Summer will be here before we know it and camp registrations are already underway! My kids look forward to camp every summer! Here are some of Nashville’s best camps! I’ll be adding to the list as more information becomes available.
Academics
When school is out, camp is in session at the Adventure Science Center! Camp days are packed with hands-on classroom activities, time to explore the science center, recess and games. Each week has a unique theme and will be filled with corresponding activities. Registration is for an entire week of camp and includes a camp t-shirt, hands-on experiments and enough take-home crafts to fill the whole front of the fridge! Ages: Kinder through 6th grade Dates: May 31st-August 13th
Brentwood Academy offers summer day camps for boys and girls beginning in Kindergarten through high school.BA offer over 25 camps in the areas of sports, fine arts, and academics with themes like Slime Time, Vex Robots, Cooking, Dance, Basketball and more! Ages: Pre-K through 12th grade Dates: Weeks in June and July
Adventure
Deer Run’s Day Camps are fun-filled and action-packed. Day Camp Activities include Lake [water slide, aqua park, swimming, round Coral boats, canoes, zip line] • Pedal Kart Races • Recreational Games • BB Guns • Archery • Crafts • 45-ft Climbing Tower • Obstacle Course • Creek Wading • Nine-Square-in-the-Air • GaGa Ball • Carpetball • Tetherball • Noah’s Park Playground • Fun Songs • Worship • Interactive Age-appropriate Small Group Bible Study. Deer Run also offers Overnight Camp for youth and teens and Family Camp! Camp Open Houses: Sunday March 28 • Sunday April 11 • Sunday May 2 Ages: 5-18 (And some camps for the whole family!) Dates: Weeks last week May, June and July
Camp Widjiwagan offers a variety of camp experiences for day camp as well as overnight stays. Activities include learning to care for farm animals, horseback riding, creativity and a variety of weekly themes to choose from. Traditional Day Campers lunches and snacks are provided throughout the week! Ages 4-17 Dates: Weeks in May, June, July and August
Art
Cheekwood offers camp for children ages 5-15. Children can explore the gardens, make masterpieces, paint, make wearable art and many other creative themes. Both morning camp (9 a.m. to noon) and afternoon sessions (1 p.m. to 4 p.m.) are available. Full Day camp available for all ages this year! Ages: 5-15 Dates: June 7th through July 30th Special early bird rates which will run through March 31, 2021. The standard registration rates will begin April 1, 2021.
Kids can get crafty and creative with AR Workshop Franklin’s Summer Camp! Camps are designed for girls and boys, ages 7-14. Kids will create 4 DIY youth projects and a DIY camp t-shirt over the course of the camp! Participants will be able to customize and choose their project paint colors from AR’s decor line of paints! An optional Friday half-day camp is also available. Kids are encouraged to bring a snack and drink to enjoy during breaks. A few of the projects include tie-dye camp, macrame plant holders, boho tassels, yarn and wood animals to chunky knit wreaths and other choices! Ages: 7-14 Dates: 4 day weeks in May, June and July (with optional half days on Fridays)
Dance/Music
Ann Carrol School of Dance offer a variety of dance and theater programs for children ages 3 to 18 including American Girl Doll Camp, a variety of dance, Performing Arts (for Preschool and older children) and intensive workshops. Ages: 3-18 Dates: Weeks in June and July
Concordia Arts Academy is offering a variety of dance, theater, tumbling and other interactive programs throughout the summer. Ages: 4-16 Weeks in June, July and August
Drama
Over the past 18 years, the Act Too Players have worked hard to create the premiere summer theatre program to meet the creative needs of youths ages 3 to 18 while providing practical hours for easy scheduling for parents. Each summer, Act Too Players offers a combination of weeklong day camps, mini-sessions, and our full production summer intensives taught by the best in the Nashville theatre industry. Every student gets the opportunity to rehearse with the best directors, musical directors, and technical staff. Our goal is to instruct your child on the art of theatre while providing a fun, safe, environment. Ages: 3.5 to 18 Dates: COMING SOON
Nature
Camp Bloomsbury’s mission is to provide children a safe space to grow, develop imagination and explore the natural beauty of the farm and forest. They support and encourage curiosity, creativity, community and the joy of cultivation. Some activities include exploring the farm, visiting/petting animals (hens, goats, horses), cultivating the children’s garden, and harvesting produce for snack. They will be able to climb tall boulders or trees, make mud pies, play in the creek, build forts, construct a bird nest or insect home, create dams or fairy villages. There will be art materials available for creating nature inspired art, as well as digging tools, strings, and loose parts to encourage creativity and collaboration in addition to other activities. Ages: Inquire with the camp Dates: Weeks in June and July
*Gentry’s Farm Camp is FULL for Summer 2021 but please keep in mind for next year.* The Gentry Family hosts summer camp at their farm every summer with fishing, paddle boats, crafts, floating down the Harpeth River and more old-fashioned fun! Join the mailing list here to be informed on camp registration for 2021. Ages: Students who have completed kindergarten through completed sixth grade
Harbor Island Yacht Club has offered a Youth Sailing Program for more than 25 years. The program is a full-day – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday. (Extended Care available – 7:45 am to 5:30 pm). Sail Camp program is intended for children and young people ages 7 through 17. It is structured with an eye not only toward introducing young people to sailing but also toward racing, advanced knowledge of small boat handling and skills in a safe, fun environment. The program managed by Leadership Academy and is taught by knowledgeable, trained young people, all of whom are required to complete a US Sailing counselor training course as they come of age. Ages: 7-17 Dates: Weeks in June
Summer Camp offers learning experiences that deepen the appreciation for the outdoors and encourage stewardship of the environment. The Nature Ranger Camp and Outdoor Explorer Camp offers a variety of outdoor activities including live animal presentations, creating crafts, building eco-structures, catching critters, and hiking ridges to beautiful views. Campers bond with like-minded campers and expand their nature knowledge.
Camp is limited in size so each child receives individual attention. Campers bring a lunch Monday-Thursday. All camps include Friday lunch and daily snack. Ages 5-11 Dates: Weeks in June , July and August
Spend your summer exploring nature at Warner Park Nature Center’s Naturalist Camps! Experience the natural world through hands-on activities, close encounters with live animals, nature hikes and outdoor play. Every morning will be spent outdoors in nature exploring what fascinates you. Monday – Friday, 8am-noon. Ages 6-12 years Dates: Weeks in June and July
Whippoorwill Farm Day Camp is a 50-acre farm where campers explore creeks, wooded hills, fields, and the diverse wildlife of Whippoorwill Farm. For 1st grade through 11th grade students. *Registration is currently on a wait list for younger grades. There are openings for rising 9th, 10th and 11th grades. Ages: Grades 1st through 11th Dates: Weeks in May, June and July
Each year Nashville Zoo offers ten exciting weeks of summer camp for youth ages 5 through 18 including special camps designed for children with special needs and even future veterinarians! Campers ages 5 to 18 can join us for day camps full of Zoo favorites and new adventures. All camps incorporate animal trail exploration, games, crafts, WILD hands-on activities and up-close animal encounters. Most camps run from 9am to 3pm each day, with before-care available starting at 7:30am and after-care available until 5:30pm for an extra fee. Ages: 4 to 18 Dates: Weeks in May, June and July Registration will open for members on Feb. 24 and for non-members on March 3 around 10am
Daily riding lessons, horse grooming and care, ground safety and handling, horse health and more at Creekside Riding Stables. Ages 6 , 7 and up! Weeks available in May, June and July
Sports
Let It Shine’s FUNtastic Summer Camp includes trampolines, obstacle courses, rope swing, zip lines, tumble track, swimming, relays, theme weeks and more. You can sign up for daily or weekly sessions. Camp hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. but early and extended care is also available. Ages 3-5 are eligible for Pre Camp and ages 5-12 for Big Camp. Dates: May 24th-August 5th Early Bird Registration-10% off!
BGA will host over 40 camps including art, athletics, cheer, coding, culinary arts, robotics and more for ages PreK-12th grade! Full and half-day camps are available! Early and after care are also available for an additional charge! Find the brochure here.
Culinary
Our dream behind Camp Sugar Drop was to create a safe, hands-on kitchen-classroom environment where kids can come meet a friend, play with food, make some messes, learn new skills, and have fun! In summer 2018, Sugar Drop hosted its first Camp Sugar Drop with four weeks of international menus including stops in France and Italy. Students were able to create sauces, pastries, and other desserts from each county with hands on instruction during each recipe. Sugar Drop followed up with a winter camp in 2019 where students took a three day journey into the sugar world, then spent nine weeks during the summer of 2019 with back to back sold out camps where students were able to dive into the same fun and hands on kitchen experience.
The goal of Camp Sugar Drop is to encourage kids to play with their food! We want to support the dreamers – those who want to own their own bakery or go on to be the next Great Baker! Our camp allows for students to learn the workings of a real commercial kitchen with step-by-step instructional teaching. We want students to use food, especially sugar, as an edible canvas to create whatever they can imagine, all while learning a variety of techniques, including mixing, baking, knife work, cleanliness, and much more
*Due to Covid 19, 2021 Camps are now being capped at 12 students. Sugar Drop is committed to providing the safest and cleanest environment possible. We look forward to continuing to provide a fun experience for all campers and ask that if your camper is feeling ill throughout the week that they not return to camp for the safety of all staff and campers.
I will continue to add to the list as I hear of other camp options!