What to Expect When Registering for Otis College’s Summer Youth Camps

The camps run weekly from June 15 to July 31 for young creatives ages 5 through 14. 

There are many summer camp options for parents in Los Angeles, each catering to different interests and abilities. For budding artists and designers, Otis College offers its Summer Youth Camp program, where children ages 5 to 14 can explore art and expression at one of the nation’s top art and design colleges. 

Weekly camps provide opportunities for students to learn a variety of disciplines, such as painting, 2D animation, fashion design, and more, all in a creative, collaborative, and supportive setting. Children are taught by professional toy designers, art directors, artists, animators, illustrators, graphic designers, fashion designers, and more. In addition to their technical expertise and artistry, Summer Youth Camp faculty are also experienced educators, adept at teaching students of all ages and creative abilities. 

Summer Youth Camps are also designed with parent flexibility in mind. There are different classes offered every week, allowing parents to pick and choose among disciplines that align with their student’s interests. This guide breaks down the steps to register for a Summer Youth Camp program that will complement every child.

1. Browse Class Descriptions Based on Your Child’s Age

Summer Youth Camp classes are broken down into three age groups: 5 to 8, 9 to 12, and 13 to 14. Each age group has a selection of classes every week, including painting, drawing, animation, toy design, mixed media, fashion design, graphic design, and more. There’s enough variety week to week for students to try their hand at a number of different disciplines. 

The 5–8 group can choose between a morning or afternoon class, or a combined session of the two. The 9–12 group takes a full day composed of two different classes. And the 13–14 group takes a more focused full-day class in one discipline. 

2. Attend an Information Session

At these information sessions parents can learn more about the various Summer Youth Camp class offerings and schedules, and get their questions answered by Otis staff and instructors. The next information session will be held Saturday, March 21, 11:00 am–noon, in the Forum on Otis’s West Los Angeles campus.

Register

3. Register for Weekly Classes

To prepare to register for Summer Youth Camp classes, it’s helpful to pull up your summer calendar and plot out the weeks that your child is free from summer trips and other commitments. Match their free weeks with the art and design class offerings found on the Summer Youth Camp weekly schedule. 

Selecting a class opens up its description and registration webpage. To register, just add the class to your cart. Multiple classes can be added to a cart before checking out. Parents of new Summer Youth Camp students will be asked to create a student account. You can set up the account in your student’s name but use your email and contact information to receive confirmation emails and future correspondence from Summer Youth Camp staff. 

4. Pay Tuition and Fees

Once all Summer Youth Camp class selections have been added to your cart and your student account has been created, you can check out and pay the total tuition amount, plus the materials fees that are added for every week that your child is enrolled in camp. Materials fees cover all class supplies that will be used, which can include paint, brushes, clay, drawing pads, markers, and various tools. 

An early-bird registration discount is offered before April 1, 2026. There’s also a sibling discount for families enrolling multiple students.

After checkout, parents will receive a welcome letter via email from Otis Extension confirming their child’s registration, as well as links to the Student Handbook and mandatory health and emergency contact forms that must be completed before the start of camp.

5. Prepare For Camp

Getting your child ready for camp is simple—they just need to arrive ready to create and have fun (although sending them in clothes they can get paint and clay on is a good idea). All class supplies are provided and paid for with the materials fee. 

Half-day students (in the 5–8 group) should bring snacks to enjoy during the mid-class break, and full-day students should bring a lunch and snacks. Water-refilling stations are located throughout campus, so children are encouraged to bring their own refillable water bottles. 

Both drop-off and pick-up take place in front of the Ahmanson building that is located on Otis’s campus next to the parking garage. Parents park in the garage for free and walk over to Ahmanson, where camp counselors will be waiting with check-in and check-out sheets. 

6. Celebrate Your Child’s Work

Most weekly camp classes culminate in a show-and-tell session for parents, who are invited into their child’s classroom on the last day to hear from instructors about what they learned. Children are encouraged to present their work to the room, giving them an early experience of public speaking while growing their creative voice. 

Otis Extension staff members are available to answer parent questions Monday through Friday, 8:30 am–4:30 pm, at summercamp@otis.edu or 310-665-6850. 

Read more:

Three Parents on How Their Children Thrived in Otis College’s Summer Youth Camp

Otis Extension’s Summer Youth Camps Serve a Range of Ages and Creative Interests

Related News