Summer Camp Returns to the Aquarium of the Pacific

"Taking a deep dive" has a few different meanings, but if you're an aquatically minded kid, and you're making a big splash at a fish-focused summer camp, that deep dive is going to be all about knowledge.

Knowledge and fun and camaraderie and growing an empathy and affection for all living beings, including those strange and spectacular beasties that boast an address in the Big Blue.

If your child has always been entranced by all things ocean, and they're between the ages of 7 and 12, and you're looking for something enchanting and educational to engage their curious minds for a summer-sweet week, look to Long Beach, and the Aquarium of the Pacific.

For the world-class institution is bringing back its in-person summer camp, after hitting pause on the much-loved events in the summer of 2020.

There'll be two camps, in fact, each with their own focus: Critter Spotlight, which is about "the animals that call our ocean home," specifically their "adaptions and behavior."

Will sharks be one of the topics? Of course. Will jelly fans find joy in the camp? Yes. And will that titan of tentacles, the octopus, also be a star? You don't need to "ink" twice about it: It will be.

Ocean Habitats will be on the centerstage of the second camp, with deep dives into "... the importance of wetlands, the effects of climate change on kelp forests and coral reefs, and the challenges of living in extreme habitats, such as the open sea and tidepools."

The camps rev up right around the official start of summer, and wind down a few days before September arrives. The camps roll on select dates, so reviewing the calendar, to see that each event times well with your family's schedule, is recommended.

Several safety precautions will be in place, so do read everything before considering a camp for your sea-smart, H2O-in-the-know kid.

Get the fish-fun 411 now, before these camps gill, er, fill up.