Summer Camp Activities For Every Age Group
When summer hits, parks departments, community centers, and youth organizations swing into high gear. But even the busiest camp coordinators are always on the lookout for fresh summer camp ideas to keep kids engaged, active, and off their screens.
Whether you're already knee-deep in your summer programming or planning ahead for next year, here are some easy-to-execute, age-appropriate summer camp activities to keep campers entertained and coming back.
Summer Camp Activities for 3-5 Year Olds
At this age, it’s all about keeping things simple, safe, and hands-on. If it involves splashing, squishing, or pretending, you’re in good shape. Kids in this group don’t need anything too fancy, so long as it’s engaging.
Here are some ideas:
Sensory Walks: Lay out a path with different textures — grass, sand, water mats, rubber tiles. Let them walk barefoot (if safe) and talk about how each one feels. It’s calming and a nice, slow-paced way to start the day.
Bubble Painting: Mix washable paint with bubble solution and let kids blow bubbles onto paper. The burst patterns create colorful designs, and the process is just as fun as the result.
Parachute Play: It doesn’t have to be complicated. Up-and-down games, hiding underneath, or bouncing soft balls on top will have them laughing in minutes. They never get tired of it.
Animal Moves: Call out animals — such as frogs, bears, and snakes — and have them act them out across a field or open space. It burns energy and builds coordination without needing equipment.
Read & Recreate: Read a short picture book and then let them act out the story with simple props or costumes.
Summer Camp Activities for 6-8 Year Olds
These kids are still young enough to enjoy silliness, but old enough to follow a few rules. Keep the activities short, slightly structured, and competitive enough to keep them engaged.
Backyard Olympics: Think sack races, hula hoop contests, bean bag tosses, and other fast-paced stations with friendly cheering. Keep score if you want, but it’s really about the movement.
Craft & Swap: Let kids make simple friendship bracelets, bookmarks, or painted rocks. Then set up a “trade station” so they can swap their creations with others. It teaches sharing and makes craft time feel like an event.
Water Relay: Buckets, sponges, and a finish line — done. Kids soak the sponge, run, and squeeze it into another bucket. The first team to fill theirs wins.
Build a Fort: Provide blankets, cardboard boxes, clothespins, and let groups build forts under trees or in the gym. They’ll get creative fast, and it’s a nice way to encourage teamwork without forcing it.
Mystery Bag Skits: Give teams a bag containing three random items (such as a spoon, a cape, and a rubber chicken) and ten minutes to create a skit. Then let them perform. It’s goofy, but perfect for this age.
Summer Camp Activities for 8-12 Year Olds
This group wants a little more independence — and a little more challenge. They’re starting to find their voices, so give them room to be creative, goofy, or competitive on their terms.
No-Bake Snack-Off: Provide basic ingredients like granola, fruit, nut butters, and crackers, and let them build their own snack creations. Taste-test and name their “recipes.” Simple, safe, and no kitchen required.
Photo Scavenger Hunt: Give each group a list of things to find or pose as (“something red,” “your best superhero pose,” “a team pyramid”) and a tablet or phone to take pictures.
Talent Show: Let kids prepare silly acts, magic tricks, or comedy bits in small groups. It builds confidence and usually ends in lots of laughter.
Camp Newspaper or Podcast: If you’ve got a few creative kids, let them “interview” staff, write funny stories, or make announcements. Post it on a bulletin board or play it over the PA system at the end of the week.
Mini Tournaments: Ping pong, four square, cornhole — whatever equipment you’ve got. Keep the brackets short and even throw in some fun awards at the end.
Summer Camp Activities for High School Students
With teens, the trick is to offer things that feel practical or social. They are more likely to engage when they have ownership, responsibility, or the opportunity to lead.
Camp Captains: Give older campers a chance to lead a station or activity for younger kids. It builds confidence, leadership skills, and helps them feel like more than just “big kids.”
The Challenge Course: Set up a timed team course with mental and physical tasks like untangling a rope knot, carrying water without spilling, or solving a riddle. Make it tough enough to feel legit, but not impossible.
Cook & Compete: Let them prepare a simple snack or dessert (such as s’mores variations or trail mix blends) and vote on the best. It feels more “grown-up” than a standard camp game, and you don’t need a kitchen.
Open Mic Chill Night: Give them a speaker and a sign-up sheet. Music, poetry, jokes — it’s relaxed, optional, and the right crowd always shows up. Teens don’t want over-scheduled fun; they really just want a space to hang out.
Crew Film Project: Let them storyboard, film, and edit a short camp video to show on the last day. Assign roles like director, camera operator, editor, and actors. You’ll be surprised what they come up with.
Plan Now, Relax Later
It might feel like summer runs itself once it begins, but having the right tools in place makes all the difference when it comes to coordination.
If you're juggling schedules, staff, registrations, waivers, and reports across multiple programs, Sportsman Web’s Parks and Recreation Software is built to make things easier.
We also offer tailored solutions for Community Centers and Aquatics programs, so all your summer operations can live under one roof.
Take a Breather — Then Take a Demo
Whether you're wrapping up this season or gearing up for next, it's a good time to explore systems that take the stress out of camp planning. Schedule a demo and see how Sportsman can help you run your programs with less chaos and more confidence.
