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Time to plan your summer of fun!
Knock on wood, 2023 looks to be the year of the new normal. After three years of pandemic adjustments and disrupted school schedules, we can start planning ahead again, and kids look forward to few things as much as summer vacation. Lots of summer camps are already open for registration, so it’s not too early for you to start making summer camp plans. No matter what your child is into, or what your schedule and budget allow, this guide will help you find a camp to give them a summer they’ll never forget.
- Grand Adventures in the Great Outdoors
- Camps for Creative Kids
- Performance Arts Camps
- Camps for Kids (and Adults!) With Special Needs
- Camps for Critter-Loving Kiddos
- Active Camps for Sports Fans
- Atypical Athletes’ Camps
- One-of-a-Kind Camps and Classes
- Classic Summer Camp Experiences
- STEM + Learning Camps
- Drop-in Camps
Grand Adventures in the Great Outdoors
Kids spend all winter in the classroom, but there is so much they can learn from the natural world. These adventurous camps get kids outside and learning skills they could never develop in a classroom.
Trackers Seattle (Kenmore)
This year-round outdoor skills school partners with Kirkland Parks & Recreation to offer summertime day camps during which kids can learn wilderness survival skills, archery, fishing and more. Trusting kids with knives and fire, Trackers camps are grounded in a community spirit, with from four to eight peers forming a Trackers team, and teams combining to form a fellowship.
Ages: 6+
Cost: TBA (check their website for 2023 info)
Camp Nor’wester (Johns Island, San Juan Islands)
Camp Nor’wester’s outdoor residential camps give children significant skills and insights in a caring and supportive atmosphere during each monthlong session. Taking advantage of the Pacific Northwest’s environment on the 135-acre Nell Robinson Ranch on Johns Island in the San Juan Islands, campers complete ropes courses, make crafts, and learn sailing, archery and rock climbing.
Ages: 9–16
Cost: Sliding scale up to $7,000
Avid4 Adventure (Bellevue)
With day camps close to home, overnight camps in Colorado, and weeklong excursions in Washington and other Western states, Avid4 Adventure offers outdoor adventures to groups of kids of similar age. From a weeklong multisport expedition that gives middle schoolers a chance to camp out while trying whitewater rafting, stand-up paddleboarding, rock climbing and more to day camps during which younger kids can learn to ride a bike, there’s something for everyone.
Grades: Day camps, K–7; expeditions, 5–12
Cost: $1,600–$1,700
Wolf Camp (Lake Sammamish, Puyallup, Mount Rainier)
Wolf Camp’s summer nature and wilderness camps specialize in outdoor risk management and come in day camp and overnight varieties. Day campers learn wilderness survival skills, wildlife search and rescue, and wild cooking and herbology. Overnighters at Mount Rainier, Lake Sammamish and the Salish Sea focus on specialized weekly themes, including wilderness survival, cooking, animal tracking and archery.
Ages: 8–15 (7-year-olds can join an older sibling)
Cost: $295–$975
Wilderness Awareness School (multiple locations)
Through its day camps, overnight camps and wilderness expeditions, the Wilderness Awareness School helps kids understand and appreciate the natural world while building skills such as wilderness survival, animal tracking and plant identification.
Ages: 6–18
Cost: $565–$1,165
Camp Gallagher (Lakebay)
Camp Gallagher is a coed overnight summer camp for teens on Case Inlet in south Puget Sound. Each camp has a theme and offers a variety of activities, including canoeing, sailing, swimming, games and crafts. In addition to the classic summer camp experience, Camp Gallagher offers expeditions, leadership development, and even adult and family camp options.
Grades: 7–12
Cost: $731–$1,218
Alpengirl (multiple locations)
Alpengirl provides 8- to 14-day outdoor adventure camps for children of all genders who want more adventure than a typical residential summer camp but who aren’t quite ready for a wilderness expedition. With a focus on enjoying each challenge, Alpengirl’s weeklong camps include activities such as sea kayaking, whitewater rafting, horseback riding and camping.
Ages: 11–16
Cost: $1,595–$3,695
Camp Fire Central Puget Sound (multiple locations)
Camp Sealth’s gender-inclusive overnight adventure camps are set in locations ranging from the North Cascades to Mount St. Helens. They offer activities such as hiking, rafting, canoeing, climbing and horseback riding to the often-overlooked tween age group.
Grades: 7–10
Cost: $1,100 and up
The Mountaineers (Olympia, Seattle, Tacoma)
The Mountaineers hosts day camps in three cities for youths ages 6–12; lodge camps for ages 10–14; overnight adventure camps for ages 10–17; and one on the Kitsap Peninsula for kids ages 5–9. These experience-based camps offer campers a chance to learn a variety of outdoor skills and spend time outside with new friends. The Mountaineers also offers lodge weekends and other programs for families. Registration is by lottery.
Ages: 6–17
Cost: $460–$825
South Sound Nature School (Burien)
Held at Seahurst Park on Puget Sound, South Sound Nature School day camps focus on connecting kids with nature by experiencing the park’s hidden gems in a culture of kindness and respect. Survival camp includes skills such as building shelter, while adventure camp includes activities such as exploring tidepools and identifying plants. Note: 2023 camps were sold out at press time, but you can add your camper’s name to the waiting list.
Ages: 6–10
Cost: $395
YMCA Outdoor Leadership Camps (Seattle)
Boys & Girls Outdoor Leadership (BOLD & GOLD, as well as a new all-gender option) take tweens and teens of varying fitness levels to natural areas throughout the Pacific Northwest. On these one-week and two-week excursions, youths learn to be their most courageous and confident selves by learning new skills and taking on challenges. Expeditions depart from South Lake Union.
Ages: 11–18
Cost: $1,375–$3,305
Adventure Treks (multiple locations)
Adventure Treks’ tech-free, multiweek excursions for tweens and teens are filled with physical challenges such as rafting, climbing, hiking, biking, camping, kayaking and canoeing. Students travel from all over to join this outdoor adventure crew for excursions in Colorado, Alaska and even Yellowstone National Park.
Ages: Grades 7–12
Cost: $4,195–$6,995
Arboretum Summer Camp (Seattle)
With Washington Park Arboretum as a base, this camp’s adventures are less rugged than many outdoor camps, but the discovery of nature is no less awe-inspiring as campers explore the park’s trails and investigate its flora and fauna. Limited spaces at this popular day camp are filled by lottery.
Ages: 6–14
Cost: $360–$720
Up next: Camps for Creative Kids
Camps for Creative Kids
With more and more schools cutting their arts programs, summer camp is the only opportunity for many kids to explore their more creative side. From painting to filmmaking or even cooking, these right-brained camps are sure to spark something new in your kid’s life.
Arts Aloft (Seattle)
Arts Aloft fills the summer with weekly four-day camps during which children explore a variety of art media through pop culture themes such as “Harry Potter” and “Star Wars,” or perennial kid faves such as fairies and ancient Egypt.
Ages: 5–12
Cost: $390
Illumination Learning Studio (Seattle)
Illumination Studio offers weeklong camps with creative themes that focus on visual arts, music, drama, dance and ecology. Camps include field trips, engaging lessons and outdoor playtime. Weekly music lessons are an optional add-on.
Ages: 5–11
Cost: TBA
Museo Art Academy (Issaquah)
Each week, Museo’s four-day summer art camps have a different theme — drawing, painting, sculpting, mixed media. There’s also a Fridays-only pottery class. Families can choose morning or afternoon half-days or sign up for both sessions with the lunch hour included to create a full-day camp.
Ages: 5–13
Cost: $150–$335
Pratt Fine Arts Center (Seattle)
Pratt offers serious art instruction in myriad skills, techniques and media for all ages every quarter of the year. Check out its website for more information about classes, camps and Pratt’s Tuition Assistance Program. Its youth program fosters art appreciation for students ages 5–12, while the teen program (13–17) is specifically designed for teens who want to explore creating art in a professional studio environment.
Ages: 5–17
Cost: Varies, generally $150–$300 (check their website for summer 2023 info)
NW Film Camp (multiple locations)
At NW Film Camp, young filmmakers use their own stories and experiences to produce a short film. Along the way, they learn about production planning, location scouting, how to use filmmaking tech and gear, screenwriting, project management, editing and so much more.
Ages: 11–17
Cost: $499–$699
FrogLegs Cooking School (multiple locations)
Each session of these weekly cooking camps lasts between two and four hours. Kids learn kitchen skills in the process of preparing themed recipes each day. Novel themes include Willa Wonka, retro soda shop, food you eat while camping and treats inspired by the wizarding world.
Ages: 3–10+
Cost: $445–$555
Gage Academy of Art (multiple locations)
Gage offers a safe space (online and in person) to learn from forward-thinking professional teaching artists. Teen Art Studio is a free, year-round youth arts program that increases access to arts education for teens who are experiencing homelessness, are at risk, LGBTQ, belong to underserved communities, speak English as a second language or face other barriers to creative outlets. Other summer program options were not available at press time, but Gage usually offers both in-person and virtual camps that provide practical art instruction.
Ages: 6–18
Cost: TBD (check their website for summer 2023 info)
Paint Away! (Redmond)
Paint Away! offers weeklong camps that run from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. each day. During these camps, young artists try their hand at fusing glass, painting on canvas, painting pottery and more.
Ages: 6–14
Cost: TBA
Young Chefs Academy (Covington)
Young Chefs Academy offers cooking camps year-round. Each day, campers learn new techniques and seasonal recipes. During each four-day camp, kiddos prepare between 16 and 20 recipes. At the end of each day, caregivers are invited in to taste their camper’s creations. At the end of the camp, young chefs receive a binder with the week’s recipes. Family workshops are also available.
Ages: 7–15
Cost: $395
Made Sewing Studio (Seattle)
Ranging from daylong workshops to weeklong camps, Made Sewing Studio’s summer programs teach sewing skills through a variety of projects, such as making pajamas, sweatshirts and bags. There are also camps in screen printing and fashion design.
Ages: 7–18
Cost: $100–$350
Blue Ribbon Cooking (Seattle)
From a cuisine tour of Italy to developing comprehensive baking and culinary skills, Blue Ribbon Cooking offers cooking and baking classes for kids under the guidance of professional chefs. Kids will gain confidence and learn how to work independently in the kitchen, bringing home some yummy treats to share in the bargain.
Ages: 7–17 (Pre-camp, ages 4–7)
Cost: $375–$895
Up next: Performance Arts Camps
Performance Arts Camps
While appearing on stage is the stuff of nightmares for some, for many young people, the theater (or auditorium) is an opportunity to shine and a safe space where they can be themselves — and anyone else they want to try on. Whether your child is a budding thespian or a virtuoso in training, these performance art camps will help them along their path.
Seattle Children’s Theatre (Seattle)
Seattle Children’s Theatre’s weekly camp offerings will include classics such as Story Drama, Musical Theatre and Actor’s Toolkit, as well as newer offerings that include Prehistoric Playground and Creating for the Camera. SCT also partners with other organizations such as MoPOP, the National Nordic Museum and Coyote Central to offer specialized summer camps.
Ages: 3–18
Cost: $125–$540
Rain City Rock Camp (Seattle)
Rain City’s weeklong day camps in Seattle and South Sound provide youths of marginalized genders with instrument and band coaching by working musicians, alongside youth empowerment workshops led by adults of marginalized genders. Most camps are open to all skill levels; a collaboration with MoPOP provides a weeklong intensive workshop for teens with prior music experience.
Ages: 8–17
Cost: $0–$425 sliding scale
Broadway Bound Children’s Theatre (Seattle)
Broadway Bound’s weeklong musical theater camps are full of acting, singing and dancing. Each week, kids work together to produce a show that they perform at the end of the week. New plays are added each year; this year’s lineup includes “Hamilton,” “Moana” and others.
Ages: 5–18
Cost: Four-day weeks, $360; five-day weeks, $450; extended day available for $20/day per child
Stone Soup Theatre (Seattle)
Stone Soup’s SummerStage program runs 16 different outdoor one-week camps starting in June. Each week, students in North and South Seattle practice and perform a play. Options include Disney musicals, “Hamilton” and adaptations of children’s books.
Ages: 5–17
Cost: $415
School of Rock (Seattle, Lynnwood, Bellevue)
For musically minded campers, School of Rock’s various locations offer performance boot camps, artist-themed camps, songwriting and recording. Each location serves a wide range of ages and skill levels in camps, from teaching the basics of music and performance to rookies, to performance camps for students proficient in their instrument. Camps last anywhere from two days to a week.
Ages: 4–18
Cost: $180–$550
Music Works (Bellevue)
Music Works is a nonprofit community music school dedicated to changing lives through accessible music education and experiences. Camp themes range from music composition to production and performance. The organization’s summer day camps (half- and full-day camps are available) are taught by professional teaching artists, and many camps will include a student showcase at the end of the week for family and friends.
Ages: 4–18
Cost: $255–$525
Summer String Academy (Ellensburg)
String Academy’s six-day summer camp combines music instruction with a classic outdoor summer camp experience. Students learn music theory and rehearse in orchestra and small ensemble settings against the backdrop of Manastash Canyon at the Lazy F Camp and Retreat Center. Dates: July 23–28 only.
Ages: Grades 6–9
Cost: $645–$695
Youth Theatre Northwest (Mercer Island)
Campers learn about acting, singing, movement, choreography and even scene analysis during Youth Theatre Northwest’s weeklong camps. This year, the long-running summer program will be adding some full-day options and off-site partnerships to its standard half-day camp offerings.
Ages: Pre-K–12
Cost: $225–$525
Bellevue Youth Theatre (Bellevue)
Dedicated to providing theater arts opportunities for all young people, regardless of income or ability, Bellevue Youth Theatre’s recreational program offers summer day camps that culminate in performances often based on folk and fairy tales.
Ages: 7–12
Cost: $522–$630 (discounted for Bellevue residents)
Taproot Theatre (Seattle)
Taproot Theatre’s Acting Studio Summer Camps are offered between June 26 and August 25 and include themes such as Adventures in Drama, Imagination Quest, Art of Comedy, Musical Theatre Supercamp, Playwriting and Advanced Musical Theatre Revue. Students will learn theatrical terms, play games, and work together to tell stories. Each week has a different theme and story and ends in a performance. See the website for details about camp location, length and cost.
Ages: Pre-K–12
Cost: $230–$600
Up next: Camps for Kids (and Adults!) With Special Needs
Camps for Kids (and Adults!) With Special Needs
While many camp programs make every effort to accommodate a range of special needs, these camps are dedicated to ensuring that people with special needs get to experience summer camps as fully as their peers through programs that are specifically designed to meet their needs.
Camp Beausite Northwest (Chimacum)
With low camper-caregiver ratios and room for up to four wheelchairs per session, Camp Beausite works to make camp fully accessible for everyone. CBNW provides around-the-clock care and supervision; nursing care; meals; and programming that includes field trips and activities such as animal and horse experiences, arts and crafts, nature hikes, scavenger hunts, field games and archery. There are weekend, weeklong and family camp options.
Ages: 7–99; adventure camps 15–45
Cost: $300/person for families; $600 weekend camps; $1,200–$1,600 all others; eligible for respite funding
National Camps for the Blind (Mount Rainier)
National Camps for the Blind partners with Sunset Lake and Christian Record Services to provide a camp experience for people who are visually impaired. Financial assistance is available through National Camps for the Blind and Christian Record Services. Dates: This camp is only offered June 25–July 2.
Ages: 9–45
Cost: $520 ($35 with financial assistance)
Deaf Camp (Mount Rainier)
Sponsored by the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists at Camp Sunset, this camp will feature traditional camp activities and special programming for the hearing impaired. Volunteers fluent in American Sign Language will be present in each cabin and throughout the camp. Dates: This camp is only offered July 2–9.
Ages: 10–15
Cost: $200
Lions Camp Horizon (Blaine)
At Lions Camp Horizon, teens and adults with disabilities can unwind, socialize and challenge themselves with new experiences. The staff-to-camper ratio ranges from 1-to-1 to 1-to-4, and nurses are on duty during these four-day camps. Participants are eligible for respite funding, and financial assistance is available.
Ages: 12+
Cost: TBA
Kiwanis Camp Casey (Whidbey Island)
Camp Casey is a free weeklong summer camp for children with physical disabilities. Activities at camp include swimming, field trips, campfires, a dance, a talent show, a carnival, a parade, themed meals and more. Campers are given as little or as much assistance as needed to fully participate in all activities. Dates: This camp is only offered July 30–Aug. 5.
Ages: 6–17
Cost: Free
Camp Goodtimes (Vashon Island)
Camp Goodtimes is a resident camp specifically designed to provide opportunities for personal growth and connection among children impacted by cancer (whether as patients or as siblings). Campers enjoy summer camp fun in a medically supervised environment.
Ages: 8–17
Cost: Free
Camp Erin (Everett, Seattle, Tacoma)
Camp Erin provides a caring environment filled with activities to assist children and teens coping with loss. By engaging in a special combination of fun recreational and therapeutic activities along with supportive discussions, age-appropriate groups are given the opportunity to meet peers who have had similar feelings and experiences. This camp is only offered once each summer in each location.
Ages: 6–18
Cost: Free
Camp Leo for Children With Diabetes (Auburn)
At overnight Camp Leo, kids won’t feel singled out for the daily disruptions of living with Type 1 diabetes, because all of the campers and many of the staff share their experiences. Each age-appropriate overnight camp features classic activities such as swimming and rock climbing, but with the addition of diabetes education and visits by guest speakers whose lives prove that having diabetes doesn’t stand in the way of success. Financial assistance is available. A family camp will be offered in the fall.
Grades: 3–12
Cost: Tiered pricing
Blue Compass Camps (Port Orchard)
Blue Compass will not offer its usual four-day camp programs serving tweens and teens with autism (HFA) and ADHD at Crista Camps this year. Instead, it is hosting a family rafting trip with guides from Orange Torpedo in 2023. Each camper must be accompanied by at least one family member. Details of the trip are not yet finalized, but capacity will be limited, so contact Blue Compass early to get on the list.
Ages: 10–22
Cost: TBA
Music Works Northwest (Seattle)
Music therapy is a powerful tool for working on social skills, impulse control, emotional regulation and teamwork with other neurodivergent peers. Music Works offers both full- and half-day in-person music therapy camps in the summer.
Ages: 4–18
Cost: $255–$525
Up next: Camps for Critter-Loving Kiddos
Camps for Critter-Loving Kiddos
Loving animals and actually taking care of them every day are very different things. Whether your kid is a future farmer or struggles to remember to feed the goldfish, summer camp is a great opportunity to learn more about the natural world and even get some hands-on experience with critters that they can’t keep at home.
Little Towhees (Tacoma)
The Tahoma Audubon Society’s preschool programs focus on guiding young learners in self-awareness and self-regulation, growing their confidence and independence, and fostering an appreciation for the interconnection of the world around them. It offers three-day camps for 4- to 5-year-olds, with morning or afternoon sessions.
Ages: Preschool
Cost: $95–$105
Sunset Lake (Mount Rainier)
Sunset Lake is a nonprofit summer camp and retreat center owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Set on 400 acres in the foothills of Mount Rainier, the center offers a classic summer camp experience with a horsemanship add-on. There is also a family camp over Labor Day weekend.
Ages: 8–17
Cost: $595 with horsemanship option
Camp Sealth (Vashon Island)
Camp Sealth’s 350-acre property on Vashon Island hosts a wide variety of overnight and day camp opportunities. But for critter-loving kids, the obvious draw is Horse Camp. Sessions are offered for beginner, intermediate and advanced riders.
Grades: 3–11
Cost: $725–$2,400
Wildwood Ranch (Fall City)
On the 20 acres of Wildwood Ranch, kids disconnect from tech and spend time outdoors just getting to be themselves. In the classic ranch camp, they learn how to ride horses, cook over a campfire, tend a garden and make crafts. Specialized camps focus on hiking in the Cascades or, for kids who like sheep, all things wool.
Ages: 5–12
Cost: $285–$650
Red Gate Farm (Sammamish)
Summer programs that offer horseback riding are usually weeklong sleepaway camps. But Red Gate Farm offers a rare horseback-riding day camp. Professional instructors provide unique and unforgettable summer camp experiences during the day, and campers get to sleep in their own beds at night.
Ages: 6–12
Cost: $750
Woodland Park Zoo (Seattle)
You don’t have to leave the city to learn about nature and animals. Woodland Park Zoo camps inspire children to become conservationists through standards-based STEAM skills, building connections to nature and discovering the world’s wildlife. Each themed day camp lasts either four or five days. Note: Camps are full, but potential campers can put their name on the waiting list.
Ages: 4–13
Cost: $380–$465
Seattle Humane (Bellevue)
Seattle Humane summer day camp sessions run Monday–Thursday. Campers learn about care and kindness for cats, dogs and other critters through games, crafts and animal visits. This year, veterinary-themed camps have been added to the offerings. Single- and half-day programming will be available.
Ages: 7–13
Cost: TBA (check their website for summer 2023 info)
Animal Compassion Camp (Sultan)
Campers complete projects such as making treats and toys while meeting and learning about the care of the more than 200 animals residing at Pasado’s Safe Haven, a 85-acre rescue animal sanctuary. Each day will be spent outside and around animals, so campers are encouraged to wear good shoes, dress for the weather and bring plant-based lunches.
Ages: 7–16
Cost: $150–$200
Up next: Active Camps for Sports Fans
Active Camps for Sports Fans
Sure, we’re all worried about the summer slide, but growing bodies need activity! And summer is the best time to learn through play. Whether you’re looking for a standard team sports skill-building camp or your child wants to try out something new, these programs have you covered.
NBC Camps (multiple locations)
NBC Camps specializes in intensive training in basketball and volleyball. Originating in the Pacific Northwest, NBC Camps offers overnight and day camps in dozens of communities, including Auburn, Anacortes and Kirkland, and has even expanded to include some international training opportunities.
Ages: 9–18
Cost: $375–$705
International Soccer Camps (multiple locations)
Soccer parents are spoiled for choice in our region. The soccer camps from Challenger Sports stand out for their use of an international mix of coaches from Europe, Brazil and the United States, and the curriculum is based on the play of the world’s top soccer nations. Kids as young as 3 can try out soccer in the one-hour TinyTykes camp, and kids ages 6–14 can sign up for a full- or half-day skills camp.
Ages: 3–16
Cost: $105–$250
US Sports Camps (multiple locations)
Sponsored by Nike, US Sports Camps currently offers 24 programs in 16 different sports, from football to water polo to esports. Programs are open to players of all genders and abilities, and all are led by experienced staff. Use the site search to find a camp near you.
Ages: 5–18
Cost: Varies (check their website for summer 2023 info)
NxtGen Baseball (multiple locations)
NxtGen Baseball Camps, with Major League Baseball analyst and former Seattle Mariners pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith, provide elite mentorship and training by coaches with MLB experience. These coaches help young athletes of all skill levels learn to be competitive in the game while having a ton of fun. Half- and full-day options are available.
Ages: 6–12
Cost: $240–$399
Skyhawks (multiple locations)
With a dozen different sports (adding less common choices such as cheerleading and tennis to the usual team ball sports) and camps in multiple locations for ages 2–14, Skyhawks has something for every athlete. Emphasizing life lessons such as teamwork, respect and sportsmanship alongside skills, these programs are designed to give each child a positive introduction to sports and foster a lifelong love for activity.
Ages: 2–14
Cost: Varies (check their website for summer 2023 info)
Arena Sports (multiple locations)
Arena Sports’ camps are filled with sports such as soccer, dodgeball and kickball, with the addition of fun activities such as bouncy houses and outdoor play. Enrollment is flexible, with full days and half-days available, as well as partial and full weeks. The Issaquah and Mill Creek locations also offer family fun center activities, such as laser tag, bowling, climbing walls and more; Redmond campers will be able to enjoy these activities via camp field trips. More focused sports skills camps may also be available. Each location also offers a Skills Institute Summer Camp, which focuses on developing campers’ (ages 5–12) soccer skills and fundamentals.
Ages: 3–12
Cost: Varies
Sports International Marcus Trufant Football Camp (Tacoma)
During overnight and day-camp options, athletes at Sports International camps learn individual and team techniques for both offensive and defensive play from veteran coaches for six hours per day. This summer’s football camp will feature guest instruction by and photo ops with Marcus Trufant and members of the Seattle Seahawks.
Ages: 7–18
Cost: $759–$859
Kraken Community Iceplex (Seattle)
Now young ice skaters at all levels can practice on the same ice as Seattle’s pro hockey team during summer camp. Kraken Community Iceplex is hosting a variety of hockey camps this summer (as well as basic skating and figure-skating camps). Weekly and multiweek half- and full-day camps will be available.
Ages: 4+
Cost: TBA
Up next: Atypical Athletes’ Camp
Atypical Athletes’ Camps
Not all sports are team sports, and many teams never touch a ball. There are myriad ways for kids to get physical. These athletic camps may or may not be sporty, but they’ll get your kid off the couch and moving.
Salle Auriol (Seattle)
Summer camp is the best time for kids with no experience to try out fencing. Salle Auriol offers weekly summer camps that each focus on one of three types of Olympic fencing: épée, foil and saber. Students learn footwork, bladework and other tactics in a variety of fencing activities and games to increase coordination and balance.
Ages: 7–16
Cost: TBA
Seattle Derby Brats (Seattle)
New Skater Camp is a fun way for girls and gender-expansive kids to learn basic roller-skating skills and safety. It’s also the way to become qualified to join a competitive roller derby youth league. There is no minimum skill requirement to participate, but it’s recommended that skaters be able to skate forward without assistance for at least one lap of a standard skating rink before attending camp.
Ages: 7–17
Cost: $300 (check their website for summer 2023 info)
All Together Skatepark (Seattle)
All Together Skatepark provides weeklong half- and full-day summer camps in its indoor Wallingford skate park. Focused on creating a fun and positive environment, camps facilitate individual growth through group lessons and daily showcases during which kids get to display their growing skills.
Ages: 5–12
Cost: $350–$550
Skate Like a Girl (Seattle)
Skate Like a Girl skateboarding instructors get kids rolling with the basics of pushing and cruising, or help them take existing skills to new heights in both half-day and full-day camps. Camps are open to all genders, with specific weeks for girls and/or trans and nonbinary youths, as well as one week (date TBA) specifically for queer and trans youths.
Ages: 6–16
Cost: $300–$450, sliding scale
Edgeworks (Bellevue, Seattle, Tacoma)
Edgeworks offers climbing camps for all skill levels; there’s a four-day indoor-only camp called New Rockers, as well as five-day Adventure Rock camps that spend a portion of the week outside. Whether you’re looking for a camp to introduce your child to rock climbing or your camper wants to climb to the next level, this is a great place to try.
Ages: 6–17
Cost: TBA (check their website for summer 2023 info)
Seattle Bouldering Project (Seattle)
Seattle Bouldering Project has two locations in Seattle. Each location offers Monday–Thursday climbing camps for younger kids that combine climbing, games and crafts. Camps for tweens and teens focus more on building skills and fitness.
Ages: 6–15
Cost: $450–$475
Moss Bay (Seattle)
The Moss Bay summer camp is a weeklong day camp that combines kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and sailing on Lake Union, with safe instruction included in each lesson. Moss Bay’s low-key approach to skill development allows kids to gravitate to the activities they most enjoy.
Ages: 7–12
Cost: $495
High Trek Adventures (Everett)
Day camps at High Trek Adventures fit the bill when you want outdoor adventure that’s more action than nature-focused. Three-day camps include a high ropes course and zip lines, a climbing wall, laser tag, mini golf, a bouncy obstacle course and other exciting outdoor games.
Ages: 7–15
Cost: $300–$325
Seattle Yacht Club (Seattle)
Weeklong day camps launch from Portage Bay to teach kids of all skill levels how to sail safely on boats of different sizes. A camp focused on sailboat racing will be held July 17–21 for alumni of at least one SYC sailing camp.
Ages: 7–17
Cost: $490
Alki Adventure Camps (Seattle)
Alki Adventure Camps are weeklong, full-day stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) camps on Puget Sound, Elliott Bay, Lake Washington and other locations. SUP lessons are supplemented with daily off-site adventures.
Ages: 9–16
Cost: $340–$350
Seattle Rhythmic Gymnastics (Seattle)
Multilingual coaches teach rhythmic gymnastics in half-day or full-day camps. Campers will learn ballet, ribbon, hoops and tumbling, and participate in other fun camp activities. Each camp concludes with a showcase performance for parents.
Ages: 6–9
Cost: $450
Circus Camp (Seattle, Auburn)
Campers of all skill levels are introduced to age-appropriate circus and acrobatic skills, from juggling to aerial and tightwire. Circus camps help young people develop physical skills, build confidence and self-esteem, and get physically fit. Full-day camps are offered at both the Seattle school and the Auburn Synapse location, which also offers half-day camps.
Ages: 6+
Cost: $199–$535
Seattle Shaolin Kungfu Academy (Bellevue)
Nearly every martial arts school that teaches kids’ classes offers a summer camp program. But if you’re not sure where to start, why not try the original? At Seattle Shaolin Kungfu Academy’s half- and full-day weekly camps, new students learn the basics and fundamentals of Shaolin kung fu stances, traditional fist forms, weaponry, basic tumbling and sparring. The full-day camps also incorporate other elements of Chinese culture, from the Mandarin language to tea.
Ages: 4–15
Cost: $250–$450
Up next: One-of-a-Kind Camps and Classes
One-of-a-Kind Camps and Classes
Nostalgia is a powerful force — many of us can’t imagine summer vacation without cabin groups, campfire stories and canoe tippy tests. But if tradition doesn’t hold much water for your family, you might be drawn to one of these camps that take kids way off of the beaten path.
Schooner Martha Foundation (Port Townsend)
The Schooner Martha Foundation offers sail training for youths (12 and older) and sailing vacations for families. No experience is necessary! Learn about yachting and restoration as you sail in and around the San Juan Islands, the Puget Sound and Canadian waters. Trips range from day sails to 3–4 night voyages. Participants must be physically fit and competent swimmers. You can learn more about the program and see the 2023 schedule here.
Ages: 12+
Costs: $125 per day for youths, scholarships are available
Majestic Adventures (multiple locations)
At Majestic Adventures summer day camps, kids choose mythic archetypes and powers, band together as a team, solve riddles and dilemmas, negotiate treaties, interact with interesting characters and swashbuckle with foes using safe foam swords. Held in local parks, camps give kids up to a week of experiential education through co-created live-action roleplaying games that develop decision-making, critical thinking, teamwork, communication and ethical reasoning skills.
Ages: 6–17
Costs: TBA
Smithsonian Summer Camp (virtual)
Smithsonian camps on a variety of themes, from designing video games to a virtual road trip and building fantasy-fiction worlds, will be conducted via Zoom, with half-day morning or afternoon sessions available. Led by educators, kids will explore the museum’s collections through interactive play, art creation and experimentation.
Grades: K–11
Cost: $335–$480
Wing Luke Chinatown–International District Camps (Seattle)
Wing Luke Museum offers three unique weeklong day camps. At Camp Bruce Lee, campers learn from the teachings and life of Bruce Lee through daily martial arts lessons, visits to the museum’s Bruce Lee exhibit and explorations of the International District. At Feasts and Flavors, campers make delicious treats inspired by the neighborhood’s community and restaurants. And Arty Party is a week of making art and exploring identity inspired by the history and artworks of the International District.
Ages: 6–12
Cost: $325–$375
Canoe Island French Camp (Orcas Island)
There’s nothing like a summer trip to Paris to improve one’s French. Unless it’s a week at Canoe Island’s French Camp, where campers re-create the French Revolution (more or less), explore the Pacific Northwest like the fur trappers of old or learn the chivalric ways of medieval knights-errant. All French language skill levels are welcome.
Ages: 9–16
Cost: $2,450–$4,250 (three-tiered sliding scale)
MoPOP (Seattle)
MoPOP’s unique summer camps employ professional teaching artists and partnerships with other arts organizations to help campers create original music videos, explore fantasy worlds, discover the world of drag or design their own museum exhibits.
Grades: 2–12
Cost: Varies (check their website for summer 2023 info)
Up next: Classic Summer Camp Experiences
Classic Summer Camp Experiences
Nowadays, kids are encouraged to specialize at an increasingly early age in order to “become more competitive.” That focus makes an old-fashioned summer camp experience centered on community and fun even more valuable. These classic camps give kids a week or even a whole summer to just be kids.
Camp Sealth (Vashon Island)
Lots of camps incorporate traditional (dare we say campy?) summer activities, such as campfire stories and canoeing, into their specialty programs. But Sealth’s Classic Camp does just what it says on the tin. During a typical week session, kids in Classic Camp sample each of the traditional activities — crafts, canoes, exploring nature, etc. — at least once, with options to return to their favorites during “Choice Time.”
Ages: Grades 1–11
Cost: $625–$1,125
YMCA Camp Colman (Longbranch) and YMCA Camp Orkila (Orcas Island) Traditional Camps
Camp Colman on the Key Peninsula, an hourlong trip from Seattle, offers a traditional overnight camp (either four days or week in length). Campers spend their days engaged in classic camp activities, ranging from arts and crafts to group sing-alongs. They stay in cabins grouped by age and gender (or just by age for Camp Colman’s all-gender camp) on the 100-acre waterfront property. Camp Colman also offers family camps, while Camp Orkila also has specialty camps for art and marine biology.
Grades: 1–10
Cost: $730–$2,185
Black Diamond Camp (Black Diamond)
The faith-based Black Diamond Camp fills its weeklong day camps with traditional camp activities and modern games. The wide-ranging list of activities includes using slingshots and BB guns, indoor climbing and harnessed treetop adventures, swimming, and lots of group games, such as archery tag and blacklight dodgeball.
Ages: 5–12
Cost: $380
Boys & Girls Clubs (multiple locations)
Boys & Girls Clubs’ summer day camps are safe, inclusive, engaging and fun. Camps for participants in grades K–5 have a different theme each week, with a variety of activities and field trips. Sports-themed camps extend through grade 12, while the traditional camps for teens combine sports, art and volunteerism.
Grades: K–12
Cost: Varies
Camp Zanika (Wenatchee)
Operated by the Campfire organization, Camp Zanika isn’t just like the old-school summer camp experience — it is the old-school summer camp. Since 1932, kids have been traveling to Lake Wenatchee to learn new skills, have fun, and make friends and memories in the great outdoors. There’s something for everyone, from three-day mini camps for the youngest campers to a two-week leadership training, and with themes ranging from wacky science to Christmas in July.
Grades: 1–12
Cost: $349–$1,549; add-ons available
Four Winds * Westward Ho (Orcas Island)
Monthlong tech-free camp sessions at the nonprofit Four Winds camp give older kids lots of experience with group living as well as activities and trips that include multiday excursions by canoe, kayak or hiking. A weeklong Junior Camp gives elementary students a chance to taste camp life without leaving home for a whole month.
Ages: 9–15 (7–10 Junior)
Cost: $7,200 ($1,800 Junior)
Camp Huston (Gold Bar)
At the Episcopal Camp Huston in Gold Bar, summer camp includes games, songs, hikes, team-building activities, campouts, archery, swimming, crafts, and chapel and reflection at the end of each day; there are also a campfire, variety show and dance every week. There are camps for adults and families, too.
Ages: 1–10
Cost: TBA (check their website for summer 2023 info)
Camp Kalsman (Kirkland)
Camp Kalsman, located on 300 acres near Kirkland, practices active Jewish education, incorporating Judaism into activities as campers learn new skills in athletic, aquatic, artistic and nature programs. The adventure program is a four-week experience in Israel for teens. Sessions last from one to five weeks, focusing on different interests, such as a focus on kibbutz life, the arts, Hebrew immersion and outdoor challenges.
Grades: 1–11
Cost: $1,695–$4,895 (counselor-in-training program, $5,995)
Girl Scouts of Western Washington (multiple locations)
In 2023, staff-led overnight camps will be held at Camp River Ranch, Camp St. Albans and Camp Robbinswold. Girl Scout volunteers will also host overnight community camps at Camp Lyle McLeod, Camp Towhee and across western Washington. Participants will get a traditional camp experience that includes boating, archery and arts-focused programs.
Grades: 2–12
Cost: Varies
Fircreek Day Camp (Bellingham)
From swimming and boating on Lake Whatcom to sports, games, crafts, singing and silliness, summers at Fircreek’s nondenominational Christian camp are packed with fun in a picturesque wooded area within walking distance of the waterfront.
Grades: 1–6
Cost: $300–$350
Sunset Lake (Mount Rainier)
Sunset Lake is a nonprofit summer camp and retreat center owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Set on 400 acres in the foothills of Mount Rainier, the center offers a classic summer camp experience with a horsemanship option. New this year is a $250 day camp designed for children who are too young or not ready for overnight camp. There will also be a family camp over Labor Day weekend.
Ages: 8–17
Cost: $520 basic, $595 with horsemanship add-on
Up next: STEM + Learning Camps
STEM + Learning Camps
A love of learning lies at the heart of science, and STEM camps are in a much better position than the classroom for revealing the adventure in inquiry and for igniting a lifelong passion for discovery. Some camps even incorporate art for the full STEAM experience — because despite the stereotypes, creativity belongs in both the lab and in the studio.
Steamoji (Redmond)
Steamoji offers science education with a maker mindset, introducing kids to fabrication, physical computing, engineering, digital arts, coding and applied design. The organization’s summer day camps fold science into engaging projects, such as building catapults to topple opponents’ towers and designing working light features for their room.
Ages: 5–15
Cost: $350–$550
iD Tech (Seattle, Bellevue)
Students get a taste of college life at these campus-based summer STEM camps where coding, game development, robotics and design are part of the curriculum. In one-week or two-week overnight camps, students of all skill levels get a chance to use the best tech with instructors who are professionals in the field.
Ages: 7–18
Cost: $979–$4,599
KidsQuest Children’s Museum (Bellevue, online)
KidsQuest Children’s Museum in Bellevue offers virtual and in-person Explorer and Adventure camps. Weeklong half-day Explorer camps for the younger kids have themes such as science, art, nature or engineering. Full-day adventure camps for older kids incorporate art, science and hands-on activities into the programming.
Ages: 3–10
Cost: $125–$475
Girls Rock Math (multiple locations)
Numerous studies show that until middle school, girls are just as skilled and interested in math as boys. Girls Rock Math uses thematic creative materials and a social learning model with positive role models to ensure that girls continue to think of math as fun and themselves as capable. Girls Rock Math is specifically designed for children who experience inequity in STEM; the camps are appropriate for girls and those on the gender spectrum who identify as transgender, agender, nonbinary or questioning.
Grades: 1–8
Cost: $350–$460
Camp Tech Revolution (Seattle University, University of Washington)
With its dizzying number of options that range from podcasting to advanced robotics and 3D modeling, with numerous coding languages in between, Camp Tech Revolution has plenty to offer your camper, as long as they have any kind of interest in technology at all. These weeklong day camps on the University of Washington and Seattle University campuses prioritize experiential, hands-on learning and serious skill building, but still incorporate fun and exciting weekly events. Discounts are available for multiweek enrollment.
Ages: 6–16
Cost: $699–$899
Girls Who Code (online)
These entirely virtual camps for girls and nonbinary students are offered as either a two-week immersion or a six-week self-paced camp during which students gain computer science skills and prepare for careers in tech. In the immersion program, students build a series of short games. In the self-paced program, students choose one of three tracks: beginner web design, beginner to intermediate cybersecurity or beginner to intermediate data science.
Ages: Grades 9–12+
Cost: Free
Young Engineers (Seattle)
Each five-day day camp offers a different theme: Candyland, Lego Architecture, Mad Science or Famous Scientists. Based in the Phinney Neighborhood Center in North Seattle, these camps teach a new mechanical engineering topic and a motorized Lego build each day, and end with a short movie and a walking field trip to the zoo.
Ages: Grades 1–5
Cost: TBA
Open World by DigiPen (Redmond, Bothell)
DigiPen’s new series of summer workshops focuses on the fun and hands-on aspects of STEAM fields of the future. One- and two-week workshops in game design, art, coding, robotics, music and sound design, and more include a special visit by an industry guest.
Grades: K–12
Cost: $999–$2,299
Pacific Science Center (multiple locations)
Pacific Science Center is back to a full pre-pandemic selection of a dozen or more camp options for each age group. With wide-ranging choices from food science to on-site explorations at Mercer Slough to robotics, Pacific Science Center makes learning fun with messy, tasty, gross or adventurous themes for all types of kids. New for 2023, the center will offer an array of exciting themed summer camps at Salish Sea Elementary School in South Seattle’s Othello Square.
Grades: Pre-K–8
Cost: $228–$654
Kids Science Labs (Seattle)
Kids Science Labs offers half- and full-day camp options with different themes: design, earth science, mixtures and medicine. Kids learn science through hands-on, inquiry-based problem solving that looks a lot like play.
Ages: 4–12
Cost: $350–$550
Bricks 4 Kidz/Beam Experiences (multiple locations)
Parents have known for a long time that Lego is equal parts play and learning. Bricks 4 Kidz summer camps use Lego to teach STEM concepts and help kids develop critical thinking, collaboration, innovation and communication skills. At the same time, the interactive design format supports social growth and self-discovery alongside technical learning.
Ages: 5–12
Cost: $225–$320
Up next: Drop-in Camps
Drop-in Camps
Busy parents’ work, life and vacation schedules don’t always align with the typical five-day workweek (or camp session). And even families that don’t need camp for daily child care appreciate a break from each other and the chance to try new things. These programs offer flexible schedules, daily options and, best of all, variety!
KidsQuest Camptivities (Bellevue)
During weekdays all summer long, museum members and guests can drop in for hour-long themed camp activities offered twice a day. The activities change every week.
Ages: 4–10
Cost: Free with museum admission or membership
Steve & Kate’s Camp (Everett, Kirkland, Seattle)
Campers choose their own activities throughout the day, while parents can pick and choose the days their kids attend. Purchase any number of days or a pass for the whole summer and then just show up on the days you need child care. If you don’t use up your passes, you’ll be refunded the unused days at the end of the summer.
Ages: 4–12
Cost: $115/day, $3,450/summer
Arena Sports School’s Out Camp (multiple locations)
Arena Sports camps are filled with active and age-appropriate activities that kids enjoy. Parents love the flexible options for half days, full days, full or partial weeks or even a single day of camp. Preregistration is required.
Ages: 3–12
Cost: Varies (check their website for summer 2023 info)
Museo Art Academy (Issaquah)
Separate from its weekly Monday–Thursday camps, Museo Art’s full-day pottery camp is offered on Friday. Families can choose morning or afternoon half days or sign up for both, with the lunch hour add-on, to create a full-day camp.
Ages: 5–13
Cost: $150
Seattle Humane (Bellevue)
Seattle Humane summer day camps teach campers about care and kindness for cats, dogs and critters through games, crafts and animal visits. Single-day programming will be available for summer 2023.
Ages: 7–13
Cost: TBA
