Find summer camps for military kids and dependents that are free or reduced in price for the military community. There are camps and programs for kids of parents across all branches of service including Reserve, Guard plus retired military, medically discharged, surviving dependents and DoD employees.
Air Force Youth Camps & Programs
A number of residential, specialty, and summit camp opportunities are available for dependents of active duty military living on an Air Force/Joint Base installation, Air Force retired military, Air Force civilian employees, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. Air Force Child and Youth Programs works with many partner organizations to provide a variety of camping experiences.
- 4 – H Military Partnerships
- Air Force Academy Summer Seminar
- Air Force Reserve/Air National Guard Teen Summits (AFR/ANG TLS)
- Space Camp
- Teen Leadership Camp
- Teen Aviation Camp
American Wanderer Summer Camp
American Wanderer Summer Camps offer 2 week sessions exploring America’s National Parks. Campers ages 11-17 can travel in “cabins on wheel” to different sites throughout US. Children of active duty, Reserve, National Guard, retired and former service members are all eligible to apply for their scholarship. Call for availability and pricing.
Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA)
The Armed Services YMCA, through their Operation Outdoor program, offers junior enlisted families the chance to participate in family, youth, and teen camps year-round at our branches and affiliate locations. Camps encourage healthy living as part of our core mission of strengthening our military family. Contact your local ASYMCA location for more details on dates and locations.
Blue Star Museums & Theatres
While not a camp, Blue Star Families offers free admission to military families at participating museums and theatres from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend.
Camp Corral
Camp Corral is a free, one-of-a-kind summer camp experience for children of wounded, ill, injured, or fallen military service members. Although any child of a military service member or veteran is eligible, registration priority is given to mission status children; those children of wounded, ill, injured, or fallen military service members.
Kids ages 8 to 15 are free to be kids, far away from the day-to-day challenges they face as children of military service members and veterans. Camp Corral has non-stop fun with activities like canoeing, swimming, fishing, arts and crafts, ropes course challenges, horseback riding, and more. Campers have the priceless opportunity to connect with other kids who understand the unique challenges that come with military life.
Camp CRISTA Operation Xtreme
CRISTA Camps provides children of active duty, reserve and retired military members from all branches to a week or weekend of camp at Island Lake or Miracle Ranch, Washington to experience paintball, dirt bikes, horses, new friends and more. All branches of the military are recognized and honored at each camp. Discounted fees Fees for Operation Xtreme camps vary based on the rank of the military family member. Gold Star Families can register at no cost.
Camp Yellow Ribbon
Camp Yellow Ribbon offers a week of summer fun in August for kids with parents who have been or will be deployed. Children ages 7-15 are welcome.
Department of Defense Camps
The Department of Defense offers camps throughout the world both on base and through coordination through local organizations.
- Deployment Support Camps
- DOD Starbase
- Teen Adventure Camps – Spend time whitewater rafting, hiking, rock climbing, winter camping, backpacking, exploring the environment, running ropes courses, or practicing wilderness skills. For Military teens (14-18 years old of Active Duty, Guard, Reserve, and Retired personnel)
- 4H Military Partnerships
Military Installation Camps
To find a camp or summer activity on your installation, visit MilitaryINSTALLATIONS and select Youth Programs/Centers from the drop-down menu. There are many summer camps for military dependents on base.
Microsoft Virtual Summer Camps
Not specifically for the military community, but these free virtual camps offered by Microsoft will take kids on new adventures and help build new skills with themed camps for community betterment, museum exploration, world travel, gaming, STEM, coding, and creating with digital tools.
National Guard Child & Youth Services (CYS)
CYS is available to school age dependents, ages 6 to 18 years, of National Guard Soldiers and Airmen, regardless of deployment status (including traditional drilling Guardsmen), Survivors, and Active Component Soldiers and Airmen geographically-separated from installation-based program support. Contact a Child & Youth Program Coordinator (or the State Family Program Director) near you to check out the program offerings and activities.
Operation Purple Camp
Operation Purple camps offer a free week of summer fun. Operation Purple Camp (OPC) provides an environment with fully trained counselors and camp staff experienced in helping children adapt and overcome the stressors of military life. OPC is open to military – connected children from all service branches including National Guard and Reserve, Coast Guard, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, and the United States Public Health Services Commission Corps; however, priority is given to those children who have a parent that has been wounded, ill or injured (medically retired, medically discharged, active duty and reserve); or will have a parent or guardian deployed during a 15-month deployment “window” (includes pre-, during and post deployment phases).
Semper Fi Fund Kids Camp
The Semper Fi Kids Camp pairs children of injured marines with Outdoor Odyssey youth mentors on a one-week camping experience to help them gain confidence, build skills to increase resiliency and forge meaningful relationships with peers in similar circumstances. Camps are located throughout the US.
Space Camp
Air Force Services Activity Child and Youth Programs Space Camp is hosted by the US Space and Rocket Center. While at camp youth will have an opportunity to experience one of the following:
- Space Academy (ages 12-14)
- Robotics Academy (ages 12-14)
- Aviation Challenge Mach II (ages 12-14)
- Aviation Challenge (Pilot Track) (ages 15-18)
- SCUBA Diving (Mission Specialist Track) (ages 15-18)
Cost: Lodging, meals, and activity fees are centrally funded beginning upon arrival to Space Camp. Airfare or POV travel costs and spending money are the responsibility of the attendee.
STARBASE Summer Camp
4th, 5th, and 6th graders learn exciting science, technology, engineering and math applications that will help them launch a rocket, and hopefully, ideas for their future. The program is available in 30 states and Puerto Rico, with at least 60 locations across the U.S. The programs are held on active duty, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve bases, Army National Guard bases and a Marine Corps base.
VFW Camp Trotter
Camp Trotter is a Children’s Camp primarily for children of veterans. The camp includes summer activities on site including swimming, boating, hiking, biking, arts and crafts, archery, softball, volleyball, as well as campfire activities. There are 5 summer sessions for children 7 to 12 years of age.
Ask for a Military Discount at Local Summer Camps
If your child isn’t attending one of these military child-specific summer camps, there are other options. Reach out to programs where you live and ask about military discounts. Some programs might not advertise their military deals or may offer them on a by-request basis.
Are summer day camps FSA-eligible?
Typically yes, as long as the child is under 13-years-old, and the camp is a day camp, the expense will qualify as work expense. However, overnight camps do not qualify as an eligible expense. Unfortunately, overnight camps, summer school, school tuition and meals do not qualify.
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