Some families will take these months to embark on family adventures to far off destinations in foreign countries. Others will head into the wilderness for weekends of camping and others will enjoy stay-cations and explore all there is to offer in their own town. However you spend your summer vacation, these few months of fun create memories that are cherished by the whole family.

If you’re a parent with a busy schedule and have a hard time finding the time to fill your kids’ free time with activities and fun, why not send them to a summer camp? Sports camps, arts camps, educational camps, there’s a summer camp for every child! Below are a few summer camps within Canada worth checking out.

Summer Camps in British Columbia

Camp Summit

Located in Squamish, the outdoor recreation capital of Canada, Camp Summit offers a summer camp experience for campers from across Canada and around the globe. The camp is open to campers from age 4 to 17 who can tailor the length of their camp stay to suit their summer vacation schedule. Because of the camp’s location in the heart of nature, it’s no surprise that campers are encouraged to unplug, enjoy the activities that are offered and create new friendships. There are a variety of activities available at Camp Summit and many take place both on and off the camp property and even some backcountry camping trips. Backcountry camping trips include Elfin Lake, Joffre Lake and Garibaldi Lake. There is also a 5-day Powel River canoe trip for the older campers as well as a 6-day hiking/camping trip along the Juan de Fuca trial.

Activities offered at Camp Summit include:

  • Archery
  • Arts & Crafts
  • Bouldering
  • Outdoor living skills
  • Climbing
  • Eco-centre Activities
  • Field Games & Sports
  • Canoeing
  • Local day hikes
  • Off-site climbing
  • Off-site biking
  • Geocaching at Alice Lake
  • Anderson Beach
  • Mountian biking
  • Geocaching
  • Guitar
  • High ropes
  • Low ropes
  • Orienteering
  • Team initiatives
  • Drama

Kawkawa Camp

Summer camp at Kawkawa Camp isn’t just for the kids. You can organize camps for your entire family and adults too. The camp is situated on the shores of Kawkawa Lake which is about 2.5km east of Hope. The camp offers multiple activities throughout the summer camp programs and even offers programs for schools who wish to come with their outdoor education classes.

Activities offered at Kawkawa Camp include:

  • Kayaking
  • Canoeing
  • Swimming
  • Water toys
  • Surf bikes
  • Archery
  • Riflery
  • Bouldery
  • Gaga Ball
  • Frisbee Golf
  • Hiking
  • Stargazing
  • Birdwatching
  • Trees & vegetation

Camp Qwanoes

If you love the water then Camp Qwanoes is for you. Located in Crofton, British Columbia, the camp is situated on the shore of Qwanoes Beach and water sports activities are abundant. If you’re not a fan of the water, no sweat, there are many other activities to check out on land as well. Leave camp with new friendships, memories and new skills.

Activities offered at Camp Qwanoes include:

  • The Rocket
  • Waterskiing
  • Kneeboarding
  • Double Biscuit
  • Aqua-park
  • The blob
  • Water smorg
  • Swimming
  • Tubes
  • Fishing
  • Iceberg
  • Canoeing
  • Ocean kayak frenzies
  • Aqua-log
  • Aqua-jumps
  • Mini-blob
  • Slidewalks
  • Aqua-deck
  • Sailing
  • Wakeboarding
  • Rockin’ roll
  • Water totter
  • Saturn
  • Wakeskating
  • Aqua-slide
  • Super totter
  • Super slide
  • Beach discovery
  • Climbing tower
  • Screamer
  • Low ropes course
  • Breathtaker
  • Power pole
  • Multi-vine
  • Burma bridge
  • Cat-walk
  • Painters’ planks
  • Initiative wall
  • The plunger
  • Burma loops
  • Skyscraper
  • Elevator
  • Wishbone walkway
  • Captain-o screamer
  • Trapeze jump
  • Guitar instruction
  • Artrageous crafts
  • Starwood-DJ: grok
  • Starwood: DV
  • Turn your world around
  • Sand Volleyball
  • Trampoline
  • Hot tub
  • Archery
  • Ping pong
  • Playground
  • Hiking
  • Field sports
  • Street hockey
  • Basketball
  • Carpetball hut
  • Skateboarding
  • Mountain boarding
  • Mountain biking
  • Mountain biking terrain park
  • Club coco
  • Indoor skate park
  • Drama

Summer Camps in Alberta

Alberta Pioneer Camp

With two camp locations nearby the Edmonton area, Alberta Pioneer Camp is close to home and a summer fun opportunity waiting to happen. There are multiple summer camp programs to choose from so you can find the perfect match for your child. Whether you’ve got a little one or a junior, there are tailored programs to ensure everyone has a blast.

Activities offered at Alberta Pioneer Camp include:

  • Archery
  • Bareback horseback riding
  • Campfires
  • Canoeing
  • Crafts
  • Hayrides
  • Outdoor camping skills
  • Pony rides
  • Sport climbing
  • sports
  • swimming
  • wide games
  • Out-trips
  • Rock climbing
  • Rodeos
  • Hiking
  • Horseback riding
  • Horse care
  • Orienteering

Camp Evergreen

Open year round, Camp Evergreen offer a variety of summer camp programs for kids of all ages. The camp is located 14km south of Sundre, Alberta and is situated on 480 acres of forest terrain. Activities at the camp are designed to be fun and educational so your kids can have a great time all summer long and continue learning.

Activities offered at Camp Evergreen include:

  • Zipline
  • Vertical playground
  • Rickety bridge & the grapevines
  • Balance beam
  • Leap of faith
  • Low ropes course
  • Crafts
  • Horse care
  • Pony rides
  • Archery
  • Canoeing
  • Hiking
  • Sport climbing
  • Sports & games
  • Team building
  • Special programs
  • Yodel ‘n’ hum
  • Blue cows
  • Orange ‘yak’
  • Adventure programming
  • artrageous
  • Climbing
  • Engineering
  • Horsemanship
  • Marksmanship
  • Paintball
  • Survival skills
  • Trail rides
  • Wagon rides

Summer Camps in Ontario

Camp Kandalore

Located approximately 2.5 hours from Toronto, Camp Kandalore is a coeducational summer camp with a focus on the development of traditional camping skills. The camp is open to boys and girls from the ages 6 to 17 years old from anywhere in the world.

Activities offered at Camp Kandalore include:

  • Archery
  • Kayaking
  • Snorkeling
  • Water Trampoline
  • Drama
  • Arts & Crafts
  • Pottery
  • Stand Up Paddleboarding
  • Waterslide
  • Rock Climbing
  • Climbing Wall
  • Sailing
  • Windsurfing
  • Wood Working
  • 65 Foot Challenge Swim
  • Nature/Ecology
  • K2
  • High Ropes Challenge Course
  • Basketball
  • Field Sports
  • Mountain Biking
  • Waterskiing
  • Swimming
  • Canoeing
  • Log Rolling
  • Cros Bow

Onondaga Camp

Onondaga Camp is located on the shore of Middle Bob Lake which is near Minden, Ontario. The camp is focused on offering a Canadian outdoor experience to campers aged 6 to 17, boys and girls. All campers can work towards receiving their three certifications for each activity. Some activities such as swimming, canoeing, waterskiing and wakeboarding have provincial certifications available so campers can work hard to earn these if they wish.

Activities offered at Onondaga Camp include:

  • Archery
  • Arts & Crafts
  • Ball Hockey
  • Basketball
  • Canoeing
  • Canoe Tripping
  • 70 Foot Challenge Swing
  • Climbing Wall
  • Crossbow
  • Windsurf
  • Dance
  • Drama
  • Ecology
  • Flying Fox
  • Golf (range)
  • High Ropes Course
  • Horseback Riding
  • Kayaking
  • Leather Craft
  • Wood Working
  • Mountain Biking
  • Pottery
  • Sailing
  • Skateboarding
  • Soccer
  • Swimming
  • Tennis
  • Wakeboarding
  • Water Trampoline

Camp Walden

About 3.5 hours east of Toronto is Camp Walden stretching out over 750 acres of the beautiful Canadian wilderness. The camp has a back to basics approach which eliminates all screens, phones and internet so that the campers can connect with nature. Campers participate in a variety of activities each day for one hour periods and get to choose to participate in an activity of their choice for the final hour.

Activities offered at Camp Walden include:

  • Swimming
  • Waterskiing
  • Wakeboarding
  • Canoeing
  • Kayaking
  • Arts & crafts
  • Jewellery
  • Music Theatre
  • Fitness
  • Sailing
  • Inflatables
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • Soccer
  • Climbing Wall
  • Low Ropes
  • Zip line
  • Green zone
  • Tennis
  • Football Archery
  • Floor/roller hockey
  • Volleyball
  • Ceramics
  • Campcraft
  • Fishing
  • Canoe trippin

Summer Camps in Quebec

Le Ranch Massawippi

Located in Quebec is Le Ranch Massawippi summer camp, a camp designed for French speakers or for those who want to learn to speak French. Being located on a ranch, this camp also a camp for horse lovers as many of the camp activities include horses and other farm animals. There are two options for this camp and although horseback riding is a large aspect of the camp, there are other activities available as well. For those new to riding horses, there are horseback riding lessons incorporated into the camp program too.

Activities offered at Le Ranch Massawippi:

  • Equestrian facilities
  • Riding lessons
  • Equine techniques
  • Horse competitions & equestrian games
  • Care of farm animals
  • canoeing
  • Logo boat
  • Rafting
  • Swimming Pool
  • Pedalo
  • Up the River
  • Lance-allo
  • Air Games
  • Zip Line
  • Rock Climbing
  • Tele-fun
  • Tele-pont
  • Clay Pit
  • Fort Chepakee
  • Boat
  • Jalopy Hill
  • BMX trail biking
  • Themed days
  • Adventure trails
  • Tennis
  • Musical Trailer
  • Campfire
  • Indian Tipi
  • Bow Shooting

While there are many summer camps across Canada, these are a few to get your summer plans rolling. Most summer camps offer a variety of activities so every child can find an activity they love or discover a new one. Within Canada, there are also a variety of summer camps with different focuses. For those looking for summer camps with a specific theme or focus, there are camps for drama, art, dance and even science and entrepreneurship.

Before you send your child off to summer camp this summer, ensure that they have packed all of the summer camp essentials so you can be sure that they will have a great time.