Spring is in the air, so it must be time to start thinking about open enrollment season for children’s summer camp.
Luckily, there are many local camp options that can help educate, entertain or otherwise enrich Marin’s children during summer vacation.
Why is attending a summer camp important for children? Scott Skylar of the locally-owned Gravity Vault rock climbing gym says it best:
“Marin seemed like it could really use a rock climbing gym, and it’s a great thing to do for the community, especially since Marin has lots of families. Rock climbing is a great sport for kids. First, it’s a full body exercise moving every part of your body; full weight lifting with cardio at the same time. Second, it’s a tremendous amount of fun. And third, it’s very social—one person is climbing, and another is holding the rope, so there are lessons in responsibility, too. It’s a great outlet and lets kids develop another group of friends apart from their friends at school.”
Whether one’s child is interested in rock climbing and being active in general, naturalism and the environment, STEAM activities, performance arts, animals or something else entirely, there’s sure to be a summer camp to suit their interests and impart valuable life skills for school and well after graduation. Please note that this list of summer camps is not comprehensive, so feel free to explore local options, too.
Gravity Vault summer camps are each a week long and will take place between June 16 and Aug. 15. The rock climbing camps are separated into two age groups that cater to ages 7 through 12 in the Summer Rocks group and grades 6 through 8 in the Middle School Summer Rocks group. Reservations are required to take part in the Gravity Vault summer camp sessions, so it’s recommended to book a spot now while spots last. To learn more, visit gravityvault.com/marin-climbing-summer-camp.
Bay Area Discovery Museum offers educational and entertaining summer camps for children ages 3 through 8. Camps include courses in art, science, engineering, naturalism and oh so much more. Children’s summer camps at the Bay Area Discovery Museum run June 9 through Aug. 22. To learn more, visit bayareadiscoverymuseum.org.
Call of the Sea children’s summer camps are for those sea-minded kids who want to explore the ocean blue in an educational environment. Open to those between ages 8 and 13, the Call of the Sea summer camp has five total groups lasting five days each starting June 19 through to Aug. 15. They may engage in lessons in seamanship, sailing, marine science, art, adventure and more at the Call of the Sea children’s summer camp. To learn more, visit callofthesea.org.
Camp Integem’s AI + AR children’s summer camp is for those interested in AI, robotics, coding, space tech, animation, art and game design. This tech-forward summer camp is in Marin, offering in-person opportunities for kids ages 5 1/2 through 18 to learn hands-on about the STEAM subject they love. To learn more, visit camp.integem.com.
Camp Funderblast is a summer camp meant for children between the ages of 4 to 12. Activities include games, arts & crafts, swimming, nature adventures, dress up days, themed weeks, friends and root beer float parties, too. To learn more, visit funderblast.com.
Coastal Camp at Naturebridge is another Marin-based educational camp for the kiddos who just can’t get away from the water. They may explore everywhere from the headlands to the ocean to the flora, fauna and experiences in between. Coastal Camp is for those grades K-12, and camp sessions will run from June 16 through to Aug. 15. To learn more, visit coastalcamp.org.
Girls Rock Math is an educational summer camp for STEM girls who want to stay engaged and learning over the summer. The camp offers courses for kids entering grades 1 through 6. High school team leadership positions are also available. To learn more, visit girlsrockmath.org.
Home Ground Habitat is a place where children’s summer camp meets environmentalism—and although the coveted Nature’s Explorer spaces are already full, there’s still room in the Pollinator Protector Corps July 7 through 11 for those in grades 6 through 12, and the Apprenticeship Afternoons July 21 through 25 and July 28 through Aug. 1 (for the same age group). To learn more, visit homegroundhabitats.org.
Marin Shakespeare Company is a summer camp for the more performance-minded children. The summer camp options are split into three groups—first to hit the stage is the Shakespeare’s Stories Camp for ages 5 through 8, June 16 through 27. Next up is the Young Company Camp for ages 8 through 12, June 30 through July 18. And lastly, they have the Teen Shakespeare Intensive group for ages 13 through 19, July 22 through Aug. 9. To learn more, visit marinshakespeare.org.
Marinwood’s Specialty Camps are another option for a wide range of activities. Kids can be enrolled in camps with specialties like Babysitter in Training, Jazz Combo Music, Sports Camp, Technology and Movie Making, Tennis and Overnight Adventure. Marinwood camps last through the summer and cater to children grades K-8. To learn more, visit marinwood.org/camps.
Mountain Camp Marin offers all the traditional summer camp activities with a no-tech twist. Activities to try out at their summer camp include archery, LARPing, arts, crafts, music and more recreation to stoke interest in the outdoors, get creative and make some friends in the process. Children from the K-8 grade range may attend Mountain Camp Marin in one of the seven four-day sections, offered from June 16 to Aug. 1. To learn more, visit mountaincampmarin.com.
Steve & Kate’s summer camp is for children aged 4 through 12. Camps run June 16 through Aug. 15 and include snacks, activities and freedom for parents to drop their children off for long days. To learn more, visit steveandkatescamp.com.
Strawberry Summer Camp is for those aged 5 through 12 to explore their creative, active and social interests. Activities include swimming, hiking, soccer, arts & crafts, music, science projects, cooking, games, entertainment, themed days and much more. To learn more, visit strawberry.marin.org.
Terra Camps lets children learn more about the outdoors in nature and/or have an immersive language experience. This summer camp offers three Marin-based groups for children, with sessions starting June 9 and ending Aug. 15.
First is the Earth Discover group for ages 3 through 8, which offers adventures from forest to coastland. Second is the Spanish Forest School for ages 3 through 5, which offers the chance to learn immersive Spanish in a fully outdoor setting. Lastly is the Mandarin Mania summer camp for ages 2 through 7, where children can explore the Mandarin language, art and culture. To learn more, visit terraschools.org.
Wildlife Camp at WildCare is the perfect place for the animal-loving children to get out and explore their interest in the wildlife around them this summer. The summer Wildlife camp runs from June 16 through Aug. 15, which is split between eight groups of various ages between kindergarten and 5th grade. To learn more, visit discoverwildcare.org.
