By Kerri Geringswald
Title: Space Camp
Release Year: 1986
Synopsis: A group of teens head to NASA’s space camp only to find themselves in an unimaginable situation: being launched into space. The kids work together with an instructor to do the impossible and make it home safely.
Rating: PG
Safe for ages: 10+
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Title: Camp Nowhere
Release Year: 1994
Synopsis: Sick of being sent to self-improvement summer camps, Morris Himmel and his friends create a fake camp and manage to con a former teacher into pretending to be a counselor. Once word gets out about this faux camp kids join in and mayhem follows, but will they get away with it?
Rating: PG
Safe for ages: 10+
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Title: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Release Year: 2005
Synopsis: Four friends headed to different locations over the summer are bonded by a pair of pants that magically fit each one of them. In order to keep their friendship strong the girls send each other the pants along with notes of their individual journeys.
Rating: PG-13
Safe for ages: 13+
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Title: Heavyweights
Release Year: 1995
Synopsis: When Gerald Garner finds out he is being sent to ‘fat camp’ he thinks his whole summer is ruined, until he arrives and meets a great group of like-minded friends and counselors. Camp life is great until exercise dictator (Ben Stiller) shows up intent on forcing the kids to lose weight.
Rating: PG
Safe for ages: 9+
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Title: The Baby-Sitter’s Club
Release Year: 1995
Synopsis: Based on Ann M. Margaret’s books, seven friends who run a babysitting service decide to expand their business over the summer. Despite obstacles from boyfriends, parents, mean girls and more, the girls bond together and become even stronger.
Rating: PG
Safe for ages: 9+
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Title: It Takes Two
Release Year: 1995
Synopsis: Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen play look-a-like girls that meet at camp, each living completely opposite lives. The two girls hatch a plan to get their parents together so they can live happily ever after…if only they can get rid of one’s wicked future stepmother.
Rating: PG
Safe for ages: 5+
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Title: Now and Then
Release Year: 1995
Synopsis: Childhood friends who live vastly different lives reunite to prepare for the birth of one friend’s baby, leading them to reminisce about their own youth together. Focusing on the summer of the 70’s they relive the magic that made them so close, encouraging them to renew their friendship.
Rating: PG-13
Safe for ages: 13+
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Title: Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown
Release Year: 1977
Synopsis: The loveable Peanuts gang are at it again, this time headed to summer camp where an adventure awaits! It’s all fun and games until the group competes in a rafting race and faces a few obstacles, including some bullies.
Rating: G
Safe for ages: 4+
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Title: RV
Release Year: 2006
Synopsis:A workaholic dad (Robin Williams) rents an RV in order to get some quality family time, but fails to tell them that this family vacation also involves work.
Rating: PG
Safe for ages: 13+
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Title: The Rugrats Movie
Release Year: 1998
Synopsis: Tommy, Chucky, Phil and Lil are off on another fun journey, except this time Tommy’s little brother is in the way! The tots manage to find themselves in plenty of trouble, but also manage to bond together.
Rating: G
Safe for ages: 4+
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Title: Bushwacked
Release Year: 1995
Synopsis: A delivery guy framed for murder flees from the police and soon finds himself posing as a scout leader responsible for a troop of kids. He needs to figure out a way to get the troop home safely and get himself out of trouble.
Rating: PG-13
Safe for ages: 13+
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Title: Summer Rental
Release Year: 1985
Synopsis: The late John Candy stars in this comedy about a man and his family on a summer vacation where nothing seems to go right: There’s a mixup in housing, an injury, and a run-in with a snobby sailor. In order to gain the respect of his family, he goes against the odds and competes in a race of a lifetime.
Rating: PG-13
Safe for ages:13+
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Title: Summer School
Release Year: 1983
Synopsis: When one English teacher wins the lottery and quits, an immature gym teacher (Mark Harmon) is brought in as the replacement. With a lot of growing up to do, the teacher has to figure out a way to inspire the lazy class or get fired.
Rating: PG-13
Safe for ages: 13+ (at parents’ discretion)
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Title: Aquamarine
Release Year: 2006
Synopsis: When a violent storm leads a teen mermaid to take refuge in a pool, two friends make the discovery and agree to help her get out of an arranged marriage and find true love if she’ll grant them one wish.
Rating: PG
Safe for ages: 9+
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Title: High School Musical 2
Release Year: 2007
Synopsis: Worried about finding money for college, Troy (Zac Efron) takes a summer job alongside his friends. However, the cunning Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale) persuades Troy to sing with her guaranteeing that he will receive a high-paying job and money for college. Troy’s friends are angry at Troy’s decision, and he has to realize his mistakes and try to regain his friendships. Expect a fun-filled movie with plenty of singing and dancing.
Rating: N/A
Safe for ages: 8+
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Title: The Even Stevens Movie
Release Year: 2003
Synopsis: After what seems to be a bleak-looking summer, the Steven’s family receives an all expense paid vacation which turns out to be part of an elaborate television show prank. As the family goes through drama everyone back home will be watching their every move…will they get themselves out of this miserable ‘vacation’?
Rating: G
Safe for ages: 8+
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Title: The Parent Trap
Release Year: 1999
Synopsis: Lindsay Lohan plays complete opposite twins separated at birth who have a chance meeting at a summer camp in this delightful remake. Hijinx ensues when the twins switch places to spend time with the parents they’ve never met in hopes of bringing their family back together.
Rating: PG
Safe for ages: 6+
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Title: The Sandlot
Release Year: 1993
Synopsis: Scotty Smalls moves to a new place and joins the local baseball team to make friends and in doing so meets a loveable group of guys. The guys have everyday fun and drama that goes along with youth but can they survive a baseball eating dog named The Beast?
Rating: PG
Safe for ages: 8+
AND ONE FOR THE ADULTS
Title: National Lampoons Vacations
Release Year: 1983
Synopsis: Chevy Chase play Clark Griswold, a hapless, luckless man who is determined to reconnect with his family as they take a road trip to a giant amusement park. A series of mishaps means that the vacation doesn’t quite go as Clark had planned. A classic!
Rating: R
Safe for ages: 15-18 (up to parents discretion)
Kick the summer off right with these kid movie classics.
