Summer may still be weeks away, but it’s never too early to plan unforgettable adventures for the kids.
From artistic endeavors to medieval studies, these 16 local summer camps offer something for every young explorer.
Art and music camps
Paramount Education | The Paramount Theatre | $800+
Young ones interested in acting, singing, dancing, and performing will find a home at this collection of camps, which all end with a performance on the historic stage. Choose from a range of two-week sessions from Camp Paramount, Story Wranglers, and Songwriting programs. Scholarships are available.
Cordovan Art School | Multiple locations | $296+
Kids ages 5-16 can choose to work on art based on 40+ themes — including video games, cartoons, pets, and fantasy — using mediums ranging from watercolors to pottery. The dates and hours for this day camp vary based on the program.
Austin Chamber Music Center Summer Workshops | University of Texas’ Sarah & Ernest Butler School of Music | $600+
Kids ages 7+ can learn music composition, play with other musicians, and expand their confidence in teamwork and communication at this two-week-long camp.
All Aboard for Broadway | Ballet Austin | $350
This musical theater camp aims to transform your child into a “Broadway kid” by teaching them to express themselves through the arts. Bonus: the camp culminates in a performance for friends and family to enjoy.
Summer Camp at ZACH Theatre | Multiple locations | $360+
Young performers in kindergarten through 10th grade have their pick of musicals to learn and perform, from “Wicked” to “Mean Girls” and “Matilda” to “Beetlejuice.”
Education camps
Camp Tech Revolution | St. Edward’s University | $599+
Children as young as 6 can learn coding skills, game design, and robotics, while older kids can tackle sports analytics, artificial intelligence, and video production. The camp calendar stretches from June to August — all-girls camps are also available.
Bluebonnet Summer Camp | Bluebonnet School, Cedar Park | $349
Bluebonnet School offers week-long camps on subjects including outdoor exploration, aquatic life, rocket science, film history, and chemistry throughout the summer for kids between kindergarten and fourth grade. Tuition includes lunches, snacks, and field trips.
Steve & Kate’s Camp | Multiple locations | $114+
Customize your child’s camp schedule by buying $114 day passes for any locations you’d like. Unused days will be refunded in September, and you can also upgrade to a full-summer pass for $3,192, which includes as many as 44 days. Campers choose from activities, including stop-motion animation, sewing, baking, robotics, and water play.
Outdoors + athletics camps
Kidventure | Multiple locations | $340+
Little ones ages 3 and up can participate in archery, soccer, splash days, rock climbing, and more. Sessions run through June, July, and early August at locations around Austin.
Elite University Summer Camps | Marshall Ford Fellowship | $325+
Whether your child is interested in jiu-jitsu, horseback riding, veterinary science, or cooking, this camp offers a week-long program that’s right up their alley.
Adventure Camp | YMCA Camp Moody, Buda | $300+
Kids ages 8-14 can escape to an 85-acre patch along Onion Creek and participate in challenge courses, canoeing, team-building exercises, hiking, fishing, and slingshot training. Psst — Greater Austin YMCA offers a few more summer camp options.
All-Star Sports Camp | SoccerZone South Austin | $49+
Enroll your kiddo in half-days or full-days (for up to five days), and they’ll come home with new skills in basketball, soccer, kickball, flag football, Frisbee, volleyball, and whiffle ball.
Sleepaway camps
Camp Olympia | 723 Olympia Dr., Trinity | $2,325+
Sign up for one, two, or three weeks of lakefront fun at this sleepaway camp for kids ages 6-16. Camp activities (of which there are 45+ options) include golf, outdoor skills, horseback riding, paddleboarding, diving, woodworking, and puppy training.
Camp Huawni | 954 Co. Rd. 4235, Timpson | $1,575+
Established in 1965, this sleepaway camp will allow your kids to unplug from technology and spend their time hiking, playing sports, tackling ropes courses, and enjoying water activities.
Sherwood Forest Summer Camp | 1883 Old Hwy. 20, McDade | $1,249
If your child couldn’t stop watching “Brave,” this camp — self-proclaimed as “the most unique in Texas” — may pique their interest. Kids ages 8-16 can take courses on Viking lore, fae studies, illuminated manuscripts, blacksmithing, and leatherworking. Take note: They also offer a three-day summer camp for adults.
Camp Balcones Springs | 104 Balcones Springs Dr., Marble Falls | $2,070+
Dubbed the “coolest summer camp in Texas,” this Hill Country retreat offers tons of memorable experiences for kiddos, including wakeboarding on Lake Travis, fishing on a private lake, eating M&M pancakes for breakfast, and relaxing in the Kids Lounge.