Summer Camp Guide 2020

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Create a cardboard castle, a cigar box guitar, or a Lego robot. Connect with long-time friends and make new ones while learning how to kayak, juggle or sew. Make a puppet, animated cartoon, stationary, or your own song.

There are so many summer camp options in the Twin Cities area, your kids will have trouble picking just one!

Browse below for more information on some of the camps offered locally.

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN

IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

ADVENTURES IN CARDBOARD

Be initiated into an ancient and esteemed House of The Realm, jump into live-action adventure gaming, build your own arms and armor, and more during these five-day, full-day sessions for ages 8-17. Buses available from Powderhorn Park and some camps held at Minnehaha Park.

adventuresincardboard.com

612-532-6764

ARTICULTURE

A variety of art disciplines and mediums with themes like puppetry, world cultures, If I had a Hammer, animation, art car, public art and activism, printmaking and more offered for ages 4-18. Five-day, half- and full-day sessions available.

612-729-5151

http://www.articulture.org

BASE CAMP

Climb high, climb far during the Discovery Day Camp’s high energy activities offered near Fort Snelling Mondays to Fridays June to August for ages 5-15.

612-261-2301

http://www.explorebasecamp.org/

BLACKBIRD’S MUSIC STORE

Write your own songs, start your own band, build cigar guitars from the ground up, and learn electric guitar.

612-326-5745

http://blackbirdsmusicstore.com

CIRCUS JUVENTAS

Explore international circus arts at Circus Juventas. Five-day, full-day sessions and one-day sampler camps offered for ages 6-18.

651-699-8229

http://www.circusjuventas.org

CENTER FOR BLADE ARTS

Modern Olympic fencing camps for all ages run from 10 a,m,-2 p,m, Monday-Friday in June and July.

612-501-0640

www.centerforbladearts.com

COURAGEOUS heARTS

Four-day camps running June-August for ages 10-18. Discounts offered for multiple weeks.

612-729-2483

www.courageous-hearts.org

FOREST SCHOOL

Free Forest School of the Twin Cities is a free group, open to young children and their parents or caregivers. This is a welcoming and non-judgmental group where parents and caregivers can practice giving children space and autonomy to explore and create in nature. Free Forest School meets every day of the week throughout the year at wilderness areas around the metro. Share a snack, take a hike, play in the woods, and have circle time. Parents get a chance to unplug and step back… Kids and their imaginations take the lead.

Cost: Free

www.freeforestschool.org/free-forest-school-twin-cities-minnesota/

KID YOGA

Yoga infused throughout the day via story, dance and games for campers age 5-12. Located on the Greenway = daily field adventures.

612-202-5164

kidyogamn.com

MINNEHAHA ACADEMY

Pick from an amazing variety of camps for children grades K-12. From fencing to Lego robotics, baseball to history field trips, there is a camp to jump start a child's summer adventure.

612-728-7745, ext. 1

http://www.minnehahaacademy.net

SE MINNEAPOLIS SOCCER

Southeast Soccer fields a variety of girls and boys teams for ages U9-U18 at beginner, intermediate and advanced competitive levels. Consider the Lil’ Dribblers soccer program for ages 4 -8, or summer traveling teams.

http://www.sesoccer.org/

612-396-9511

YMCA

Explore the variety of Y Summer Programs at over 60 metro-area locations. Programs include flexible three-, four-, and five-day options for preschool and up, as well as day camps, overnight camps, Teen Wilderness, family camps and more.

http://www.ymcatwincities.org/child_care__preschool/summer_programs/

IN THE TWIN CITIES

ANIMAL HUMANE SOCIETY

kids entering grades 3-10 spend a full week immersed in animal learning and fun at one of four AHS locations.

animalhumanesociety.org/summer-camp

763-489-2220

ALEXANDER RAMSEY HOUSE

Solve mysteries of the past in this three-day History Detective Camp for ages 10-13. Or, young ladies ages 9-12 can step back in time in a unique Finishing School for Young Ladies day camp.

612-341-7555

http://www.mnhs.org/summercamps

AMERICAN SWEDISH INSTITUTE

Day camps for ages 6-10 and multi-day camps for a variety of ages with topics such as vikings, Pippi Longstocking and Swedish cooking.

612-871-4907

asimn.org

ARTSTART

Creative cultural camps exploring Peru and Ecuador through art that reuses discarded materials. Sessions for ages 4-teen run late June – July.

651-698-2787

www.artstart.org

CAMP COMO

Spend some time “Monkeying Around” with your primate pals, go for the gold in “Animal Olympics”, take an “African Adventure” without leaving Como, or try on the hat of a zookeeper or gardener in “Behind-the-Scenes!”. Como’s camps focus on developing children’s appreciation for the natural world through play and exploration, behind-the-scenes experiences, interactions with zookeepers and gardeners, and up-close encounters with plant and animal ambassadors Five-day, half-day or full-day sessions for preschool to grade eight. Extended care available.

651-487-8272

https://comozooconservatory.org/como/camp-como/

DODGE NATURE CENTER

Campers have fun while gaining appreciation for nature by meeting live animals, building forts, and getting their hands dirty during full- and half-day, four-day camps offered for students entering 1-8 grades. Shorter sessions available for ages 3-6.

651-455-4531

http://www.dodgenaturecenter.org/

FRIENDS SCHOOL

Want to make a film just like the professionals do? Feel like biking 10 (or 20!) miles a day? Have a secret stash of poems you want to share? Feel a need to express yourself through paint and paper-folding? Maybe you'd rather argue for the defense in a real courtroom? Friends School will be the place to do that--and more--from June to August for ages 4-14. Weekdays, half- and full-day. Extended day care in the mornings and afternoons and need-based financial aid available.

651-621-8941

http://www.fsmn.org

HAMLINE YOUNG WRITERS

High school students ages 15-18 can explore the craft, prepare for college, and connect with other young writers in the Twin Cities, while working closely with Hamline Creative Writing faculty and published authors.

651-523-2476

http://www.hamline.edu/gls/youngwriters/

HEARTFELT

Summer camps allow time for more in-depth projects, such as Wild & Wooly, Fairies, Critters, and Sea Creature, for kindergarten and up.

http://heartfeltonline.com

INNER CITY TENNIS

Enjoy Summer Tennis in Minneapolis parks for ages 6-17. Free and reduced programs available.

612-825-6844

http://www.innercitytennis.org

LEONARDO’S BASEMENT

Girls and boys ages 6 to 17 can design and build their creative ideas, mixing art, science and technology during partial-day, weekday camps. There are more than 120 classes available over 10 weeks.

612-824-4394

www.leonardosbasement.org

LOFT LITERARY CENTER

There’s something for everyone—from the youngster just learning to put pen to paper to the seasoned high school senior with a novel already under her belt. Sessions run in week-long blocks July and August, full and half-day options available for ages 6-17.

612-215-2575

www.loft.org/youth

LOPPET ADVENTURE CAMPS

Rollerblade, mountain bike, canoe and more during adventure camps for ages 9-13 at Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis. Equipment provided during the full-day, five-day sessions.

612-604-5330

www.loppet.org/programs/camps/

MINNEAPOLIS SAILING CENTER

One-week youth camps and sailing classes offered on beautiful Bde Maka Ska.

https://sailmpls.org/

612-470-SAIL

NORTHERN CLAY CENTER

Explore clay through sculpture or wheel-thrown pottery in half or full-day sessions for ages 6 and up.

612-339-8007

www.northernclaycenter.org

RAPTOR CENTER

Summer sessions for ages 6-14 are run by the University of Minnesota’s Rec & Wellness Camps. Camps also offered in partnership with MIA and Richardson Nature Center.

www.raptor.umn.edu

SNAPOLOGY

With camps happening at the new Discovery Center in Uptown every week of the summer, as well as at various schools and educational partners around the Twin Cities, Snapology has got you covered for kiddos as young as 3 and as old as 14 – Robotics, Coding, Science, Technology, Drones, Pre-K, Engineering, Architecture and more.

https://www.snapology.com/locations/minneapolis

ST. PAUL CONSERVANCY OF MUSIC

Music day camp for aspiring young musicians – offering a setting where children can explore their musical knowledge and ability through classes, creative play, and presentations by renowned professionals. No prior musical experience required! July 6-17, 9 am. - 4p.m. Extended care available until 5:30 p.m.

www.thespcm.org/summercamp

651-224-2205

ST. PAUL BALLET

Summer is a great time to try dance. Programs include workshops and camps for ages 3 and up, weekly drop-in classes for teens and adults, and a "mommy and me" baby class.

651-690-1588

www.spballet.org

TEXTILE CENTER CAMPS

Sew, knit, felt, dye, and more. Take home hand-made creations from half-day, weeklong classes, for students ages 6-16.

4612-436-0464

http://textilecentermn.org/sc

VERTICAL ENDEAVORS

Climbing camp in single day, half and full day sessions run early June to late August for ages 6-13.

www.verticalendeavors.com

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is not a comprehensive list of every camp in the Twin Cities. If you would like to be included in next year’s guide, please send us detailed information on the camp.

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