We know that the snow hasn’t all melted yet, and there’ll likely be more on the way. But it’s never too early to start researching summer camps, especially when most camps’ registrations are already open. Check out our roundup of some of the best day camps on the North Shore to find out which camp is the best fit for your child(ren). From theatre to water sports to science, each camp has different specialties to fit your needs. Looking for complimentary extended hours? An engineering focus? An all-girls program? Find what you’re looking for right here.
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Waldorf School at Moraine Farm Summer Camp
The Beverly school offers two summer camp programs: the Nursery Kindergarten Summer Program for children age three and a half to six and Theatre Camp for ages seven to twelve. The Nursery camp offers nature-focused programs for young children targeted at social and emotional development, with four sessions in gardening, hiking, water activities, and homesteading. Kids can sign up for one or more weeks. The theatre camp for older kids, which runs two one-week sessions in August, features theatre crafts, games, singing, and mindful movement.
Great for: preschool- and kindergarten-aged children, nature focus
701 Cabot Street, Beverly, 978.927.8811, waldorfmoraine.org/summer-camp/nursery-kindergarten-summer-program/
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Codeverse
With sessions running from the beginning of June through the end of August, Codeverse teaches kids to code, develop games and apps, and work with new friends. Kids can attend one or multiple weeks, learning how to program gadgets, build robots, 3D-print, and more. Included in the $499 weekly cost are healthy snacks and lunches, complimentary early drop-off and late pick-up, and an iPad for the week.
Great for: computer sciences
75 Middlesex Turnpike, #3040, Burlington, 844-644-2633, codeverse.com
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Eagles/Edge at St. John’s Prep
There’s something for every kid with Eagles/Edge summer programs. Their traditional day camp for children aged four to twelve runs almost all summer long and includes one- to eight-week options featuring swimming, sports, games, art, new friends, and more. Sports camps for kids aged six to eighteen allow students to fine-tune their skills in sports like basketball, soccer, or volleyball. Specialty camps cater to smaller groups of kids with specific interests, with sessions like 3D Architectural Design, Edible Art, Musical Theatre, Extreme Minecraft, and more. Older kids can also take an academic course in subjects like algebra, resume building, or college application essay writing. Find more details about Eagles/Edge’s many offers on their website.
Great for: specific interest camp programs
72 Spring Street, Danvers, 978.774.1427, eaglesedgeprograms.org
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Magical Beasts and Beings Club
Architects for Learning, with locations and Needham and Beverly and focused on helping kids develop skills and strategies for success in school, presents this week-long summer camp immersion in magic, mystery, and science. Kids will explore the lore and literature of mythical beasts like dragons, unicorns, mermaids, and more, investigating the creatures using Architects for Learning’s Brain FramesÒgraphics and other strategies. They’ll read, conduct research projects, and organize and share their thinking, enjoying both indoor and outdoor activities, all while building their academic skills.
Great for: big imaginations
50 Dunham Ridge, #3350, Beverly, 781.235.8412, architectsforlearning.com
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Ipswich River Nature Day Camp
Mass Audubon presents a nature-focused day camp in Topsfield, Marblehead, and Essex. The 2,200-acre Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary Camp in Topsfield runs half-day sessions for preschool-aged kids exploring local ponds and wildlife during one week in June and one in July. Full-day, week-long sessions for other kids run all summer, and each camper receives a discount when they participate in two or more sessions. These sessions have weekly themes, like Island Adventures or Nature Photography. They also offer a Teen Travel Adventure Camp, Canoe Camp, or special interest camps. At the Church of Saint Andrew in Marblehead, campers will have sessions like Wildlife Superheroes and Nature & Art, while Greenbelt’s Cox Reservation in Essex camp runs in August only and delves into the nature of coastal Cape Ann. Find more info about prices, dates, and other details in Mass Audubon’s summer camps flier.
Great for: nature enthusiasts
87 Perkins Row, Topsfield, 978.887.9264, massaudubon.org/ipswichrivercamp
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Brooks School Day Camp
Kids aged three to fourteen can experience a traditional summer day camp at Brooks School this summer, complete with archery, boating, music, and much more. The camp runs in four two-week sessions, back-to-back from June 22 to August 14. A daily activities schedule is made up for all age groups, and includes activities like tennis, swim lessons, arts & crafts, sports, and group time. And the program is made as convenient as possible for parents—Brooks School offers extended day hours of 7 a.m. through 6 p.m., and school buses with routes in Andover, Lawrence, Lynnfield, Methuen, Reading, and Wakefield.
Great for: traditional all-day summer camp
1160 Great Pond Road, North Andover, 978.725.6253, summer.brooksschool.org
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Summer Shore Day Camp
With both full- and half-day options, the Shore School’s summer program encourages exploration and curiosity through a variety of traditional and not-so-traditional camp activities. Campers can expect water days on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings, along with other camp activities like arts and sports. But they can also expect to explore subjects like science, writing, theater, engineering, and leadership. Summer Shore also offers specialty sports camps for soccer, basketball, and baseball.
Great for: an academic focus
545 Cabot Street, Beverly, 978.927.1700, shoreschool.org/summer-shore
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Camp Leslie
Located on 14 acres bordering scenic Pentucket Pond in Georgetown, 4-H Camp Leslie has been a North Shore staple since 1939. Primarily an overnight camp, Camp Leslie offers day camp the weeks of July 5 and 12. Overnight camp runs July 5 through August 14. Campers, ages seven through fourteen, choose four activities a day from core area Waterfront, Creative Arts, and Challenge Activities (archery, nature studies, etc.). The weekly team competitions, dividing the camp into two teams, follow each weeks’ theme, and the days end with evening programs of skits and carnivals.
Great for: sleepaway camp
139 West Main Street, Georgetown, 978.352.8060, campleslie.org
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Cedardale/Groveland Summer Day Camp
Over 30 years old, Cedardale/Groveland is a co-ed eight-week camp for children aged 3 years and 9 months to 13 years. The day camp strives to develop campers’ self-confidence, compassion, while also providing an environment for them to make friends and grow. For this reason, campers must attend at least two consecutive weeks of camp to start, so they can acclimate and have the best experience possible. Cedardale/Groveland wants to campers to learn skills through their camp activities like performing arts, swimming, tennis, kickball, and more, but just as importantly, to make memories.
Great for: making friends
20 Barehill Road, Groveland, 978.372.2622, cedardaledaycamp.com
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Camp Evergreen
What started as a repurposed farm set deep in Andover’s Harold Parker State Forest has become a lasting North Shore summer camp, family-owned and -operated since 1964 when it was started by former Celtic champion Jim Loscutoff. The forest setting provides the perfect backdrop for kids to unplug, develop self-confidence and creativity, and learn new skills. Campers are grouped based on age and gender, and participate in assigned activities with their groups in the mornings, like swim lessons, and free choice activities in the afternoons, where they can choose things like drama, woodshop, canoeing, track and field, or horseback riding, to name just a few. Look out for special activities like field trips, fishing derbies, late nights, and crazy dress-up days, and simple summer pleasures, like popsicles every afternoon.
Great for: unique, fun special activities
166 Jenkins Road, Andover, 978.475.2505, campevergreen.com
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GSEMA Summer Camp
Your camper doesn’t have to be a Girl Scout to participate in the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts’ (GSEMA) summer camp, offering girls ages 5 through 15 a fun and supportive environment to spend their summer with new people and new activities. GSEMA has two North Shore locations: Camp Maude Eaton in Andover and Camp Rice Moody in Reading. Maude Eaton has bus transportation, while Rice Moody offers free extended day hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Each week and age group has a different theme: “Little Mermaids,” “Broadway Bound,” “Mythbusters,” “Camp Picasso,” and “Outdoor Adventures,” name just a few. Check out their brochure for a full roster of week themes to find the best match for your camper.
Great for: all-girl environment
141 Abbot Street, Andover, 617.350.8335; 29 Rice Road, Reading, 617.350.8335; gsema.org/en/camp/our-camps
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Coastal Discoveries
Aboard the forty-eight foot Erica Lee II, kids will have the opportunity to explore and engage with the local marine ecosystem in an educational environment. During the weeklong session, with days running from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., kids will spend their days on the water learning about fishing for local species like cod, flounder, and striped bass, and they might also participate in hikes, kayak adventures, swimming, exploring tidal flats, catching lobster, and more. Since activities change weekly with the seasonal changes of the ecosystem, kids who sign up for more than one week can expect new adventures every day. Make sure to pack lots of water and sunscreen!
54R Merrimac Street, Newburyport, 978.462.2017, coastaldiscoveries.com
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