Get your kids off the couch and out running, painting, and even talking in Shakespearean. Andrea Yu picks the best camps in the city

Active Kids Sports Club
If you have restless children, this is the place to send them this summer. With specialised programmes ranging from swimming, tennis clinics, soccer and fitness, campers will have plenty of opportunity to expend some of the endless energy they possess. It’s run by the Institute of Human Performance from the University of Hong Kong, so have faith that the people in charge are well trained and qualified. Your children will be exhausted by the time you pick them up, which most parents will appreciate.

Stanley Ho Sports Centre, Sandy Bay, until Aug 27. From $500 per clinic. www.hku.hk/ihp/activekids.

Faust Summer Programmes
Is your kid yearning for some time in the spotlight? Faust’s week-long theatre programmes each revolve around a different theme like fairytales or a particular playwright, and they encourage teamwork and building confidence. If you want to get your kids’ creative juices flowing, the writing programme helps little wordsmiths express their imaginations on paper. All programmes are organised by age so that campers get specialised attention according to their abilities. You’ll be one step closer to talking in Shakespearean over dinner.

Faust Office, Sheung Wan; Kowloon Junior School, Kowloon Tong, until Aug 19. $2,450 per week-long session. www.faustworld.com.

YWCA Summer Camp
If you’ve got an indecisive child, the YWCA offers a decent selection of short programmes. You can pick and choose between classes so that your little one could be kicking a football one morning and learning Mandarin the next afternoon. Curious kids will like the Little Scientist programme and the centre promises safe and fun experiments. Plenty of one-off classes are available as ‘taster’ programmes and kids as young as two-years-old can participate.

YWCA English Speaking Members Department, Central, summer programmes available until Aug 25. From $320 per session.
www.esmdywca.org.hk.

Youth Music Day Camp
Help your little Mozart become the next child prodigy at this camp for young music makers. Prominent musicians will help train your kids in Chinese orchestra, symphonic band, string orchestra and choir music. While residential places at the Sai Kung facility are available, one-day camp registrations are a good way for your young’un to get a little taste of what’s on offer. Run by the LCSD’s Music Office, this camp is one of the best deals in town.

Sai Kung Outdoor Recreation Centre, Jul 25-29; Aug 1-5. $39 for one-day children’s camp. www.lcsd.gov.hk/musicoffice.

Anastassia’s Art House Summer Camps
Blobs of paint or a masterpiece to behold? Anastassia’s instructors will try to turn the former into the latter during their summer art camps, held at outlets across town. Each week revolves around a theme like Animal Lovers and Inventions while campers learn about colour theory, 3D art, perspectives, portraits and more. Registration options allow for one, two, three or five-day sessions in a week to satisfy everyone from scribblers to pint-sized Picassos.

Various venues, until Aug 19. From $220 per one-day camp. www.arthouse-hk.com.

Organic Living and Junior Cook Camp
In the age of fast food and the Golden Arches, healthy eating is well down the priority list for many hungry youngsters. But this camp will encourage your little ones to eat smart with an organic farming workshop, a baking session conducted by hotel chefs and other activities like T-shirt making. Parents will get to ‘judge’ meals prepared by the junior chefs. Don’t expect mini-Jamie Olivers or Julia Childs to emerge from this three-day camp – but at least you know they’ll be well-fed.

Gold Coast Hotel, Jul 22-24; Aug 5-7. $2,800 for three-day camp with one-night accommodation. www.goldcoasthotel.com.hk.