Like what you see?
Check out our NEW 2020 SUMMER CAMP GUIDE!!!
This post is sponsored, but our opinions are 100% are own. We are part of Amazon Associates.
Like what you see?
Check out our NEW 2020 SUMMER CAMP GUIDE!!!
It’s that time of year again. As soon as the holidays are over, every parent has “Register for Summer Camp” on the top of their to-do list. Ugh! We hear you! And so, we put together a Summer Camp Guide to make finding the perfect camp for your little camper this year super easy.
Check out our spotlighted camps, general tips, and comprehensive list!
iD Tech
At iD Tech, students ages 7-19 learn to code, design video games, produce videos, design Fortnite-inspired levels, mod Minecraft, create with Roblox, engineer robots, model and print 3D characters, work with AI and machine learning, build laptops, learn about cybersecurity, and more! Weeklong, day and overnight summer programs that instill in-demand skills and embolden students to shape the future. iD Tech Camps (weeklong, co-ed, 7-17), Alexa Café (weeklong, all-girls, 10-15), iD Tech Academies (2-week, teen-only, 13-18).
June-August: Held at San Francisco State, UC Berkeley, St. Mary’s College of CA and Stanford
1-888-709-8324
MVCode
Giarratano Baseball Camps at the University of San Francisco
Giarratano Baseball Camps at the University of San Francisco would like to invite all baseball
players 6-13 years old to our GBC All Star Camps! The 5-day camp will cover all aspects of the
game, ranging from hitting, pitching, fielding and base running through similar techniques and
drills used by the University of San Francisco Baseball Program. Our camp staff, made up of
current Dons coaches and players, is the strength of our camps!
Camp Dates: June 17-21 June 24-28 July 15-19 July 22-26 August 12-16
47 Chabot Terrace, San Francisco CA 94118
415-422-6881
Third Haus
Garden Camp
Garden Camp is an all-outdoors day camp for children entering Kindergarten through 3rd grade at the San Francisco Botanical Garden. Designed to connect children to plants and nature through a combination of structured, themed activities related to gardening, art, wellness, and ecology, while also allowing open-ended time develop curiosity, initiative, imagination and creativity. Children are able to attend up to three weeks of camp. Come explore the gardens with us! Weekly June 5-August 16, no camp week of July 4, Reduced week June 5-7
1199 9th Ave San Francisco, CA 94122
415-661-1316 ext 404
Planet Bee Foundation
Camp Bee-yond
We will spend each session buzzing through various STEAM activities centered on bees and environmental stewardship. Activities will include engaging with our observation hive of LIVE BEES each day, exploring the world of science and bees through hands-on projects, games, music and dance, bee-themed cooking lessons, nature walks, garden projects which can be taken home and integrated into your own yard, and more!
July 15-19 9am-4pm; before and after care available
Lafayette Park, San Francisco
415-235-8959
Culinary Artistas
At Culinary Artistas we run camps all throughout the summer at our beautiful studio in Ghirardeli Square. Each week focuses on a different theme where we will be cooking healthy, nutritious meals from scratch. In addition to cooking, students will have time for play center, story and reading time, and outdoor play.
Camps run weekly 9am- 3pm (with after care options).
851 Beach Street, SF 94109
415-735-5234
San Francisco Zoo
Summer Zoo Camp is the perfect place for your animal-loving child! Surrounded by more than 250 species of animals, Zoo Campers will learn about the wild world of animals and gain an appreciation for our natural world.
Zoo Camp: Pre-K through 5th grade
Conservation Camp: Campers entering grades 6th and 7th
Wellness 101: Campers 13-17 year-old campers
SF Zoo SLOAT BLVD. @ THE GREAT HIGHWAY SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94132
415-753-7080
Circus Center
Enrich Play Learn Summer Camp
Enrich Play Learn Summer Camp!
Each day includes structured and unstructured activities, outdoor time, quiet time, snack, lunch, yoga, and a 1-hour enrichment activity led by an expert provider from the community. We work with fellow early childhood providers such as San Francisco Art Center, Blue Bear School of Music, It’s Yoga Kids, Head Over Heels Gymnastics, and many more to bring your child a well-rounded and FUN experience at our camps! Our small class size and welcoming studio support your child’s transition into a new place. Ages 3-7. Capacity: 12
June 10- August 23. 5 days/week.
2159 Filbert St. (in between Fillmore and Webster)
415-750-9990
Spark Your Creativity!
Build.Learn.Thrive
Help your child build valuable life skills through sensory exploration, creativity, social language, and motor development! Example activities include: Social skills, language development and peer interaction, Speech Therapist/SPED-led circle times and songs, Fine and gross motor activities run by an Occupational Therapist
and Physical Therapist, Sensory Processing/Self- Regulation skill development, Hands-on music & pottery and MORE!
Week 1: July 22-26/ Week 2: July 29-august 2 Camps are 9am-12pm.
Village Place 3425 Balboa Street, San Francisco
415-702-0028
Victory Garden Kids
San Francisco Cooking School Kid and Teen Pastry Camp
5-consecutive day sessions that offer your kids or teens access to high-quality ingredients, top-notch tools, attentive instruction, and tons of fun. This camp is ideal for those who are passionate for food and cooking and who want to spend each day rolling up their sleeves to learn some new techniques and recipes!
690 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco
415-346-2665
Code for Fun
Seabird Preschool
Seabird Preschool summer camp for children ages 2 to 5 and half. Space available. New theme every week, play based philosophy. 3000 sqft private outdoor playground, organic garden, located on intersection of FiDi, North Beach, Chinatown.
Tom Johnson Golf
Asian Arts School
2101 Taraval Street San Francisco, CA 94116 415-297-3072
Bilingual Art and Mandarin Camps: Kindergarten – 5th grade. Spring Camp from 3/25-3/29, Summer Camp from 6/10-8/2
TechKnowHow
Over 20 Bay Area locations SF: Noe Valley and Sunset District 650-638-0500
A perfect way for students to learn valuable, real-world technology skills through fun and
engaging projects. Week long camps available to students ages 5-15
Destination Science
Multiple Bay Area locations- SF locations: SF State University, Congregation Beth Sholom, and Stratford School. 1-888-909-2822
The Fun Science Day Camp for Curious Kids ages 5-11! Camps run July and August.
Nature Nurture
93 Moraga Ave. San Francisco, CA 94129 415- 751-4000, cell 415-939-8911
Children honoring all living things, including others and themselves, since 2004. Ages 3-6 (campers) and 7-14 (Jr. CAMP Leaders). Runs 6/3/2019 – 8/16/2019
Eddie Soto’s Soccer Academy
Negoesco Field, 2130 Fulton Street San Francisco, CA 94117 415- 422-2909
Soccer Camp for boys ages 6-13, all skill levels welcome. Before and after care is available. Session #1: June 10 – 14 Session #2: June 24 – 28 Session #3: July 15 – 19 Session #4: July 29 – August 2
Ripe Fruit Summer Writing Camps
469 Hill St. San Francisco, CA 94114 415- 337-4369
Session 1: July 8th-12th, Session 2: July 22nd-26th, Session 3: July 29th-Aug 2nd, Session 4: Aug 5th-9th, Middle and High school kids welcome, see site for specific times. Healthy snacks are included for all camps.
Summer Buddies at Sequoia Village Schoolhouse
1438 38th Ave San Francisco, CA 94122 415-463-5472
“We thrive off of collaboration with occupational therapists, speech pathologists and behavior specialists to increase student independence, support language skills.” Dates: June 17-28, July 15-August 9
Katherine Michiels School
1335 Guerrero Street San Francisco 94110. 5- 2 week sessions, June 17 -August 23. (ages 5-11)
Children go in depth into the subjects they love: Spanish Language & Culture, Movie Making, Cardboard Carpentry, & Carnival Camp in a Reggio Emilia inspired program.
Summer Camp Tips From Our Writers:
Don’t over schedule your children, especially if they are super young and this is their first time at camp/ away from you. It’s summer time, and you don’t want your kids exhausted from too many things. Let them be kids and have down time too.
If your child is starting preschool in the fall, do a “little” camp. This will help with the preschool transition and may help with school separation anxiety. That way, if your child freaks out and doesn’t really make it to camp that much, you didn’t waste money on a whole semester.
Try something new. This is a great chance to try something before registering for it for an entire semester. Does your child like dance, basketball, or computers? Who knows? Summer allows you to give it a try. Exposure to different activities allows children to really find what they are interested in.
Take advantage of the area we live in. Maybe your child will want to do coding or circus acrobats? These camps aren’t offered other places in the country like they are here. If you have an older child, camps like these stand out on college applications because they are unique.
If your are trying to get into a particular school, register for their camp. It doesn’t hurt to get your family’s name out there and let the school get to know your child. It can only help!
Don’t just do what your friends are doing. Do what’s best for your child. Use this guide to find something special for your child.
Plan your camps around your vacations. It’s hard to plan in advance, but try to plan what you might be doing this summer from little day trips to maybe some bigger vacations (woo hoo!). You don’t want to pay for camp and then realize your child is going to miss a whole week for your cousin’s wedding on the East Coast.
Location, location, location. Don’t sign up for a camp too far away. Just because this isn’t your child’s every day school, don’t forget you still might find it super inconvenient to drive a long distance every day over the summer to a camp.
Dress your child in T-shirts that can be conversation starters. It’s hard to make new friends in a new environment. Maybe a SF Giants shirt, 49ers shirt, or an Elsa Frozen shirt (you get the idea) will help the kids realize they might like something in common and help them begin to chat.
If you have a child that is just too young for camp make sure and carve out some “summer experiences” just for them so they don’t feel left out seeing their older siblings go to camp.
If your child is independent, don’t be afraid of sleep-away camps. The goal is to raise children who will one day be capable of leaving us, right?
Label EVERYTHING! Here are some of our favorite labels.
Don’t let your child bring their “favorite” anything (water bottle, hat, whatever), even if it’s labeled. Items tend to go to home with the wrong camper and sometimes never make their way back. All kids have different schedules, and you may not see the same kids every day like you do in regular preschool.
Comprehensive Summer Camp List
Acrosports, 6-12yrs
Adventures in Writing Camp, 1st-8th grade
Aim High, middle schoolers
American Gymnastics Club, 4yrs-up
ARTifact, 2.5yrs-12
Asian Arts School, K-5th grade
Azzi USF Basketball, 1st-8th grade
Bricks 4 Kidz, 3-13yrs
California Film Institute, 13-18yrs
Camp Edmo, preK-8th grade
Camp Galileo K-8th grade
Celsius and Beyond, 1st-9th grade
Children’s Day School
Chinese American International
Circus Center, 7-14yrs
City College San Francisco
Coach Rudi Sports Academy, pre-K- up
Convent and Stuart Hall, K-8th grade
Culinary Artistas, 4-9yrs
Destination Art, preschoolers,
Destination Science, 5-11yrs
Eddie Soto Soccer, 6-18yrs
Eureka Valley Arts, all ages
Fusion Academy, Highschoolers
High Five Sports, preK-5th grade
House of Air, 7-12yrs
iD Tech, kids-teens
Jewish Community Center, preschooler-teens
Kittredge School, K- 8th grade
Linda Bulgo’s Musical Productions, 5-12yrs
Little Artistas, 3-10yrs
MV Code Club K-5th grade
Nature Nurture, 3yrs-up
One Martial Arts, 4.5-12yrs
Pacific Rowing Club, 8th grade and up
Paresh Martial Arts, 6yrs-up
Planet Bee Foundation
Renegade Girls Tinkering Club
Ripe Fruit Writing, 6th-11th graders
San Francisco Friends School, K-8th grade
San Francisco Opera Guild, Summer Conservatory, 10-18 yrs, all levels
Seabird Preschool 2-5.5years
SF Art Institute, 13-15 yrs
SF Giants Junior Baseball, 5-18yrs
SF State Community Youth Sail and Paddle Camp, 8-15yrs
Sky Kids, K-8th grade
Steve and Kates, 4-12yrs
Stretch the Imagination, 2-5yrs
TechKnowHow, 5-15yrs
The Bay Club, members only, 2-18yrs
The Butterfly Joint, 4yrs-up
The Creativity Museum, 3-12yrs
The de Young Art Museum, 6-12yrs
The Rabbit Hole, 3-12yrs
The SF Zoo, 4-17yrs
Tom Johnson Golf, 5-15yrs
Tree Frog Treks, pre-K-5th and Teens
Tutu School Ballet Camp, 2-8yrs
uCamps, High schoolers
USF Baseball, 6-13yrs
Youth 49ers, 7-14yrs
Kids Online Interactive Tech-Coding/Gaming/Website/Logic Building Summer Camps…