Summer Camp: Helping your kids have the best summer EVER in Champaign-Urbana
2025 Summer Camp information coming soon!
Are you interested in highlighting your summer camp? Email us to find out more information about listing your camp in our 2025 summer camp guide.
Welcome to the 2025 Champaign-Urbana Area Summer Camps guide. If you are looking for quality experiences for your child this summer, you’ve come to the right place. Registration for summer camps is already up and running at many organizations, although some may not have information ready yet.
This guide is continually receiving updates, as camps share their information with us. Please check back frequently.
Editor’s Note: We will keep adding and making updates to this list, so come back often. Camps listed below may be finalizing details.
Thank you to Champaign Park District and Indian Acres Swim Club for presenting this comprehensive guide.
Activity-filled days for kids, worry-free days for parents. Participants will enjoy a variety of activities such as sport activities, games, weekly pool days, and field trips.
Read more about their camp at Champaign Park District in the “active” section below and visit its website.
Indian Acres Swim Day Camp is the longest standing day camp in the C-U area, known for its excellence in swim instruction. They meet your child in their current skills and work with them at their level to increase confidence and ability in the water. Now offering a full day option in addition to their very popular 1/2 day option! Indian Acres Swim Day Camp is a traditional outdoor camp that focuses on physical activity and fun!
Read more about camp at Indian Acres in the “outdoor” section below and visit its website.
ACTIVE | CREATIVE | EDUCATIONAL | OUTDOOR
We have created this menu and legend to help you sort through the different camps in the Champaign-Urbana area. Camps with featured listings are paid sponsors with chambanamoms.com. The lists included at the bottom of each section are to help you sort through other available options in the community. Chambanamoms.com does not endorse any camp over another and we encourage you to do your own research to find the best fit for your family this summer.
- ACTIVE – While nearly all camps are inherently active, these camps include sports, swim, martial arts, play-based day camps to reach a broad audience of participants and much more.
- CREATIVE – These camps focus on the arts, including but not limited to drama, music, maker camps and more.
- EDUCATIONAL – These include STEM camps, academic enrichment and other camps with an educational focus.
- OUTDOOR – Many camps (including most of our “active” camps) are held outdoors, but the camps in this category focus on experiencing nature as part of the camp experience. This is also where you’ll find most of our overnight camps (which are almost entirely outdoors, excluding some sports camps) a short drive from Champaign-Urbana.
LEGEND
😎 – BIG KID, includes camps for kids over 12 years of age
🖍 – PRESCHOOL, camps for kids not yet entering kindergarten
💦. – SWIM, camps that include swimming daily or weekly as part of the schedule (not necessarily a swimming camp)
💲. – CCRS accepted at this camp
🕗. – EXTENDED DAY, before/after care available for a fee
Jump to camps by name: Academy High | Amara Yoga & Arts | Camp Countryside | Champaign County Forest Preserve District | Champaign Park District | D-BAT Champaign Baseball/Softball Camp | Illinois Makerlab | Indian Acres | Stephens Family YMCA | University High School Summer Enrichment Camp | Urbana Fine Arts Center | Urbana Park District | Words on Fire Writing Camp for Teens
ACTIVE
ACTIVE CAMPS may include sports camps, swim camps, martial arts and play-based day camps
Many summer camps include physical activity; these stand out as having the most physical activity as part of their day-to-day schedule.
Champaign Park District 💦 💲 🕗 😎
Activity-filled days for kids, worry-free days for parents. Participants will enjoy a variety of activities such as sport activities, games, weekly pool days, and field trips.
Parents: Participant packets must be completed and submitted by the first day at drop off before a child can attend. Packets are both online and at the facilities for pickup. Scholarships are available. Details coming soon.
Summer Youth Program information and pricing for 2025 is coming soon! Registration is opening earlier than ever before on February 10.
Dates: End of May through beginning of August
Ages served: 6-12
Location: Champaign Park District
For more information: Website, Facebook or Instagram
Stephens Family YMCA 💦 🕗 😎 💲
As the warmer days approach, it’s time to ignite the spark of excitement in your child’s summer! Imagine their laughter echoing outdoors, new friendships blossoming, and unforgettable experiences waiting to unfold.
Stephens Family YMCA summer camp registration is not just about signing up for a program; it’s an investment in your child’s growth, resilience, and joy.
Camp information and the camp program guide will be released in January/February.
Financial assistance is available through the Stephens Family YMCA and CCRS.
The Y also offers scholarships for those who may need financial assistance.
Ages Served: K – 8th grade
Location: Stephens Family YMCA, 2501 Fields South Dr., Champaign
For more information: Website, Facebook or call (217) 359-9622
Urbana Park District 🖍 💦 🕗 😎
The Urbana Park District is offering a wide range of summer camps, including creative, nature, sports and more. Find details on all camp offerings in the program guide here. Registration for camps is already open, with Super Early Bird Prices in effect through April 1.
Dates: June 9 – August 8. Camp hours vary between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., with full and part day options available.
Ages Served: 3-15
Location: Urbana Park District
For More Information: Website or Facebook
Academy High 😎
At Academy High’s Summer Camps, rising middle school students entering grades 6 through 8 in fall 2025 can experience a dynamic blend of fun and learning. These hands-on camps are taught by experienced Academy High faculty and talented instructors from the local community, offering an engaging environment where curiosity meets creativity. Academy High provides a range of half-day programs, which can be combined to create a full-day experience, allowing students to explore their interests while building new skills and friendships.
Dates: June 9 – 13
Full Day: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Half Day options are 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. or 1 – 4 p.m.
Students who participate in full day camps will have an hour lunch from 12-1 p.m with quiet activities available. Students are welcome to be dropped off up to 15 minutes before camp and need to be picked up within 15 minutes of camp ending.
Ages served: Rising 6th-8th graders
Location: Academy High, 2001 Fox Drive, Champaign
For more information: Website, Facebook or Instagram
D-BAT Champaign Baseball/Softball Camp
D-BAT Champaign is your ultimate destination for everything baseball and softball. Their summer camp for boys and girls ages 6-12 will run every weekday from the first week of June through the middle of August from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Every camp will include fun, games, competitions and instruction in all areas of baseball and softball. Their instructors are the best in the area and will keep players actively engaged. Sign up for a single day, for a week or for the whole summer! Membership discounts apply.
Dates: Anticipated dates are June 2 – August 8, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Ages served: 6 – 12 years old
Location: D-BAT Baseball and Softball Academy, 1912 Glenn Park Drive, Champaign
For more information: Website, Facebook or Instagram
CREATIVE
CREATIVE CAMPS may include camps that focus on drama, music, the arts and more
While many camps incorporate creative activities into their day, these camps feature it as a key component of their programming.
Amara Yoga & Arts
Kids Camp at Amara will be a blend of art and yoga in a fun and relaxed environment. Activities will be open–ended and provide an opportunity for the kids to feel empowered and be themselves. Kids will learn basic yoga elements through focused breathing, play, storytelling, balance, meditation, and creative visualization. At Amara, they want the kids to have a stress free, magical, safe environment where they can grow and flourish.
Each week will have a theme that will inspire exploration through art making activities using all kinds of materials and will be loosely directed by the teachers so kids can have ownership of their own creative process. Projects will include elements of drawing, painting, sculpture, knitting, weaving, sewing and mutimedia design and construction. Children will be introduced to the practice of long term art projects that need to be accomplished in stages and take many days to complete. Dates
Camp hours 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Week 1 – June 2 – 6 – Marvelous Monsters and Super Heroes
Week 2 – June 9 – 13 – Blast off to Inner and Outer Space
Week 3 – June 16 – 20 – Bubbles, Orbs and Buddha Paintings
Week 4 – June 23 – 27 – Public Art and Famous Paintings
Week 5 – July 7 – 11 – All Kinds of Self Portraits 2D, 3D, 4D!
Week 6 – July 14 – 18 – Magical Mandalas & Wands Plus a Dragon or 2
Week 7 – July 21 – 25 – Treasure Boxes and Treasures – Maps and Hunts Included
Week 8 – July 28 – Aug 1 – Sewing, Weaving and Yarn Art
Week 9 – Aug 4 – 8 – Magical Mystical Creatures and their Homes
Ages served: 5-12
Location: Amara Yoga & Arts – Vine St. side of Lincoln Square entrance on the outside of the mall, Urbana
For more information: Website, Facebook, Instagram or call (217) 417-2591
Urbana Fine Arts Center 🕗
The Urbana Fine Arts Center offers classes and activities in dance and art, taught by experienced teachers and professional artists. They provide high quality ballet instructions, focused on the needs of each student, in a warm and safe environment.
Dates
June 2 to July 25, Mondays to Fridays (no activities on July 4)
Full days: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Half day mornings: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Half days afternoons: 1 to 4 p.m.
Early drop 0ff at 8 a.m., late pick up at 5:30 p.m.
Ages served: 6 to 12 years old
Location: 2860 Philo Road, Suite H, Urbana
For more information: Website, Facebook or Instagram
Words on Fire Writing Camp for Teens 😎
At Words on Fire, teens retreat to a beautiful natural setting for a week to learn the art of writing stories. Each day, author Alice McGinty leads interactive sessions teaching character development, plot, and voice, along with mystery writing, fantasy, and more. This year’s theme is “Inner Journey: Crafting Your Character’s Path. Evening bonfires, hikes and play in the creek, and tie dying fill the week with fun.
Dates
Session 1 – Monday June 9 – Friday, June 13, girls entering grades 6-8
Session 2 – Monday, June 16 – Friday, June 20, girls entering grades 7–9
Session 3 – Monday, June 23 – Friday, June 27, girls entering grades 10-12, and boy day campers
Session 4 – Monday, August 4 – Friday, August 8, girls dntering grades 7-10, and boy day campers
Overnight and day camper spots available. Day camp runs 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. with a bonfire Thursday night.
Ages served: Entering grades 6-12
Location: McGinty Cabin, 7119 E. 1450 North, Fairmount
For more information: Website or Facebook
EDUCATIONAL
EDUCATIONAL CAMPS may include STEM/STEAM camps, programs with an academic emphasis and camps that focus on certain professions, trades or skills
Education can happen in a number of ways (including spending time outside and in creative, unstructured moments); the camps in this category have more of an emphasis on curriculum/instruction as part of their camp programming.
Camp Countryside 😎
Camp Countryside is open to ANY student from ANY school. Choose from enrichment camps in STEM, fantasy, performance, fitness, art, global cultures, journalism, sports, and much more – including Scavenger Hunt, Put on a Musical, Art Exploration, Adventure Theater, Mythical Creatures, Basketball, Tennis, The Art of Falling, and the exceptionally popular Footprints (local exploration/field trips).
Dates
Week-long camps: June 2 to July 3 (no camp June 19 or July 4), Monday through Friday
Ages Served: Entering Kindergarten – 9th grade.
Location: Countryside School, 4301 W. Kirby Ave., Champaign,
For more information: Website, Facebook or Instagram or call (217) 355-1253
University High School Summer Enrichment Camp
Uni Summer Camp classes are taught on a wide variety of subjects by school faculty and students, as well as community experts. It is open to students entering 5th, 6th, and 7th grades. Uni Summer Camp welcomes students from all backgrounds and ethnicities, including those from populations that are typically underrepresented at the university/college level.
Dates
Camp held Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Week 1: Jun 2 – 6
Week 2: Jun 9 – 13
Students can register for one or both weeks.
Ages served: Students entering 5th, 6th or 7th grades
Location: University of Illinois Laboratory High School, 1212 W. Springfield Ave., Urbana
For more information: Website
OUTDOOR
OUTDOOR CAMPS conduct nearly all of their camp activities outdoors (weather permitting) during the summer
It may seem like nearly all of the camps in this post have outdoor activities and that may in fact be true; the camps on this list identify as “outdoor camps” in that nearly all of the camp activities (weather permitting) are held outside.
Indian Acres Swim Club 😎 🖍 💦 🕗
Indian Acres Swim Day Camp is the longest standing day camp in the C-U area, known for its excellence in swim instruction. They meet your child in their current skills and work with them at their level to increase confidence and ability in the water. Now offering a full day option in addition to their very popular 1/2 day option! Indian Acres Swim Day Camp is a traditional outdoor camp that focuses on physical activity and fun!
Dates: 10 weeks, beginning June 2 and continuing through August 8
Ages Served: 3-13
Location: Indian Acres Swim Club, 1 Arrow Road, Champaign
For more information: Website or call (217) 352-9538; Facebook and Instagram
Champaign County Forest Preserve District 😎 🖍
Champaign County Forest Preserves offers summer camp programs for kids ages 3-12 centering around nature, cultural history, and golf.
Dates: Various camps will take place weekly through June and July.
Ages Served: 3-12 years old; golf camps are 8-17 years old
Location: Lake of the Woods, Mahomet, Homer Lake, Homer and Middle Fork River Forest Preserve, Penfield
For More Information: Website, Facebook or Instagram
Get ready for summer in Champaign-Urbana:
