While it may be hard to think about the end of the school year before spring arrives, summer break is right around the corner.
The Indianapolis Public Schools will host a summer activities resource fair on Saturday, March 9 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Arsenal Tech High School. Families can come and explore different summer opportunities for little children and job opportunities for teens.
If you prefer to do your research online, here is a look at some summer camp options for kids in the central Indiana area. f you’re searching for ways to amuse your children once school lets out.
Camps with multiple locations
Indy Parks Camps
Parks around the city offer summer options for children of all ages. The weeklong camps focus on a range of topics, from trail stomping to mural painting to theatre to good old-fashioned summer camp.
YMCA Summer Day Camps
The YMCA of Greater Indianapolis has 14 summer day camp locations across central Indiana. These camps include traditional camp or Discovery camp, held at schools or churches across the city for kids to participate in STEAM activities.
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Downtown camps
Girls Rock! Indy
Girls Rock is a day camp for girls, non-binary and trans youth ages 9-16. Campers attend a week-long crash course in instrument instruction, songwriting, and musical collaboration as well as interactive workshops and lessons focused on building confidence, personal empowerment, and leadership skills through the lens of music education. The camp culminates in a Saturday showcase.
The camp has two weeklong options in July and applications close on March 18.
Indiana Repertory Theatre Camp
The IRT offers sessions for students ages 8-15, as well as mini camps for students ages 5-7. The IRT also offers half-day or full-day workshops for high school students.
Indiana State Museum Camps
While some of these popular camps have already sold out, the museum still has openings for some of its weeklong programs, which focus on topics ranging from time travel to 3-D art to animals and more.
IUPUI Jaguar summer day camps
IUPUI offers day camp options for kids ages 5-12 that let kids explore activities like sports, non-competitive games and other activities involving movement along with swim lessons.
Indianapolis Zoo summer camp
The Indianapolis Zoo offers three and five-day camps for kids ages 5-14. Kids will learn about wild animals and what it takes to have a career in conservation. Prices vary for members and nonmembers.
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Northside and Hamilton County Camps
Arts for Lawrence, Summer Art Camp
Arts for Lawrence runs four weeks of day camps for kids ages 6-12. Each day, kids will get to participate in visual arts classes, including painting and pottery as well as performing arts classes in the afternoon.
Butler University Summer Arts Camps
Butler University has a variety of day camps for ages 7-18 and even some 18 and older camps for adults. Most of the camps focus on performing arts like music, theatre or dance with half or full-day options.
Butler University Soccer Camps
Butler University offers day soccer camps for kids aged 8-14 of various ability levels. Some of the weeks are already sold out but there are spaces available for the co-ed sessions.
Hamilton County Parks
Hamilton County Parks offers day camps, some with overnight stays for kids ages 6 – 13. Kids can enjoy outdoor activities, such as fishing, aerial adventures, archery and canoeing as part of the Strawtown Koteewi camp. Registration begins March 16 at 10 a.m.
JCC Indianapolis Day Camps
The JCC Indianapolis has day camps for kids in grades K-9 and a counselor-in-training program for 10th graders. Camp days last from around 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and kids do activities like games, nature studies, arts and crafts and swimming. Non-JCC members can participate in the camps.
Indy Hoops Academy
The Indy Hoops Academy, located in Fishers has half-or full-day camps for kids in grades K-8. Kids participate in sports like basketball, soccer, flag football, whiffle ball, kickball, dodgeball and other physical activities.
Park Tudor Summer Experience
Park Tudor, a private school on the north side of Indianapolis, offers summer camp options for preschoolers all the way up to high schoolers. The programs offered range from arts and crafts, sports, performing arts, and various other subjects.
White Pine Wilderness Academy
The White Pine Wilderness Academy offers day camp options for two weeks in the summer where kids ages 4-17 can experience activities like fire-making, wood splitting, plant ID, foraging, crafting, scouting, tracking, and storytelling.
Is there a summer camp in central Indiana that we forgot to add? Let us know by emailing cbeck@gannett.com.
Contact IndyStar reporter Caroline Beck at 317-618-5807 or CBeck@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @CarolineB_Indy.
Caroline’s reporting is made possible by Report for America and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Report for America is a program of The GroundTruth Project, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening local newsrooms. Report for America provides funding for up to half of the reporter’s salary during their time with us, and IndyStar is fundraising the remainder. To learn more about how you can support IndyStar’s partnership with Report for America and to make a donation, visit indystar.com/RFA.
