.png)
What to Do If Your Child Hates Camp: A Parent's Guide to Navigating a Tough Summer Situation
5
Min read
June 30, 2026
Camp Locator
Stay in the loop
Get notified about new events, discounts, and much more!
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Filters
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Newton Girls Soccer
Established community soccer organization for girls in families throughout Newton & the other western suburbs of Boston.
Newton
Few Hours
Greater Boston
New York Botanical Gardens
Summer and school break camps at the New York Botanical Garden offer a nature-immersive, hands-on camp experience that stands out from more traditional NYC programs. Designed for kids from PreK through 8th grade, these camps...
Belmont
Full Day
40.673014
-74.019504
NYC
New York City Riding Academy
NYC Riding Academy’s 2026 riding program is a seasonal horseback riding program on Randall’s Island. The 2026 season runs May 15 through September 30, with 30-minute lessons offered daily...
Wards Island
Few Hours
40.75638
-74.050133
NYC
New York Performing Arts Academy (NYPAA)
NYPAA’s summer programming is a two-week, conservatory-style performing arts intensive in New York City designed for teens/older students who want a serious, all-in training block—not a casual “do-a-little-of-everything” camp. The program blends multiple disciplines—acting, musical theatre, dance, voice, stage combat, and “stage to studio” work...
Midtown
Full Day
40.727698
-74.035973
NYC
New York Zoos & Aquariums, operated by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) offers one of NYC’s most unique summer camp experiences, with programs hosted across five locations: Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, and New York Aquarium. Designed for toddlers through teens...
Northeast Bronx, Upper West Side, Flatbush, Flushing, Coney Island
Full Day
Half Day
40.751667
-74.039902
NYC
Nobles Day Camp
Nobles Day Camp, held on the campus of Noble and Greenough School, offers a traditional, well-rounded summer day camp experience for children ages 4–13, with a strong emphasis on skill-building, confidence, and community...
Dedham
Full Day
Half Day
42.376853
-71.094531
Greater Boston
North End Music & Performing Arts Center
NEMPAC (The North End Music & Performing Arts Center) is a Boston-based nonprofit community music school and professional performing arts center (founded in 2001) that runs year-round music, dance, and theatre programming across multiple Boston neighborhoods...
Boston
Full Day
Half Day
42.32149
-71.07134
Greater Boston
North Shore Tennis Camps
North Shore Juniors Tennis Camps offers a focused, tennis-first summer experience for kids ages 7–15, designed to balance skill development with a fun, camp-like atmosphere. Programs run in weekly sessions, with full-day schedules...
Beverly
Full Day
Few Hours
42.335371
-71.078923
Greater Boston
Nory.co - Fidi
NORY’s summer camp is crafted as a high-energy, project-based STEM experience for children roughly ages 3–12 (grouped as 3–4, 5–7, 8–12) in NYC. Each week features a distinct theme (robotics, woodworking, coding, smart-city design) and the program emphasizes both technical skills and soft skills like...
Financial District
Full Day
Half Day
40.703563
-73.999329
NYC
Nory.co - Northeast U.S.
NORY’s summer camp is crafted as a high-energy, project-based STEM experience for children roughly ages 3–12 (grouped as 3–4, 5–7, 8–12) in NY and Boston. Each week features a distinct theme (robotics, woodworking, coding, smart-city design)...
Full Day
Half Day
Nory.co - Tribeca
NORY’s summer camp is crafted as a high-energy, project-based STEM experience for children roughly ages 3–12 (grouped as 3–4, 5–7, 8–12) in NYC. Each week features a distinct theme (robotics, woodworking, coding, smart-city design) and the program emphasizes both technical skills and soft skills like resilience, teamwork, and curiosity...
Tribeca
Full Day
Half Day
40.720709
-73.971204
NYC
NYC Parks
NYC Parks runs a free afterschool program for kids ages 6–13 at recreation centers in all five boroughs. The program operates on school days, typically Monday–Friday from 3:00–6:00 p.m., which is that critical window when kids are out of school but many parents are still at work. It’s designed as a safe, structured environment where children get a mix of academic support and active play...
Few Hours
Full Day
40.715153
-73.977917
NYC
Open Squash - FiDi
Open Squash’s Junior Program is built around their year-round Junior Academy, which is structured into three skill-level teams: the Green Team (beginners/Bronze level), Blue Team (intermediate), and Red Team (advanced/competitive). Each tier is designed to help kids develop correctly—from serving and returning to movement tactics and match play for tournament preparation...
Financial District
Full Day
Half Day
Few Hours
40.73664
-73.981811
NYC
Open Squash - Greater New York
Open Squash’s Junior Program is built around their year-round Junior Academy, which is structured into three skill-level teams: the Green Team (beginners/Bronze level), Blue Team (intermediate), and Red Team (advanced/competitive)...
Full Day
Half Day
Few Hours
40.752915
-74.000057
NYC
.png)
Orchard Hill Equestrian Center
Orchard Hill Equestrian Center’s horseback riding summer camp is a classic “horse kid dream week” designed for girls and boys ages 7–13 (they occasionally accept 6-year-olds after a private evaluation if you have a real horse lover). Campers are paired with one of the farm’s school horses...
Berlin
Full Day
42.348758
-71.096476
Greater Boston
Outdoor Classroom
Outdoor Classroom’s overnight program is a 1–5 day residential outdoor education experience designed for 4th–8th grade students from schools across the Northeast. Instead of a traditional “camp you sign up for as a family,” this is usually a school-organized trip where classes travel together to one of Outdoor Classroom’s host sites in NH, ME, MA, or CT...
Full Day
Pangea World Theater
Pangea World Theater’s summer camps are week-long, full-day theater camps in Minneapolis that focus on storytelling, masks, and ensemble-based play—with a big emphasis on their “radical welcome” approach (all experience levels are invited, and the environment is designed to be collaborative and inclusive)...
Minneapolis
Full Day
44.948563
-93.230502
Twin Cities
Park Square Theater
Park Square Theatre’s Summer Programs ( grades K–12) are a big menu of weeklong theater camps designed by grade band—K–1, grades 2–4, grades 5–8, plus a grades 3–8 Production Series—all led by professional theatre educators and structured to work for both beginners and experienced performers...
St. Paul
Full Day
Half Day
44.986684
-93.255479
Twin Cities
Penguin Coding School
Penguin Coding School offers coding and STEM day camps for kids and teens that run both in the summer and on school holidays, with locations in Brooklyn (Park Slope & Cobble Hill) and the Boston suburbs (Lexington, Acton, Newton, Brookline), plus live online options. Their Summer Coding & Robotics Camps run in weekly sessions...
Full Day
PGA Camps
PGA Junior Golf Camps offer a tiered set of summer camps so you can match your child’s age and experience level to the right golf experience. All camps are run at PGA facilities across the country and are taught by PGA and LPGA professionals, with kids grouped by age and skill so beginners aren’t thrown in with advanced players...
Full Day
Half Day
Piper Theatre Productions
Piper Theatre Productions’ Youth Theatre programs are built around an ensemble-based, process-driven, physical theatre approach—think collaboration, movement, storytelling, and a strong community vibe for young artists. Their after-school theatre programs run in seasonal sessions...
Park Slope
Full Day
40.752283
-73.969362
NYC
play:groundNYC
play:groundNYC offers adventure-style summer day camps as well as mini school year camps (and one-day sessions for littlest kids) on Governors Island, designed around the idea that children learn best through self-directed play. Open to kids ages six to twelve (with a Playworker-in-Training program for ages 13-15), the camps focus on giving campers the freedom to build, explore, and invent within a unique “adventure playground.” Rather than structured schedules or themed activity blocks...
Governors Island
Full Day
40.740555
-74.010553
NYC
Puddlestompers Nature Exploration
Puddlestompers offers a variety of programs to get your kids involved in nature! The summer camp is a weekly drop-off program (4.5 hours daily) for children ages ~4-8 in Newton, Wellesley, and Needham, MA. The camp follows a weekly nature-theme...
Newton
Full Day
Half Day
42.320188
-71.037565
Greater Boston
Rabbi Arthur Schneier Park East Day School
Park East Day School Summer Program offers a warm, nurturing summer experience designed specifically for young children ages 2–5. Hosted on the Upper East Side, the program combines early childhood education principles with classic summer camp fun...
Upper East Side
Full Day
40.754173
-73.985048
NYC
Robofun
Robofun offers a broad set of STEAM-based programs for children, designed to spark curiosity, build confidence, and encourage creativity through hands-on learning. Their summer camp is structured around weekly themes (such as “Deep Space,” “Transportation,” “Animal Planet”) for kids ages roughly 3-13. Each day includes...
Upper West Side
Full Day
Few Hours
40.753007
-74.002851
NYC
Robo Hub
The Robo Hub’s summer camp is a hands-on STEM camp in Cambridge for rising 1st–9th graders who are curious about robotics, AI, coding, and engineering. Each week-long program is built around a specific theme—things like Robot Explorers, Stories & STEAM, Design Squad Crafters, BattleBots, App Inventor with AI & Data, Electricity Engineers, Planes, Drones & Rockets, and more—so kids can pick camps...
Cambridge
Full Day
42.346919
-71.05993
Greater Boston
Roudenbush Community Center
The Roudenbush Community’s Center offers nurturing and engaging childcare-based programming for children ages 15 months through 13 years—with a strong emphasis on learning through play. Their summer program...
Westford
Full Day
Half Day
42.346389
-71.064507
Greater Boston
Running Brook Camps
Running Brook Camps offers a mix of summer camp programs for kids from preschool through high school, all designed around the same core goals: being safe, having fun, and spending lots of time outdoors...
Waltham
Full Day
42.350768
-71.067126
Greater Boston
Russian School of Mathematics - Acton
RSM runs structured summer math camps for grades K–12 designed to either shore up fundamentals, prep for the next school year, or stretch kids who want more challenge. Classes follow the same core format as their normal tutoring programs...
Acton
Few Hours
Half Day
42.397605
-71.077339
Greater Boston
Russian School of Mathematics - Battery Park
RSM runs structured summer math camps for grades K–12 designed to either shore up fundamentals, prep for the next school year, or stretch kids who want more challenge. Classes follow the same core format...
Battery Park
Few Hours
Half Day
40.745394
-73.97651
NYC
Russian School of Mathematics - Nationwide
RSM runs structured summer math camps for grades K–12 designed to either shore up fundamentals, prep for the next school year, or stretch kids who want more challenge. Most locations follow the same core format...
Half Day
Few Hours
SELA (Su Escuela Language Academy)
SELA’s Summer Program is an 11-week, full-immersion Spanish experience (June–August) built around STEAM learning and weekly themes. This year, the program theme (“Eco Amigos”) focuses on nature and sustainability—kids learn through hands-on projects, sensory play, art + science exploration, and age-appropriate activities...
Norwell, Hingham
Full Day
Half Day
Few Hours
42.38894
-71.019504
Greater Boston
Serious Fun
SeriousFun Children’s Network offers a unique, mission-driven approach to summer camp, designed specifically for children living with serious medical conditions. Rather than a single camp, it’s a global network of 30+ camps and programs across the U.S. and internationally...
Full Day
Half Day
Few Hours
Sewataro
Camp Sewataro is a classic New England summer day camp (on about 44 wooded acres) that’s often described as “a day camp with an overnight camp feel.” It serves kids from preschool (age 3+) through 8th grade (plus counselor-in-training camp up to 19th grade)...
Sudbury
Full Day
Half Day
42.357633
-71.034116
Greater Boston
Shibley Day Camp
Shibley Day Camp is a traditional, full-service summer day camp located in Roslyn, NY, serving kids ages 3–15 (with a Counselor-in-Training program for teens). The program is built around a well-rounded, structured daily schedule that keeps kids active and engaged from morning to afternoon...
Roslyn
Full Day
40.742328
-74.002922
NYC
Snapology - Burlington
Snapology’s summer camps offer full-day and half-day options, where children dive into themed STEAM learning — including robotics (with LEGO® bricks and K’Nex® systems), coding, animation, and hands-on design and engineering projects...
Westford, Burlington
Full Day
Half Day
Few Hours
42.343014
-71.049386
Greater Boston
Snapology - Nationwide
Snapology’s summer camps offer full-day and half-day options, where children dive into themed STEAM learning — including robotics (with LEGO® bricks and K’Nex® systems), coding, animation, and hands-on design...
Full Day
Half Day
Few Hours
.png)
Sportime
Sportime offers a wide range of summer camps designed for kids ages 3–17, with options that balance skill-building, variety, and fun. Their summer programming includes preschool camps focused on early development and socialization, multi-sport camps...
Full Day
Half Day
SquashRx - Manhattan Downtown
SquashRx offers dynamic summer camps geared toward junior players of all ages and skill levels. The Manhattan-Downtown camp includes three one-week sessions (June, July, August) with AM sessions for ages 5–8 and PM sessions for ages 9–14; each runs Monday–Friday...
Downtown
Half Day
40.72807
-73.991041
NYC
Squash Rx - Northeast U.S.
SquashRx offers dynamic summer camps geared toward junior players of all ages and skill levels, held at their Manhattan (Downtown) and New Canaan, CT locations. The Manhattan-Downtown camp includes three one-week sessions...
Half Day
Stage Music Center
Stage Music Center (Winchester & Acton) offers creative music and theater camps across winter break, spring break, and summer, all built around music, art, and performance in a small, supportive setting...
Acton, Winchester
Full Day
42.339743
-71.024275
Greater Boston
Stages Theatre Company
Stages Theatre Company’s Summer Theatre Workshops are designed as “pick-your-week” theatre camps for ages 3 through Grade 12, and taught by professional teaching artists—with a big emphasis on kids getting to sing, dance, act, play, and build confidence while making friends...
Southern Suburbs
Full Day
Half Day
Few Hours
44.997118
-93.254988
Twin Cities
Steve & Kate's Camp - Cambridge
Steve & Kate’s offers full-day summer programs (typically 8 a.m.–6 p.m.) for children aged about 4–12 (some locations to age 13). The core philosophy is child-driven: campers choose their own activities, design their days...
Full Day
42.365043
-71.058816
Greater Boston
Steve & Kate's Camps - Nationwide
Steve & Kate’s offers full-day summer programs (typically 8 a.m.–6 p.m.) for children aged about 4–12 (some locations to age 13). The core philosophy is child-driven: campers choose their own activities, design their days...
Full Day
Summer Rising
Summer Rising is New York City’s free, full-day summer program for students in grades K–8, designed to blend summer school and camp-style enrichment into one experience. Run as a partnership between NYC Public Schools and community-based organizations...
Full Day
40.750291
-74.006804
NYC
Summer Trails Day Camp
Summer Trails Day Camp, in Westchester County, NY, is a long-running, traditional co-ed day camp designed for kids ages 3–15, with a strong focus on “good old-fashioned camp fun” paired with structured skill-building and social development. Founded in 1974...
Westchester County
Full Day
Half Day
40.713288
-74.041089
NYC
Sunnyside Stables
Sunnyside Stables runs summer horse camp programs that blend hands‑on horsemanship with riding instruction and fun farm experiences. Their summer camps are centered around daily riding plus foundational skills in grooming, saddling, posture, balance, and horse communication...
Southern Suburbs
Full Day
44.975882
-93.224562
Twin Cities
Super Duper Tennis - Battery Park
Super Duper Tennis offers flexible tennis camp options, typically lasting 1.5 to 3.5 hours per session, focused on kids and built around age-specific lesson plans so that children learn while they have fun. Camp sessions are offered during school-breaks, holidays and throughout the summer at locations in NYC and NJ...
Battery Park
Full Day
Half Day
Few Hours
40.6905
-73.965585
NYC
Super Duper Tennis - Northeast U.S.
Super Duper Tennis offers flexible tennis camp options, typically lasting 1.5 to 3.5 hours per session, focused on kids and built around age-specific lesson plans so that children learn while they have fun. Camp sessions are offered during school-breaks, holidays and throughout the summer at locations in NYC and NJ...
Full Day
Half Day
Few Hours
Super Stars Tennis - Battery Park
Super Stars Tennis runs full-day summer camps for children ages roughly 3-9 at locations in the Upper East Side, Tribeca, and Brooklyn. The weekly camp runs Monday-Friday and includes tennis fundamentals taught in their age-appropriate Quick Start format (smaller courts, lighter racquets, slower balls) combined with games, sports and enrichment...
Battery Park
Half Day
Full Day
Few Hours
40.715882
-74.02011
NYC
Super Stars Tennis - Greater New York
Super Stars Tennis runs full-day summer camps for children ages roughly 3-9 at locations in the Upper East Side, Tribeca, and Brooklyn. The weekly camp runs Monday-Friday and includes tennis fundamentals taught...
Half Day
Few Hours
40.751512
-73.997709
NYC
SWAN (Shuang Wen Academy Network)
Shuang Wen Academy Network (SWAN) is an incredible Mandarin immersion school in New York with the goal of teaching children to be global learners. The summer camp provides a language-immersion experience for children ages 2 to 14, combining Chinese language learning with arts, crafts, games, math, swim time, ukulele, and chess. The curriculum is designed to be both educational and fun, offering full-day programs and themed weeks...
Little Italy
Full Day
Few Hours
40.736214
-74.021297
NYC
TADA! Theater
TADA! Youth Theater is a Drama Desk Award–winning nonprofit in Manhattan that produces original family musicals and runs a robust arts-education arm (classes, camps, workshops, plus in-school/after-school partnerships). Their education mission emphasizes accessible, high-quality musical theater programming...
Flatiron District
Full Day
Half Day
40.707706
-73.984227
NYC
Teamworks Centers - Acton
Teamworks offers a variety of camps for kids ages 4-16. Their summer camps run from mid-June through late August and welcomes children aged approximately 4 to 16. They offer a variety of schedules with an extended day options. The camps feature a wide range of themed tracks...
Acton
Full Day
Half Day
42.402748
-71.035714
Greater Boston
Teamworks Centers - Northeast U.S.
Teamworks offers a variety of camps for kids ages 4-16.Their summer camps run from mid-June through late August and welcomes children aged approximately 4 to 16. They offer a variety of schedules...
Full Day
Half Day
The Cathedral School
Located on the Upper East Side, The Cathedral School's Summer Camp is designed for children ages 3–6 and offers a nurturing, school-based summer experience led by the school's teachers. The program combines classic camp fun with hands-on learning, creating a balance...
Upper East Side
Full Day
Half Day
40.705886
-74.006268
NYC
The Fashion Squad School
The Fashion Squad School offers many programs for kids 5-18, including: Fashion Camps & Workshops Short-term, intensive sessions that take place during breaks or special times (e.g., holidays, summer). These workshops pack the same core elements—design, sewing, styling—into a condensed format, allowing kids to dive into fashion design in a fun, immersive way even when they aren’t enrolled in full term programs...
Tribeca
Full Day
Half Day
Few Hours
40.711695
-73.993608
NYC
The First Tee of Massachusetts
Highly respected nonprofit youth golf organization, with PGA-backed youth development through golf! Chapters around the country.
Norton
Few Hours
Greater Boston
Tom Denney Nature Camp
TDNC is a full-day nature-based summer day camp sponsored by the Bolton Conservation Trust, designed for children entering Kindergarten through high school. For the younger group (grades K-5) the camp runs Monday through Friday...
Bolton
Full Day
42.333094
-71.098172
Greater Boston
University of Minnesota - Women's Basketball
The U of M women's basketball summer camps offer a range of summer programs tailored to girls interested in improving their basketball skills while having fun in a positive, energetic environment. Hosted at the University's campus, these camps are led by the Gopher women’s basketball coaching staff, current and former players, and trained support staff...
Dinky Town
Half Day
44.952799
-93.298734
Twin Cities
USA Sport Group
USA Sport Group runs a wide range of sports camps and classes year-round, with a big focus on multi-sports camps that let kids try several different sports in one program. Their camps and classes are designed for ages 2–14, with “Sports Squirts®” programs created specifically for younger children (8 and under) and general sports camps for ages 5–14. A typical summer...
Full Day
Half Day
Valeo FC
One of Greater Boston's premier youth soccer clubs with elite pathways; Strong ECNL, MLS NEXT and academy programming for your serious athletes! Rec & competitive leagues available.
Newton
Few Hours
Half Day
Full Day
Greater Boston
Wellesley Theatre Project
Wellesley Theatre Project (WTP) summer camps are built like a menu of theatre options by age and intensity—from fun, themed day camps to serious, audition-based productions—so families can choose “try it out” weeks or a true performance training track. On the lighter/creative side, WTP offers themed camps...
Wellesley
Full Day
Half Day
42.394341
-71.064856
Greater Boston
White Bird Productions
White Bird Productions is a long-running Brooklyn arts organization (30+ years organizing community through theater) that specializes in original, kid-made theater—meaning students aren’t just learning lines; they’re also helping create the script, music, and design with guidance from professional teaching artists...
Park Slope
Full Day
Few Hours
40.713427
-73.988148
NYC
Williamsburg Soccer Club
Williamsburg Soccer Club offers soccer-focused summer camps designed for children ages 5–10 in Williamsburg, Greenpoint, and surrounding Brooklyn neighborhoods. Campers are grouped by age and spend their days developing soccer fundamentals through...
Williamsburg, Bushwick, East Williamsburg, Greenpoint
Full Day
40.671081
-73.961992
NYC
Willow Brook Farm
Willow Brook Farm runs Massachusetts-certified horseback riding summer camps designed for all experience levels, from first-time riders to kids who’ve been riding for years. The setting is a big draw for horse kids...
Holliston
Full Day
Half Day
42.340265
-71.066027
Greater Boston
Windfall Equestrian Center
The summer camps at Windfall Equestrian Center are horse-focused day camps designed for kids who want to learn riding and horsemanship in a supportive, hands-on environment. Located just outside the Cities in Stillwater, the program offers several skill-based camp levels, allowing beginners and experienced riders alike...
Eastern Suburbs
Full Day
Half Day
45.00816
-93.304991
Twin Cities
Worcester Academy Summer Programs
Worcester Academy’s summer programs are set up as a menu of week-long specialty camps so you can plug your child into exactly what they’re excited about, rather than a one-size-fits-all day camp. On the academic side, they offer camps like Maker Camp, Robotics, Science, Coding, Filmmaking, Video Production, Video Game Design, and Reading & Writing, each running in its own dedicated week during late June and July...
Worcester
Full Day
Half Day
42.344375
-71.061724
Greater Boston
Ya Ya Preschool
Summer Ya Ya is a Mandarin immersion summer camp for young children, run by the team behind Ya Ya Preschool—a 100% Mandarin-immersion early childhood program in downtown Manhattan. The camp is staffed by native-speaking Mandarin head teachers with strong backgrounds in early childhood education and language development...
Tribeca
Full Day
Half Day
40.691078
-73.979928
NYC
YMCA - Camp Massapoag
Camp Massapoag is the YMCA of Greater Lowell’s outdoor day camp, located in Dunstable, MA on beautiful Massapoag Pond. It’s a classic “get dirty, be outside all day” kind of camp with a strong emphasis on fresh air, friendship, and old-school camp fun...
Lowell
Full Day
42.335553
-71.047848
Greater Boston
YMCA - McBurney
The McBurney YMCA in Chelsea offers a range of summer camps that are designed to give kids a full, active camp day with convenient hours for families. Most camps run 9 a.m.–5 p.m., with optional extended hours from 8–9 a.m. and 5–6 p.m., and are offered in two-week sessions from late June through August. For school-age kids, the core option is the traditional summer camp (ages 6–11), which focuses on a classic “all-around” camp experience...
Chelsea
Full Day
40.731894
-74.007248
NYC
YMCA - Nationwide
The YMCA sees camp as a "transformational experience”; time away from screens where kids can make friends, try new things, and be outdoors. Across the U.S., Ys run a wide variety of year round options, serving hundreds of thousands of kids each year...
Full Day
YMCA of Greater Boston Sports
One of the region's largest youth recreation providers, with the familiarity of the YMCA!
Few Hours
Half Day
Full Day
Greater Boston
YMCA - Rochester
The YMCA of Greater Rochester runs a diverse array of summer day camp experiences for kids of all ages focused on fun, skill‑building, outdoor activity, and community. At the core are traditional Day Camps where children are...
Rochester
Full Day
40.723937
-73.974223
NYC
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
