Are you reconsidering not signing your kids up for summer camp this year? It’s been difficult to know if camps will open and how they will operate with COVID safety restrictions in place. This post shares some local options that are still accepting campers or will add your child to a waitlist with a plan to accept more campers as the summer continues.
In-Person Camps
A Mom’s Village – Sign your kids up for Toddler PlaySchool (ages 2-3.5), Mixed Ages PlaySchool (ages 2-5) or Kindergarten Prep. These are all drop-off enrichment program that meet on weekdays, from 9 am – 12 pm, at their West Peabody location. Children may sign up for one or more days per week, based on availability. Learn more and register here. (Mixed-Ages Music is also available, but is not a drop-off program.)
Appleton Farms – Appleton Farms, in Ipswich, welcomes campers, ages 5-8 and 9-13, for fun outdoors with a wide variety of farm and nature activities. Kids will learn about the farm and wild animals who call Appleton Farms home and will cultivate the gardens. Held weekly in July and August, from 9 am – 3 pm. Register here.
Artcie – Offering summer art camp programs for ages 6 and up (divided into groups by age). These programs are one week each and take place at the Artcie studio in Hamilton. Also offering art and dance programs in collaboration with the Hamilton-Wenham School of Dance. Register here.
Art’s Cool – Studio Summer at Art’s Cool will be limited to under 10 artists, spaced out in 4 separate areas and will feature plenty of outdoor art too. Classes take place Tuesday-Thursday, from 10:30 am – 12:30 pm, for kids ages 5-11. Teen classes held Mondays at 1 pm. Each week is a different theme. Art’s Cool studio is located in Middleton, but online classes are also available. Sign up here.
Camp Christoper – A wide variety of summer camps and programs including Day Camp, Sports Camps, Specialty Camps and Summer Academic Programs for ages 4 through 12th grade. Register here. If you enroll now your child will be automatically added to the waitlist, but many campers from the waitlist are being accepted.
Camp Evergreen – A day camp for boys and girls located in Andover. Camp Evergreen is using a “Phased In”, approach to opening camp, which began on 6/22. Right now the groups are limited and if there is no space available in a group ,campers will be wait listed and hopefully accepted as the summer continues. Register here.
KIDSTOCK! Creative Theater – KIDSTOCK! is offering in person programs at their Winchester location. Programs provide a variety of options, fun, and flexibility for kids ages 6-10 to explore theater and develop real life creative skills in a low-pressure environment. Register here. Online offerings are also available all summer long and include weeklong “Sleep at Home” camps, episodic virtual shows, and 6-8 week cumulative sessions of weekly classes.
Skillz Check – Summer Skillz Soccer Camps are on for July and August. For the summer of 2020, they are extending a full-refund, no-risk policy for players signing up for any of our summer camps or clinics (click here for full details). Programs include:
- Weekly Summer Skills at Danvers Indoor Sports Center – Half day and full-day options for players ages 5-17. To ensure the safety and comfort of all campers and families, all three sessions will be held outdoors at Bishop Fenwick High School in Peabody.
- Day Camp (10 & Under) at Governor’s Academy – Skillz Check has moved the Day Camp – traditionally held at Governor’s Academy – to Danvers Indoor Sports Center and will now be offered three separate weeks.
- High School Preseason Clinic – 4-day pre-season clinic for high school aged players. July 27-30. This intense clinic will help prepare players for their fall season by focusing on high-level technical, tactical, fitness and conditioning training.
SUMMER@GUS – Glen Urquhart School kicked off a robust offering of online programming in June and will offer a hybrid of virtual and onsite programming throughout July and August. (If the state has entered Phase Three status, SUMMER@GUS camp will operate onsite July 6th – August 14th.) Programs are for kids entering grades K-7. Full and half day options available. Learn more and sign up here.
The Ultimate Kids Fishing Charters – The Ultimate Kids Fishing Charter is a unique, boat-based program for boys and girls aged 8–16 years old. No experience is necessary, just an interest in the outdoors, the marine environment, and fishing. (Watch a video of the charters here.) Sign up for weekly charters (Mornings: 8-11 am or Afternoons: 12-3 pm). Boats leave from Marblehead every day, and most days from Manchester Harbor. Register here.
YMCA Summer Day Camp (Including Cape Ann, Greater Beverly, Haverhill & Plaistow, Ipswich & Rowley, Lynch van Otterloo and Salem) – The YMCA is the largest provider of summer day camps on the North Shore and offers a variety of programs. Camp started in a limited fashion on 6/22, and there is still availability for most programs, ranging in age from 4+. (View all programs here.) Flexible pricing is also available and YMCA members receive a discount. Read the YMCA’s 2020 Camp Guide for more information on how they are keeping campers safe this year.
Virtual Camps
Camp Beyond – Camp Beyond is the world’s largest Virtual Summer Camp for kids ages 4-10, and will bring you and your families endless activities, fun, and the chance to make many memories together! Learn more and register here. Access to Camp Beyond activities is FREE, but families can upgrade to the Ultimate Camp Experience for an additional fee.
Camp Mama Notes – Free themed activities, suitable for toddlers and preschoolers. Launched in June, Camp Mama Notes is a FREE virtual ‘camp’ and you’re the lead counselor. Every week Caitlin sends out a jam packed email full of ideas (all centered around a theme) to get creative and crafty with your kids this summer! Sign up for emails here.
Varsity Tutors – Providing Virtual Summer Camps, in week-long sessions. Camps are fully interactive, with a variety of themes, and suited for kids ages 5-18. Starting at $0 and running June – August. Register here.