17 Unique Summer Camps for Kids in Lakeland + Polk County

Wake Camp at Elite Cable Park

Do your kids love water activities and being outdoors? Elite Cable Park’s Summer Wake Camp might be the perfect fit. Even if your child has never set foot on a wakeboard, they’ll be geared up and shredding in no time. Campers will be taught everything from basic fundamentals to advanced tricks over the course of this week-long camp. Camp is designed for all experience levels, ages 9 – 15. Visit the Elite Cable Park website to learn more.

Art Camp at the Polk Museum of Art

If your son or daughter loves to create or has an interest in art, what better place to learn than at our Smithsonian-affiliated fine art museum – the Polk Museum of Art. This two-week camp will develop their love and appreciation for the arts. Both half day and full day camps are available for ages 7 – 13, you will pick specific art classes including crafts, digital photography, drawing, jewelry making, stop motion animation, and others. Visit the Polk Museum of Art website to learn more.

Big Bass Guide Summer Fishing Camp

With so many lakes here in Polk County, fishing camp is a great summer activity! Big Bass Guide is run by Captain Shea Arnold. He has 20 years of experience running guided fishing tours on the Chain of Lakes in Winter Haven as well as other freshwater lakes across Florida (and 4 kids of his own, ages 5-13). At this summer fishing camp, kids will learn boat safety, knot tying, casting, baits and lures, fishing techniques, and more, plus daily boat riding, swimming, and fishing with a professional captain. Visit the Big Bass Guide website to learn more.

Bricks 4 Kidz LEGO Camp

Bricks 4 Kidz will be hosting week-long camps all summer! Each week has a different theme, and each day our campers experience a new adventure with several different types of activities like motorized LEGO® robots, LEGO® mosaics, 3D color brick builds and more! Campers get to take home fun crafts and a custom-made LEGO® minifigure, and have photos taken of all the LEGO® models they build throughout the week. Both half-day and full-day options are available for kids ages K-5th grade. Visit the Bricks 4 Kidz website to learn more.

Aviation Camps at the Aerospace Center for Excellence

Soar into Summer with ACE! The Aerospace Center for Excellence is hosting FIVE different summer camps this year:

• STEMtastic Summer Camp – Ages 7-10 – Explore the science and engineering of aviation through hands-on activities and science experiments
• Destination Aviation Summer Camp – Ages 11-15 – Dive deep into flight through experiential learning opportunities, hands-on demonstrations, and flight simulations, with exposure to aviation-related career fields
• Take Flight Summer Camp – Ages 14-17 – For teens considering pursuing their glider or private pilot’s license
• Future Engineer Summer Camp – Ages 14-17 – Explore aerospace engineering principles through hands-on projects
• She Can Fly Summer Camp – Girls ages 11-14 – Girls interested in aviation will experience basic flight instructions on a simulator, participate in daily design challenges, and so much more. 

Visit the ACE Summer Camp Website to learn more.

No Limits Sports Camps

Looking for a camp where your kids will stay active and get to try a variety of sports? No Limits Sports Camp is a fun way for kids to experience several different sports or focus on their primary sport of choice. Campers get to choose which sport they want to work on each session of the day including basketball, volleyball, soccer, flag football, bocci, and baseball. Campers will be taught the basic fundamentals of each sport and given an opportunity to use those skills in team games. Both half-day and full-day options are available. No Limits also offers volleyball, football, and basketball summer camps. Visit the No Limits website to learn more.

YMCA Summer Camps

The YMCA is one of the nation’s largest providers of out-of-school programming and has a long, rich history of over 100 years in providing top-notch summer camps to parents across the country. Here in Polk County, the YMCA of Lakeland offers a variety of camp options for ages 3 – 12 that allow your kids to try different activities during the summer all at one location.
• Day Camp (completed K – age 12)
• Pre-K Camp (ages 4-5)
• Aquatics Camps (ages 3-12)
• Co-Ed Sports Camps (completed K – age 11)
• Golf Camps at Par3
Visit the YMCA website to learn more about camp options at the Lakeland Family YMCA (South Lakeland), Fontaine Gills Family YMCA (North Lakeland), Lake Wales Family YMCA, and Par3.

All Saints Academy Summer Camps

With over 20 camps to choose from, All Saints Academy is offering something for everyone. Some of the unique camps that caught our eye include Circus Camp, Musical Theatre Intensive, and camps for both 3-4 year olds and teenagers (two age groups without a lot of camp options). Check out the full list of sports and instructional camps on the All Saints Academy website.

Nova Athletics Supernova Summer Camp

This gymnastics, tumbling, and hip-hop dance summer camp at Nova Athletics will keep your kids busy all summer long! Campers will be trained on all gymnastics apparatuses and tumbling equipment, plus enjoy obstacle courses, climbing walls, games, and more. Visit the Nova Athletics Facebook page to learn more.

Snapology Summer Camps

Snapology believes that children are meant to learn through play. Snapology Summer Camps engages children using LEGO® bricks, K’Nex and technology. Snapology offers S.T.E.A.M. camps and workshops year-round, including summer camps, Your kids will love our fun camp topics and themes. Shh, don’t tell them it’s educational! Both half-day and full-day options are available for ages 5-14 plus one week for ages 4-6. Visit the Snapology website to see weekly themes.

XP League Summer Camps

Does your son or daughter love gaming? Check out XP League’s Summer Camps! Not only do kids get to meet new friends and improve their skills in the games they love to play, but they will learn about teamwork, communications, sportsmanship, esports health, nutrition, esports psychology, stretching and exercise, mindset and motivation, boosting focus, and so much more. New themes each week. Learn more on the XP League Website.

Field Trip Camps

Field trips are a highlight of summer camp for many kids! The chance to visit somewhere fun with a group of friends. These featured summer day camps are known for their exciting field trip adventures:

Warrior Combat + Fitness

Warrior Combat and Fitness Academy offers a safe, fun, and affordable summer camp that includes Daily Martial Arts Class, Swimming, Park Days, Skating, Bowling, Nerf Wars, Legos, Water Slides, and Much Much More! Camp runs from 7:30am-6:30pm daily, plus they accept kids through middle school ages, making it ideal for families needing a full day of camp for multiple kiddos. Visit the Warrior Combat + Fitness website to save your spot!

City of Lakeland’s Camp Blast

Camp BLAST is the City of Lakeland’s highly successful summer recreation program for kids entering 1st – 6th Grade. Camp BLAST offers children endless opportunities for enrichment including weekly field trips, onsite games and activities, all at a very reasonable price. Camp registration is for a full 7 weeks from 7:30 am – 5:30 pm and camps are located at multiple sites around Lakeland. Camp Blast Registration typically opens in early April, check the City of Lakeland Camp Website for updates.

Family Martial Arts Center

Family Martial Arts Center strives to instill the basic life virtues of discipline, respect, integrity, and confidence. Their Summer Day Camp for ages 4 & up includes TaeKwonDo Classes, field trips, and lots of FUN! Camp runs from 7am-6:30pm, making it ideal for working parents. Visit the Family Martial Arts Center website to learn more.

Minds in Motion

Do you want MORE for your child this summer? Join Minds in Motion summer camp! Camp includes STEAM activities, creative play and imagination rooms, computer stations, video games, outdoor areas, and a new studio for whole-body fitness and theater arts. Weekly field trips may include parks, splash pads, movies, bowling, roller skating, ice skating, Funtasia, and others. Visit the Minds in Motion Website to learn more.

Master Choe’s

Join Master Choe’s for an action-packed summer camp. Camp includes daily martial arts training, special field trips, enrichment classes, along with group games and activities. Local field trips include Skate World, Gandy Pool, Family Fun Center, Local Parks, with “Mega” trips include Fun Spot Kissimmee, Lake Eva Water Park, Dave & Busters. Visit the Choe’s Martial Arts Website to learn more.

Summer Fun Programs

Summer Fun Program is designed for parents to have peace of mind about summer care. Camp includes fun activities, sports, crafts, weekly field trips, chapel, and so much more! At only $75 per week with code LKLDMOMS, this is an inexpensive summer camp option. Located at Polk Christian Preparatory School and 6 other locations across Central Florida. Visit the Summer Fun Program website to learn more.

Cooking Camp at What’s Cooking Lakeland

What could be better than kids who can help in the kitchen?? What’s Cooking? offers a summer cooking camp that teaches children about clean eating and cooking from scratch. Campers will develop cooking skills and learn about local foods, restaurants and our natural environment. Camps are open to kids ages 5-13, and each week has a different theme. Visit the What’s Cooking? website to learn more.

Camp Gilead Overnight Camp

Interested in trying sleepaway camp but don’t want to go far? Camp Gilead is located right here in Polk County! This overnight camp is a local favorite that has been providing summer camps, retreats, and Bible Clubs for over 80 years. They offer weeklong sessions based on age groups, from grades 2 – 12. Camp activities include swimming, tubing, crafts, paintball, archery, Bible lessons, and more. Camp Gilead also offers a commuter day camp for grades K – 8. Located in Polk City, just north of I-4. Visit the Camp Gilead website to learn more.

Camp Fire Sunshine Service Learning for Teens

Summer activities for middle and high schoolers are hard to find, but Camp Fire Sunshine has camps to keep them engaged all summer long. Teens in grades 6 – 12 will learn about themselves and the value of giving back to their community. Summer Challenge includes daily service-learning projects that will take students all over central and West Florida, helping out at many different agencies along the way. Nature Quest and CF66 are overnight service-learning “road trips.” Visit the Camp Fire website to learn more.