Sending kids to summer camp is a great way to let them enjoy outdoor activities, sports, artwork, and meet new friends. They can learn valuable life skills like resiliency, teamwork, and leadership, which will help them as they grow up.
The United Kingdom has some of the most natural outdoor landscapes, which makes the summer camps here a great option with their nature-focused locations.
If you’re looking to send your kids to the island country or currently already live in the United Kingdom, these summer camps are worth the money. You’ll find options in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland that boost fun activities like horse riding to water activities and much more.
1. XUK Camps
Xuk Camps offers residential summer camps and day camps throughout England, including places like London and Wiltshire. Registered under OFSTED, XUK Camps is accredited by the British Accreditation Council and offers kids and teenagers a nurturing and fun environment.
Boys and girls ages 3-17 can join one of their many programs, where they can do fun things like football, nature walks, rugby, swimming, performing arts like musical theatre and songwriting, and a lot more. They also offer residential English language lessons for international campers. They offer whole camp events like talent shows, beach parties, disco nights, color war, and festivals.
Founded by two brothers, Nicholas and Richard Bernstein, XUK camp is based on fundamental family values offering a cosy and friendly home-like atmosphere. Their staff team consists of highly qualified teachers, sports instructors, skilled lifeguards, and first-aid experts.
The beautiful idyllic venue offers adventures and lively activities at any of their four main types of camps. No matter what program you decide, campers can expect a memorable time.
2. L&E World Camps
Learn and Experience World Camps and Teen Travel programs provide a cultural learning experience for campers ages 8-17. Kids and teens will get to experience the United Kingdom with friends that come from around the globe.
For their World Camps, students will stay at the prestigious Aysgarth School in North Yorkshire, found in Northern England. The school has all the facilities your kids will need for a joyful summer where activities are abundant and where their self-confidence and independence can grow. The school has a performing arts center, indoor swimming pool, sports pitches and fields, climbing wall, and more. Students will be able to visit iconic landmarks and make the most of the picturesque countryside.
For the teen travel programs, students will visit the cities of London, Cardiff, and Edinburgh through their 14-day experience. There will be fun activities like zip lining and national park visits mixed in between.
International students and their parents can feel secure knowing that the staff from Learn & Experience can come to meet your child at the Manchester/Leeds Airport or the Northallerton Train Station to ensure a safe arrival.
3. Camp Crusoe
Camp Crusoe is an Ofsted registered, family-run American-style residential summer camp for kids ages 8-15, based in the beautiful British countryside. With an emphasis on having fun, fostering team spirit and personal development, Camp Crusoe is the perfect place for children to relax in a friendly environment, making friends away from the online world.
Camp Crusoe is based in a purpose build centre in private woodland outside Thetford, Norfolk. Accommodation is in modern cabins for the authentic summer camp experience and with sole use of the extensive site, campers can play games, enjoy adventurous activities, or relax with new friends.
There is something for every child at Camp Crusoe, with campers spending their time enjoying a whole host of activities such as kayaking, wild swimming, high-ropes, bushcraft, drama, caving, mountain biking, archery, arts and crafts, and much more.
Former Army Officer Jeremy and Summer Camp veteran Jo lead a team of fully trained and vetted staff, including a registered nurse, catering team, and camp counsellors. They have many years of experience looking after children and running residential camps and look forward to welcoming your children to Camp Crusoe.
4. Camp Wilderness
Camp Wilderness has holiday summer camps that give children ages 8-16 an outdoor experience like no other. These excursions can ignite a passion for adventure in any camper and teach them how to navigate through challenges while accompanied by good friends and helpful staff.
Programs occur in multiple locations like Rockingham, Howardian hills, North Yorkshire, Snowdonia, and other parts of the UK, which provide a real wilderness experience.
You’ll find camps for ages 8-12 with their 3-day and 5-day explorer camps. There is also the Mountain Adventure in Snowdonia National Park and Coastal Expert in Pembrokeshire National Park for older campers 12-16, with a couple more options in between.
Outdoor camp activities include canoeing, rock climbing, outdoor cooking, bushcraft classes, and more. There is also a 2-day and 3-day family camp is also open to families. Delicious meals to keep them energized are provided and accommodations in eco pods or indoor bunking are available depending on the camp.
5. Camp Beaumont
Founded in 1980, Camp Beaumont is one of the UK’s leading and experienced summer camp providers for children of 3 to 16 years of age. Their award-winning day camps have 16 fantastic locations across London with affordable rates.
Another great thing about Camp Beaumont is that they have a decent staff-to-camper ratio. Trusted by parents and guardians, this camp offers numerous activities with learning opportunities that your child can’t experience during the summer holidays at home.
With over 40 fun, exciting, and adventurous activities to take part in, Camp Beaumont tries to bring out the best in children. Summer camp activities include karting, horse riding, laser tag, caving, kayaking, team challenges, quad biking, raft building, fencing, and archery.
To make sure children have the best time at camp, they have a team of experienced and friendly workers, counselors, and instructors. Every program at Camp Beaumont is tailor-made depending on age group, with specific activities for every age group to enjoy. In addition to sports and games, DJ and vlogging activities are also included.
6. Soccer Camps International
For more than 20 years, Soccer Camps International has been offering some of the most popular soccer camps in Europe.
In England with Liverpool FC Football Camps UK, Arsenal Football Development and Chelsea FC Foundation Soccer Schools (London), Manchester City Football Performance, and West Ham United Foundation International Soccer Academy.
You can experience these camps in all parts of the country from Manchester to London. Housing, meals, excursions, and more are included in the camp fees. Boys and girls sessions for kids 8 to 17 years old are available, as well as goalkeeper sessions. There are residential and day camp sessions and also English as a Second Language (ESL) options.
Airport transfers are available for all camps if you want to send your child on his own so the camp staff will take care of him/her on arrival and departure at the airport.
7. LSI London Hampstead English
One of the best ways to learn a new language is through immersion. The LSI London Hampstead English for Junior Courses is more than just a few English language lessons. It’s a whole overnight camp experience dedicated to immersing your child in the language, including the culture.
The ESL (English as a second language) program provides classes, lunch, afternoon activities, dinner with the host family, and room and board for the entire stay. Fun camp activities include sports, musicals, shopping trips, and field trips, to name a few. The campers get to enjoy a full immersion trip to Greenwich on Saturdays.
The London summer camp is designed for children ages 6-17 and makes for a great summer school alternative. Most courses include lessons with course materials tailored to your child’s language skill classification from elementary to advanced. Everything from reading, writing, and grammar is covered in the weekly curriculum.
8. Kings Camp at Howell’s School Llandaff
Kings Camp at Howell’s School Llandaff, Cardiff, can give your child a break from continued screen time while providing fun, games, and physical activity. This five-day camp in Wales offers a plethora of activities to move the body and jolt the heart with activities like dodgeball, swimming, soccer, basketball, frisbee, bench ball, and water games.
They teach children ages 5-17 the importance of making connections and teamwork by grouping them with peers of similar abilities and interests. Each week has a series of fun events and games to help them get to know one another, capture the flag, and parachute.
Teenagers can attend the Rookie Academy to build their confidence and leadership abilities. At their sports camps, kids can stay active and use amazing camp facilities under the watchful eye of experienced coaches. At the end of the week, entire families can come and watch the games unfold.
9. Camp Cooper
Situated in Crieff, Scotland, Camp Copper is an international summer camp in the UK where campers from over 35 countries come to visit. Founded and directed by Hiran and Donna, Camp Copper only enrolls 110 campers, so everyone feels special and well attended. Fun activities create an inclusive, super-positive, and fun atmosphere for children.
Color wars, high ropes, camp shows, games, singing, dance, sports competitions, and campfires are all part of Camp Cooper. The overnight camp is about having fun, creating life-long friendships, and developing new life-skills by trying a range of activities in a supportive and nurturing environment.
Each camper gets the opportunity to opt for their own personalized schedule, which is perfect for international students looking for a specific summer program.
Camp Cooper offers an exclusive American-style experience in the United Kingdom, which you won’t find too often in other camps here. The camp teaches kids the skills of creating strong friendships while building confidence, self-esteem, and resilience.
10. Barracudas
Known in the UK for their fun summer camps, Barracudas offers multi-activity day camps that maximize learning and adventure during the summer break for kids to teens. Their Ofsted registered camps are for children between 4 ½ to 14 years of age. With over 25 years of camp running experience, Barracudas has an expert team and staff members to ensure your children are in safe hands.
The registration is simple and straightforward. They offer around 80 daily activities that include various skill-building courses to meet your child’s interest. Barracudas values a child’s personal development by running safe, fun, and high-quality activity camps.
You will need to fill out a basic information form before a child starts camp and convey any particular information to your kid’s group coordinator later on. They have an early year base room set up specifically for the youngest camp members 4-5 years old.
A timetable with lots of fun activity pictures helps them decide what they like to do throughout the day. Barracudas has a fruit shop to encourage healthy eating, numeracy, and independence.
11. Activate Camps
Activate Camps is one of the leading providers of active and inspiring sport-specific and multi-activity childcare camps in the UK for children aged 5-14. There are more than 150 camps operated by Activate Camps every year.
They include multi-activity camps and sports-specific courses such as Netball Fever, Hockey Masterclass, Freestyle Soccer Camps, START! by Nile Wilson Gymnastics, and The Cricket Academy. The majority of their sport-specific camps feature a star visit from a current or former professional player.
The childcare camps offer various other fun activities to meet each child’s needs at the camps. In the past 16 years, more than 135,000 children have attended Easter, summer, and October camps. They actively work to offer the best day camp environment. Activate Camps is also a great place to send your kids over the school holidays.
They are dedicated to the safety of all the campers, staff, and parents. They are Ofsted registered and employ experienced and qualified coaches with knowledge of their chosen sport and childcare. The camps have staff trained by the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management. Activate Camps has also incorporated proactive management for the past three years.
12. Holistic Kidz Camp
Located in five convenient locations in and near Belfast, the Holistic Kidz Camp is an excellent opportunity for nature-loving campers to get outside and explore all the wonderful aspects of the Northern Ireland environment.
The weeklong adventure camps are for children ages 3+ and allow them to be free while learning how to adapt and survive in the wilderness. They can learn and do unique activities like tree swinging, discovering bug hotels, forest walks, and campfires.
They also can frolic and play in all types of weather, including rain and snow, while being watched by camp staff. With appropriate waterproof clothing, snacks, and water, your camper can enjoy a thrilling day in the forest! Holistic Kidz runs programs during the winter and spring semesters as well.