Adventure Camp
By Larisa Wiseman,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Reality show puts kids face-to-face with animals.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.
Where to Watch
Community Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
Adventure Camp 2003-2008
Report this review
What's the Story?
ADVENTURE CAMP, an engaging reality show on the Discovery Kids channel, follows eight young teens -- Melissa, Bill, Kimmy, Brandon, Chad, Domonique, David, and Sadie -- who were chosen from a pool of applicants to participate in a summer camp at Orlando's Sea World, where they learn what it takes to be an animal trainer and zookeeper. From animal-feeding assignments to excursions in the Everglades to getting up close and personal with whales and dolphins, there's always something to do -- and the tasks aren't always that easy. There's a big incentive for the kids to do their best every step of the way: After each task or adventure, the camp directors decide which person or persons stood out during the exercise, and the winners receive a bead to add to a string that they wear all the time. Everyone who accumulates 20 beads by the end of camp gets a surprise, which the camp directors keep a secret till the very end -- but they promise it will be the experience of a lifetime.
Is It Any Good?
The kids' close encounters with reptiles, birds, marine mammals, and fish make for fascinating viewing. Tweens and young teens watching the program get to live vicariously through the kids on screen while finding out all kinds of intriguing things about the animals. In addition to the information the camp directors offer when they introduce each new species, facts about the species also appear briefly on screen -- such as average dimensions and what the critter's diet consists of.
Viewers are sure to be drawn in by the enthusiasm of these eight lucky kids as they compete for beads, bond with each other, and make wondrous discoveries. It's great to see a show for tweens and teens that conveys such excitement about -- and respect for -- the animal world. And who knows, it may inspire a few animal-related careers along the way?
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the various animals featured in each episode and how the camp participants handled each task or encounter. How did the kids react during their animal encounters? What was impressive about the way they handled their tasks or challenges? Who do you think showed the most maturity and responsibility during the tasks? Do you think you'd like getting up close and personal with alligators and whales? What animals would you for sure not want to see up close? Why?
TV Details
- Premiere date: June 1, 2003
- Cast: Guy Nickerson
- Network: Discovery Family Channel
- Genre: Reality TV
- Topics: Science and Nature, Wild Animals
- TV rating: TV-Y7
- Last updated: February 28, 2022
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate