Ah, mid-winter break.
The school break that tries parents’ souls. Most of us don’t want our kids playing video games all week, but what to do with the kids while we go to work?
Luckily, the Seattle area offers a wide variety of mid-winter break camps, from one-day to week-long. Kids can learn to cook noodles, explore the outdoors, play in the snow, act in a play, create art, play chess and more. They might even learn something while having a blast.
The mid-winter camps below are divided into the following categories:
Adventure camps
Auburn Tween Scene Camp, Auburn
This fun camp takes tweens on a daily adventure! Trips include movies, snow tubing, Pike Place Market and more.
Grades: 5 and 6
Cost: $264 (Auburn residents receive a discount)
Black Diamond Camp, Black Diamond
This weeklong day camp offers all day fun with group games, a zipline, a giant swing, an indoor heated pool and many more traditional camp activities. Note: This is a Christian camp.
Ages: 5–12
Cost: $379
Mountaineers, Seattle
Campers will have the chance to try climbing, navigation and basic wilderness survival techniques, as well as play camp games, get outside in the snow and develop outdoor skills. There will be a field trip (weather dependent) to Hyak Sno-Park for sledding, hot chocolate and playing in the snow.
Ages: 6–12
Cost: $550
Rhythmic Gymnastics, Seattle
Your child can try out rhythmic gymnastics in half-day or full-day camps. Campers will learn ballet, ribbon, hoops and tumbling, and participate in other exciting camp activities.
Ages: 4–10
Cost: Kids ages 4–5 years attend for a half day ($50 per day); kids ages 6–10 year attend for a full day ($100 per day)
SANCA, Seattle
Run away (for a week) to join the circus at this mid-winter break camp. Kids will learn all sorts of circus arts such as juggling, tumbling, aerial fabric, trampoline and more while making new friends and staying active.
Ages: 6–15
Cost: $535
Seattle Bouldering Project, Seattle
These Seattle-area camps offer obstacle courses, climbing instruction, team challenges and more in single-day sessions. Feel free to choose one or more days of camp for your young climber.
Ages: 6–10
Cost: $100/day
Sports camps
Arena Sports, Issaquah
School's Out Camp is a great way to keep kids active and having fun during mid-winter break. Coaches lead engaging, highly active and age-appropriate activities that keep campers off their gadgets and entertained all day. Choose one day or more.
Ages: 3–12
Cost: $79 for a full day; $57 for a half day
Pocock Youth Rowing, Seattle
Held Tuesday through Saturday, this camp will give athletes a running start into spring season with nine on-water sessions and complimentary workshops on land, learning technical skills across a variety of boat classes. Note that this is for middle and high school athletes with rowing experience.
Grades: middle and high school
Cost: $350
Stroum Jewish Community Center, Mercer Island J Camp
Choose between Core Camp or Sports Camp! Core campers participate in a mix of activities throughout the day. Sports campers do a half-day of sports activities before joining their core camp friends for a swim and more in the afternoon.
Grades: K–5
Cost: $85–$95 per day (less for members)
Arts and theater camps
Neo Art School, Seattle
During these camps students create amazing works of fine art and learn a variety of techniques, including painting, drawing, papier-mâché, diorama building and more. Sign up for one day or all five during mid-winter break at this art school.
Ages: 6 and older
Cost: 9 a.m.–4 p.m., $95 per day; 8 a.m.–6 p.m., $115 per day
Taproot Theatre, Seattle
In this week-long camp, younger kids will use their imaginations while playing theater games and working together to tell a story while older kids will learn blocking, memorize lines and go through a tech rehearsal just like the pros.
Grades: K–12
Cost: $250–$450
Redmond Art Works, Redmond
Your camper can do just one day or all five in this school break art camp. Each class consists of four hours of making a different, themed art project each day, including drawing, painting, crafts and working with clay.
Ages: 4–12
Cost: $75 per day
Stone Soup Theatre, Seattle
Have a budding thespian on your hands? Chanel the drama in the right direction at this hands-on theater camp. Younger kids can act their hearts out in the classic tale “The Little Mermaid,” while older kids undertake a production of “Wizarding School.” These five-day camps are full of fun, and aftercare is available.
Ages: grades K–3 for “The Little Mermaid”; ages 8–14 for “Wizarding School”
Cost: $450
Science and learning camps
Chess 4 Life, Issaquah and Bellevue
Students can choose from all day chess, chess plus Lego or chess plus table tennis at these day camps. Beginner through advanced players are welcome and will rapidly improve their chess skills and learn critical mindsets for success while having fun.
Ages: 6–12
Cost: $425–$495
Kids’ Science Lab, Seattle
Your young scientist will make some useful explorer’s tools, travel and wander through the science presented by Earth’s extreme features such as caves, bitter cold icy climates, earthquakes, volcanoes and hot dry deserts.
Ages: 4–9
Cost: $550
Pacific Science Center, Seattle
These sessions are full-day camps with inventive themes such as Winter Wetlands, Polar Plunge, Hidden Bears and Snowshoe Hares Arctic Adventure.
Grades: K–5
Cost : $500–$530
Cooking camp
Oodles of Noodles, Seattle
In this indoor and outdoor cooking camp, kids will learn about noodles from all over the world. They will make different types of pasta and sauces, sow seeds in the garden, and learn about the history of noodle dishes.
Grades: 2–5
Cost: $360–$460
