The Art Labbe

The summer before last my son attended and not only had a great time but made some beautiful work. Christine is wonderful with children and a terrific teacher who can really get kids focused and excited about making art. Small, intimate and highly recommended. Security NOT an issue. Was looking into it for this summer and hope she’ll be holding classes again this year.

Our daughter has gone to this kid’s art camp in Bernal Heights on and off for several summers. She likes the atmosphere, the art projects, the park time and Christine and her assistants.
The snacks are usually on the healthy side with brown rice and other fresh fruit or veggies.
As far as the security, this hasn’t been a concern and while they do have late afternoon occasional TV/​movie time, I don’t think its a huge deal. Most of the days she’s pooped from the mix of art and play and looks forward to returning the next day.
Also Christine has always been understanding and agreeable if we run later than the 4 PM pickup time (as long as you communicate ahead of time).
Overall a very positive experience!

I agree with the other review for Art Labbe. After the first day, my son came home and said «Christine doesn’t care about us.» I had no idea what would prompt this, as he had loved every other camp and school program he’d gone to before. He told me that her dog scratched a child, and Christine would not give the kid a band-​aid. Huh?
I agree that the projects were not impressive, but more disappointing is that they were so structured. My son had hoped to have help in creating the projects that interested him with materials she provided, but he was told to draw what she asked for — a sunrise and sunset. I was surprised at how unimpressive the instruction was.
In addition to the tv and absent supervision during pick up, which takes place in the home’s living room, I was also shocked one afternoon when I went downstairs to the classroom with my son to collect his jacket and found two girls from the camp playing by themselves in a room accessible to anyone who walked off the street.
This camp had the potential for greatness — interested kids, a trained leader, an artistic environment — but we will not be sending our son again next summer.

The Art Labbe is a summer camp art program run by Christine Labbe for children aged 5 to 10. It was one of four camps that my son attended this summer and it was the most disappointing.
My foremost complaint is about safety: The children were left alone in a room with an Open Front Door (!) to watch television during pickup times while Labbe would sometimes be in another room. Parents could come in and get their child and not even see Labbe. Hello? Yes, Labbe’s program is in «nice neighborhood» but so is my house and I don’t leave my own front door wide open. How many of you do?
Now let’s talk about the television: I believe that using television to babysit children is inappropriate as is the choice of the particular show Labbe entertained them with (Spongebob) but that is entirely subjective. More than that, I think that if I had known that I would be paying for my child to be sat in front of a television for any period of time, I would have chosen another camp. My son said he sat through four Spongebob episodes one afternoon.
Now for the art program: For the cost of the camp, children come home with glued pieces of wood and crayon pictures. I don’t have the MFA that Labbe purports to have on her website but I’m thinking that I could have saved some dough and done the same projects at home with my child. I’ve got glue. I can find some wood. I know there are crayons around here someplace.
There are dozens of wonderful camps in San Francisco. The cost of keeping your child entertained during the summer months is high; save yourself some frustration and moolah and put your money anywhere else but this camp.