Boulder Summer Camps 2026: 42 Local Programs

Boulder has 42 summer camp programs for 2026, making it one of the most robust camp scenes outside of Denver proper. You don't need to commute down US-36 to find high-quality programming.

Quick Comparison: Boulder Camp Highlights

| Camp | Ages | Cost/Week | Extended Care | Known For | |------|------|-----------|---------------|-----------| | Boulder Summer Camp | 5–12 | $250 | Yes | Affordable full-day, multi-activity | | Camp Galileo Boulder | 5–10 | $250 | Yes | STEM + art innovation curriculum | | Nike Swim Camp (CU) | 10–18 | $991–$1,141 | N/A (overnight) | Competitive swim training | | Avid4 Adventure | 5–14 | $450–$650 | No | Climbing, hiking, mountain biking | | Colorado Shakespeare Festival | 6–18 | $275–$1,220 | No | Performance-based theater | | Cherryvale Day Camp | 4–14 | $760–$1,250 | Yes | Farm camp, arts, small group sizes | | Har HaShem Camp Sababa | 5–12 | Free | No | Jewish community, multi-activity | | Journey Language Center | 4–12 | $465 | No | French, Spanish, Italian immersion |

The University Influence

The University of Colorado anchors the premium camp market here. The Nike Swim Camp at CU Boulder ($991–$1,141/week) is the most serious competitive swimming program in the region, drawing kids from across the state. This is a residential camp, so the price includes housing and meals on the CU campus. It's built for competitive swimmers, not beginners. If your kid swims year-round and wants college-level coaching, this is the real thing.

For tech-focused older kids, the Digital Media Academy at CU offers advanced coding and digital arts instruction that goes beyond what most franchise camps provide. The CU campus setting matters here too. Kids get access to university-grade labs and equipment, not a folding table with borrowed laptops.

Outdoor and Adventure

Unsurprisingly, Boulder punches above its weight in outdoor programming. Avid4 Adventure runs some of their flagship programs here, taking advantage of the immediate access to world-class climbing and hiking. Their Boulder sessions include rock climbing at real outdoor crags, mountain biking on local trails, and paddleboarding on Boulder Reservoir. Groups are small (typically 8–10 kids per instructor), and the staff hold wilderness certifications. No extended care, so plan around a roughly 9 AM to 4 PM schedule.

For more outdoor options across the metro, see our Denver nature and outdoor camps guide.

The Cherryvale Premium

Cherryvale Day Camp is Boulder's most expensive day camp option, and it's worth understanding why. At $1,212–$1,250/week, it costs more than most camps in the entire Denver metro. What you get: very small group sizes, a dedicated farm camp program (Milk and Honey Farm Camp), an arts track (ArtWorks), and a property that feels more like a private estate than a camp facility. The Kinder Crew program for ages 4–6 is one of the few Boulder camps that takes kids that young in a full-day format. If you can afford it, families who send their kids here tend to be repeat customers.

General Day Camps

For reliable daily coverage, Boulder Summer Camp ($250/week) and the local YMCA programs offer full-day schedules with extended care options. Camp Galileo Boulder ($250/week) brings their popular innovation-meets-art curriculum to the city at a very competitive price point. Both of these are strong choices for working parents who need consistent 8 AM to 5:30 PM coverage without paying Cherryvale prices.

Journey Language Center offers an unusual option: full-immersion language camps in French, Spanish, or Italian at $465/week. The programs run half-day, so they work best paired with another activity or for families with a flexible schedule. If your kid is already studying a language, a week of immersion will do more than a semester of after-school classes.

If cost is a factor, check out our guide to free and low-cost Denver camps — some programs serve Boulder families too. And don't overlook Har HaShem Camp Sababa, which is completely free and open to the community.

What Parents Should Know

Is it worth commuting from Denver to Boulder for camp? For most families, no. The US-36 commute adds 35–50 minutes each way during summer mornings, and you'll spend 6+ hours a week in the car. The exception: if your child is serious about a specific Boulder program (Nike Swim, Avid4's climbing tracks, or the Shakespeare Festival), there's nothing equivalent closer to Denver. Otherwise, look for similar programs in your own neighborhood first.

Which Boulder camps work best for working parents? Boulder Summer Camp and Camp Galileo both offer extended care that stretches the day to around 5:30 PM. Cherryvale also has extended hours. Avid4 Adventure and the Shakespeare Festival do not offer extended care, so you'll need pickup by 3:30–4 PM.

How early do Boulder camps fill up? The popular programs, especially Cherryvale and the Nike Swim Camp, fill by February. Camp Galileo and Boulder Summer Camp tend to have availability into March and sometimes April. Journey Language Center is a smaller operation and can fill quickly for specific language tracks. Don't assume you can register in May and get your first choice.

Complete List of Boulder Programs

• Boulder Summer Camp — Multi-Activity, $250/week
• SAC Summer Camps — Multi-Activity, $336–$420/week
• Kidz Kamp — Multi-Activity, $39–$3,360/week
• Boulder Karate Camp — Sports, $79–$349/week
• Nike Swim Camp at University of Colorado Boulder — Sports, $991–$1,141/week
• Journey Language Center - French Camp (Boulder) — Academic, $465/week
• Journey Language Center - Spanish Camp (Boulder) — Academic, $465/week
• Journey Language Center - Italian Camp (Boulder) — Academic, $465/week
• Colorado Shakespeare Festival - Shakespeare's Sprites — Arts, $275–$305/week
• Colorado Shakespeare Festival - Camp Shakespeare — Arts, $1,075–$1,220/week
• Har HaShem Camp Sababa — Multi-Activity, Free
• Cherryvale Day Camp - Session 1 — Multi-Activity, $1,212/week
• Cherryvale Day Camp - Kinder Crew Session 1 — Multi-Activity, $1,250/week
• Cherryvale Day Camp - Milk and Honey Farm Camp Session 1 — Nature, $1,250/week
• Cherryvale Day Camp - ArtWorks Session 1 — Arts, $760–$1,250/week

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Part of the Denver Summer Camps 2026 Complete Guide.