Create a cardboard castle, a cigar box guitar, or a Lego robot. Connect with long-time friends and make new ones while learning how to kayak, juggle or sew. Make a puppet, animated cartoon, stationary, or your own song.
There are so many summer camp options in the Twin Cities area, your kids will have trouble picking just one!
Browse below for more information on some of the camps offered locally.
By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
ADVENTURES IN CARDBOARD
Be initiated into an ancient and esteemed House of The Realm, jump into live-action adventure gaming, build your own arms and armor, and more during these five-day, full-day sessions for ages 8-17. Buses available from Powderhorn Park and some camps held at Minnehaha Park.
adventuresincardboard.com
612-532-6764
ARTICULTURE
A variety of art disciplines and mediums with themes like puppetry, world cultures, If I had a Hammer, animation, art car, public art and activism, printmaking and more offered for ages 4-18. Five-day, half- and full-day sessions available.
612-729-5151
http://www.articulture.org
BASE CAMP
Climb high, climb far during the Discovery Day Camp’s high energy activities offered near Fort Snelling Mondays to Fridays June to August for ages 5-15.
612-261-2301
http://www.explorebasecamp.org/
BLACKBIRD’S MUSIC STORE
Write your own songs, start your own band, build cigar guitars from the ground up, and learn electric guitar.
612-326-5745
http://blackbirdsmusicstore.com
CIRCUS JUVENTAS
Explore international circus arts at Circus Juventas. Five-day, full-day sessions and one-day sampler camps offered for ages 6-18.
651-699-8229
http://www.circusjuventas.org
CENTER FOR BLADE ARTS
Modern Olympic fencing camps for all ages run from 10 a,m,-2 p,m, Monday-Friday in June and July.
612-501-0640
www.centerforbladearts.com
COURAGEOUS heARTS
Four-day camps running June-August for ages 10-18. Discounts offered for multiple weeks.
612-729-2483
www.courageous-hearts.org
FOREST SCHOOL
Free Forest School of the Twin Cities is a free group, open to young children and their parents or caregivers. This is a welcoming and non-judgmental group where parents and caregivers can practice giving children space and autonomy to explore and create in nature. Free Forest School meets every day of the week throughout the year at wilderness areas around the metro. Share a snack, take a hike, play in the woods, and have circle time. Parents get a chance to unplug and step back… Kids and their imaginations take the lead.
Cost: Free
www.freeforestschool.org/free-forest-school-twin-cities-minnesota/
KID YOGA
Yoga infused throughout the day via story, dance and games for campers age 5-12. Located on the Greenway = daily field adventures.
612-202-5164
kidyogamn.com
MINNEHAHA ACADEMY
Pick from an amazing variety of camps for children grades K-12. From fencing to Lego robotics, baseball to history field trips, there is a camp to jump start a child's summer adventure.
612-728-7745, ext. 1
http://www.minnehahaacademy.net
SE MINNEAPOLIS SOCCER
Southeast Soccer fields a variety of girls and boys teams for ages U9-U18 at beginner, intermediate and advanced competitive levels. Consider the Lil’ Dribblers soccer program for ages 4 -8, or summer traveling teams.
http://www.sesoccer.org/
612-396-9511
YMCA
Explore the variety of Y Summer Programs at over 60 metro-area locations. Programs include flexible three-, four-, and five-day options for preschool and up, as well as day camps, overnight camps, Teen Wilderness, family camps and more.
http://www.ymcatwincities.org/child_care__preschool/summer_programs/
IN THE TWIN CITIES
ANIMAL HUMANE SOCIETY
kids entering grades 3-10 spend a full week immersed in animal learning and fun at one of four AHS locations.
animalhumanesociety.org/summer-camp
763-489-2220
ALEXANDER RAMSEY HOUSE
Solve mysteries of the past in this three-day History Detective Camp for ages 10-13. Or, young ladies ages 9-12 can step back in time in a unique Finishing School for Young Ladies day camp.
612-341-7555
http://www.mnhs.org/summercamps
AMERICAN SWEDISH INSTITUTE
Day camps for ages 6-10 and multi-day camps for a variety of ages with topics such as vikings, Pippi Longstocking and Swedish cooking.
612-871-4907
asimn.org
ARTSTART
Creative cultural camps exploring Peru and Ecuador through art that reuses discarded materials. Sessions for ages 4-teen run late June – July.
651-698-2787
www.artstart.org
CAMP COMO
Spend some time “Monkeying Around” with your primate pals, go for the gold in “Animal Olympics”, take an “African Adventure” without leaving Como, or try on the hat of a zookeeper or gardener in “Behind-the-Scenes!”. Como’s camps focus on developing children’s appreciation for the natural world through play and exploration, behind-the-scenes experiences, interactions with zookeepers and gardeners, and up-close encounters with plant and animal ambassadors Five-day, half-day or full-day sessions for preschool to grade eight. Extended care available.
651-487-8272
https://comozooconservatory.org/como/camp-como/
DODGE NATURE CENTER
Campers have fun while gaining appreciation for nature by meeting live animals, building forts, and getting their hands dirty during full- and half-day, four-day camps offered for students entering 1-8 grades. Shorter sessions available for ages 3-6.
651-455-4531
http://www.dodgenaturecenter.org/
FRIENDS SCHOOL
Want to make a film just like the professionals do? Feel like biking 10 (or 20!) miles a day? Have a secret stash of poems you want to share? Feel a need to express yourself through paint and paper-folding? Maybe you'd rather argue for the defense in a real courtroom? Friends School will be the place to do that--and more--from June to August for ages 4-14. Weekdays, half- and full-day. Extended day care in the mornings and afternoons and need-based financial aid available.
651-621-8941
http://www.fsmn.org
HAMLINE YOUNG WRITERS
High school students ages 15-18 can explore the craft, prepare for college, and connect with other young writers in the Twin Cities, while working closely with Hamline Creative Writing faculty and published authors.
651-523-2476
http://www.hamline.edu/gls/youngwriters/
HEARTFELT
Summer camps allow time for more in-depth projects, such as Wild & Wooly, Fairies, Critters, and Sea Creature, for kindergarten and up.
http://heartfeltonline.com
INNER CITY TENNIS
Enjoy Summer Tennis in Minneapolis parks for ages 6-17. Free and reduced programs available.
612-825-6844
http://www.innercitytennis.org
LEONARDO’S BASEMENT
Girls and boys ages 6 to 17 can design and build their creative ideas, mixing art, science and technology during partial-day, weekday camps. There are more than 120 classes available over 10 weeks.
612-824-4394
www.leonardosbasement.org
LOFT LITERARY CENTER
There’s something for everyone—from the youngster just learning to put pen to paper to the seasoned high school senior with a novel already under her belt. Sessions run in week-long blocks July and August, full and half-day options available for ages 6-17.
612-215-2575
www.loft.org/youth
LOPPET ADVENTURE CAMPS
Rollerblade, mountain bike, canoe and more during adventure camps for ages 9-13 at Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis. Equipment provided during the full-day, five-day sessions.
612-604-5330
www.loppet.org/programs/camps/
MINNEAPOLIS SAILING CENTER
One-week youth camps and sailing classes offered on beautiful Bde Maka Ska.
https://sailmpls.org/
612-470-SAIL
NORTHERN CLAY CENTER
Explore clay through sculpture or wheel-thrown pottery in half or full-day sessions for ages 6 and up.
612-339-8007
www.northernclaycenter.org
RAPTOR CENTER
Summer sessions for ages 6-14 are run by the University of Minnesota’s Rec & Wellness Camps. Camps also offered in partnership with MIA and Richardson Nature Center.
www.raptor.umn.edu
SNAPOLOGY
With camps happening at the new Discovery Center in Uptown every week of the summer, as well as at various schools and educational partners around the Twin Cities, Snapology has got you covered for kiddos as young as 3 and as old as 14 – Robotics, Coding, Science, Technology, Drones, Pre-K, Engineering, Architecture and more.
https://www.snapology.com/locations/minneapolis
ST. PAUL CONSERVANCY OF MUSIC
Music day camp for aspiring young musicians – offering a setting where children can explore their musical knowledge and ability through classes, creative play, and presentations by renowned professionals. No prior musical experience required! July 6-17, 9 am. - 4p.m. Extended care available until 5:30 p.m.
www.thespcm.org/summercamp
651-224-2205
ST. PAUL BALLET
Summer is a great time to try dance. Programs include workshops and camps for ages 3 and up, weekly drop-in classes for teens and adults, and a "mommy and me" baby class.
651-690-1588
www.spballet.org
TEXTILE CENTER CAMPS
Sew, knit, felt, dye, and more. Take home hand-made creations from half-day, weeklong classes, for students ages 6-16.
4612-436-0464
http://textilecentermn.org/sc
VERTICAL ENDEAVORS
Climbing camp in single day, half and full day sessions run early June to late August for ages 6-13.
www.verticalendeavors.com
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is not a comprehensive list of every camp in the Twin Cities. If you would like to be included in next year’s guide, please send us detailed information on the camp.
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