Sending your kid to summer camp doesn’t have to cost thousands. Try these local programs
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A parent’s guide to summer camps
Summer is fast approaching, and with it comes three months of free time for school-aged kids. We’ve rounded up camp options around town, tips for registering and a quick guide to last-minute spring break vacations that don’t require a lot of planning or money.
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What are the best summer camps in Charlotte? Is it too late to sign up? What to know
Sending your kid to summer camp doesn’t have to cost thousands. Try these local programs
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Summer is right around the corner, which means it’s already time for Charlotte parents to start thinking about what their kids will be up to once school is out.
If an expensive sleep-away camp isn’t in your family’s budget, there are still plenty of options for keeping your kids, tweens and teens entertained during the day through sports, STEM classes, music lessons and more. But spots can fill up fast, so it’s best to get things scheduled early to make sure you’re in.
Here are some options that might not break the bank to consider for kids of all ages in and around Charlotte for summer 2022:
Boys & Girls Clubs Summer Program
What to know: The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Charlotte offers summer camps at its multiple locations in the area that include “STEAM activities, games, arts and crafts, outdoor play, engaging programs and field trips.”
Cost: The multi-week camps costs $60 per week. There is also a $25 registration fee.
How to register: Access the application for the summer 2022 program by visiting salvationarmycarolinas.org/bgccharlotte/programs/summer-program.
Carolina Kids’ Voices Summer Camps
What to know: Carolina Voices is offering three music-oriented summer camp programs for kids in first through seventh grades: “Kidz Boppin’ Hits,” “Groovin’ to Motown” and “Movie Magic.” The programs are each one week and spread throughout the summer, but enrollment is limited. Camps are held at Myers Park Baptist Church.
Cost: Sessions cost $195, plus a $25 registration fee. An “early bird” tuition rate of $175 is available through April 1.
How to register: You can sign up for different sessions online at carolinavoices.org/summer-camp.
Central Piedmont Community College YouthCentral Camps
What to know: Central Piedmont Community College offers multiple camps for kids ranging from fourth grade through high school. Different camps are spread throughout the summer and held at different CPCC campuses across the community. Sessions are geared to specific grade levels and include “Forensic Science Camp,” “Jewelry Making” and “Medical Careers Camp.”
Cost: Tuition varies by program but ranges from $235 to $350.
How to register: To see the full list of summer programs and enroll your child, visit youth.cpcc.edu/camps.
Charlotte Chess Center
What to know: The Charlotte Chess Center offers multiple summer programs for beginners and more experienced chess players, teaching everything from basic rules to more advanced strategies.
Cost: Some sessions for more advanced players are more expensive, but weeklong sessions for beginners are $165 for members and $175 for non-members.
How to register: Visit charlottechesscenter.org/camp to register your child for a session.
Club SciKidz STEM Camps
What to know: Club SciKidz offers multiple STEM-oriented camps for kids ranging from pre-K to eighth grade. Available sessions for summer 2022 include “Grossology,” “Sea Adventures” and “Beginning Minecraft.”
Cost: Sessions range in price from $310 to about $350. For an additional fee, you can add on “before camp care” and/or “after camp care.”
How to register: To see the full list of available camps and register your child, visit charlottenorth.clubscikidz.com.
Discovery Place Summer Camps
What to know: Discovery Place has multiple camps throughout the summer for kids as young as 3 years old through rising eighth graders. Camps are science and nature themed.
Cost: Half-day and full-day camps are available and range in price from $160 to $350 per weeklong session.The cost is lower if you’re a Discovery Place member.
How to register: You can see the full list of available camps and register online at discoveryplace.org/summer-camps or by calling 704-372-6261 ext. 300.
McColl Center Creativity Camps
What to know: The McColl Center offers art camps for kids ages 7 through 16. Different camps focus on different topics, such as drawing fundamentals, ceramics and collage art.
Cost: Weeklong, half-day sessions are $175. An “extended day option” is available for an additional $50. Scholarships are available.
How to register: For more details and to sign up, visit mccollcenter.org/programs/creativitycamps or contact Quintel Gwinn at qgwinn@mccollcenter.org.
Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Camps
What to know: Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation offers numerous summer camps throughout the season, ranging from swim lessons to nature experiences and more.
Cost: Prices vary by camp but generally range from about $90 to $230 for Mecklenburg County residents. Non-residents pay a higher rate.
How to register: To see the full calendar of programs and get signed up, visit mecknc.gov/ParkandRec/Pages/Home.aspx and navigate to the “Programs and Activities” tab.
NASCAR Hall of Fame Summer Camps
What to know: Kids in kindergarten through ninth grade can attend weeklong camps at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, where they’ll experience “interactive STREAM activities featuring hands-on experiments, engineering, physical challenges and special guest appearances.”
Cost: Attendance for non-member campers is $275 or $250 if you’re registering multiple kids. Enrollment for members and returning campers costs $200. For an additional cost, you can add on “extended day” care and a lunch and a snack.
How to register: Visit nascarhall.com/plan-a-visit/camps to sign up your child.
The Children’s Theatre of Charlotte
What to know: The Children’s Theatre of Charlotte offers multiple summer programs for kids as young as 3 years old through high school to gain acting experience.
Cost: Prices range from $160 for some one-week programs to $595 for some two-week programs that include end-of-camp public performances.
How to register: To enroll your child, visit ctcharlotte.org and navigate to the “Summer Camps” page under the “Classes & Camps” tab.
UNC Charlotte Summer Camps
What to know: Rising first graders through high school seniors can attend summer camp programs on UNC Charlotte’s campus ranging in topics from the “World of Eric Carle” and the “Science of Slime” to “So you want to be a policymaker?” and “Adulting 101.”
Cost: In-person, weeklong camps range in price from $275 to $395.
How to register: To see the full schedule of programs and register your child, visit summercamps.charlotte.edu.
YMCA Summer Day Camps
What to know: The YMCA of Greater Charlotte offers “over 500 varieties of traditional, sports, and themed day camps each summer across 14 of our locations.” Camps are available for preschool age kids through teenagers.
Cost: Prices for members range from less than $200 to about $250. Rates are higher for non-members, sometimes exceeding $300.
How to register: To see the camps available at your YMCA location and sign up your child for a program, visit ymcacharlotte.org/programs/day-camp
This story was originally published March 11, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
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