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These Seattle-Area Camps Plan to Operate In Person This Summer

Puget Sound-area programs offering IRL summer camps for summer 2020

Published on: July 17, 2020

stone soup theatre outdoor camp
Photo:
Stone Soup Theatre's outdoor theater camp (image from a previous season)

Update:

Kids underfoot? Many in-person camps are open, operating and still taking registrations. Camps listed here are new to our list and/or are camps from the original list below that are currently accepting enrollments. Be sure to check each camp's safety protocols and, as always, use your own judgment for your family.

Auburn Parks, Arts & Recreation summer camps — summer youth camps have openings as early as next week

The Center for Wooden Boats — spots remain in select sailing and woodworking camps for this summer

J-Cation in-person summer camps at Stroum Jewish Community Center — operating in person this summer

Olympia Parks, Arts & Recreation summer camps — open spots in various themed camps

Pacific Science Center — offering camps in person at Pacific Science Center, Explorer West Middle School, Mercer Slough and Kirkland Seventh-Day Adventist School

Peter Fewing Soccer Camps — accepting registrations for August

Skyhawks Sports Camp — spots remain in football and other sports camps in Tacoma, as early as next week

Stone Soup Theatre — enrolling for outdoor theater camps in Seattle

Studio East Training for the Performing Arts — select theater camps are taking place in person

Tilth Alliance — offering garden camps for kids and junior counselor opportunities for tweens and young teens

Wilderness Awareness School — quick! A few spots remain for kids ages 4–12 the next couple of weeks in these super-popular (and often already full) outdoor camps

 

Original story, published June 9, 2020:

After months of distance learning, even introverted kids are looking forward to a week or two of summer camp where they can work on projects and play with new friends. While there is still no guarantee camps will happen — these Seattle-area programs are hopeful enough to be making plans and taking registrations for in-person camps for summer 2020. 

Camp providers are busy implementing new safety plans and procedures, including safe physical distancing protocols. And if you feel safer keeping kids home this summer no matter what the governor says, check out our list of virtual summer camps and DIY camps.

Auburn Parks, Arts & Recreation summer camps

The City of Auburn plans to operate its regular in-person summer camps, for kids ages 6–11 and tweens ages 10–12, starting July 6. Auburn also offers specialty camps, including Lego camps, acting camps and museum camps. Specialty camp ages range from 5–18. Registration is open now.

The Center for Wooden Boats

The Center for Wooden Boats is keeping registration open for a full summer of woodworking, design/build and sailing for ages 8 through teens. But just in case, CWB won’t charge a dime until the first day of camp.

Coyote Central

While building up its virtual offerings, Coyote Central continues to plan for its in-person summer camps. Registration is open for planned camps at both its Central Area and Lake City locations in Seattle. Camp themes range from art to baking, comedy to design, with a money-back guarantee if COVID-19 causes cancellations.

Northwest Natural Horsemanship Center

This Eastside horsemanship center plans to go ahead with its day camps in Fall City. Horse camps are for beginning and advanced riders, ages 5–16. If social-distancing requirements force a camp to close, families can choose between a full refund or credit towards future lessons and camps.

Olympia Parks, Arts & Recreation summer camps

The City of Olympia is taking registrations for in-person summer camps, with themes ranging from chess to yoga, animation to coding, to Variety Camp, if you have a Renaissance kid. Read detailed safety procedures and plans online.

Pacific Science Center

Some Pacific Science Center camp options have been canceled, but the center will still offer some in-person camps for kids in pre-K to grade 8 this summer, including special girls-only camps and sensory-friendly camps. Capacity is limited to conform to COVID-19 safety standards, so PacSci is prioritizing members for the limited spaces available.

Peter Fewing Soccer Camps

Peter Fewing Soccer Camps' resident and day camps — for kids ages 5–13 — are planned to be operating in person and outdoors, with modifications and reduced enrollments throughout the summer.

Skyhawks Sports Camp

Skyhawks knows that virtual offerings can never fully replace in-person sports, so they are still planning on a variety of community-center-based sports skills camps for soccer, basketball, cheerleading, tennis and more. 

Stone Soup Theatre

The show must go on, as they say, and Stone Soup plans to be ready to go onstage or online, as circumstances allow. Currently its Summerstage program, for thespians ages 5–16, plans to spread out and hold its usual camps, in person, at Seattle's Meridian and Jefferson Parks.

Studio East Training for the Performing Arts

Studio East offers one- and two-week performing arts summer camps for kids ages 4–19 at all skill levels. Expect anything from creativity exercises to scripted musicals and college-level theater training. Camps beginning after July 17 may be held in person (the decision will be made on a rolling basis, one month prior to each camp).  

Tilth Alliance

Tilth Alliance's summer farm and garden camps will begin online via Zoom, but as soon as restrictions are lifted, they’ll be back out in the garden at Good Shepherd Center in Wallingford and Rainier Beach Urban Farm & Wetlands, helping kids from toddlers to age 15 get their hands into real dirt.

Village Theatre

Village Theatre’s Kidstage program for kids in pre-K up to age 20 will start the summer on Zoom, but has plans to return to in-person programs at their Issaquah and Everett locations beginning July 27, if restrictions are lifted. Younger kids’ camps have themes such as "Frozen," "Star Wars" and "Harry Potter," while teens take skills-based classes in technical theater, acting for the camera or songwriting.  

Wilderness Awareness School

Even typically indoor kids may be itching for some time in nature this summer, and fortunately, Wilderness Awareness School still plans to offer its in-person day camps for ages 4–13. They have a no-risk refund policy in case COVID-19 forces cancellations by either the school or your family.

YMCA Camps Colman and Orkila

Let’s face it, after the last three months, even parents need a break in the great outdoors, too. YMCA’s Camps Colman and Orkila are offering weekend to six-night family camps with old-school activities such as boating, crafts and archery (with modifications for maintaining distancing, even at camp). And if three months of distance learning has you craving time away from family, don’t worry, they still have kids-only camps.   

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