels was mentioned. The focus on individual projects and staff interaction implies reasonable group sizes for art instruction.
🛡️Safety Features
- •No explicit safety features were mentioned. However, staff being 'wonderful with my daughter' suggests good supervision and care.
⏰When to Avoid
- • No specific situations or times to avoid were mentioned, as all reviews were overwhelmingly positive.
Pricing/Package/Events
Pricing & Packages
Summer Camp - Weekly Theme
$450-$470Duration: 1 week (Monday - Friday)
Thoughtfully designed to build, create, and reconstruct art through the use of found, recycled, and used material, utilizing professional-grade paints and fine art products. Each week is filled with as many projects as possible. Focus on creativity, skill development, and fun. Campers are divided into smaller groups based on age and skill level. Repeat camps offer the exact same projects.
Includes:
- •Wide range of creativity, skill, mess, indoor and outdoor fun
- •Many different mediums and products (from recycled corks to professional material)
- •Newest and best materials
Spring Break Camp - Full Week
$450Duration: 1 week (Monday - Friday)
A week filled with messy, creative, and fun art projects. 2025 theme coming soon (past 2024 theme was 'Oregonians Get Outside').
Includes:
- •Daily messy, creative, and fun art projects
- •Faux donuts
- •Donut challenge
- •Painting
- •Working with clay
- •Glazing mugs with a Portland spin
- •Coastal ice cream (old fashion way)
- •Beading
- •Soap and more
Spring Break Camp - Per Day
$100Duration: 1 day
Daily option for Spring Break Camp, offering a selection of the full week's projects.
Includes:
- •Daily messy, creative, and fun art projects
Day Off School Camp - Per Day
$90Duration: 1 day
Full day of fun, imaginative, and messy creations when local school districts (Beaverton, Tigard/Tualatin, Portland) have days off. Can be run if 6+ kids are interested on an unlisted day off.
Includes:
- •Lots of fun, imaginative, and messy creations
Dream House Camp
$165Duration: 1 day (10:00am - 3:00pm)
Our most requested camp, focused on building and decorating a dream house. Welcomes both boys and girls for various house themes (haunted, holiday, fairy, garden, hamster, Sponge Bob, Harry Potter, doll houses, etc.).
Includes:
- •Beautiful wooden dollhouse from Ikea
- •Supplies and materials for creative engineering and building
- •3 wooden dolls
- •Paint and glitter
- •Pizza lunch
- •Festive hot chocolate
Winter Break Camp - Full Week
$450Duration: 1 week (Monday - Friday)
A full week of holiday cheer and festive projects. Camp is smaller than Summer camps and allows for daily registration.
Includes:
- •Holiday cheer and projects to keep forever
- •Exploration of several different mediums
- •Festive activities
- •Gumdrop Christmas trees (sample project)
- •Peppermint potions (sample project)
- •Winter watercolor (sample project)
- •Reindeer that pop out of this world (sample project)
- •Canvas painting with a ho ho holiday touch (sample project)
- •Gingerbread houses (edible + wood mixed media) (sample project)
- •Santa Slime (sample project)
- •Snowman painting (sample project)
- •Winter magical wands (sample project)
- •Pirates-take-new-year wands (sample project)
- •The cutest 3D Whoville trees (sample project)
Winter Break Camp - Per Day
$95Duration: 1 day
Daily option for Winter Break Camp, offering various festive projects. Camp is smaller than Summer camps.
Includes:
- •Daily holiday cheer and festive projects
After School Studio Class - Fall Session
$240Duration: 1 day/week for 11 weeks
Studio Program diving deep into art, offering a variety of mediums. Students bring home several masterpieces. Families must choose a day (Wednesday or Thursday) and commit to the same day each week for the duration of the program.
Includes:
- •Deep dive into art
- •Variety of mediums
- •Several masterpieces to take home
Events & Schedule
Special Events(Last 2 months - Next 6 months)
Day Off School Camps
Fall 2025: September 22, October 10, October 31*, November 10, November 11, November 24, November 25, November 26
$90 (per day), Pre/Post Care available
Camps offered when Beaverton, Tigard/Tualatin, and Portland school districts have scheduled days off. Full day planned at the studio with fun, imaginative, and messy creations. Runs 9:30am-3:30pm (Pre/Post Care 8:30am-5pm). For ages 5-12. *Special Halloween DOS: Costumes are ok! Camps can be run for 6 or more kids if a specific school day off isn't listed.
Winter Break Camp
December 2025 DATES TBD
$450 (full week), $95 (per day), Pre/Post Care available
A camp filled with holiday cheer and projects. Open for daily or full week registration. Runs 9:30am-3:30pm (Pre/Post Care 8:30am-5pm). For ages 5-12. Camp will be smaller than Summer. Sample projects: Gumdrop Christmas trees, Peppermint potions, Winter watercolor, Reindeer, Canvas painting, Gingerbread houses, Santa Slime, Snowman painting, Winter magical wands, Pirates-take-new-year wands, 3D Whoville trees.
🍎Food Policy
- • Pizza lunch and festive hot chocolate included with Dream House Camp.
🛡️Safety Policy
- • Low-key, relaxed environment fostered by staff.
- • Campers divided into smaller groups based on age and skill level to enable personalized counselor interaction.
📅Booking Policy
- • Summer Camps: Additional weeks offered for popular themes to provide more registration opportunities due to high demand. Duplicate camps offer the exact same projects.
- • Day Off School Camps: Can be run for 6 or more kids if a school's day off isn't listed.
- • After School Studio: Families must choose and commit to the same day (Wednesday or Thursday) each week for the program's duration.
- • Winter Break Camp: Open for daily registration, allowing participants to choose specific days rather than committing to the full two weeks. Seats sell fast due to smaller camp size.
What People Say
What's Great
- Fun and entertaining activities (mentioned in 4 reviews)
- Great for birthday parties (mentioned in 3 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Mariah Maier
a month agoBoth my daughter and son have been attending summer camps at Gilchrist for years. The camp offers a wonderful blend of creativity, learning, and fun. Every year, my kids come home excited to share their new projects, from painting and sculpture to mixed media and beyond. I highly recommend Gilchrist Art Camp to any parent looking for a high-quality, engaging, and enriching summer program. It’s a place where creativity thrives, and we’re so grateful for the memories our children have made there!
Kristin Rarey
a month agoWe came across Gilchrist when my daughter was invited to a birthday party there and have been putting her in summer art camps ever since. Lisa is so easy to work with and communicate with, and the rest of the staff was wonderful with my daughter. She had a blast at camp (we’re hoping they bring the snocone machine back this year!)
Marlyse McKenzie
a month agoMy daughter has attended several no school day camps and parents nights out. She is always excited to go and has a blast. We brought a friend to the first Disney themed event over the summer and the two girls had a ton of fun. If your kid is into art and creative expression I would highly recommended checking out Gilchrist.
Ally Reif
a month agoSuch a fun, happy, easy camp option for my daughter! She has loved every moment of her time here and always comes home with adorable creations she is so proud of. We love Gilchrist!
Nancy Lo
a month agoMy son absolutely looks forward to all the classes we have had at Gilchrist art camp. It’s very engaging and the different themes are amazing. We plan on doing many more classes in the future.