As the days get longer and the temperatures rise, parents everywhere are gearing up to keep their kids entertained and engaged during summer break. Luckily, Calgary offers a plethora of exciting and enriching summer camps for children of all ages. Whether your child is into sports, arts, STEM activities, or outdoor adventures, there’s something for everyone in our vibrant city. Let’s explore some of the best Calgary Summer Camps that promise to make this summer one to remember!
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Big Organizations
There are a few large organizations that run camps in multiple locations across many themes in and around the city. Due to the size of the organization these are often some of the best run and most affordable camps (but not always – if you’re on a budget be sure to shop around!).
YMCA
YMCA Calgary has camps at six locations around the city each and every week of the summer. There is a small discount if your child has a membership, but it isn’t necessary to attend camp. These programs are structured and the staff is well trained and supported. One hour of before and after care is available as part of the camp cost.
Some of the programs offered include: swim (2 weeks), visual arts, learn to skate, climbing, dance, basketball, drama, photography, and multi-activity camps.
City-Run Day Camps
The City of Calgary has a wide variety of day camps for ages 5 to 14 covering topics like art, sports, sailing, and even rock climbing! There’s even a program for junior leaders, and before and after care.
Other cities in the Calgary area to offer day camps include Airdrie and Okotoks. Be sure to check your local town, county, and recreation center websites!
Post-Secondary Camps
University of Calgary summer camps are available with before and after care from 8am to 4:45pm. Camp topics include aquatics, gymnastics, business, architecture, film making, sports with the UofC Dinos, vet camp, and even mini university! There are camps for children 4 years old up to entering twelfth grade.
Looking for something for older kids? SAIT’s summer camps for kids in Grades 4 to 12 on topics like programming, drama, cooking, science, the trades, and writing.
Mount Royal University/MRU Camps offers a range of camps under the categories of “art and creative camps,” “music, dance, & drama camps,” “sports & outdoor camps,” and “STEM camps.”
Rundle College summer camps for kids entering kindergarten to grade 6 in the fall. Camps split topics between morning and afternoon so kids get a variety. With before and after care, kids can be at camp from 8am to 4pm.
Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School has a variety of STEAM, outdoor adventure, and athletics camps for ages 4-17 with bussing available throughout the city.
National Organizations
There are several national organizations operating in the Calgary area. These programs are typically very well designed and really engage kids!
Several Mamas have had their kids go through the Pedalheads bike camp. You can read some of our reviews. They are all about getting kids riding their bikes safely and with confidence. With camps for kids from 1 year old and up, between bike and trail camp there is something for most kids.
Target soccer specifically with Royal City Soccer Camps. With a dozen locations in and around Calgary their full and half day camps offer before and after care (additional charge) and are open to ages 5 to 13 with volunteer opportunities for 14 and 15 year olds.
Camps in the Arts
Dancing, drawing, writing, oh my! Let your kid’s creativity come alive at these artistic camps.
Theatre Camp
Let your kids show off their dramatic flare at an acting camp! There are lots of options available in and around Calgary:
- Chinook School of Music
- CYPT Drama Camps (various locations around Calgary, ages 4-18)
- Glenbow Ranch “Nature’s Stage”
- Green Fools “Pirate Camp”
- Pumphouse Theatre (ages 7-14)
- Quest Theatre (ages 6-15)
- Stagecoach Summer Camps musical theatre (ages 5-12)
- Storybook Theatre (ages 6-17, depending on location)
- Viva Musica musical theatre camp (ages 4 to 13)
- Youth Singers musical theatre camp (full day grades 3-8; half day grades 1-2)
Dance Camp
Do you have a little dancer, or a kid that just won’t stop moving and could use some direction to put meaning to those moves? Dance camp can corral that energy into intentional flow and increase spacial awareness. With options from hip hop to ballet to general “dance”, there’s something for every interest.
- Decidedly Jazz Danceworks (ages 4 to 13+)
- Free House Dance Plus (half day ages 3-6, full day ages 7-11)
- Pulse Studios (half day ages 4/5, full day ages 6 to 14+)
- Viva Musica dance and acro/creative dance camps (ages 4 to 12)
Musical Camps
Whether it’s playing an instrument or singing a song, these camps hit the right notes.
- Chinook School of Music (half day for ages 3-5; full day for ages 5-12)
- Musicworks Canada camps (kinder to grade 12)
- Mount Royal Conservatory
- Musica Academy (ages 5-9 or 10-18)
- National Music Centre “Build a Band” (ages 9-12)
Creative Writing
One of our contributor’s daughters attended YouthWrite and wrote about her experience! Calgary camps are available for ages 10-19.
Sewing/Fashion Camps
From learning the basics of how to sew all the way to fashion design, for the textile-inclined child there’s lots to discover at a sewing-themed summer camp! Be sure to pick the appropriate camp for you child’s skill level.
- Calgary Sewing School (age 10-14)
- Telus SPARK “Tech and Textiles” (age 9-12)
Cooking/Baking Camps
- Lambert Academy (ages 8 to 14; 1, 3, and 5 day camps)
- Nini’s Cooking Class (ages 5 to 14)
- Telus SPARK “A Spark in the Sustainable Kitchen!” (age 9-12)
More Art Camps
With options like animation, drawing, painting, ceramics, photography, and more these art-focused organizations have camps on a range of subjects.
- Alberta University of the Arts summer camps (entering grade 5 to 15 years old)
- Aliki’s art house offers Drawing, Painting or Mixed Media Camps for ages 5 and up
- The Confluence “Artists on the Land”, “Art of Drama”, and “Curators of Creativity”
- Cornerstone Music Cafe (ages 8-16)
- Leighton Art Centre offers small camps for 6-14 year olds, including bussing from within the city
- Mobile Escape Rooms Solve at least 4 different Escape Rooms, 2 Tabletop Games, and build your own escape room (ages 8-12)
- Mount Royal “Art and Creative Camps” and “Music, Dance & Drama Camps“
- Pinnovate offers varied art camps for ages 6-14
History Camps
Not quite “the arts,” these camps let your kids step back in time to discover what life was like before the internet and even electricity!
- Heritage Park
- The Confluence (formerly Fort Calgary)
- Glenbow Ranch “Mystery of Archaeology”
STEM Camps
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math themed camps are great for the more cerebral child – or child that would benefit from discovering that learning IS fun.
Telus SPARK
Camps are available in age-based groupings for kids 5 to 12 at Telus SPARK. There is a wide range of camps available covering everything from coding to cooking, and dinosaurs to Disney!
Camps have complimentary before and after care giving parents 8am to 5pm child care.
Coding Camps
Teaching kids to code is becoming a popular camp topic, offered by several organizations. Most camps offer a combination of educational screen time, crafts, and physical/outdoor activity.
Here are a few based in Calgary:
- Code Ninjas
- Steamoji Calgary North, Calgary Northwest, Calgary West (ages 5-14)
- Telus SPARK CodeQuest and Tech and Textiles camps
- 10Peaks Robotics camp
Other STEM Programs
Whether they offer a range of STEM programs or multi-disciple camps, check out what these spots have to offer!
- Mount Royal “STEM Camps“
- Mad Science camps (entering Kindergarten to Grade 6 in the fall)
- Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School (ages 4-17; bussing available)
- Mobile Escape Rooms Solve at least 4 different Escape Rooms, 2 Tabletop Games, and build your own escape room (ages 8-12)
Sports Camps
In addition to the big organizations above (most run a variety of sports-themed camps), there are smaller organizations that typically focus in on one or two specific sports.
Basketball Camp
Send your kid to shoot some hoops!
Gymnastics Camps
Are kids interested in vault, balance beam, uneven bars, pommel horse, rings, horizontal bar and parallel bars? Try a gymnastics camp at one of these clubs:
- Glenmore Gymnastics (ages 6-12)
- MNP Community & Sports Centre
Football & Rugby Camps
Let your kid tackle new skills and experience the thrill of the gridiron at football camp!
- Nike Rugby Camp Calgary (ages 12-17)
Ice Skating & Hockey Camps
Whether your kid is just learning how to skate, or is looking to upgrade their skills on the ice, these camps have something for everyone.
- WinSport summer camps
- Western Ball Hockey (ages 7-13)
Tennis Camp
Help your kid ace their game and serve up fun at tennis camp!
- Nike Tennis Camp at Alberta Tennis Centre (half day ages 4-9; full day ages 8-14)
Track & Field Camps
Does your child love sprinting, jumping, and throwing? Enroll them in track & field camp!
- CALTAF – Calgary Track & Field (ages 8-15)
- Track Attack (ages 4-14)
Volleyball Camp
Let your kid master their spike and serve at these summer volleyball camps!
- HIIT Volleyball summer camps (ages 8 to 18)
- Rally Pointe (entering Grades 6-12)
- Stryker Sports summer camps
Water Camps
From swimming to rowing to paddle boards, enjoy the water at these camps!
- MNP Community & Sports Centre
- Calgary Canoe Club for ages 9+
Variety Camps
These camps cover several sports in a single week. Introduce your child to a wide variety of sports and help them discover some new favourites!
- Epic Fencing (ages 5-12)
- KidStrong (ages 4-9)
- Mount Royal “Sports & Outdoor Camps“
- MNP Community & Sports Centre
- Nike Multi-Sport Camp at Coyote Den Calgary (ages 5-14)
- Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School (ages 4-17; busing available)
- Trico Leisure Centre
- The Beach YYC
- Western Ball Hockey (ages 7-13)
- WinSport summer camps
Other Active Camps
While these activities aren’t usually considered “sports” they will certainly wear your kid out! Get active at these camps!
Obstacle Course Camps
Burn out your little ball of energy at these obstacle course themed camps!
- Fitset Ninja (ages 5+)
Bike Camps
Always a popular activity for kids, there are a variety of summer bike camps available. From learning to ride, to adventurous trail excursions, there is something for every ability!
- Pedalheads
- MNP Community & Sports Centre
- WinSport summer camps
- Glenbow Ranch “Bike Glenbow”
- Safer Cycling Calgary Intermediate level, kids bike up to 25km/day (ages 9+)
Skatepark Camps
Is your child interested in figuring out the skateboard park? These camps are a great introduction!
- House of Wheels (ages 7-17)
Orienteering Camp
Discover the skill of reading a map while running through the woods at orienteering camp!
- SOGO Adventure Running (ages 5-12)
- Glenbow Ranch “Navigating Through Nature”
Circus Camp
Is your child interested in aerial performances or circus acts? Discover high flying fun at these cirque-themed camps.
- Green Fools (ages 9-12)
- Spectacular Blue (Okotoks, ages 5-17)
Indoor Activity Shops
Do you have some favourite indoor spots for parties or letting the kids burn off energy? They might offer a summer camp! Here are a few options:
- Laser City North (ages 6-12; pay by the day)
- Laser City South (ages 6-12; pay by the day)
Animal Camps
- Calgary Humane Society Grades 1 to 9
- Calgary Reptile Parties Reptile Camp (entering grade 1 through those completing grade 6)
- Calgary Zoo (full day age 5-14, half day age 4-5)
- Butterfield Acres (ages 4-14)
- Horse camps
- Clip Clop Summer Hosemanship Camps (ages 5 to 18, half and full day camps)
- Discovering the Horse (half day ages 3+; full day ages 7+)
- M.C. Equestrian
- Wildflower Community Farm (half day ages 5-7; full day ages 7-16)
- Telus SPARK “Vet Ventures” (age 7-8)
- The Confluence “Birds and Bison at the Bow”, “Creatures of the Confluence”, and “Eagles & Earthworms at the Elbow”
- Wildflower Community Farm “Nature Day Camps” (ages 6-12)
Camps for Older Kids
Calgary Humane Society has camps and volunteer weeks for teens in grade 7 to 9.
Butterfield Acres offers “Farmers in Training” for teens age 12-14.
Decidedly Jazz Danceworks has a few teen classes from musical theatre, to hip hop, to general dance, to an intensive. Teen camps are for 13+.
CYPT Drama Camps has various locations around Calgary and offers camps for ages 4 to 18.
Quest Theatre Expeditions two week camp for ages 12-15.
Spectacular Blue, located in Okotoks, runs circus camps for ages 5-17 with an Aerial Intensive for ages 9-17.
Storybook Theatre offers several programs up to age 17. We recommend reading the camp descriptions rather than stopping at the top of the page!
Musica Academy‘s Music Production Camp for ages 10-18 teaches how to produce music beats, rhythm, and song and make your unique sound for Spotify!
YouthWrite has writing camps for tweens and teens ages 10 to 19.
Aliki’s art house offers Drawing, Painting or Mixed Media Camps for ages 5 and up.
Trico Leisure Centre offers one camp per week for teens age 11-14.
Heritage Park has two options for older kids, “Heritage Artists Day Camp” (age 11-14) and “Home on the Range Overnight Camp” (age 12-15).
Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School has camps for ages 4-17 on a wide range of topics.
CALTAF – Calgary Track & Field offers three camps over the summer for ages 8-15.
House of Wheels accepts riders of all abilities, ages 7 to 17 to indoor or outdoor skateboard camp.
10Peaks Robotics & Entrepreneurship camp for ages 12-15.
General Camps
These camps don’t really fall into one specific category. They may be a sampling of all sorts of things, act more like a week of daycare, or have another theme.
Granary Road summer camps for age 5 to 12 uses the Granary Road Active Learning Park to learn all about Albertan Agriculture & Nature Based Science – plus get kissed by alpaca, learn how to grow plants without dirt, feed the resident chickens, jump like a frog on the in-ground trampolines, take part in scavenger hunts, race some rubber ducks and snuggle the Granary Goats.
Glenbow Ranch is running “Wild About Wetlands,” a combination of hikes, games, pond critter catching, a golf cart tour, and crafts.
Shrine Centre Camps include outdoor games, arts and crafts, horseback riding in our dedicated arena, water activities at the lake, and engaging team-building exercises for ages 6 to 14.
Trico Leisure Centre has a range of camps from “general everything” to sports-centered and other camps.
Vivo Summer Camps offer a wide range of topics with half day camps for ages 3-5 and full day camps for ages 6 to 12. Single day registration available.
Calgary French & International School has three themed camps in August for ages 3 to grade 3. Basic French, reinforced with English, will be infused into the programming.
Polyglots combines a general art/active/experiment camp with learning a bit of French or Spanish.
Accessible Camps
Between Friends runs Camp Bonadventure and encourages campers to grow and develop their skills through activities such as canoeing, sailing, swimming, arts & crafts, and many other exciting activities and adventures. This inclusive outdoor summer day camp for youth ages 4-17 can be adapted to all ability levels.
Camp Amicus helps youth with Learning Disabilities and ADHD increase social skills, self-confidence and self-esteem. They offer both overnight and day camp options as well as horsemanship, Teen Leadership/ hiking, and Counsellor-in-Training camps to children and teens ages 8 to 18 diagnosed with a Learning Disability and/or ADHD with lagging social skills.
Enviros offers Respite Care Connection Summer programs to participants with funding through FSCD, Post–Adoptive Supports or Child Intervention ages 6 to 17.
More Camps?
Do you know of a summer camp that should be added to this list? Send us an email or message us on social with a link!
A few requirements:
- Day camps only (exception: accessible camps)
- Available to most kids – think programming that could be part of a public school curriculum
- Within the Calgary Area
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