The weather is warming up and summer is on our mind! Things are slowly returning to normal and that includes wondering how to keep the kids occupied during summer break. Thankfully, throughout Thurston County there are a variety of fun summer camps that will teach your child new skills, get them moving and maybe even help them meet new friends. Due to COVID, most camps have fewer spots so plan early and reserve as soon as possible. Here are the 2021 summer camps in Thurston County.
Tumwater Football Youth Camp
The 32nd Tumwater T-Birds Football Camp is happening again this July. Incoming 2nd through 8th graders can attend this two-day football camp featuring the Wing-T offence and GATA defense. For more details and to register, visit the Tumwater Football website.
Nisqually Reach Nature Center Summer Camps
If your kid needs to be outside more, or loves the ocean, this is their camp. The Nisqually Reach Nature Center is offering their Classic Beach Camp for students 7-12 years old. Campers will get exposed to basic science concepts by way of activities and educational games on the beach. They will learn about beach etiquette, recording data, identifying plants and animals, and more. And of course, there will be free time and plenty of fun because this is camp after all!
Due to COVID, there have been some changes to their normal summer camp offerings, including limited enrollment of just 12 students per camp. Students and staff will be required to wear masks the entire time and the camps will take place outside. The Citizen Science Academy and Emerging Ecologists camps for older students have been cancelled for 2021. Thanks to generous donors they have need-based financial aid available. For more information, visit the Nisqually Reach Nature Center website.
South Sound YMCA Summer Camps
Your child can spend the summer with the South Sound YMCA! Their summer camps are for incoming 1st through 6th graders and offer all kinds of fun. Kids can play games and sports, make art and crafts, or tell a story! Outdoor adventures happen too.
This year, YMCA summer camp is happening at five locations: Centennial Elementary, Chambers Prairie Elementary. Hansen Elementary, Roosevelt Elementary, and Tumwater Hill Elementary. Locations are subject to change. Camps will be in small groups with social distancing measures in place. Financial assistance is available. For more information, visit the South Sound YMCA website.
Wa-Ya Outdoor Institute
Kids 6 to 13 can spend the summer outdoors with Wa-Ya Outdoor Institute’s Summer Camps. Besides having a ton of fun, your child can learn science and other fun outdoor education skills like how to rock climb, outdoor survival, biology, kayaking, and more, depending on which camp you choose. To learn more, visit the Wa-YA Outdoor Institute website.
Olympia Community School Outdoor Summer Camp
Olympia Community School Is offering a wide range of week-long summer camps that will keep your child occupied and learning this summer. Each week will have a theme and will incorporate lessons about nature, spend time gardening, provide art projects, dancing, music, Spanish, creative movement. They will be building things, and there will be lots of outdoor play woven into days spent among friends. For more information or to sign up, email maddie@olyedu.org.
Olympia Family Theater Summer Camp
If your child is into acting, check out the Olympia Family Theater’s summer camps! They have morning camps for ages 7-10 and afternoon camps for ages 10-14 (with the exception of a few mornings that are for ages 6-10). Each week there are different camps to choose from, depending on your child’s interest. From the wizarding world and Shel Silverstein poetry to comedy and theatrical arts, crafts and design, there is something for your young thespian.
There will be no performance this year, due to COVID. All camps will take place in the theater and only staff and children will be allowed. Masks and social distancing will apply. For more information and to register, visit the Olympia Family Theater website.
Empowerment 4 Girls Summer Camp
If your daughter is looking to engage with other girls this summer, check out the two camps Empowerment 4 Girls is offering. Designed for 9- to 16-year-old girls, these camps will teach your daughter about body image, biology of the body (including consent and boundaries, gender identity, puberty changes, etc.), social media safety, self-confidence, life skills, self-discovery and more. Each camp will have plenty of activities including art, yoga, breathing exercises, guest presenters, community building, dance and more. Full and partial scholarships are available. For more information and to register, visit the Empowerment 4 Girls website.
90TEN Training Academy
Have a sports-crazy kid at home? Or maybe one you would like to get into sports? The 90TEN Training Academy will be holding a summer camp in August for kindergarten through 8th grade. More details are to come, so check the 90TEN Training Academy website.
Creative Theatre Experience Summer Camp
For kids into acting, Creative Theatre Experience (CTE) is having a four-week program for 1st through 12th graders. The program will focus on fun and creative workshops in theatre, dance, art, technical theatre and music. The end of the season will culminate in small, age appropriate, virtual performances.
CTE will be following all state health and safety protocols and working with public health to keep students and staff as safe as possible, while having fun and sharing their love of theater. For more information and to register, visit the Creative Theatre Experience website.
Olympia Area Rowing Summer Camps
Olympia Area Rowing is offering two-week camps in June, July, and August for youth in high school and middle school (incoming 7th and 8th graders). Working in small camps of five to seven athletes, participants will develop rowing skills, explore balance, focus on safety, and learn to put all the parts together as they discover rowing.
Rowing is a great sport for social distancing and these camps will be taught in single boats. For more information and to register, visit the Olympia Area Rowing website.
Estuary Explorers Summer Camp
These estuary focused science camps from the Puget Sound Estuarium are available for Kindergarten through eighth grade students and include a myriad of hands-on plant and animal investigations. Kids will investigate the plants and animals living in Puget Sound while learning how to become a steward of the environment. They have different programs each day including touch tank, live feeding, explore a beach, shark dissection and explore a preserve. For more information and to register, visit the Puget Sound Estuarium website.
Olympia Parks, Arts and Recreation
Olympia Parks, Arts and Recreation offers a variety of fun, safe and affordable camps for youth and teens. Whether your camper is outdoorsy and adventurous, artistic, or into science and engineering, there’s a camp for every kid. Payment plans and scholarships are available and there’s an active waitlist if your preferred camp is full. To learn more and to register, visit the Olympia Parks, Arts and Recreation website.
