Your 2014 guide to summer camps around Washington, DC

2016 Summer Camp Guide is available!

2015 Summer Camp Guide is available!

Yes, it’s still freezing outside, but most summer camps are currently accepting registrations. And knowing this area, the best ones will be out of space before spring even hits. To get you prepared, we’ve put together a guide to give you the scoop on Washington, DC area camps for summer 2014. We’ve highlighted a few that are worth a look and included links to others at the bottom of the post.  As always, add to this post by commenting with your own suggestion– first or second hand. Here’s to a fun summer!

Steve and Kates Camp
(Grace Episcopal School- 3601 Russell Road, Alexandria, VA 22305)
(Georgetown Day School- 4530 MacArthur Blvd, Washington, DC 20007)
If we could go to camp, this may be our first choice. Inflatable slip n slide, carnival on the last day and kid sized inflatable stadium for sports. This camp gives campers a choice where they step into a world packed with possibilities. One camper dives deep into stop-motion animation. Another discovers a passion for dance. Or chess. A camper becomes engrossed in making the perfect bread. Or developing Leo Messi-like touch on the soccer pitch. K thru 7th grade in the fall.

Levine Summer Music & Arts Day Camp at Katzen Arts Center at American University
(4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016)
 This year’s theme: “A Musical Road Trip – Hear America Sing”. From the mountains, to the prairies, to the oceans white with foam, your child will visit the major centers of music in America. Summer camp offers top-notch instruction within a fun and collaborative environment for campers aged 3.5 – 12. Now in it’s 27th year, Levine’s camp offers kids an incredible musical education during each of its two, three-week sessions. 

Lowell School Camp
(1640 Kalmia Rd NW., Washington, DC. 20012)
Their respectful and caring atmosphere encourages campers, ages 3 to 14, to grow in self-awareness and confidence, while strengthening their cooperation and consideration for others. They have an expansive campus with fields, surrounded by towering trees, provides generous space for games, sports, exercise, and water play. Campers explore and investigate plant and animal life in a spring-fed stream, a tributary of nearby Rock Creek. The four-lane indoor pool, fully equipped technology center, three art workshops, library, and large gymnasium are also available to campers. 

National Building Museum Summer Camp
(401 F Street NW Washington, D.C. 20001)
Two-week sessions for campers ages 8–10, entering 3–5 grade in fall 2014. Experience the world we build for ourselves in new ways and with hands-on activities and projects in one of our favorite buildings in DC! Attend one, two, or three unique sessions of two week, full-day summer camp at the National Building Museum. Campers will enjoy design challenges, exploring the Museum, and more!

Wonders Summer Camp at The Edmund Burke School
(4101 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Washington, DC)
The best and brightest from Wonders Child Care’s elementary school extended-day programs join as counselors at Wonders Summer Camp. The small camp offers lots of individual attention for campers and weeks of opportunities to explore, create and grow. Week-long themed sessions full of fun classes and adventure for rising K-6 grade. June 16-August 15: full-day or extended day options with shuttle bus service from Tenleytown, Bethesda and Chevy Chase. 

Sidwell Summer
(3825 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016)
(5100 Edgemoor Lane Bethesda, MD 20814)
With an array of programs for campers and students Age 3 – Grade 12 throughout June,  July, and August, they have something for everyone. This camp has two locations to choose from with a variety of camps; day camp, sports camp and academic camp.

Smithsonian Summer Camps
(S. Dillon Ripley Center at 1100 Jefferson Drive SW, Washington, D.C.)
Where else can campers blast into space or take center stage, create a masterpiece, invent a fantasy world, relive history or learn to shape the future of the planet? The rich and exciting world of the Smithsonian Summer Camp program, now in its 45th year, is all theirs to discover in these one-of-a-kind learning experiences that spark the imagination—and offers plenty of great fun! Grades K-9.

Bricks4Kidz
(1130 6th St. NW, Washington, DC 20001)
Camp kicks off the morning session by grouping up the kiddos by age (two age groups: 4-6 year olds and 7-12 year olds) then the fun begins. “Campers” work in pairs and build projects through Bricks 4 Kidz lesson plans and make creations of their own during super fun free play periods. The afternoon gets “challenging” as the campers enter “Challenge Island”, that provides unique challenge-based programs designed to foster critical and creative thinking skills, problem solving methodology, and core STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) principles in children.

Snapology
(Held at Ashburn Martial Arts Center: 21750 Red Rum Dr #102 Ashburn, VA 20147)
Lego themed classes, Robotcs classes, Animation classes and much more! The Ashburn summer camps schedule is listed here along with a brief description. Camps are limited to 12 campers with a 6:1 kids to staff ratio. They don’t just put out a bunch of Lego bricks for camper to play with. They have lessons plans for all of our camps. Their goal is for kids to learn something, be inspired and have a blast.

Summer Safari Zoo Camp at The National Zoo
(3001 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008)
The National Zoo offers a wide variety of week long sessions for children in Grades K-5. Campers will explore the lives, habitats, and conservation of animals around the world. Sessions include exciting hands-on activities, craft projects, science experiments, and walks through the Zoo.

Spy Camp at the Spy Museum
(800 F Street, NW Washington, DC  20004)
Another sneaky camp that sounds like so much fun and full of thrills! Somewhere deep inside the Museum an elite group of recruits is lurking in the shadows preparing to take on top secret missions. No one really knows who they are, or for that matter, what they’re really up to. Now it’s your children’s turn to join their ranks. Each day is filled with top secret briefings and activities that will put spy skills and street smarts to the test. Aspiring Spy recruits will hone their tradecraft, learn from real spies, and hit the streets to run training missions. Develop a disguise for cover, make and break codes, discover escape and evasion techniques, create and use spy gadgets, uncover the science behind spying—all of this and more awaits young recruits! Ages 10-13.

Arts on the Horizon Summer Camps
(1100 Wythe Street, #26093  Alexandria, VA)
From superhero to construction, this arts inspired camp has a session that is sure to appeal to your child. They offer one week, half day sessions. Ages 3-6.

Theatre & Arts Camps:

Adventure Theatre Camps
(7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, MD. 20812)
Your child will work alongside accomplished D.C. area theater professionals and teaching artists during daily rehearsals in dancing, singing, and acting. With props and costumes, singing and scene-work, your child’s experience will culminate in a performance of a full-scale, youth-appropriate main stage show for friends and family. Grades 1-12.

Fillmore Arts Camp
(1819 35th St NW, Washington, DC. 20007)
Ceramics, guitar, fabric art and musical improvisation are some of the classes your budding artist could take. Swimming is also included in each campers experience in the two, three-week sessions.  Ages 6-15.

Camp Creativity at Corcoran Gallery of Art
(Locations in Georgetown, Downtown, Capitol Hill)
This hands-on art camp has something for every artist in your family. Painting and collage making for the littlest ones to printmaking, sculpting and darkroom practice for the older campers. They have four locations serving children ages 3-16.

The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts
(733 8th Street NWWashington, DC 20001)
The Theatre Lab’s summer camps are fun, high-energy programs that allow young people to fully engage their imaginations as they experience the thrill of creating live theatre. Acting Camp for children ages 6-10 and Summer Acting and Musical Theatre for children ages 11-13. Campers participate in a wide variety of theatre activities—including improvisation, scene study, storytelling, creative writing, group singing, and mime.


Language Camps:

CommuniKids This language camp lets children ages 2.5-6 enjoy traditional summer fun in a language-immersion setting. They have two  locations that offer full- and half-day programs in Spanish (DC & VA), French, Chinese and Arabic (VA only). They also have extended care.

Language Stars This language camp offers play-based summer immersion programs in Spanish, French, Mandarin and German. Taught by native-speaking teachers from around the world, your child will be immersed in language, culture and summer fun. 7 DC Area Locations: Alexandria, Bethesda, Fairfax, Falls Church, Gaithersburg, N. Arlington/McLean, Reston. Ages 3 -10. They also offer a parent/child tots camp for children ages 1-3.

Other camps around the Washington, DC area:

• DCJCC Camp
• iD Tech
• Headfirst Summer Camp
• Montgomery County Recreation
• Washington, DC Parks & Recreation Summer Camps
• Arlington County Summer Camps
• Fairfax County Park Authority Summer Camps
• Imagination Stage Camps
• Adventure Theatre Summer Camps
• Budding Yogis’
• YMCA Camps
• Calleva Outdoor Adventure Camp
• Ballet Petite
• Berrend Summer Dance
• Camp Aristotle at The Auburn School
• Camp Olympia
• Round House Theatre Camp
• The Creative Difference, LLC