If you’re looking for the top summer camps in Louisiana, this guide is for you. The options are wide-ranging, with everything from sports to STEM and Catholic or Christian options.
There are also language-infused camps to teach your kids French or help them take their soccer or basketball skills to the next level. The Creole State is known for many things including its history and influences from France, Mardi Gras celebrations, and the Blues, but its camps are just as renowned.
Choosing the right camp can lead your child to make lifelong friends and have the best summer of their lives. We include programs for all ages, interests, and budgets.
Best Louisiana Summer Camps
1. Camp Ch-Yo-Ca
Camp Ch-Yo-Ca’s ethos is centered on the kingdom of God and the gospel of Jesus. Since 1967, they’ve been inspiring young people and equipping them with the life skills they need while encouraging them to develop in their own way.
Ch-Yo-Ca offers a selection of different camp types in northeast Louisiana. There’s a day camp for ages 5 to 11, a middle school offering covering 11 to 14, and one for high school students. A sportsman’s overnight camp is also offered for the most active students. The sessions last around a week, and kids can expect a 4 to 1 student-to-teacher ratio.
All but the day camp for the youngest kids includes overnight stays. Your kids can choose from an exciting range of things to do, such as archery, boating, scouting, fishing, wiffle ball, and even Ch-Yo-Ca Ball.
2. Kidcam Camps
Kidcam offers children’s summer day camps in multiple states in the South, from Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, and Louisiana. The company operates more than 20 in Louisiana alone, spread throughout the state.
There’s more than one camp to choose from if you live in or close to New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, or Madisonville. The entire company is accredited by the American Camp Association and has many satisfied parents around the area. Reduced rates apply to siblings, making it more affordable for them to attend together.
Kidcam’s Louisiana camps always aim to offer children 5-13 a range of fun activities. They keep them happily occupied to improve your children’s fitness levels, sharpen their creative skills, and encourage friendship ties. The broad range of indoor and outdoor pursuits varies according to which camp you choose.
3. Camp Fuego
Camp Fuego is also centered on Christ and offers summer camps throughout June and July, with locations in Eunice and Bethany. Students from 6th to 12th grade are accepted, and the experience includes discussion groups involving bible study.
If you want to secure a place for your child, then you need to act fast. Places generally fill up months before the date of each camp. All lodging and meals are included, so once the deposit is paid you can relax, knowing everything is taken care of.
Your child can expect fun events like paint war, shows, team and water activities, and much more. The camp rates are affordable, reflecting the idea that summer camps should be open to everyone. Just as you might expect from a non-profit Christian organization.
4. Camp Istrouma
Camp Istrouma operates Methodist summer camps and retreats. As with other organizations, the camp provides a fun-filled, tech-free experience for every child who attends. Camps are grade-specific, and there are day and overnight programs from grade 1 through to grade 12. Students in 3rd grade and above can stay overnight.
Themes for the overnight camps include ‘Discovering God,’ ‘Pathfinders,’ and ‘Senior Sonrise’ for the oldest children. These are all based in Greenwell Springs, around 10 miles northeast of Baton Rouge. The site covers 167 acres, giving everyone plenty of space, and there’s a swimming pool on site.
Camp Istrouma has a firm focus on enhancing lives through bible study. But it’s also as much about making lifelong friendships and of course having fun. Things your kids can get involved in range from canoeing to Gaga Ball and Capture the Flag.
5. Louisiana 4-H
Louisiana 4-H is based out of Louisiana State University. Long established, this big youth development organization has been running camps for a century in places across the United States. There is certainly a lot of experience behind what they do.
The LSU College of Agriculture is also heavily involved in camp planning and operations. Book your child into a Louisiana 4-H camp, and they can make friends while acquiring new skills. The idea is for kids to choose what they’d like to get involved in so they can pick out a project that interests them.
The choice of themes is interesting. There’s a fashion camp featuring a textiles project, Marsh Maneuvers for discovering the biology and ecology of the Louisiana coastline, a technology camp, and much more. Campers can learn to become self-sufficient and gain a love for the outdoors.
6. Louisiana Children’s Museum
The Louisiana Children’s Museum offers its own summer camp. The museum has an 8.5-acre site in City Park that provides a range of engaging activities for campers.
The summer camp themes at the Louisiana Children’s Museum are varied and interesting. There are art, cooking, music, and even mystery-based programs. At least once a week, they reserve a day to have fun out in the water.
The museum camps are open between 9 am and 3 pm, and additional childcare can be provided before the start times and after the end times. Spaces are snapped up very quickly, so be sure to sign up when booking opens every February if you want your child to attend.
7. Camp Team Sportsplex
If your child is basketball crazy, then surely this is the right camp for them. Run in conjunction with mega-brand Nike, this camp is all about perfecting their skills so they can become an effective attacker, defender, and team player.
The large indoor venue of Team Sportsplex in Baton Rouge is used for these camps, so it doesn’t matter if it’s hot or wet outside. Kids of all skill levels are welcome to sign up for a week of in-depth basketball training.
These programs are very thorough, commencing with an analysis of your child’s footwork skills and fitness. It incorporates practical advice such as the ideal diet to follow when they want to become a successful player. The prospect of winning prizes also keeps campers motivated.
8. Camp Tiger
Camp Tiger is a special needs summer camp for children ages 8 and 15. Local kids in New Orleans and close metropolitan areas are welcome to join.
Every child attending Camp Tiger has two students assigned to them. The camp is run by LSUHSC School of Medicine students in their first year, ably assisted by the next year’s intake. This has been the case since they first opened in 1985.
Eligible kids can attend the camp for free, and each year the camp runs during late May for one week. The LSU School of Medicine tries to maintain a 2:1 staff-to-camper ratio.
9. Ecole Bilingue
Ecole Bilingue harnesses something unique about its home city of New Orleans — the fact that many people speak French as their first language. French immersion camps are therefore the organization’s specialty. This is an exceptional way to ensure your child becomes as fluent in French as possible.
These are not the sole options offered by them. Your child can also sign up for a chess camp during April, May, June, or July. There’s also a reading specialty camp, which is open only to small groups to ensure sufficient individual attention. All the selections run for two weeks.
Every grade group from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade is invited to join. Whichever you need, it’s best to plan ahead, as the application process involves several steps. Camps are of course open to all, regardless of their religion or gender.
10. Camp Abbey
Camp Abbey is based in the Covington region, north of Lake Pontchartrain. This is a Catholic camp that passes on the lessons of the church to its young attendees.
Though the camp follows traditional Catholic teachings, this is a very forward-thinking organization. In fact, Camp Abbey has made something of a comeback, originally operating between 1960 and 2006 before returning to its current form.
You can see some of their posts on social media channels to get a feel for what the camp atmosphere is like. There are separate boys’ and girls’ overnight camps that last a week.
Their on a mission to share the Catholic faith with younger people while giving them the opportunity to find out new things about themselves.
Leave a comment