Before becoming a parent, I loved exploring everything L.A. has to offer. I gladly drove across town for delicious food, vibrant festivals and music that transported me somewhere new. But after having two kids, our world — and our driving radius — seemed to shrink. Between school schedules, extracurricular activities and the everyday logistics of family life, it became easier to stay closer to home. That’s why I’ve come to see summer, and especially summer camps, as an opportunity to bring that sense of discovery back.

In Los Angeles, cultural exploration is always within reach. It can be as simple as spending an afternoon at a neighborhood festival, having an authentic meal or signing up for a class that introduces our kids to culture — whether it reflects our own heritage or someone else’s.

Research consistently shows that children exposed to diverse cultural experiences develop higher levels of empathy and perspective building than their less-exposed peers. Developmental psychologists point to the power of “discovery moments.” When children encounter something genuinely new and different, their curiosity and openness grow. 

Summer, with its more flexible schedule, is one of the best times to cultivate a spirit of discovery — and act on it. In Los Angeles, those opportunities are everywhere. 

Cultural camps for curious kids

Summer camps have become wonderful spaces of cultural discovery. Beyond the traditional staples of swimming and crafts, many now offer experiences that connect children to global traditions, languages and creative expressions, sparking curiosity and a deeper appreciation for the world around them.

The following camps are just a glimpse of the many cultural summer experiences tucked throughout Los Angeles. Visit their websites and Instagram profiles to ask questions before enrolling.

• Cooking camps – Children learn to prepare foods from around the world, discovering new ingredients and traditions along the way. Check out the Los Angeles Cooking School (losangelescookingschool.com) for its international cooking camp and the YAK Academy (@rbyakacademy on Instagram) for an immersion into Central American and Latin American cuisine. Other local favorites: The Gourmandise School (thegourmandiseschool.com) in Santa Monica and Little Kitchen Academy (littlekitchenacademy.com) in Century City.

• Language camps – Language immersion camps introduce children to new ways of communicating. Check out My Escuelita (@myescuelita on Instagram), which incorporates ancestral traditions of gardening with Spanish immersion, and Los Angeles French Academy for French preschool immersion camps (@ninou.preschool on Instagram).

• Music and arts camps – Through dance, instruments and visual arts, kids experience cultural traditions that have been passed down through generations. Check out BollyPop LA (@bollypop_la on Instagram) for South Asian Bollywood dancing and RAZ Land Art (@razlandart on Instagram) for art infused with cultural storytelling. Each week, kids get to explore a new continent.

• Activity camps – Games and physical traditions from around the world make for surprisingly powerful cultural bridges. Consider world cup soccer with Culture Bytes (@ iculturalbytes on Instagram) and kung fu with Enter Martial Arts (@enter_martial_arts on Instagram).

• Educational camps – Opportunities for enrichment can also be a lens for cultural exploration. Consider Long Beach State University’s Sankofa Summer Academy, which is run by the College of Health & Human Services (@csulbchhs on Instagram) and merges culture and career exploration. To learn about Japanese and Japanese American arts and culture, check out summer camp options at Kizuna (@gokizuna on Instagram).

• Affinity camps – Some camps are built specifically around a shared identity, culture or background, offering a space to celebrate heritage. Check out Crown Me Camps (crown-me.com), which offers nature camps, immersive lessons on Black innovators, journeys into Afrofuturism and more. Visit JCamp Los Angeles (@jla_jcamp on Instagram) for camps exploring Jewish identity and community.

• International camps – For those who are able go abroad, an international camp can be a transformative experience. Check out Boundless Life (@boundlesslife on Instagram) for global family programs and Surf Club Keros (@surfclubkerosofficial on Instagram) for summer under the Greek sun.

Discovering the world in your own backyard

These days, when I catch myself dreaming about traveling far away, I find the world is right here around me. Los Angeles is a vast, vibrant mosaic of cultures, traditions and stories. Curiosity and wonder can happen anywhere. Sometimes, all it takes is noticing.

I was recently reminded of this while having dinner on Abbott Kinney Boulevard in Venice. I found myself surrounded by lively international music, conversations in half a dozen languages and families from around the globe, all during one meal. It felt like another world without ever leaving the city.

When our children explore cultures through food, art, language and community, they begin to see the world with wider eyes. They awaken to cultural curiosity and discover that everyone has a story — and everyone belongs. What starts as a fun summer camp experience can quietly grow into something much bigger: empathy, openness and a deeper appreciation for people whose lives look different from their own.

That may be the most meaningful gift this season can offer.

Start with one camp, one festival or one new neighborhood restaurant. In Los Angeles, the world is closer than you think.

Jalpa Vaidya Patel, LCSW, PPSC, is a mother, school social worker, adjunct professor and author of the forthcoming children’s picture book, “Wizzy the Worldly Tree.” Follow her work on Instagram @wizzysways.