Summer in the Ozarks: Kids Camp Guide

School’s out for summer and it’s the best time to be a kid—staying up late, hanging out with friends, and spending your days having fun at camp. There are a lot of options for the kind of camp you go to, from being physically active, learning about science, acting in a play, or spending your day with the animals.

There are a variety of camps happening this summer in the Ozarks!

Arts

Springfield Ballet

Springfield Ballet offers in-studio camps and intensives for various age ranges and experience levels, whether just beginning or serious about dancing.

Ozark Dance

Summer Dance Camps are offered for ages 3-5, 6-10, and 12+. Kids have the opportunity to learn ballet or jazz.

Dance Mission

Dance Mission offers some unique combinations with camps for dance and pottery painting (ages 3-6 and 7-11) or dance and gardening (ages 4-7 and 8-13), as well as circus camp (ages 7-9 and 10-14) where they’ll train like an acrobat! 

AR Workshop

Summer Art Camp offers a variety of craft projects for each 4-camp week. Morning sessions are offered Monday through Friday from 9:30 am to 12 pm for ages 7-14.

Village Pottery

If your kids want to learn pottery or painting, check out Village Pottery’s 1-day and 4-day camp options. Pottery Wheel Camp is for ages 6-9 and 10+, while Canvas Painting and Clay Handbuilding is open to all ages.

Springfield Little Theatre

Summer Youth Program at Springfield Little Theatre offers a variety of performing arts camps, whether on-stage or behind the scenes, from beginner to advanced, for ages 4 through high school.

Educational/Science

Cub Creek Science Camp

Campers can learn about animal science, traditional science, adventure, arts and crafts, nature, and a variety of other fun and innovative classes. Sessions are available for ages 7-11 and 12-17.

Discovery Center

Discovery Camp offers a variety of camps like Little NERF Academy, The Art of the Mess, Gamer University, Ted E. Bear’s Vet Clinic, and more for ages 5-14 (age range varies for each camp)

Wonders of Wildlife

EdVenture Camps are a great way for your kids to learn about the great outdoors. Bringing education and adventure together, EdVenture promotes STREAM (science, technology, recreation, engineering, art, and math) for ages 5-6, 6-8, 8-11, 11-13, and 14-18.

Dickerson Park Zoo

Check out the Zoo’s education calendar to find opportunities from ages 2 through 9th grade. Kids will learn about animals and creatures with some classes bringing them into close contact with the animals.

Code Ninjas

Kids have the opportunity to learn about Minecraft coding, content creation, and game design. Available for ages 5-14.

Springfield Public Schools

SPS is offering Explore! with seated (K-8) and virtual (grades 1-12) classes with a wide array of classes.

Other Camps

Springfield-Greene County Park Board

The Springfield-Greene County Park Board offers camps for ages 5-12, 11-14, as well as a K-8 before and after Springfield Public School’s Summer Explore! Program.

Zenith Climbing Center

Your kids could literally be climbing the walls this summer and you won’t mind! Zenith Climbing Center is offering week-long camps for ages 8-12 and 12-17. Rock climbing offers fun new skills and they have 9,000 square feet of climbing area in their state-of-the-art facility.

Ozarks Regional YMCA

The YMCA is offering camps in Springfield, Dallas County, Cassville, Lebanon, Monett, and Ozark. Programs are available starting with Kindergarten and through 8th grade depending on your location.

Springfield Warrior Sports

Does your kid dream of being the next American Ninja Warrior? Not only does Springfield Warrior Sports offer regular classes, but they also offer week-long camps from 9 am-12 pm for kids ages 6-14 years old.

The Ozark Community Center

The OC offers Afternoon Kids Club for K through 6 grades.

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