By Jeannette Boner
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I loved summer camp.
I loved campfires and marsh-mallows—so many marshmallows! I loved endless supplies of fruit punch and gutter sundaes and treasure hunts. I loved rainy days in the art room and quiet times in the woods. I liked early morning swims and wearing the same pair of shorts every single day until my parents picked me up when camp ended.
When I was in college, I loved summer camp, too. I loved working as a camp counselor, roasting marshmallows for campers, mapping out treasure hunts, and reading quietly to kids under the glow of a flashlight. I loved rainy-day snacks and wearing the same pair of shorts every day until it was time to go back to class in the fall.
When I was a kid, I never really thought much about which camp I attended and why. I went to basketball camp because I wanted to be a better player in high school. I went to art camp because I liked paint and clay. I went to computer camp because, well, I think my parents needed to put me somewhere while they worked.
But before you go digging through brochures and cruising the Internet for that perfect summer experience, consider a few key factors that make any camp—whether it’s sports-based, dance-based, or faith-based—a successful experience for you and your camper.
“I think it’s important to consider a lot of different factors,” says Melissa Young, camp program head at Teton Valley Community School. “You need to look at your family’s needs, you need to look at the age of your children, and you need to look at the opportunities that they [don’t] get during the school year.” Parents should consider the camp’s schedule, staff, and the program. But most importantly, parents need to consider just how excited their child is to attend camp day in and day out.
Meet the Staff
“I personally feel that a camp’s number one resource is its staff,” explains Dan Leeming, recruiting agent for Challenger Sports British Soccer Camps (offered in both Jackson and Teton Valley). “Soccer is a religion in the U.K. It’s high-energy. And the love of the camp has to rub off on our players … A big draw for our families is our staff.”
Leeming says parents looking at any type of camp should consider the camp’s staff. Ask about training, experience, and even what the staff members are studying in school. “For example, we’ll spend an entire week training,” Leeming says. Because most are coming from the U.K., the staff receives cultural training about the United States. “The amount of detail for their preparation is a huge financial investment for us. They have to be ready … We value the community and that shows with our staff.”
The American Camp Association rates camp staff among the most important aspects of choosing one. Ruth Isserman, ninety-seven, a camp pioneer and former owner of Camp Chickagami in Michigan, still serves as a strong, vital supporter of the ACA and camp. She explains: “It is the development of a child as a person that is equally as important as academics. It’s the richness of making their own ‘entertainment.’ And the most important skills we contribute [as staff] are listening and observing. We are building better people for a better world.”
So ask: What training does the staff receive? Does the camp require First Aid training? Does the camp conduct background checks on staff? Where do they recruit their staff from? And what is the staff return rate?
It’s always appropriate to meet the men and women who will be working and playing with your camper. Young reminds us that it’s just as important for a parent to feel comfortable with the staff as it is for the child to feel at ease.
Know Before You Go
Young explains that talking to your kids about their camp expectations is a good first step that creates excitement and investment in the program. “It’s really important to talk to your kids before you put [them] into camp,” she says. “If the kid isn’t into it, it’s not going to work. I think investment on the parents’ end is important for a camp experience.” Young explains that if your child is happy and excited to go to camp, that’s the measure of success. Base your camp choice off of whether your kid is happy at the end of the day and ready to go again the next morning. This will help you feel confident about the program.”
Emily Boespflug, camp director for the Center for the Arts summer camp program, agrees. “Take some time to talk to your kids before camp,” she says. “Think less daycare and more learning … The kids that know why they signed up are more into it.” Parents that drop kids off for the day without direction or discussion have a harder time getting into the program. She explains that her program’s mark of a successful week are happy kids who are having fun and learning something new.
“There is a lot of creative expression through the arts, but we always say that expression happens through a safe and supportive environment,” Boespflug says. “We provide a fair amount of outdoor play and invest in the kids first, [with] art being the second important part of the overall program.”
Young reminds us that financial aid programs and grants for summer camps can and should be sought by parents. Simply asking can help camp directors begin the process of working toward a financial aid program.
Parents Weigh In
There are many different reasons that parents choose summer camps. Some belong to clubs and resorts that offer summer camp amenities, others need a daycare option for June, July, and August, while others look to expand and build upon classroom academics. Regardless, summer camp offers a unique experience beyond the books, one that can have lasting and lifelong impacts. Camp plants a seed that gets cultivated through the experience, year after year, into valued character traits.
Teton Valley, Idaho, mom Jen Fisher homeschools her two girls. She explains that summer camp is an important part of their education, teaching social skills as well as expanding their world outside of the home.
“Summer camp is an expanded social circle [for us],” Fisher says. “I think they have gained an appreciation for where they live, too. At camp, they go to Yellowstone, Targhee, Craters of the Moon, or the museum in Idaho Falls. My daughter is engaged in her environment by spending a day at Full Circle Farm … She’s picking up worms and telling me about it.”
For Jackson mom Katharine Confer, summer camp came as a natural extension of her own dynamic experience growing up as a camper. She didn’t question whether her daughter would love a summer camp program.
She simply knew she would. “I grew up going to camp. And my daughter is an independent soul, and she loves camp,” says Confer, who enrolls her seven-year-old in a day camp in Jackson. “I don’t want her to think it’s school … It’s about being outside and being with other kids.”
Confer says she is quick to jump on a camp’s schedule, sometimes calling the camp before the summer programs are released. This helps ensure that her family’s summer schedule can accommodate the camp’s.
Most profound are the relationships that carry over the long winter months and into adulthood. Victor, Idaho, resident Amy Hatch looks forward to the day her daughter, Grace, attends summer camp, just like she did for nine years of her childhood. Hatch recounts her lifelong summer camp friends, one who served as her maid of honor when she was married three years ago.
“The independence that I had [at camp] bred self-confidence and it was a shared experience with the other campers,” Hatch says. “ … My parents nurtured my love of the mountains, but summer camp was also a catalyst: horseback riding, mountain climbing, playing … every day was amazing and fostered a lot of personal growth.” She continues, “Some of my very best friends were from summer camp. My friend grew up in California and I grew up in Colorado, and we spent summer after summer becoming very close friends. Even today, we strive to see each other once a year.”
“It’s definitely something I want for Grace,” Hatch says. “Summer camp—it’s the best.”
A few suggestions:
Teton Science Schools and Teton Valley Community School Summer Adventure Camps
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Offering some of the best adventuring in the Tetons, Teton Science Schools and Teton Valley Community School provide a variety of programs for children of all ages and interests. Whether it’s digging deep in the dirt or wandering high in the hills, their camps promise discovery of the natural world. Their Summer Apprenticeship Program offers leadership development for older campers, too. Don’t forget to ask about scholarships!
Teton Science Schools, 307-733-1313
Teton Valley Community School, 208-787-0445
tetonscience.org
Art Association of Jackson Hole
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Canvas, clay, and creative fun paint the picture of Jackson Hole Center for the Arts summer camps. Hosted by the Art Association, this camp’s palette of programs inspires creativity and promotes fun. Their summer offerings include options for kindergarten through fifth grade, and middle school and high school students. Art camps sharpen your child’s dance skills, help them discover their inner actor or superhero, or teach them the finer points of plein air painting. Need-based scholarships and aftercare available.
Art Association of Jackson Hole, 307-733-6379
signup@artassociation.org
artassociation.org
The Learning Academy of Teton Valley
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The Learning Academy delivers classic summer camp fun centered on weekly themes. Your child will enjoy water-slide play, bike riding, science experiments, hiking and field trips, and even acting on stage! If it rains, the veteran counselors set up shop in the kitchen, teaching essential baking skills. With a creative indoor facility and large outdoor play area, children can dig in the garden, spread out for craft time, or engage in fantasy play on the pirate ship. And their bunnies and turtle soothe any camper separation anxiety.
The Learning Academy, 208-354-7898
thelearningacademy@gmail.com
learningacademyschool.com
Challenger Sports British Soccer Camps
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Kick-start your child’s summer with Challenger Sports British Soccer Camps. The British invasion continues in both Teton Valley and Jackson Hole with camps offering professional skill training from collegiate U.K. soccer players. They offer a “First Kicks” program for ages three and four, and full-day and half-day camps for ages ten to eighteen. Each day includes individual foot skills, technical drills, tactical practices, small-sided games, coached scrimmages, and a daily World Cup tournament. Consider hosting a coach for a discount on camp!
Wyoming: Josh Everest, 720-204-4148
jeverest@challengersports.com
Idaho: Jessica Fritsch, 208-709-6792
Wyoming Camps
Preschool-Age
Pumpkin Patch Preschool Summer Camp
Ages: 3 to 5
Dates and times: June-August, full day (9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.), half-day
(9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.)
Activities: art, dance, cooking, language arts, outdoor play
Contact: jhpumpkinpatch.com / pumpkins@jhpumpkinpatch.com
307-733-1759
Elementary-Age
Axis Gymnastics
Ages: 5 to 11
Dates and times: all summer long, 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Activities: gymnastics, games, outdoor play, field trips
Contact: axisgymnastics.com / info@axisgymnastics.com / 307-732-2947
Camp Invention Colter Elementary
Ages: 1st to 6th grade
Dates and times: June 15-19, 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Activities: marine science, video game design, patents, trademarks and copyright lessons, STEM education
Contact: campinvention.org / 1-800-968-4332
Camp Shooting Star
Ages: 4 to 8
Dates and times: July 6-August 14, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., aftercare available
Activities: swimming, golf, arts and crafts, food fun, team building, science projects, yoga
Contact: kecamps.com/locations/camp-shooting-star / 877-671-2267
Camp Teton Pines
Ages: 4 to 8
Dates and times: July 6-August 14, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., before and aftercare available
Activities: swimming, golf, arts and crafts, food fun, team building, science projects, fly fishing
Contact: kecamps.com/locations/camp-teton-pines / 877-671-2267
First Baptist Church Vacation Bible School
Ages: 3 (potty-trained) to 10
Dates and times: June 22-26, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Activities: crafts, games, science experiments, missions/outreach projects, Bible lessons
Contact: 2015.cokesburyvbs.com/firstbjackson / krista.klemmer@yahoo.com
307-733-3706
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Kids Ranch
Ages: 3 to 11
Dates and times: June 15-August 28, 9:00 a.m-4:00 p.m.
Activities: rock climbing, bungee trampoline, pop-jet fountain, scenic tram rides, hiking, outdoor safety, aerial adventure course, archery
Contact: jacksonhole.com / kidsranch@jacksonhole.com / 307-739-2788
Jackson Hole Children’s Museum Summer Explorers Camp
Ages: entering 1st to entering 5th grade
Dates and times: July 7-21, Tuesday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Activities: science, nature, history, art, field trips and excursions, hands-on exhibits
Contact: jhchildrensmuseum.org / hanneke@jhchildrensmuseum.org
307-733-3996
Moose Corner Day Care
Ages: 5 to 11
Dates and times: summer-long, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Activities: hiking, swimming, outdoor play, nature programs in Grand Teton National Park
Contact: moosecorner@ymail.com / 307-739-1189
Teton County/Jackson Parks & Recreation
Camp Jackson
Ages: 1st to 6th grade
Dates and times: June 15-August 21, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Activities: outdoor play, dance, art, sports, swimming, music, drama, environmental education, culture
Contact: tetonparksandrec.org / jayer@tetonwyo.org / 307-739-9025
Teton County Library Summer Reading Program (Alta Branch)
Ages: 6 to 10
Dates: June 13-August 15
Activities: online and mobile game-based reading, special movies, crafts
Contact: tclib.org/alta / gnotzoldt@tclib.org / 307-353-2505
Teton Literacy Center
Literacy Adventure Camp
Ages: K to 5
Dates and times: June-August, Monday-Thursday, 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Activities: crime-scene investigator camp: solving crimes, emergency situations
Contact: tetonliteracy.org / 307-733-9242
Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church Summer Camp
Ages: pre-K to 11
Dates and times: June 15-19, mornings
Activities: vacation Bible school
Contact: sotmlc.org / sotmlcjackson@gmail.com / 307-733-4382
Middle- and High-School-Age
Exum Mountain Guides
Ages: 11 to 14
Dates and times: July 7, 14, 21, 28; August 4, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Activities: climbing, wilderness skills, nature appreciation, teamwork, rope management, rappelling
Contact: exumguides.com/ublminxportfolios/kids-camp/
exum@exumguides.com / 307-733-2297
GAP! (Girls Actively Participating!) Girls’ Workshop
Ages: 11 to 14
Dates and times: TBA
Activities: yoga, leadership, communication, group challenges, goal setting, games, art, healthy relationship building
Contact: gapjh.org / gapgirljh@gmail.com
Jackson Hole High School Youth Football Camp for Boys
Ages: entering 3rd to 8th grade
Dates and times: June 15-16, 8:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.
Activities: football skills, offense and defense
Contact: James Howell / jhowell@tcsd.org / 307-413-3346
Teton Youth and Family Services
Jackson Hole Leadership Program
Ages: 10 to 16
Dates and times: TBD
Activities: games and team-building initiatives, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, backpacking trips for older campers
Contact: tetonyouthandfamilyservices.org/hirschfield-center/jackson-hole-leadership-program/
leadership@tyfs.org / 307-733-6440
Jackson Hole Music Experience
Ages: 12 and up
Dates and times: TBD
Activities: music instruction, band development
Contact: jhme.org / info@jhme.org
NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) (Teton Valley, ID)
Ages: 14 to 19
Dates: June 17-August 10, eight 28-day courses offered
Activities: backpacking, camping, wilderness survival, team building, rafting, paddling, water rescue
Contact: nols.edu / 800-710-6657
Snake River Fund/ Teton County Parks and Rec
Snake River Days
Ages: 11 to 13
Dates and times: August 17-21, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., with one overnight
Activities: plant and animal watershed exposure via foot, kayak, canoe, raft, and paddleboard (*strong swimming skills encouraged)
Contact: tetonparksandrec.org / margaret.creel@snakeriverfund.org
307-734-6773
SOAR (Dubois, WY)
Ages: 11 to 18
Dates: June 17-August 15, eighteen-day residential camps
Activities: canoeing, horse packing, academic, and environmental education for teens and preteens with learning disabilities and ADHD
Contact: soarnc.org / 307-455-3084
Targhee Music Camp
Ages: 8 and up
Dates and times: August 3-6, all day
Activities: acoustic-based music classes, workshops, jam sessions, and concerts
Contact: targheemusiccamp.com / targheemusiccamp@gmail.com
307-413-1947
Teton Literacy Center Literacy Adventure Camp
Ages: 6th to 8th grade
Dates and times: June-August, Monday-Thursday, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Activities: film camp, archaeology camp, culinary arts camp
Contact: tetonliteracy.org / 307-733-9242
Teton Valley Ranch Camp (Dubois, WY)
Ages: 11 to 16
Dates: June 17-August 16, weeklong residential camp
Activities: horseback riding, fly fishing, lapidary, archery, trail rides, day hikes, and discovery adventures, Teton and Wind River range treks
Contact: tvrcamp.com / mailbag@tvrcamp.org / 307-733-2958
Wilderness Ventures
Ages: 12 to 18
Dates: June 24-August 6, 6 to 21-day wilderness camping trips
Activities: kayaking, whitewater rafting, climbing, zip lining, hiking, backpacking, environmental responsibility, leadership
Contact: wildernessventures.com / 800-533-2281
Multiple Age Groups
Art Association of Jackson Hole Art Camps
Ages: 3 to 18
Dates and times: June 15-August 28, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., aftercare available
Activities: pottery, storytelling, space art, fibers, ceramics, photography, filmmaking, STEAM discovery, plein air drawing and painting, body as a paintbrush
Contact: artassociation.org / emily@artassociation.org / 307-733-6379
Big City Broadway
Ages: 8 to 18
Dates and times: August 10-16, see website for times
Activities: theater education, musical theater, dance, sing, and act with Broadway professionals, celebrate the work of Judy Garland, scholarships available
Contact: bigcitybroadway.org / gina@bigcitybroadway.org / 307-734-9718
Challenger Sports British Soccer Camps
Ages: 3 to 14
Dates and times: June 22-26, hourlong, half-day or full day, depending on age
Activities: soccer skills, drills, coached scrimmages, daily tournaments
Contact: challengersports.com / Josh Everest / jeverest@challengersports.com
720-204-4148
Camp Invention Middle School
Ages: 6th to 8th grade
Dates and times: June 15-19, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Activities: circuitry, energy, bioengineering and economics, create smart gear, program a minibot, prototype lifesaving technology
Contact: campinvention.org / 1-800-968-4332
Dancers’ Workshop Summer Programs
Ages: 18 months to 18 years
Dates and times: June 22-July 31, 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m., depending on the program
Activities: mommy and me, ballet, hip-hop, jazz, pop choreography, modern African, ballet variations, tricks, turns, and leaps, NYC ballet
Contact: dwjh.org / school@dwjh.org / 307-733-6398
Grand Targhee Resort Adventure Summer Camp
Ages: 3 to 12
Dates and times: June 22-August 28, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Activities: swimming, hiking, mountain biking, chairlift rides, nature exploration, arts and crafts, climbing wall, euro bungee, music
Contact: grandtarghee.com / cjacobsen@grandtarghee.com / 1-800-TARGHEE
Green River Outreach for Wilderness Foundation (Boulder, WY)
Ages: 8 to 17
Dates: June 14-August 15, residential, gender-specific 1- to 4-week camps
Activities: archery, backpacking, blacksmithing, camping, canoeing, climbing, horseback riding, hiking, fly fishing, rafting, swimming, arts and crafts, woodshop, ecology
Contact: greenriverfoundation.com / 307-690-2185
Jackson Hole Jewish Community Spirit of the Mountains Summer Camp
Ages: 5 to 12
Dates: July 20-31
Activities: art, hiking, swimming, cooking, leadership lessons, outings
Contact: jhjewishcommunity.org / info@jhjewishcommunity.org / 307-734-1999
Jackson Hole Youth Baseball Summer Camp
Ages: 5 to 12
Dates and times: TBD
Activities: baseball skills and tactics, team building
Contact: jacksonholeyouthbaseball.com / 307-203-2484
Jackson Hole Youth Basketball
Ages: 7 to 12
Dates and times: TBD
Activities: basketball skills and drills
Contact: jhybb.com / Jhybb22@gmail.com
Jackson Hole Youth Soccer
Ages: pre-K to 12th grade
Dates and times: TBD
Activities: soccer skills, scrimmages, games
Contact: jacksonholeyouthsoccer.org / jacksonholeyouthsoccer@gmail.com
307-200-6034
Journeys School Summer Innovation Academy
Ages: 8 to 14
Dates and times: July 13-31, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. or 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
Activities: inventing, engineering, robotics, computer programming, motorized mechanisms, multimedia adventures
Contact: tetonscience.org (field education) / 307-733-1313
Off Square Theatre Summer Camps
Ages: K to 12
Dates: June 15-August 14 (camps run in 1- or 2-week cycles)
Activities: musical theater, storytelling, Shakespeare, theater design, comedy
Contact: offsquare.org / info@offsquare.org / 307-733-3021
Painted Salamander Studio
Ages: 4 to 12
Dates and times: June 15-August 21, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Activities: horseback riding, horse care, barn chores, meditation and stretching, horse-based art projects
Contact: sierra@paintedsalamander.com / 307-413-6258
Presbyterian Church of Jackson Hole
J.O.Y. (Jesus-Oriented Youth) Summer Camp
Ages: 3 to 13
Dates and times: June 15-August 26, 9:00 a.m-3:30 p.m., 8:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Activities: Bible devotion time, outdoor play, community service, hiking, nature studies, field trips, arts and crafts
Contact: pcjh.org / joy@pcjh.org / 307-739-9591
Targhee Music Camp
Ages: 8 and up
Dates and times: August 3-6, all day
Activities: acoustic-based music classes, workshops, jam sessions, and concerts
Contact: targheemusiccamp.com / targheemusiccamp@gmail.com
307-413-1947
Teton County 4-H
Ages: 8 to 18
Dates: ongoing programs that culminate at the Teton County Fair in July
Activities: livestock production, shooting sports, plant and animal science, environment and outdoors, business and citizenship, healthy living, creative arts
Contact: tetonwyo.org/ex4h / kkrinkee@tetonwyo.org / 307-733-3087
Teton County Library Summer Reading Program (Jackson)
Ages: K to 12
Dates: June 13-August 15
Activities: online and mobile game-based reading, movies, crafts, special events
Contact: tclib.org / dgifford@tclib.org / 307-733-2164 ext. 221
Teton Literacy Center
Club Summer
Ages: K to 8
Dates and times: all summer, 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m., following summer school
Activities: sports, music, grossology, archaeology
Contact: tetonliteracy.org / 307-733-9242
Teton Science Schools
Ages: 5 to 18
Dates and times: June 14-August 14, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m., and residential weeklong camps
Activities: hands-on science exploration, hiking, canoeing, camping, water exploration, service projects, wildlife studies, survival skills, nature art, leadership
Contact: tetonscience.org (field education) / 307-733-1313
Wyoming Karate Club
Ages: 4 and up
Dates and times: ongoing karate classes
Activities: karate, stranger danger, bully defense
Contact: WyKarate.com / information@wykarate.com / 307-739-8812
Idaho Camps
Preschool-Age
Preschool Discoveries Day Camp
Ages: 3 to 6
Dates and times: June 1-July 31, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Activities: science, art, drama, storytelling, outdoor adventure
Contact: preschooldiscoveries@gmail.com / 208-351-3847
MD Garden Club
Ages: 4 and under
Dates and times: June 9-August 18, every Tuesday 9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.
Activities: gardening, planting, arts and crafts, pollinator study, beneficial insects
Contact: mdlandscapinginc.com/garden-classes.html
info@mdlandscaping.com / 208-354-8816
Elementary-Age
Linn Canyon Ranch Horse Camps
Ages: Yearling Saddle Club ages 6 to 8, Colts Club ages 9 to 12
Dates and times: Saddle Club: June 15-19, 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., Colts Club: June 22-26, 9:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Activities: horsemanship, trail riding, corral riding, grooming, saddle and tack, horse careers
Contact: linncanyonranch.com / office@linncanyonranch.com / 208-787-5466
MD Garden Club
Ages: 5 to 8
Dates and times: June 9-August 18, every Tuesday 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Activities: gardening, planting, arts and crafts, pollinator study, beneficial insects
Contact: mdlandscapinginc.com/garden-classes.html
info@mdlandscaping.com / 208-354-8816
Teton Arts Council Art Adventures Camp
Ages: 7 to 11
Dates and times: June, July, and August, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Activities: painting, drawing, ceramics, pottery, mosaics, recycled art
Contact: tetonartscouncil.com / info@tetonartscouncil.com
208-354-4ART (4278)
Middle- and High-School-Age
Darby Girls’ Camp (Darby Canyon)
Ages: 12 to 17
Dates: Mid-June through mid-August, 5-day residential camp
Activities: hiking, volleyball, archery, challenge course, crafts, humanitarian activities, faith activities
Contacts: LDS church members, visit camping.lds.org. All other inquiries, contact jopassey@gmail.com
Treasure Mountain Boy Scouts Camp (Teton Canyon)
Ages: registered Boy Scouts ages 11 to 18
Dates: July 6-August 8, one-week residential camp
Activities: canoeing, swimming, hiking, environmental science, forestry, astronomy, outdoor skills, wilderness survival, archery, shooting and gun safety, campfire programs
Contact: grandtetoncouncil.org / dan.deakin@scouting.org
208-233-4600 or 208-406-9745
Targhee Music Camp
Ages: 8 and up
Dates and times: August 3-6, all day
Activities: acoustic-based music classes, workshops, jam sessions, and concerts
Contact: targheemusiccamp.com / targheemusiccamp@gmail.com
307-413-1947
Multiple Age Groups
Building Blocks Summer Day Camp
Ages: 6 weeks to 7 years
Dates and times: summer-long, 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Activities: science, art, sensory activities, water play, soccer skills
Contact: facebook.com/pages/Building-Blocks-Early-Learning-Center/287435521347081?fref=ts
buildingblocks@silverstar.com / 208-354-2610
Challenger Sports British Soccer Camps (Idaho)
Ages: 3 to 14
Dates and times: June 15-19, hourlong, half-day, or full-day sessions, depending on age
Activities: soccer skills, drills, coached scrimmages, daily tournaments
Contact: challengersports.com / Jessica Fritsch, 208-709-6792
Grand Targhee Resort Adventure Summer Camp
Ages: 3 to 12
Dates and times: June 22-August 28, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Activities: swimming, hiking, mountain biking, chairlift rides, nature exploration, arts and crafts, climbing wall, euro bungee, music
Contact: grandtarghee.com / cjacobsen@grandtarghee.com / 1-800-TARGHEE
Learning Academy of Teton Valley
Ages: 3 to 13
Dates and times: June 1-August, 8:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Activities: water play, hiking, biking, arts and crafts, garden activities, field trips
Contact: learningacademyschool.com / thelearningacademy@gmail.com
208-354-7898
Rexburg Children’s Theatre Day Camp
Ages: 8 to 10
Dates and times: June 1-29, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Activities: theater class, singing and dance instruction culminating with two performances of Disney’s Little Mermaid Jr. on June 26 and June 27
Contact: Preregistration begins April 1
rexburgcommunitytheatre.blogspot.com / rctchildrenstheatre@gmail.com
Local Galleria Kids Classes
Ages: 3 to 16
Dates and times: June 8-August 17, 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 10:00 a.m.-
1:00 p.m., or 3:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m., depending on the program
Activities: comedy, costumes, set design, fashion, jewelry making, sidewalk art, spray-paint and airbrush art, individualized art instruction
Contact: tetonvalleylocalart.com / teri@tetonvalleylocalart.com / 208-270-0833
Teton County 4-H
Ages: 8 to 18
Dates and times: ongoing programs that culminate at the Teton County Fair in August
Activities: livestock production, plant and animal science, environment and outdoors, business and citizenship, healthy living, creative arts
Contact: enroll online by May 1 at idaho.4honline.com
teton@uidaho.edu / 208-354-2961
Teton Indoor Sports Academy
Ages: 4 and up
Dates and times: June 9-August 27, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Activities: gymnastics, games, art, dance, yoga, outdoor play
Contact: tetonindoorsportsacademy.com / tisa@silverstar.com / 307-413-6082
Teton Valley Community School
Ages: 24 months to 12 years
Dates and times: June 29-August 14, half-day (8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.),
full day (8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.), aftercare available
Activities: farm and garden, forest and stream exploration, wildlife adventures, naturalist camps, aquatic study, summer apprenticeship
Contact: tetonscience.org/teton-valley-community-school
info@tetonvalleycommunityschool.org / 208-787-0445
Teton Valley Dance Academy
Ages: 3 to 18
Dates: 8-week summer session
Activities: creative dance, ballet point, jazz, modern
Contact: tetonvalleydance.com / margaret@tetonvalleydance.com
307-413-4679
