2018 Summer Camp Guide
Anne Arundel County Recreation & Parks Camps
Fun, learning and excitement all summer long
Find a variety of camp opportunities all over Anne Arundel County for all ages, interests and abilities. Enjoy arts and crafts, nature, sports, music and drama, active games, field trips, special theme days and more.
Choose from Abrakadoodle Art Camps, Adaptive Day Camps, Colonial Adventure Camp, Enrichment Camps, Dance Camps, Imagination Camps, Jug Bay Wetlands Camp, Science & Engineering Camps, Sports Camps, Summer Aquatics Camps, Summer Day Camps, Summer Fun Centers, Teens on the Go and Theatre Performance & Dance Camp.
Parents will appreciate: Match ages, interests, locations and schedules in our Spring & Summer 2018 Guide, now online.
Anne Arundel Recreation & Parks Camps: June 18-Aug. 24
410-222-7300, www.aacounty.org/recparks
Annmarie Garden
Arts meet nature in a unique summer camp experience
Annmarie offers an exciting selection of full- and half-day camps for ages 4 to 18 taught by professional educators and working artists.
Annmarie Garden offers a creative and active summer camp experience for your children. Unleash their imagination and energy in our beautiful galleries and exhibits, classrooms, studios, woods, community garden and sculpture garden. Our camps encourage your children to explore their creativity, discover the natural world, meet new friends, serve their community and learn from working artists. Summers at Annmarie are active, fun and stimulating. Join us this summer as our campers create, discover and grow.
New last year and very popular are: ComiCamp (grades 4-6); Colossal Cardboard Challenge (grades 4-6); Steampunk Art (grades 7-9).
New this year and going fast are: Isms & Ologies: Art & Science Exploration (grades 4-6); Junkyard Band Camp (grades 4-6); Creative Clay Sculpture (grades 7-9).
Parents will appreciate: Integration of art, outdoor play, community service and environmental education along with encouragement to experiment, explore and gain confidence.
Annmarie Garden:
June 18-Aug. 24
Solomons, 410-326-4640, www.annmariegarden.org
Ballet Theatre of Maryland
Young dancers perfect their pirouettes
Experts teach your children (ages 9 and up) the discipline and beauty of dance in a professional but nurturing environment.
Instructors are premier professional dancers with Ballet Theatre of Maryland, most with degrees in dance education from top universities.
Placed by ability and audition, students receive exposure to a wide curriculum including classical ballet, modern, jazz, character dance, Pilates, musical theater and more. Seminars in acting, nutrition, injury prevention added as age-appropriate. All students may join our summer intensive performance August 5.
Parents will appreciate: Camps meet in 6-week, 3-week, 5-day and 3-day sessions at Maryland Hall and our Merritt Annex Studio in Annapolis.
Ballet Theatre of Maryland: June 25-Aug. 4
Annapolis, 410-224-5644, www.balletmaryland.org
Calvert Marine Museum
Build boats, become pirates, stay engaged
Children of all ages can plunge in this summer at the museum’s 5-day camps starting June 18 and continuing through August. Children entering grades 1-3 meet real critters at Critter Camp (July 30-Aug. 3) and Shark Frenzy Camp (July 9-13). Children entering grades 4-6 become Guardians of the Estuary (July 16-20) and paddle, wade, hike and sail local waterways — or unleash their inner adventurous explorer at Juniors Explorers Camp (Aug. 6-10). Middle schoolers entering grades 6-8 hunt local beaches and become Jr. Paleontologists (June 18-22).
For water lovers, the Calvert Marine Museum offers two sessions of our 3-day Build Your Own Coroplast Boat Camp for middle-schoolers. Campers build a boat out of Coroplast to take home and learn important boating safety skills (June 25-27 and August 14-16).
One-day camps are back by popular demand August 13-17. Monday children entering grades 1-3 join the Scallywag Crew, wear pirate garb, eat pirate grub and hunt for buried treasure aboard the Volunteer.
Tuesday, August 14, children entering grades 4-5 experience a day of Everything Otter! Explore adaptations, investigate how otters communicate, and go behind the scenes and watch an otter feeding with our aquarists.
On Wednesday, August 15, children entering grades 1-3 go maritime with What Floats Your Boat? Campers captain their own toy boat; splash, dash and craft their way through an outdoor water play day.
Thursday, August 16 is the Catch of the Bay for children entering grades 4-5. Explore the waterways of local fish species. Visit the J.C. Lore Oyster House, salt marsh and other local sites, practice using dip, seine and cast nets. Learn the Japanese art of gyotaku (fish printing) and create a one-of-a-kind artwork to take home.
On Friday, August 17, children entering grades 6-9 become Junior Paleontologists. Hunt for fossilized shark teeth, whale bones and the shells of ancient creatures, and work with the museum’s paleontologists to uncover the mysteries of the deep.
Parents will appreciate: Inexpensive programs for grades 1-9; snacks provided.
Calvert Marine Museum: Solomons, 410-326-2042, www.calvertmarinemuseum.com
Calvert School of Dance
Dance, dance, dance all summer long
The teachers of Calvert School of Dance have been sharing their love of movement for over 30 years. We know that dance training is an important part of a well-rounded education with benefits reaching out in many different directions.
Our camps include Broadway Babies, a musical theater-style camp for all ages … Turns & Progressions, a camp for intermediate dancers to improve leaps and turns plus contemporary combinations … All-Day Dance Camps (9am-4pm) for learning a variety of styles plus flexibility, strength and core training … Gymnastics Camp, an evening class for all ages and all levels, focusing on improving skills and techniques … Intensive Dance Camps for all levels with master teachers in ballet, tap, jazz, musical theater and contemporary.
Parents will appreciate: Professional training in classical ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop and gymnastics for every skill level. Early drop off available.
Calvert School of Dance: June 18-Aug. 17
4920 Hunting Creek Rd., Huntingtown, 410-535-3320, www.calvertschoolofdance.com
Camp Conowingo
Where G.I.R.L.s (go-getters, innovators, risk-takers, leaders) have fun!
Whether you’re a first-time camper or a veteran seeking new adventures, you’ll find fun, friendship and a lifetime of memories at Girl Scout summer camp.
Located on 600 acres of fields and forest adjacent to the Susquehanna River, Camp Conowingo offers a variety of camp options for all girls including themed specialty activities (Camp CSI, Tribute Training), horseback riding, snorkeling, zip lining, crafts, songs and campfires.
Girl Scout camp features an all-girl, girl-led environment that provides unique leadership opportunities to build skills. Girls become more independent and self-reliant and connect with girls from all over Maryland and counselors from all over the world.
Eight weekly sessions for Brownies (grades 2-3), Juniors (grades 4-5), Cadettes (grades 6-8), Seniors and Ambassadors (grades 9-12). Non-Girl Scouts are welcome! Early registration thru March 15: www.gscm.org.
Parents will appreciate: Transportation is included.
Camp Conowingo: June 18-Aug. 10
Girl Scouts of Central Maryland: 410-358-9711; www.gscm.org
Camp Summit & Specialty Camps
In our nurturing environment, students build self-confidence and get an academic boost for back-to-school success
Summer at Summit offers a nurturing environment where students build self-confidence and get the academic boost they need for back-to-school success. Our popular month-long camp, Camp Summit (July 2-27) offers campers in grades 1-10 the time to learn new skills, make new friends and boost self-confidence.
Academic mornings — covering reading, math and oral/written expression — are balanced with fun-filled afternoons. Campers avoid summer learning loss while making new friends.
August specialty camps offer focused education for grades 1-10 in: EmPOWER (writing skills), Executive Function (organization skills) and Math Boost. Each camp aims to prepare students for a successful school year.
Parents will appreciate: Your children divide their summer days between having fun and developing confidence and skills for back-to-school success; plus small classes with experienced teachers.
Word to the wise: Register today; class sizes are limited.
The Summit School: 664 East Central Ave., Edgewater,
410-798-0005, www.thesummitschool.org
The Clay Bakers
Have a creative, art-filled summer
You’ll have as many art skills as an octopus has arms in The Clay Bakers’ ARTrageous summer camps. Each week, campers try new art medium and exercise creativity and imagination, in fun projects in pottery, painting, glass fusing, clay sculpting, tie dye and mosaics. Projects are planned to help campers be creative and successful so their self-confidence grows in all they do. Reserve your space with online booking at www.theclaybakers.com.
Groups are small and focused on having a good time. Each week of camp has a theme:
Shark Week (ages 6+), June 25-29, 9am-4pm, $340; Mystical and Woodland Creatures (ages 6+), July 9-13, 9am-noon, $215; Fixer Upper (ages 10-14), July 9-13, 1pm-4pm, $215; Sweet Shop (ages 6+), July 23-27, 9am-4pm, $340; Super Heroes (ages 6+), Aug. 6-10, 9am-noon, $215; Passport to the Arts (ages 10-14), Aug. 6-10, 1pm-4pm, $215; Outdoor Adventure (ages 6+), Aug. 20-24, 9am-4pm, $340.
Parents will appreciate: We keep the kids creative and cool.
The Clay Bakers: 151 Main St., Annapolis,
410-990-0244, www.theclaybakers.com
Compass Rose Theater
Take the stage and shine as actor, playwright, producer
Acting Lab at Compass Rose Theater will take your acting talent to the next level. Each week is a new adventure in acting as we explore aspects of theater, ending with a performance for friends and family.
Every day you will build on your acting abilities through monologues, scene study, audition techniques, devised theater, musical theater, movement, improvisation and much more. Make new friends, create exciting theater and have a blast.
Junior Acting Lab, ages 8-11: Monday-Friday, weeks of June 25, July 16 and 30, Aug 20.
Senior Acting Lab, ages 12-17: Monday-Friday, weeks of July 9, 23 and Aug. 13 and 27.
A Play in 2 Days Writing Intensive
A play in 2 days? It’s intense. It’s a little insane. It’s totally happening! In just two days, you’ll go from blank page to first draft. Bring your crazy ideas, your creativity and yourself to our playwriting extravaganza where you’ll shake up old writing habits, embrace the unexpected and leave with a smile, some new friends and a draft of a play. Ages 12+: July 2 & 3 or July 5 & 6.
Put on a Play
A play! An audience! The real thing! In this one-week workshop, you write and perform an original play, collaborating on a script, audition for a role, learn lines, create dynamic characters, rehearse and perform for an audience of family and friends. You’ve learned the basics of acting and theater; now it’s time for the main event. Final performance for friends and family on Friday. Ages 8-17, Aug. 6-10 or Aug. 13-17.
Bring lunch; snack and complimentary water bottle provided.
Parents will appreciate: Compass Rose has moved into a new, fantastic space with spacious classrooms and plenty of on-site parking at our new Forest Drive location. After-care opportunities.
Compass Rose Theater Camps: 1623 Forest Dr., Annapolis, 410-980-5857, www.compassrosetheater.org
Elks Camp Barrett
Helping young people develop and grow by getting outdoors for adventure and fun
Elks Camp Barrett is a traditional summer camp set in a 147-acre campus of rolling hills, streams and hiking paths, with cabins air-conditioned for comfortable sleeping. As well as pool swimming, hiking, archery, arts and crafts, outdoor skills, camp fire and zip-line, campers choose from an array of programs updated each year, such as computer building, drama, kitchen science, herb gardening, metal detecting, yoga and more.
Sessions rotate by week for girls only and boys only, ages 9-13 (or rising 4th-graders) with Sunday afternoon check-in; Friday afternoon pickup.
Parents will appreciate: An American Camp Association accredited camp, operated by the Elks Association of Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia. Campers are sponsored by local Elks Lodges, with all or a portion of the cost covered by that sponsorship. Contact your local Elks Lodge for registration information: www.Mddedcelks.org.
Campers should be worthy and deserving or not otherwise likely to have such an opportunity.
Elks Camp Barrett: June 17-July 27
Annapolis, 410-224-2945, www.elkscampbarrett.org
En-tice-ment Stables Equestrian Camp
All about horses!
In small private groups in a fun family atmosphere, children learn every aspect of horsemanship from riding to the total care of the horse; plus non-equestrian fun.
Summer camps meet June 18-Aug. 10 as five-day skill-level sessions for ages 5-17 (with half days for ages 5-7).
Camps available for Spring break, October break and Thanksgiving, too.
Parents will appreciate: Visit camp Fridays at 3pm to see your kids show off their new skills. Our camps are certified by the State of Maryland.
En-Tice-Ment Stables Equestrian Camp: June 18-Aug. 10
En-Tice-Ment Stables, 4016 Solomons Island Rd., Harwood, 410-798-4980, www.enticementstables.com
Grace Brethren Church Summer Adventures
Know, Grow, Serve and Go!
Choose from three camps based on age and interest, including free weeklong Vacation Bible School. Registration for all camps now open. Register online: www.calvertgrace.org.
Shipwrecked: Rescued by Jesus, June 25-29, 9am-12:30pm, Free; Vacation Bible School teaches kindergarteners to rising 6th-graders how Jesus helps you weather any storm in life.
SOAR Soccer Camp: July 9-13, 5:30-8:30pm: $80. Ages 6-13 — whether you’re new rec-level or an advanced club player — have a great time training with our veteran coaches. Camp meets at Twin Shields Soccer Field.
Performing Arts Camp: Master of the Universe: July 29-August 3, daytime camp with Friday evening performance: $100. Rising 2nd- to 8th-graders combine acting, dance, music and stage movement with Bible study for a week of performance fun.
Parents will appreciate: We combine Christian values with good times.
Grace Brethren Church: Owings, 301-855-2955, www.CalvertGrace.org
Historic St. Mary’s City
Where the past and the present collide
Build it, Wear it, Eat it, Live it! June 25-29. Rising 5th- and 6th-graders dig deep into colonial and native skills, learning about clothing, building, food and games. Expect to get messy while making clay pots, fire starting, cooking over an open flame and much more as you experience what it means to be your own power source.
Archaeology of Food, July 16-20. Rising 7th- and 8th-graders spend a full week as researchers and archaeologists with an opportunity to work with the internationally renowned Field School at an archaeological site and be guided by Historic St. Mary’s City pros through reconstructed historical sites and a state-of-the-art research lab. You’ll screen for artifacts, discover how bones teach us about animal diets and decipher historical recipes for colonial cooking.
Parents will appreciate: The small camp size, allowing for each student to gain confidence, make new friends and have full opportunities for discovery.
Historic St. Mary’s City: $140 per camp
240-895-4990; www.HSMCdigsHistory.org
Jefferson Patterson Park
Dig into history, nature and imagination
In six different camps, ages 5-16 engage in discovery, fun and learning through arts and crafts, games and archaeology experiments. Friendly and experienced staff provide the highest standard of supervision and safety.
Hands on History Camp, June 25-29, 9am-4pm. Rising 4th- and 5th-graders discover how art, science and history help us interpret the past. Each day is a different adventure as you explore and investigate the history and archaeology of Southern Maryland, learn about the daily lives of Native Americans and Colonists who lived here centuries ago.
Archaeology Camp, July 9-13, 9am-4pm. Rising 6th- to 8th-graders spend a week as archaeologists, excavating for artifacts with pros in the field and working with curators and conservators to clean, study and preserve artifacts at the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory.
Native Skills Camp, July 16-20, 9am-4pm. Rising 6th- to 8th-graders make shelters … learn about the tools native people made to use for catching food, from rabbit sticks to bows … build fires and learn about ways to cook, from baking in ashes to making your own oven.
River Life Camp, July 23-27, 9am-3pm. Rising 2nd- and 3rd-graders discover what makes the Patuxent River so special by exploring it from its waters to the forests and meadows that surround it. Learn about natural features and how the environment has shaped the history of the people calling the land home for thousands of years. Prepare to get messy as you explore from the ground up.
JPPM Stewards, It Takes a Village Camp, July 30-August 3, 9am-4pm. Rising 9th- and 10th-graders learn about all the hard work and teamwork it takes to build a village. Campers work together to build wigwam frames, help with the Village garden and select a personal project that will be seen by thousands of visitors each year.
Imagine If Camp, Aug. 6-10, 9am-noon. Rising Ks and 1st-graders imagine what it would be like to try out being someone new each day. Who would you be? A sailor fighting in the War of 1812? A farmer raising animals and tending crops? A pirate exploring the Patuxent River? If you use your imagination, you can even become an animal, like a bald eagle flying high in the sky or a tiny minnow swimming in a stream. Open up your mind and bring your imagination to life. It all begins with the words, Imagine if …
Parents will appreciate: Low prices and exciting activities get kids digging history.
Jefferson Patterson Park: 10515 Mackall Rd., St. Leonard, 410-586-8501, www.jefpat.org/SummerCamp2018.html
Ocean City Recreation & Parks Summer Camps
Summer camp by the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
This summer, Ocean City Recreation and Parks again offers a variety of great camps including arts, sports, science and aquatics. We have day camps running from one to five days. Camps, some co-ed, run from two to seven hours for ages three to 18-plus, June 18-August 23.
Many favorites are back this year: art, baseball, basketball, boogie board, dance, drama, estuary explorers, field hockey, fishing, flag football, golf, Junior Beach Patrol, kayak, lacrosse, Lego, model rockets, robotics, stand-up paddleboard, skateboard, softball, soccer, surfing, tennis and volleyball.
Many camps meet at Northside Park (125th St., Bayside), a 58-acre park with outdoor fields and playground, two piers and a large gym and sports annex.
Parents will appreciate: With the most qualified staff and instructors from the local area, as well as colleges and universities, this is a best bet for OC vacationers looking for fun for the kids.
Register ASAP!
Ocean City Recreation and Parks Summer Camps:
June 18-Aug. 23
410-250-0125, https://camps.oceancitymd.gov
Patuxent River 4-H
Fun, adventure and friendships for a lifetime
Dive into a week of adventure and fun at Patuxent River 4-H’s 134-acre environmental education center. Days are full of include archery, creative games, ropes courses, stream exploration, team building, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) activities and more. Come with a friend or make new friends and create memories that last a lifetime.
Day camp (ages 6-13): June 25-29, 8:30am-4:30pm (check in as early as 7:30am; pick up 4-5pm), $210 (lunch included).
With campfires and evening activities, camp is always s’more fun if you stay overnight. Day campers can give it a try in one-night sleepovers.
Overnight camp (ages 8-15), Aug. 6-10, $315.
Now registering campers!
Parents will appreciate: Everybody — not just 4-H’ers — is welcome.
Patuxent River 4-H: 184505 Queen Anne Rd., Upper Marlboro, 301-312-5292, [email protected]
Planet Hope Land & Sea Camp & Sailing Academy
Take off from the beach and sail away
Learn to sail on the Beach at Herrington Harbour South. Our enthusiastic staff love to teach young people to sail, and they make it a fun and exciting week.
Play beach games, water activities and skill-building challenges as you learn to sail. Beginners welcome, and there is plenty of room for growth for students with prior sailing skills.
Choose your camp by age: Mini-Mariners (ages 5-7); Youth Dinghy Camp (ages 8-15); Cruising Camps (teens).
Our fleet of Topaz sailboats is constantly updated, so you’ll use the best equipment.
Want to keep sailing after camp? Families of campers can buy sailboats at a discounted rate.
Planet Hope Land & Sea Camp & Sailing Academy:
5-day camps meet June 18-Aug. 17. Fees start at $279
411 Deale Rd., Herrington Harbour, 410-867-7177, www.sailingcamp.org.
The Polymath Place
Spark your child’s unquenchable curiosity
The Polymath Place is the summer destination for curious kids to learn and grow into endless possibilities.
With fun discoveries of things new and exciting, each day is a blast in weekly themed camps including art, cooking, games, LEGO robotics, STEM, theater and more.
Half- and full-day plus evening camps June 18-Aug. 31 for preschooler to 6th-graders.
Bring a lunch and learn to make your own snacks.
Parents will appreciate: Kids have so much fun they don’t know they’re learning.
The Polymath Place: 5735-C Deale-Churchton Rd., Deale, 410-867-0100, www.thepolymathplace.com
St. Margaret’s Day School Camp
Fun and exploration!
Theme-based, hands-on, exploratory, STEM-integrated camp for children ages 2-9 with new activities each week and culminating activities at the end of each theme.
Our new engaging science and math curriculums will have campers excited to learn about space and rockets. We also have games and outdoor play daily.
Four weekly sessions are also available as half-days for preschoolers. Sign up for one week of a theme — or multiple.
Parents will appreciate: Campers are grouped by age with one counselor for every five kids to make sure everyone is having fun and staying safe. Easy online signup available.
St. Margaret’s Day School Camp: June 12-Aug. 11
1605 Pleasant Plains Rd., Annapolis, 410-757-2333, www.stmargaretsdayschool.org