Inside Sasha And Malia Obama's Summer Camp Experiences As First Daughters

Former first daughters Malia and Sasha Obama enjoyed a normal childhood even though they grew up in the White House during their pre-teen and teenage years. That included attending summer camp. Malia and Sasha were only 10 and 8, respectively, when their dad, Barack Obama, was elected president and their family moved into the White House in 2009. The Obamas remained at the executive mansion until 2017, when Barack completed his two terms as commander-in-chief.

In 2010, Malia attended her first summer camp, but it wasn't confirmed where. However, some reports claim she spent the holiday at Camp Wi-co-su-ta, a camp for girls along Newfound Lake in Hebron, New Hampshire. The camp offers several activities the campers, including team games like lacrosse and soccer. The girls can also enjoy various sports like swimming, gymnastics, horseback riding, and tennis, hone their talent in dancing and drama, or keep themselves busy with arts and crafts.

In 2013, Sasha attended her first summer camp when she joined big sister Malia for a month-long holiday away from their parents. Much like Malia's first summer camp experience, the location wasn't confirmed to give the girls privacy. However, the former president later noted they were at a camp in New Hampshire, which all but confirmed reports they'd joined the fun at Camp Wi-co-su-ta. 

Locals showed their respect for Barack and Michelle Obama's daughters by giving them the privacy they desired while attending summer camp. Even the town's residents where Malia Obama reportedly attended her first summer camp said they knew nothing and smiled when asked about her attendance. However, Barack surprisingly shared details about his girls' summer camp experience in 2013 when he was in New Hampshire for a campaign stop. He thanked the locals for looking after his daughters, who spent a month in the state at said camp.

The father of two said his children "did great" and enjoyed their holiday vacation. "They were here for a month at camp, and they did a great — they just had a great time, and enjoyed all the water sports, playing basketball and tennis, and arts and crafts," Barack said, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The former POTUS added that Malia and Sasha were pleased, while he and Michelle missed their daughters so much. He admitted it was "tough" when kids were away, but the pair wrote them a letter assuring them they were doing fine.

Catherine Steiner-Adair, a psychologist who regularly works with summer camps, praised the Obamas when they sent Malia to her first summer camp. "I think Malia's parents have chosen very wisely," she told Today.

Many assumed Malia and Sasha Obama lived a lavish lifestyle because they grew up in the White House. However, their parents made sure to keep them grounded and give them a normal upbringing. Barack and Michelle Obama didn't even give them presents on their birthdays. Instead, they spent their money on birthday parties, movie tickets, pizza, and popcorn. They wanted their daughters to spend their special day with friends. For Barack, throwing the girls a sleepover was enough and the low-key celebration was their way of teaching their children limits.

Barack admitted in a previous interview that he and his wife wondered if they would end up with "weird kids" because there were butlers in the White House. Barack, however, was proud their daughters were kind people despite the environment to which they were accustomed. "They don't have an attitude," he told host James Corden of "The Late Late Show" in 2021.

Michelle also admitted she wasn't afraid to play the bad cop when the situation demanded it. She even had a sassy one-liner to keep their daughters' behavior in check. The former first lady was determined to discipline her daughters by making the boundaries between parents and children clear to the latter. Michelle had a close relationship with her late mother, Marian Robinson, who lived with them in the White House. She also enjoyed the same bond with her daughters, who now live in Los Angeles.