Coastal Kids L.A.

Coastal Kids L.A. offers outdoor adventure camps where children spend their time playing and exploring in nature. Activities include hiking, time at the beach, and visits to parks and trails, with a focus on trails and hiking as regular parts of the day.

• Ages: 2–12 years old
• Schedule: Normal hours are 9–2pm.

Director and founder Gordon C. Ewing has taught early childhood education for 14 years and has been active outdoors his whole life. The program’s stated philosophy is that childhood is meant for playing, exploring, and discovering in nature, and that its outdoor classroom feeds each child’s sense of wonder and curiosity while giving space for social, emotional, physical, and cognitive growth. The program states that it models being respectful, mindful, compassionate, and empathetic toward one another and all living beings in nature, and that its programs are designed to provide a safe, loving, and nurturing environment where children can learn, develop, grow as unique individuals, and learn how to work together in a group. The program states that children spend a large portion of their day outdoors and that more time outdoors exposes them to fresh air and sunshine, encourages creativity, imaginative play, hand-eye coordination, balance, physical strength, sensory integration, and mental clarity, with learning flowing from what they encounter in nature. Coastal Kids L.A. offers outdoor adventure camps for kids ages 2–12 in the Santa Monica area, with Summer and Spring Break camps described as the most popular times of the year and additional adventures offered on many school holidays. Private groups and pods are welcome, and for a limited time a free copy of the book “Growing From the Roots” is included with registration. Coastal Kids L.A. identifies as a safe sunscreen advocate and asks that each child arrive in appropriate attire such as hats and rash guards, with sunscreen applied before arrival and extra sunscreen packed in the child’s backpack; staff will assist with reapplication upon request.

One parent, Lizeth Bejarno, reports that her son attends twice a week, comes home covered in nature and happy, and goes on different adventures around Santa Monica such as hiking, the beach, and parks, and she describes Gordon as setting loving boundaries so kids feel secure and happy. Another parent, Becci Prather, states that her two children enjoy exploring with Gordon on hiking trails, at the beach, and in parks, and she notes his experience working with kids and his outdoor knowledge, as well as his focus on promoting safety while giving kids freedom to explore and test their capabilities.

Last updated April 2, 2026.