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Best Summer Camps In Detroit For 2024

detroit camps

Detroit is a beautiful city located in the country’s heartland, filled with some of the best family-friendly locales and activities. It’s one of the most popular destinations in Michigan for family fun, with plenty of natural outdoor beauty, amusement parks, museums, and parks.

The city is a phenomenal place for a child to spend the summer making lifelong memories. Detroit summer camps offer an excellent chance for children to see everything that “Motor City” has to offer.

Top 5 Detroit Summer Camps

1. Childtime Learning Centers Camp Curiosity

Childtime Learning Centers offers summer learning with Camp Curiosity for kids as young as preschool and up. There are multiple Childtime Learning Centers around the greater Detroit area, including two locations within the city proper. Camp includes a full day of adventures, including healthy lunches and snacks to fuel learning all day long! 

Students in preschool and pre-K can experience special experiences with themes like Down on the Farm, Science Squad, and Kindergarten Cadets. Preschool camps include special hands-on activities, guest visitors, and interesting projects to learn about the camp’s themes. Older students ages five and up can participate in one or two-week themed camps with scientific and educational themes.

2. Summer Impressions Day Camp

Summer Impressions Day Camp, located just outside of Detroit in Southfield, MI, has a variety of programs for kids to spend the summer learning, playing, and growing. The Breaking Away program is provided for children 2-3 years old, a simple half-day program for young ones to try out their first camp experience. Older children 3+ can come to Cool Kids Camp, where they participate in arts and crafts, rock climbing, and swimming. 

Rising kindergarteners get to participate in the Awesome Adventures Camp. In addition to the other activities, they can join drama classes, do hands-on science experiments, and play team sports like tennis and volleyball. The Energetic Explorers Camp is for children 6-10. Here the campers get to have a hand in designing their camp experience in tandem with their friends and counselors for the week. 

Campers learn about wildlife and nature while participating in fun summer thrills, like miniature golf, field hockey, and tetherball. They’re sure to get a considerable amount of physical activity and learning experience while enjoying the school break with their friends. 

3. Ann Arbor Summer Day Camps

The City of Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation Department provides a variety of incredible programs. The Gallup River Camp is for 2nd-5th graders and the Argo River Camp for 6th-8th graders. Camp programming includes things like fishing, kayaking, paddle boating, and tubing, as well as other exciting group games like disc golf and geocaching in the park’s wooded spaces. 

Those interested in spending time on the green can participate in the Junior Golf Camp at Huron Hills, where kids ages 8-15 learn about the fundamentals of golfing. This partial day camp features two hours of golf instruction each day. It includes a range card and a free round of golf at the Huron Hills Golf Club to try out their new skills.

Young swimmers can come to the Buhr Park Pool, where they spend the week learning how to swim, playing with their friends, and participating in fun activities based on the week’s wacky theme. 

4. YMCA Metro Detroit Day Camps

The YMCA of the Metro Detroit area offers summer day camps at its many locations around the Detroit area, so there is sure to be a location convenient for your family. Each week offers a different theme, so kids can spend the whole summer at the YMCA and never have the same week twice. Themes include unique ones like Wizard Week, Amazing Animals, Superhero Week, and the Y-Lympics. 

The camp includes traditional pursuits, like outdoor games, team sports, arts and crafts, and swimming in the pool. However, children also get a chance to have invaluable small group academic learning in subjects like financial literacy, STEM, reading, and the humanities. Each week students take field trips that help them learn and pertain to the week’s themes and activities. 

5. Detroit City Camp

In Farmington Hills, Michigan, City Camp offers various programs with different themes, including Simply Sports, Putting on a Show, and The Great Outdoors. The program focuses on youth leadership and development, including social and emotional growth and educational experiences. 

Campers spend their week participating in things like science experiments, dance, arts and crafts, martial arts, team sports, and musical theater. Programming also includes academic support to ensure your child doesn’t forget any of their academic skills while still having the time of their lives. Children go on exciting field trips, like canoeing, visiting museums, and other educational excursions. 

If you’re looking for a state-wide guide, see this Michigan summer camps guide.