Vancouver Summer Camps

There are all kinds of camp programs for children in the summer. There are adventure camps, art camps, music camps, sports camps, theatre camps and more!

Whether your kids like the outdoors, using their imaginations, science projects, technology, or something totally different, you can find pretty much every kind of camp imaginable!

In this article we list some of the region’s most interesting day camp programs. Our list includes a camp with outdoor adventure activities in Maple Ridge, art and theatre camps in Coquitlam, and programs at museums in Vancouver, Richmond, New Westminster and up the Sea to Sky Highway. We also include theatre camps for children and youth in Vancouver.

2025 Summer Camp Programs For Kids

Day camps are amazing programs for children to learn new things while having fun in the summer. There are terrific overnight residential camps in the Lower Mainland, and we are huge fans of those. In this article though, we focus on day camps where kids do their programs over the course of the week, but stay at home each night.

The camp programs we describe below are for WildPlay in Maple Ridge, Place des Arts in Coquitlam, the Fraser River Discovery Centre in New Westminster, and the Vancouver Maritime Museum at Vanier Park. We also look at theatre camps at Bard on the Beach and Theatre Under the Stars in Vancouver.

In this article, towards the end, we also provide information about group programs for children and youth at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery and Britannia Mine Museum. The programs at these two venues aren’t “day camps”. They are, however, programs that you can book for groups of kids.

WildPlay in Maple Ridge

WildPlay in Maple Ridge offers Anti-Gravity Day Camps throughout the summer. The camps are for kids ages 10 to 14 years old and each session includes five days of fun. The camps feature all sorts of outdoor activities that build resilience and teamwork skills. There are walks in nature, ropes courses, climbing challenges, arts and crafts, and more.

In 2025 the day camps run on the weeks of July 7th to 11th, July 14th to 18th, August 4th to 8th, and August 11th to 15th. The cost for each week starts at $425 per camper, but the cost increases the longer you wait. If you use the promo code VBP15, you can save 15% on regular rates as well as for adventures at other times of the year.

This camp location might be a bit of a drive for people who live closer to the City of Vancouver, but wow will it ever be worth it! And if you live close to Maple Ridge, consider yourself very lucky. Your children will have so much fun at this camp!

See our article about WildPlay Spring and Summer Camps for more information, or visit the website wildplay.com.

High in the Treetops in Maple Ridge — Ropes Course at WildPlay

Place des Arts in Coquitlam

Place des Arts offers both day camps and half-day camps in the summer. The camps involve different types of visual and performing arts classes in set time blocks each day.

The full-day camps run from 9:00 am until 3:45 pm and are for children ages 7 to 9. Meanwhile, the half-day camps run from either 9:00 am to 12:00 pm or from 12:45 to 3:45 pm, and are for ages 5 to 12. There are also half-day pottery and sculpture camps from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm for ages 11 to 14.

Prices range from $140 up to $265 in 2025, depending on which camps and classes you choose.

The weekly schedule in 2025 is July 7th to 11th, July 14th to 18th and July 21st to 25th. Camps also run from July 28th to August 1st, August 5th to 8th, and from August 11th to 15th.

To learn more about these camps, visit the Place des Arts website.

Place des Arts Children's Program

Fraser River Discovery Centre

The Fraser River Discovery Centre is an educational venue in New Westminster with exhibits about the Fraser River and its surrounding environment.

Eight different summer day camps run between July 7th and August 29th in 2025. Most last for about 5 days and take place from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm on weekdays. Each camp costs about $300 for non-members to attend, although certain discounts are available most years.

Kids ages 6 to 11 can learn about the Fraser River, its ecosystems, Indigenous survival techniques, and other topics. There’s lots of cool science, activities and games to try.

For more information about these camps, click Fraser River Discovery Centre Summer Camps.

Vancouver Maritime Museum

The Vancouver Maritime Museum hosted their STEAM summer day camps about science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics in 2024.

The first camp started on July 2nd and the final camp ended on August 30th. The camps took place from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm on weekdays with a new camp starting each week. Rates ranged from about $260 to $325 per week for kids between the ages of 6 and 12.

Topics differed from week to week last year. Options included Sailor Skills, Deep Sea Discovery, Coastal Creatures and By The Sea Shore.

Details about summer camps happening at the Vancouver Maritime Museum in 2025 are to be confirmed.

TIP: You can save 25% on general admission to the museum if you use the promo code BESTVANCOUVER when purchasing your tickets online! The discount isn’t valid for the summer camp programs, but it is for regular visits.

Visit the Vancouver Maritime website for the latest information about the camps.

Gulf of Georgia Cannery

The Gulf of Georgia Cannery offers youth programs to groups between the ages of 3 to 6 and 6 to 12 years old. The attraction is a great destination for a field trip or an educational experience with a large group. Programs run for 60 minutes or 90 minutes depending on the age range you sign up for.

Rather than having a day camp schedule for the year, folks interested in bringing large groups of children to the cannery can inquire about the camps online. A typical trip involves a film, tour of the Canning Line, scavenger hunt, and other activities.

TIP: Every day of the year, admission to the museum is free for children and youth ages 17 and under. They just have to pay for special programs and events, like the summer experiences.

To learn more, see the Group Programs page on the cannery’s official website.

Britannia Mine Museum

Unlike most other attractions in this article, the Britannia Mine Museum doesn’t offer week-long summer camps. However, folks are welcome to host their own day camps at the venue.

The special group programs at the museum allow groups of ten or more people to spend a few hours on site. Activities include panning for gold, the BOOM! experience and exploring the site.

For more information and to request a date for a camp, visit the Britannia Mine website.

Bard on the Beach

The Shakespearean theatre festival Bard on the Beach takes place at Vanier Park during the summer. The festival also features various summer camps each year. Professional teachers cover performance techniques and some of the camps delve deep into specific Shakespearean plays.

In 2025 there are a wide range of camps available. Programs are for ages 6 to 10, 8 to 13, 10 to 14, and 13 to 18. The camps take place at Vanier Park in either July or August.

Prices range from $390 to $625 per week depending on your age and the camp you choose. As an added bonus, participants receive two complimentary tickets to a Bard on the Beach show.

TIP: Be sure to visit one of the productions this summer. Shows in 2025 include Much Ado About Nothing, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Dark Lady and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again].

To learn more about these camps, see the Bard on the Beach website.

Bard on the Beach Entrance Gate — (Photo by Maxine Bulloch)

Theatre Under the Stars

Theatre Under the Stars is an outdoor theatre company that puts on shows in Stanley Park. The company also hosts week-long summer camps for kids between the ages of 8 and 18 years old.

Aspiring performers work on their singing, dancing and acting skills with the help of industry professionals. The camps are held at Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park and are open to all skill levels. Participants get to perform on stage at the end of the week for friends and family members.

In 2025 there are three camps running on July 7th to 11th, July 14th to 18th, and from July 28th to August 1st. The camps range from $495 to $545 per child. They run from 10:00 am until either 3:00 or 4:00 pm.

TIP: Whether your kids do the camps or not, be sure to take the whole family to see one of the theatre’s musicals in the summer. They are fantastic! In 2025 the two plays are Legally Blonde and Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

For more information about these summer camps, visit the Theatre Under the Stars website.