Summer is one of the busiest seasons, as kids are out of school and parents are looking for productive and positive ways to keep them busy. It’s a great opportunity to roll out some fresh new ideas, taking advantage of some of the trends out there in both fitness and recreation, and encourage friendly competition between kids. Plus, it helps your campers create a memorable summer camp experience they're sure to treasure all summer long, and for years to come.

Coming up with summer camp activities for kids that are new and fun can be a challenge, but it doesn't have to be. While all parks and recreation organizations will have the standard summer programs for kids—such as sports camps, dance classes, and yoga—we wanted to feature some less common ideas for potential programs. Keeping your summer camp programming fresh and interesting will reward your frequent users, which is always a great idea. Here are 10 summer camp ideas kids will love!

Conservation Field Day

Forest expeditions, beach walks and large park explorations can all help to show kids the importance of a healthy ecosystem and how to keep our planet green. Get a charismatic group leader who is really great with kids, is passionate about conservation and makes the information interesting enough to keep their attention. Current studies are now showing that a lack of educational experiences in the summer hurts their learning abilities. For an educational experience, this summer program for kids is hard to beat.

Arts And Crafts

Kids love taking part in any creative, DIY project; it is a wonderful way for young kids to explore their artistic side, as well as create something they can keep at the end of summer camp. Whether it's making DIY friendship bracelets or using tie dye, summer camp crafts are a way to learn to use their hands and build on motor skills. Kids can tie dye a t-shirt, pillow case, or even drawstring backpack if you have the materials available. Just be sure to use tie dye materials that are non-toxic, if available!

Indoor Activities For Rainy Days

Even though summer is an ideal season for camp because of the warm weather, rain can be expected even in spite of the season. If you live in an area prone for rainy days, there are still numerous ideas that can help you can keep kids entertained without going outside.

You can set up an indoor scavenger hunt, or set up ice breaker games that help campers get to know one another. Whatever you do, just check the forecast frequently and make sure that you plan your activities for the appropriate weather with as much accuracy as you can manage! Even on rainy days, summer camp can be fun and rewarding for kids.

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Obstacle Course

An outdoor obstacle course for kids is a great way to promote fun with fitness at summer camp! Studies are constantly coming out these days on interval training’s benefit to cardiovascular health, strength building, and even weight loss. While it’s not the easiest form of exercise, no one can dispute its effectiveness.

Setting up numerous stations that kids navigate through in a timed manner can work and also break up the monotony of doing repeated sprints. Fitness regiments this advances will be more interesting and effective for child athletes competing at select league or the state/provincial level. Summer is the perfect opportunity for kids to get active—encourage it with an obstacle course like this!

DIY Ice Cream Sundae Bar

Who doesn't love ice cream sundaes? Kids love them! Once camp activities are over and your kids are getting ready to go home, celebrate the end of camp with one last hurrah, and treat your camp to DIY ice cream sundaes. Choose a variety of toppings—including sauces, fruit, sweets, and nuts—just be sure to clearly label any ingredients, and ask parents about allergies.

Luckily there are numerous types of dairy-free ice cream options available for kids who may have dairy allergies or not eat dairy for any reason, so even they can participate in the DIY fun. You can always ask your campers on the first day of camp for ideas of what their favourite toppings are, and surprise them with those options at the DIY ice cream bar.

Adventure

Adventure classes are some of our favourite summer programs for kids. There are so many learning outcomes and benefits to be had. Examples of outdoor activities can include rock climbing, dragon boating, hiking, kayaking and swimming. By keeping things diverse, things are kept fresh and that’s pretty important for keeping youth engaged and excited.

Water Balloon Fights & Water Sports

One of the things that youth usually get pretty excited for are water sports, among many other outdoor activities. Water balloon fights are a classic summer camp activity and past time, enjoyed by kids and adults alike. The types of water sports you can host are dependent on your resources but this can be a very popular program, if you can offer it. A good thing is that many of these can be hosted in a swimming pool; if you have access to bodies of water and boats, there are more activities you can play with.

This summer, check out this great list of watersports to get some ideas, while keeping in mind not all of them may be appropriate for youth. However, remember safety is always first. Water balloon fights are fun, but kids need to play by the rules to avoid injuring each other. Make sure you have a licensed lifeguard on hand, in case of any accidents or emergencies.

Get Outside

Whether it’s in one of your parks, recreation facilities or a hiking trail, getting kids out into nature for a field day is great for their wellbeing this summer. Depending on where you are located, there will be different outdoor opportunities, ranging from trail running to mountain biking or even nature education courses. With so much engaging technology, it can be hard to get your kids outdoors but, if your programs provide value to the youth, it can spur an interest in enjoying outdoor activities.

Leadership

Summer camps do wonders towards improving your community and a good leadership program is an awesome way to go above and beyond. A community with inspired kids who become community leaders will have many more positive figures doing positive things. This can also be an excellent entry point for building relationships with local schools.

One great example comes from the Duke of Edinburgh Award, which your parks and recreation organization can participate in. Kids go through various journeys and projects and learn the importance of commitment to service, skill and physical recreation. Summer camp is a great place to start learning about those ideas.

Foraging Scavenger Hunt

As foraging becomes increasingly trendy, there are many valid arguments on both sides of the fence. Yes, it is illegal in most places, so this program can only happen in cities with designated areas where it is allowed. If it’s being done, it might as well be done right. Teaching kids the proper way to forage to maximize conservation can help deepen the connection with nature, teaching them the importance of it.

One summer scavenger hunt method to find the proper location is to approach private property owners, in order to do approved day trips on their land. Can’t host this program? Gardening workshops focused on vegetables and fruits can be a great alternative. 

Whether you are hosting small summer camps, an indoor specialized camp, or something in between the two, you need camp management software that can last and help you have more time to build an unforgettable camp experience. Planning and executing summer camp activities is a breeze with member management, online booking, and self-serve dashboards. Learn more about Xplor Recreation's camp management software!

Don't forget to grab your free copy of The All-Inclusive Guide to Running a Summer Camp and get started with actionable strategies for your recreation center's summer season.