Wichita area summer camps

Looking for a summer camp for your child? We get a lot of requests from parents for inexpensive summer camps in Wichita, so we’ve put together a list of resources for you to explore.

This year is going to be a bit different, of course, but we’re keeping an eye out for all of the low-cost/affordable summer camp programs that are opening up for summer 2021. 

Do you know of a 2021 summer camp we’ve missed? Please let us know in the comments!

We originally published this list for 2021 summer camps back in March, but have recently updated it with a few new camp options. 

Summer of Discovery

Ages: 6-12
Cost: $115 per week
Dates: June 1 through July 30, 2021
Times: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

These summer camps from the Wichita Parks and Recreation department are some of the most affordable full-day summer camps in Wichita for kids ages 6-12, and registration opens March 15, 2021. Sign up early as they are likely to fill up fast. 

Each week of this nine-week camp features a different theme and a variety of field trips and activities.

Weekly camp fee is $115 and multi-child discounts are available for immediate family members. 

The camps are at Edgemoor, Linwood, and Orchard recreation centers and start June 1. More information

Summer Activity Camps

Ages 6-12
Cost: $40 per week
Dates: June through July
Times: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. or noon to 5 p.m.

Summer Activity Camps are neighborhood camps run by Wichita Park & Recreation. The camps are each five days long during the summer at three area recreation centers: McAdams, Evergreen, and Lynette Woodard.

The camps at McAdams and Evergreen are held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and from noon to 5 p.m. at Lynette Woodard. Registration for the 2021 camps begins in April.

2021 Summer Activity Camps begin June 1 through the end of July. 

The cost is only $40 per week – and lunch is included in partnership with USD 259’s Free Summer Lunch Program. Need-based scholarships are available for those who qualify. 

Campers will make friends, have fun, and experience life-long learning opportunities such as cooking, mentoring, reading, financial learning and gang awareness. They’ll also participate in recreational activities and games, crafts, movies, and more. Off-site field trips are also planned!

For more information and to register your children, visit the City of Wichita’s Summer Activity Camps page here. 

Wichita Park and Recreation Specialty Summer Camps

Ages 6-17
Cost: varies
Dates: vary, but one-day camps begin as early as March 2021
Times: vary

Wichita Park and Recreation also has a variety of specialty and technology camps to choose from. Age groups, pricing, and schedules vary, so be sure to check out the Specialty camps landing page at Wichita.gov to find the ones you want. 

2021 YMCA Summer Camp

Ages 5-16 (but they have Jr. Explorer Camps for littles)
Cost: $130 per week with member discount; ask about scholarships
Dates: June 1 through August 6, 2021
Times: vary depending on the camp you choose

The YMCA will open its summer camps on June 1, 2021. Enrollment is open now and you can register before the deadlines throughout the summer as long as space is available.

The camps are available at several area locations and include sports camps, adventure camps, teen camp, horse camp, traditional camp, Junior Explorers, and more. 

Summer camp rates start at $130 per week and include breakfast and an afternoon snack. Income-based financial assistance is available. More information

Exploration Place Summer Camps

Ages 6-13
Cost: $160 to $180 per week (in-person); $80 to $100 (Digital Discovery); $100 to $120 (camp in a box)
Dates: June 1 to August 6, 2021
Times: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (before & after care available)

This summer, Exploration Place is offering in-person summer camps, Digital Discovery Camps (via Zoom), as well as the “Camp in a Box” that combines camp kits with Zoom calls.

EP has an Early Bird Special discount if you register for multiple camps (for the same child) before April 1. See the link below for more details on the Early Bird summer camp discount at Exploration Place. 

Camps run from June 1 – August 6, 2021. More information

Sailing Summer Camps

Both the Walnut Valley Sailing Club at El Dorado Lake and the Ninnescah Sailing Association at Cheney Lake normally offer youth sailing classes in the summer. The Learn to Sail classes are surprisingly affordable and you do not need to buy a boat or any special equipment.

We are waiting to confirm things for 2020, but so far it does look like the Ninnescah Sailing Association at Cheney Lake has plans to go forward with their Junior Learn to Sail Camps in July. The Walnut Valley Sailing Club is still trying to decide when classes will be held this summer, if at all. 

Ninneschah youth Sailing Lessons (Cheney Lake) 

Ages 8-17
Cost: $150 to $175 (discounts available for multiple family members)
Dates: Two sessions, starting July 12 and July 26, 2021
Times: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 
More information

Walnut Valley Sailing Club Sailing Lessons More information

Free Starbase Summer Camps for 4th and 5th graders

Launching rockets, programming robots, and designing on CAD are a few of the activities students can expect during one of these free, week-long STEM summer camps in Wichita.

Because demand for STARBASE summer camps is so high, students can only register for one academy per summer, and the Wichita summer camp is only open to students who did not participate last year. More information

Wichita Art Museum Summer Camps

Ages 3-12
Cost: $5 to $10 per session
Dates: June and July
Times: TBA

Wichita Art Museum offers two different art-based educational summer camps for kids. Hot Art for Cool Kids is for ages 6-12 and Art Start Goes to Camp is for ages 3-5. 

Hot Art For Cool Kids, for kids ages 6-12, investigates how artists use different techniques and materials to create art. We will explore themes of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) education as we closely examine their processes. Bring your lab coats and spyglasses as we experiment with art, wonder, and creativity. Sessions are $10 per student.

Art Start Goes To Camp engages preschoolers (children ages 3 to 5 accompanied by an adult) with works of art and art making, while emphasizing State of Kansas Early Learning Standards. Sessions are $5 per child. 

Registration for both camps begins Monday, March 22, 2021, and they fill up fast. Go here for more information

Wands & Wizards Summer Camp

Ages: grades 6-8
Cost: $80 per camper
Dates: June 14-18, 2021
Times: 1-5 p.m.

Deadline to register is May 31, 2021 This wizarding school at Museum of World Treasures includes hunting for horcruxes disguised as artifacts, taking flight in a game of quidditch, learning the Latin influence behind spell-making and the chemistry behind potion-making, as well as other important wizarding skills. 

Mystery at the Museum Summer Camp

Ages: grades3-5
Cost: $80 per camper
Dates: July 19-23, 2021
Times: 1-5 p.m.

Deadline to register is July 5, 2021 There’s been a heist at the Museum of World Treasures! This summer camp is a week-long mission to solve the mystery of the stolen artifact and track down the secret suspect. You’ll have to pass the Escape Room challenge, make your own mystery-solving tools, and learn to decode in order to earn your official title of Museum Sleuth. 

Find more free and inexpensive summer fun with kids in Wichita, KS!